Juneau – “Alaska's
Wilderness Capital City" Story by Ringo Boitano Photographs by Deb Roskamp
et's face it, Alaska
is a big place. With over 3,000 rivers and more than 100,000 glaciers,
the state is one-fifth the size of the continental United States and
two-and-one-half times the size of Texas. Vast expanses of wilderness
encompass Alaska, with millions of acres of national parkland and wildlife
refuges. When I took my first Alaska Inside Passage cruise, I could
see that there were a number of ports of call that deserved more than
a day tour -- and this was never truer than when I first set my eyes
on Juneau.
A City Built on Gold
For thousands of years, the Tlingit tribe had dominated
Juneau and Southeast Alaska, developing sophisticated art work and elaborate
ceremonies as well as a complex cultural life. In 1880, Joseph Juneau
and Richard Harris discovered gold. Fortune-seeking miners soon followed
along with a plethora of trading posts, saloons, and missionaries. The
Juneau settlement became a real town, the first to be established after
Alaska's purchase from Russia. The Alaska-Juneau gold mine was one of
the largest mining operations in the world. Juneau experienced rapid
growth with the arrival of fishing, canneries, transportation services,
and a sawmill through the early 1900s. In January 1959, Alaska was christened
the U.S.’s 49th state with Juneau becoming the state capital.
Today, Juneau is a thriving city with a blend of urban
amenities nestled in the heart of majestic mountains, rivers, glaciers,
and forests. With a population of 31,000, the infrastructure is based
on government workers, tourism, mining and fishing. It still has a friendly,
small town ambiance with everyone seemingly fitting in, united in their
love of the surrounding beauty.
My Own Private Juneau
What I enjoy in Juneau is getting out of the tourist
area, and wandering around the city. One evening I strolled up a quiet
main street. I couldn't help but notice there was a man on the other
side of the street, carrying something that looked suspiciously like
a sledgehammer. Suddenly, he took a full swing, smashing a store front
window. I'd often wondered how I would react in such a situation. Would
I be a “Dirty Harry” and demand the man to stop or confront
him by force? But my 6th sense told me to do something else: run the
other direction as fast as my legs would take me. As I did, locals poured
out of bars, and soon the police arrived. The officer pointed a gun
at the assailant and calmly said: "Okay, Larry, let's go.”
Larry smiled, put his sledgehammer down, and amiably climbed into the
back of the car. How I love small city life.
Sitting in an Internet cafe the next day, I told a local
about the incident. “Unusual for Juneau,” the man smiled.
“Plus he couldn’t get far for Juneau is inaccessible by road.”
I asked if the invasion of cruise ship tourists bothered him. "They’re
only coming here to see the reasons that make us live here. One of my
favorite things to do is go to Mendenhall Glacier at night after the
cruise ships have departed, and we have the whole place to ourselves.”
That night I did just that; with the late summer sun glistening off
the glacier, it was truly a spiritual experience.
Selected Highlights
Photo credit: Juneau CVB
Mendenhall Glacier and Visitor
Center
The Mendenhall is one of the 38 major glaciers that flow from the Juneau
Icefield, covering more than 1,500 square miles. You can drive to the
visitor center on your own, but tour companies also offer trips. Flightseeing
groups feature aerial tours and helicopter companies land you right
on the glacier for a short hike.
Mt. Roberts Tramway and Alpine
Hiking
From the cruise ship pier, take a six-minute tram ride to the 1,800-foot
level of Mt. Roberts for sweeping views of Gastineau Channel and downtown
Juneau. There’s wildlife viewing platforms, Nature Center, a live
bald eagle display, restaurant, gift shop and a self-guided hiking trail
marked by Native totem carvings.
Juneau Museums
The Alaska State Museum showcases exhibits on Alaska’s Native culture,
history, art, and natural history including a Tlingit Clan House, while
the Juneau-Douglas City Museum features exhibits and videos of Juneau’s
history and gold mining heritage.
Boat Tours
Day boat tour companies offer tours of the twin Sawyer Glaciers in Tracy
Arm Fjord. Glacier Bay National Park features a remarkable collection
of tidewater glaciers and 3 million acres of wilderness.
Whale Watching and Wildlife
Viewing
Juneau is the place to see humpbacks and orca killer whales, seals,
black bears, and eagles. For brown bear viewings, visit Admiralty Island
National Monument, based in the Kootznoowoo -- a Tlingit word meaning
"Fortress of the Bears.”
Sportfishing
An array of Coast Guard licensed charter fishing boats offer charters
for Pacific halibut and all five species of Pacific salmon.
I love Ringo's piece on historic hotels. I once stayed
at the Laurentian in Montreal - is it still around, is it historic?
And then there was the Heups in Bismark.
It is interesting that two of your entries are in CANADA.
Brent, Seattle, WA
It's no mystery that you are great at what you do.
Sandee, Seattle, WA
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The Mystery on the Oasis pics are very funny!
Ramon, Kansas City, MO
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Ha ha ha ha ha...love your "schtick" Ringo!!
Dolly, Las Vegas, NV
Hello the travelling Boitano's hope you enjoy. Best
wishes.
My Irish roots understand terrible beauty. So do my
human roots. The concept has such a ring of truth to it, doesn't it?
Great article, Ringo. I hope to get to Ireland eventually, and thanks
for blazing the trail!
Sandeee Bleu, Seattle, WA
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No wonder I've been hearing all these wonderful stories
about Ireland. I used to think that it was just for Irish Americans
seeking their ancestral roots but your article seems to call out to
the non-Irish like me. Fascinating and intriguing.
Peter Paul, Pasadena, CA
Thanks for this great post wow... it's very wonderful.
Key Logger, New York
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Lets not forget that the Marriot Harbor Beach is within
walking distance to the world famous Elbo Room - Fort Lauderdale's oldest
bar.
Jeff, Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Jeff–
Thanks for taking the time
for the message and reminder. Indeed, I had a quick drink at the Elbo
Room. My trip to Ft. Lauderdale would not have been complete without
a visit to this historic institution.I have been reading about it for
years, and was not disappointed. It felt like a real local's hangout.
- Ringo
Ringo,
I
thoroughly enjoyed your article about Dick and Liz. I remember seeing
that article back in the heyday of Life Magazine.
To remember the "behind-the-scenes" stories
like that makes you genuine fan of the 60's. The famous couple's turbulent
relationship was just a precursor of today's headline-grabbing media
stars like Britney Spears and her colleagues. Life was simpler then.
The paparazzis still had some sense of decency. You "coulda"
been a good paparazzi. I say "coulda" because you kept this
to yourself all these many years.
Looking forward to other media trivia you can remember.
Peter Paul, South Pasadena, CA
Hey, Ringo –
Enjoyed your article on Antarctica --- cool photos,
too. One thing, you mentioned that Ushuaia in Argentina is considered
the most southern city in the world. I read that Chile lays claim to
that distinction, with Punta Arenas, the southernmost city in the world.
Mick, Greenbay, WI
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Mick –
Now that football season is
over --- I’ve often wondered what you Packer fans did in the off
season ---- it’s great that you took the time to visit TravelingBoy.
Great question, unlike my older brother, I adore all lamb products,
and Patagonian Lamb --- cooked in a restricted area at the restaurant
in an opened wood-fueled fire pit --- is amazing. The chef actually
uses an ax to carve it. Frankly, I found it superior to Norwegian fjord
lamb, Irish Burren lamb and even those much esteemed creatures down
in New Zealand. The crab in Ushuaia is the other thing to eat. Wait
a sec, you asked about Punta Arenas vs. Ushuaia as the furthermost city
in the world. Well, they both have little disclaimers re populations
--- you know, what’s a city, which one is a town, ect – so
better let Chile and Argentina brass it out. They seem to be able to
argue about any subject.
- Ringo
Three Musical Pilgrimages: Mozart, Grieg and Hendrix
Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
could read and compose music, plus play the violin and piano, when he was
five years old. Born into a musical family in Salzburg, Austria (then the
Holy Roman Empire), he had a unique ability for imitating music, which first
became evident when he recited a musical piece by simply observing his father
conducting a lesson to his older sister. This led to a childhood on the
road, where the young prodigy performed before many of the royal courts
of Europe.
Treasures of Ireland: The Irish Goodbye (Dispatch
#20)
The Palladian Traveler brings to a close his 20-part
series on the Emerald Isle from an upscale restaurant in downtown Dublin
where he files his final dispatch and then quietly slips away.
Two "MUST SEE" Truly Spectacular Places
in Europe. Here's Why.
The Han Grotto and Culzean Castle. As the name
of my Traveling Boy feature is "Travel With a Difference," it's
important to me to always bring you offbeat and unusual tourist places around
the world you may not know about. These two fit that category to a T, and
they're absolutely worth a visit. One's in Scotland and one's in Belgium.
Culzean (pronounced CULLANE) Castle is located near Maybole, Carrick, on
the Ayrshire coast of Scotland.
Highway 49 Revisited: Exploring California's
Gold Country
In the 1840s, the population of California was only
14,000, but by 1850 more than 100,000 settlers and adventurers had arrived
from all over the world – and they came for one reason: gold. James
Marshall had discovered the first gold nugget at Sutter’s Mill in El
Dorado County, creating the largest gold rush in history.
Lake Charles’ Family-Size Low-Key Mardi Gras
The Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras in Lake Charles,
the second largest in Louisiana, does not need parents there to avert their
children’s eyes. This is family entertainment and children are very
much part of it. The main office of the Lake Charles CVB has costumes from
last year’s Mardi Gras but it also has figures to fascinate little
ones from country boys fishing for their dinner to alligators who have already
fed and are rubbing their stomachs.
Puerto Vallarta: Magic and Mayhem on the Malecon
So I heard that you could spend from dawn to dusk on
the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and never get bored and I thought,
"Okay, I'm up for that challenge." Well, maybe not the dawn part
– I'm not a morning person – so I had no problem leaving those
early hours to the joggers and those seeking an early start to catch their
red snapper for dinner.
Relaxing at The Inn at Laguna Beach
There is nothing like sleeping in an ocean-front room
and awakening to the sounds of waves crashing against the sand. It is
one of the finer things in life. And it is exactly what I experienced
recently on a memorable getaway to The Inn at Laguna Beach. The adventure
began when a friend I pulled off the 5 Freeway in Orange County and took
SR 133 south nine miles through winding lush hills and wilderness areas
to the ocean.
Tim Robbins On His Road To Stardom
Award-winning Tim Robbins began his career on episodic
television. Robbins' film work, however, is what catapulted him into becoming
a major movie star including "Bull Durham" and "Mystic
River" for which he won multiple awards. Equally at home behind the
camera, he directed the riveting "Dead Man Walking." He is Founder
and Artistic Director of The Actors' Gang, which he formed thirty-five
years ago and has directed multiple provocative productions.
et's face it, 
