By John Williams for ExpressDigest
It was a smooth one-hour flight from Toronto to Vancouver. We had an eight-hour stopover in Vancouver. We arranged to spend the time in an airport lounge, where we could eat, shower, read, have coffee, or have a drink. We could see our airport lounge as we walked through the terminal.
However, we were forced to take a twisting route due to construction in the terminal before we could move into the main terminal. As a result, the airport lounge was not visible to us.
We were fortunate to find a gentleman driving a golf cart that pointed us in the right direction. He told us that the airport staff should have met us at the gate and led us to the lounge. The airport lounge was “our salvation”.
Denali National Park and Preserve
Denali National Park is primarily known for Mount McKinley, also called Denali, which means Big Mountain. Mount McKinley, at 6,190 meters, is the highest peak in North America.
The park, which is larger than Massachusetts, has just one road, making a trip here the perfect wilderness adventure. Try to spot the Big Five: Elk, Caribou, Wild Sheep, Wolves, and Grizzly Bears.
The weather can sometimes get in the way of seeing Mount McKinley from the bus tour. We had the opportunity to view Mount McKinley from several different vantage points and finally to see the massive peak at 20,320 feet.
A few things struck me about Denali. First, almost no radio stations could either be heard on the FM or AM dial. Second, I was there during the maximum daylight hours in the “Land of the Midnight Sun” in June. It never went completely dark, and at 3 am it was almost like dusk.
With the help of Ms. Nor mark, I decided to tour Denali on a shuttle bus. This might be more appropriately called a school bus. Although the bus wasn’t exactly luxurious, it didn’t matter.
The star of the show is what you see on the ride. Before I headed to Toklat, I stopped at a local lodge for breakfast, where I had deer sausage.
Fairbanks
Next was the drive to Fairbanks. Fairbanks is located in the Far North, so white nights reign here in the summer and the Northern Lights can be seen from August to April.
These natural wonders, along with winter sports, the history of the gold rush, the cultural heritage of the local Alaska people, scenic views and hospitality have become a must-see for every tourist.
Here I spent several smoky nights. Fairbanks was ravaged by a forest fire that had struck the area south and west of Denali.
The Museum of the North at the University of Alaska specializes in Alaskan culture, history, and art; Pioneer Park features a recreated Gold Rush town and Eskimo village, as well as a small railroad that transports passengers around the property.
I left Fairbanks and headed southeast towards Glennallen. This small town is the commercial hub of Copper County Country, the home of the salmon.
The New Caribou Hotel was my hotel. It seemed like the only one in town, but it was clean.
Fairbanks International Airport serves as a major hub for Alaska air travel. Several regional and charter airlines use or have used the location as their main base of operations due to its central location in the state. Commercial airlines also connect Fairbanks to the lower 48 and select international destinations.
Search for cheap flights from Fairbanks? Prices to and from Fairbanks vary by season, airline and sales availability. Fairbanks is a very popular destination in May, June and July. The low season for ticket purchases is April, October and November.