Haines Alaska

This week we reached our furthest point northwest on the Tincantour, Haines Alaska.  We arrived to beautiful sunny blue skies.  We pulled into Hitchup RV Campground and got checked in but decided to hit the car/RV wash across the street before setting up (we had some serious mud-pack all over the truck and trailer).  Once we got setup we headed for the downtown waterfront area:

We drove to Chilkoot river/lake and saw this bald eagle fishing:

Another day we drove to the Chilkat State Park to check out the glaciers there.  This is a hanging glacier called Rainbow Glacier.

We drove up to the eagle preserve about 20 miles back out of town.  Evidently no one has told the eagles they are supposed to hang out there.  We did find this butterly:

but on the road to the preserve we saw this eagle perched along the river:

Another day we hiked Chilcat State Park Battery Point Trail along the coast.  Great views and lots of flowers blooming:

Interesting variation on the Bluejay (perhaps a Steller's Jay?):

We revisited the Chilkoot river area several times while staying here.  One day we hit the jackpot seeing well over 10 eagles:

This eagle was focused on a family of grizzlies along the rivers edge:

This eagle we were able to walk up underneath:

and these highly trained gov't workers counting salmon swimming up the Chilkoot river through the weir didn't flinch when I snapped their picture either:

The grizzlies were non-stop eating grass:

and here in the video they take time out to get a drink:

and occaisionally a couple of them take time out to pose for the camera:

This hawk was upsetting the local eagles:

This was interesting to watch.... big mama grizzly looks at the cubs and says "heck with the grass kids, look what I found":

The kids seemed excited . . . GrrrYummy:

Don't they look like cats about to pounce on their prey?  They walked away and this angler was OK.  We spoke to the angler and his wife the next day and gave them the link to our blog thinking they might enjoy these pics. 

Another day we took the Alaska Fjordlines Express (high speed cat) from Haines to Juneau along the Lynn Canal (the continents longest and deepest glacial fjord - 2000+ ft deep in places).  This was a nice 2+ hour cruise making several stops to checkout the scenery and wildlife along the way.  These birds (yet to be identified) flew low & fast along side the boat for long distances:

Along the way we saw a colony of sea lions which from a distance all seemed to be sleeping:

But up close you could see the jockeying for best position along with some showing off:

We saw humpback whales on our way to Juneau:

We arrive in Juneau with an hours bus ride from the dock to down town.  Soon into the bus ride a black bear crossed the road in front of us.  This guy was not bothered by the bus while he ate the dandilion tops along side of us:

Once in downtown Juneau we headed straight for Tracy's King Crab Shack.  We had an excellent king crab lunch in the sun on a picnic table by the pier.  Our new friends Dave & Lori (campground host who were also on this trip) joined us for lunch.  We all walked around town a bit and then hit the Red Dog Saloon & the Historic Imperial Saloon to sample the local flavors.  The bus stopped at the Mendenhall Glacier on the way back to the dock:

This glacier is making some huge icebergs:

Nugget Falls is a big beautiful waterfall right next to Mendenhall glacier - worth the hike over to it (even if you have to run back to catch the bus):

Dave & Lori hamming it up here for the camera by Nugget Falls!

This would be a tricky lake to manuever by boat:

What are the chances of running into someone in Juneau (where you can only get to by plane or boat) that you used to work with back in Hooksett NH . . . Warren was touring Juneau while on an inside passage cruise with his wife.

Our boat ride back was through nice smooth waters:

We saw more humpbacks (a little spout action here):

And this beautiful lighthouse:

There were seals basking in the afternoon sun on the lighthouse jettys:

It was a beautiful evening as we pulled back into Haines:

Another afternoon we ran into the mother grizzly and her offspring further down along the rivers edge:

Keeping an eye on them (or us) was this bald eagle above:

Moma grizzly tried striking a pose when she noticed me across the river with a camera:

Family dining with a view here:

I yelled across the river "give me your cutest look":

Not bad but better use of props here:

Mom tries to look cute:

While these 2 try a team pose:

but this guy takes it all with his creative pose and beautiful use of flowers:

by this time, Moma Griz had enough . . . Grrrr . . . time to move on:

Another day we biked the Chikoot bay/river/lake area

and saw this hawk (updated: Hasselbecks identified this as a juvenile bald eagle - even cooler!) along the waters edge:

this eagle flying over head:

and we biked right by the 4 bears on the roadside munching away - this guy looks like he could use a drink, doesn't he?

Our last day here we decided to hike Mt Riley.  A 3 mile "easy" hike according to local infomation.  Must be "Alaska easy" because this was 2 hours of climbing 1700+ ft over many tree roots and rocks.  But once you got to the top, the views were incredible (Chilcat river seen here):

In another direction you can see the Lynn Canal which Vs off to Scagway on the right, Haines to the left and Chilkoot up the middle:

Once we relaxed for a few at the peak we were able to muster up a pose and a smile:

So now it's time to say goodbye to Haines Alaska:

This was a great place to visit! Special thanks to our Hitch-Up RV Park campground host Dave & Lori - we really enjoyed hanging out with them (and their border collie Spaz seen below)!  Really cool dog that loves playing frisbee!

So now we start heading back south & east.  More to come . . .