What was the weather like in early June?
The weather was quite nice for us. We didn't need a jacket during the day. Sometimes you did at night. We got really lucky where most of our days were sunny with great visibility. However, our friends, whose earlier vacation overlapped ours by a day, said they experienced snow and rain most of the time.How much daylight did you experience?
Daylight was constant -- at midnight the sky was red with the setting sun. Sunrise was usually at 4:00a. It was difficult to sleep in an environment seeping with sunlight so late, but thanks to our active days we were tired enough.How big is Alaska?
Alaska is the largest state. It is approximately 1/5 the size of the rest of the US. Denali National Park is 6 million acres, larger than New Hampshire. Take a look at the map and watch our animated driving route. That was 1400 miles. Alaska has 3,000,000 lakes. Alaska is a big state.Were the mosquitos bad?
In some areas they were horrible. One sign we saw said that there were 27 species of mosquitos. Don't ask me how they counted. We were there early enough in the season that we didn't have to suffer the wrath of those biting insects. DEET helped, too.How were the gas prices?
Inside Anchorage the gas prices were comparable to Arizona. Outside Anchorage we thought the pries were attrocious -- up to $1.85/gallon -- until we heard that people in Chicago and Milwaukee were paying over $2.00. I guess it's all relative.Was the food expensive?
We packed an entire suitcase full of food so that we didn't have to buy much when we got there. This was totally unnecessary. Grocery prices in Anchorage were no different than anywhere else in the US except for perishables and soda, which were almost double the price. We didn't frequent the restaurants, but as for the ones we did is was a similar story -- inside Anchorage reasonable, outside expensive.I know a few people that went to Alaska and they didn't see any wildlife compared to your experience. How did you do it?
We were trained by Chuck, the Denali bus driver, on how to spot wildlife. First and foremost you have to be actively looking for it. We never would have seen 4 porcupines if I werent' constantly scanning the sides of the roads for the critters. The animals are out there, you need to stay awake and always be scanning the scenery. Second, once you spot an animal it becomes easier to spot again later. Eagles, bears, and porcupines were easy to spot once we saw our first one.What are the road conditions like in Alaska?
Most highways are well paved and cared for. The Denali Highway is all dirt and not worth the drive if you do it too early in the season like we did. Some parts of the highway had some resonant dips in them that got the RV shaking up and down so much that it was throwing us out of our seats; just needed to go slower.How were the crowds?
Except for Denali National Park, we encountered no crowds. I'm not sure if it was the earliness of the season, or if gas prices were constricting tourist season, but we had the run of the place wherever we went. RV rental shops start charging more starting June 14, perhaps some magic day that all the crowds come in. As a result of the lack of people, we didn't need reservations on anything except the Denali bus.What kind of photographic equipment did you use?
I have a Nikon 8008 with a Sigma 5.6/28-80mm aspherical macro lens and a Tokina 5.6/80-400mm zoom lens. I shot either Fuji Provia 400 or 100 slide film depending on lighting conditions. I shot 11 rolls of 36 exposures each.Kelly had a Canon EOS Rebel with the same Sigma 5.6/28-80mm lens and a Sigma 75-300mm zoom. She shot a total of 16 rolls of Kodak Royal Gold 100 or 400 in 24 exposure lots.
I also brought a tripod and a monopod.
What tour companies can you recommend?
We had a great time on our trip in part because of some wonderful tour companies. I don't mind pluggin them for free -- you will probably have a great time with them yourself!
- K2 Flightseeing Tours for pricey/priceless views of Mt. McKinley.
- Alaska Panorama RV Rentals -- these guys are super easy to deal with and offer a great RV for a fair price. Only $10 cab ride from the Anchorage airport.
- Kenai Fjord Tours -- An awesome and informative way to see the wildlife and scenery of the sea near Seward. Go for the maximum amount of time on the water to see the maximum amount of wildlife!
- Alaska Wildlife Images -- pro photographers we met in Denali. They sell screen savers and offer free electronic Alaska postcards. Really neat pictures here!
What were the advantages/disadvantages for choosing to take this trip in June?
We wanted to experience Alaska on a budget, so completing our trip before the crowds arrived on June 14 saved us almost 50% on our RV rental. Going that early can help to keep you spontaneous by not having to sign up ahead of time for tours (except for Denali bus). Early June is when you can see the baby animals, which we were thrilled about. On top of all that, the mosquito count is low.The weather is a craps shoot no matter when you go. Too early and you risk getting snowed on. Wait for July or August and you'll get rained on a lot.
By going in early June we missed the wildflowers. Next time we would like to go later in the summer to see the carpets of technicolor that adorn the mountain bases all over the state.