Ketichakan, and thoughts on the ferry ride back.

We arrived at Ketchikan in the morning and were there most of the day. One must study the ferry schedule to figure out how long they dock where, as we were there only briefly on the trip up. Ketchikan is the fifth largest "city" in Alaska with a population of around 14,000. Their economy is based on fishing and tourism. We took a bus into town and found a tourist trap area much like we found in Juneau. We walked into a store and were confronted by a woman selling trips on a tour bus. The price was a bit high but she promised we would get the history and view of Ketchikan from a local, not a canned speech from an import bus driver. I fell for it and signed up. David and I were the only passengers on a small bus. The driver was a cute girl around David's age. She was nice, and we had good conversation, but she did not mention much local information at all, and when I asked her how Ketchikan got it's name, she had no idea. (It came from the name of a local creek which was named by the Tlingit natives.) Our destination was Totem Heritage Center,with Tlingit native totem poles, an antique gun collection, and antique autos. It was raining when we got there, and we learned a bit about it, but I found myself listening to the canned talks from other groups as I got more information that way. My thought is that the large groups may be from cruise ships, but the leader learns the information more than the small local tour people.
We saw more sea planes at Ketchikan in one place than anywhere else. There were docks with ramps with sea planes run up on them, and they were pulled up everywhere and in the air.
Remember the Alaskan "Bridge to Nowhere"? Well it was to be built at Ketchikan, from the town to the new International Airport on an island. Look at my photos and you will see it across the water from where we were. It would have been a short bridge, but due to the huge cruise ships that would pass under it, it would have to have been very high up. The flat island that they had to put the airport on also houses several hundred folks most of whom work in Ketchikan, and the ferry across is 12 bucks each way. (According to our bus driver, it seems that Sarah Palin wanted most of the money for it used in Wacilla, so she canceled the project, and folks in Ketchikan don't like her very much.) Ketchikan has the highest number zip code in the US, 99950 if you are interested...


We visited Hawaii in 2002, and one goal I had on this trip was to compare two relatively rare events in an average persons life, a trip to Hawaii or Alaska and decide which was the best as a first choice or if only one can be afforded. Well, no real comparison can be made... In my opinion the type of person which makes each trip is different. Hawaii is for the person who likes comfort first and is willing to pay to get it. Yes, one can climb Diamond Head, hike trails to water falls, etc. However most of Hawaii is about attending luau, beaches, and great hotels. That can not compare with the harsh life of Alaska. That calls for the mountain man (or woman) type individual. However for the comfort loving person, there are the 3 to 4 daily cruise ships that arrive in some of the cities. Those folks have fine rooms, few waves from the open ocean, heated pools and a party atmosphere. They arrive at towns and cities which have tourist trap after gift shop, but little of what makes Alaska. They do see a great view of the shore of Alaska which is impressive, and get some locak tours, but meet few Alaskans, as the shops are full of summer help from the lower 48. So for the above reasons the hearty type and the luxury type can find something for themselves at both destinations, but they are not the same at all. Hawaii is a year round destination, Alaska is 90% summer only. Those who go in the winter are the really mountain man mentality who want to see the Northern Lights, ride snowmobiles, or really rough it in the cold. Even many Alaskans move to Juneau or Anchorage in the winter to escape the extreme weather in the central and northern parts of Alaska. When the seasonal workers go home to the lower 48, many of the central Alaskans go to south or southeast Alaska to work for the winter, as did the owner of the camping cabin we stayed in at Denali.