9/23/08

We scheduled an almost full day layover in Juneau during our Alaska Ferry – Inside Passage trip. Arriving late in the dark and rainy evening, we promptly headed for the Auke Village Forest Service Campground in Tongass National Forest, located just a few miles from the ferry terminal. Tongass National Forest is quite different from most national forests in the lower 48 due to the variety of habitats it encompasses. Of course there are dense forests, but it also contains alpine meadows, peat bogs (muskegs), glaciers, and saltwater fjords. Recreational opportunities abound.

Because we had limited time in the Juneau area, we left the campground early morning and headed towards downtown, which is approximately fifteen miles from the ferry terminal. We did stop at the Mendenhall Glacier, part of the Juneau Icefield, which covers 15,000 square miles. This is a frequent stop for tour groups heading through Juneau and contains an informative visitor center with easily accessible viewing platforms, short wetland nature trails, and underwater salmon viewing cameras. The Mendenhall Glacier is the most readily accessible glacier within the icefield.

Mendenhall Glacier

We made our way into downtown and explored the areas surrounding the state and capitol buildings as well as the governor’s mansion. Juneau is nestled on the waterfront rocky cliffs overlooking the Gastineau Channel at the base of Mount Juneau so the downtown is very hilly and fairly condensed. It is Alaska’s third largest city and the largest city on the inside passage. Despite being inaccessible by road to and from the remainder of the State, it has been the State Capital since Alaska became a state in 1959 and was established as the territorial capital prior to that.  Our impression of the city was that is was by far the most similar to cities in the lower 48 in terms of the general goings on and apparent sense of community. Lunchtime walking groups were in evidence along with what one might expect as a more traditional urban workforce in evidence.  Coffee shops, local bars and saloons, trendy shops and diverse restaurants highlight the downtown area. After a leisurely afternoon, we were on our way back to the ferry terminal for the requisite two-hour advance check-in and the accompanying entertainment of the ferry line antics.