Just back from two weeks in AK
Just got back from our two week vaca in Alaska. We flew, so no RV but wanted to advise on a few things.
The weather is still hot and dry. Palmer was experiencing records temps two days ago. Rain has been and continues to be scarce. This has had a dramatic effect on the salmon. They cannot go up river to spawn in many areas due to low water levels. Water temps are nearing or at 70 degrees. At that temp salmon start to die. The ripple effect is the bears are relying on other food sources such as berries and are retreating farther back into the woods/mountains. Per people who have been there, wildlife sightings in Denali are down, bear fly-out trips are being cancelled and the bear numbers at Brooks River in Katmai are down. We did see about a dozen bears at the Kodiak Brown Bear Center's areas but those numbers were way down from when they opened the week of 7/15. Moose sightings are also scarce. The wildlife is there but just not in the numbers most are used to. Some areas were expected to get rain but it didn't look like enough.
Wild fires are still burning. The Swan Lake fire had died down but was active again as of this past week. There was some smoke along the Seward Highway and fires were popping up near the highway in various spots. Not a threat and not large ones but still there. Everywhere we went (Anchorage, Whittier, Seward, Homer, Kodiak) at one time or another there was detectable smoke smell.
There was construction along the highways (Seward, Sterling) but overall the roads are in good shape. Traffic wasn't bad at all-being from the Boston area I may be jaded!
Overall we had a fantastic trip. The good weather was appreciated although it's impact has been unfavorable on the environment. We are already starting to plan another trip.
The weather is still hot and dry. Palmer was experiencing records temps two days ago. Rain has been and continues to be scarce. This has had a dramatic effect on the salmon. They cannot go up river to spawn in many areas due to low water levels. Water temps are nearing or at 70 degrees. At that temp salmon start to die. The ripple effect is the bears are relying on other food sources such as berries and are retreating farther back into the woods/mountains. Per people who have been there, wildlife sightings in Denali are down, bear fly-out trips are being cancelled and the bear numbers at Brooks River in Katmai are down. We did see about a dozen bears at the Kodiak Brown Bear Center's areas but those numbers were way down from when they opened the week of 7/15. Moose sightings are also scarce. The wildlife is there but just not in the numbers most are used to. Some areas were expected to get rain but it didn't look like enough.
Wild fires are still burning. The Swan Lake fire had died down but was active again as of this past week. There was some smoke along the Seward Highway and fires were popping up near the highway in various spots. Not a threat and not large ones but still there. Everywhere we went (Anchorage, Whittier, Seward, Homer, Kodiak) at one time or another there was detectable smoke smell.
There was construction along the highways (Seward, Sterling) but overall the roads are in good shape. Traffic wasn't bad at all-being from the Boston area I may be jaded!
Overall we had a fantastic trip. The good weather was appreciated although it's impact has been unfavorable on the environment. We are already starting to plan another trip.
