Gustavus, Glacier National Park and the Tlingit People (July 8th - 10th)

Monday 7/8 we were on the 7a ferry up to Gustavus. The shuttle service by the Driftwood Hotel was very appreciated, even if we did have to leave at 5a! It was a relatively short ride, and with great weather. (Juneau and the surrounding areas, as well as much of Alaska, was experiencing unseasonably warm weather.) Once at Gustavus, the Glacier Bay Lodge had transportation via an old school bus (think "Denali Shuttles") for the 8 or 10 of us arriving by ferry. We were lucky to be able to check in a little early (2p) so we could take a short nap. Both David & I were pretty tired after the very early morning on the ferry. Dinner at the lodge was nice, but pretty expensive. We were prepared for it, however, having check out their menu on their website. The atmosphere was wonderful. No TV or internet in the lodge rooms . . . but you could get a WiFi signal in the main lobby of the lodge.

Tuesday 7/9 we had booked the day boat trip up to view the glaciers and hopefully some wildlife along the way. It was roughly an 8 hour day, which included a clam chowder snack mid morning and a deli type sandwich lunch, along with free soft drinks and beer (for purchase). We didn't see a lot of wildlife . . . some mountain goats on an island, a few eagles and humpbacks, plus one brown bear way off the shoreline, and only for a brief moment. The time at the Margerie Glacier's face was nice; only disappointment was we didn't see calving. Lots of ice in the water around us though. If you take this trip, be prepared to spend around 45-60 minutes of the trip on taking and picking up backcountry campers & kayakers. I get why they do this service, but I just didn't expect to have around an hour of our tour spent being a water taxi. Back at the lodge, we enjoyed the evening's scheduled video at the NPS Visitor Center upstairs above the main lobby before dinner.

 

Wednesday 7/10 we had the day (until mid afternoon) to see more of what was around the lodge. There was a noontime video scheduled, after which, we walked down to the Huna Tlingit Clan House. It was a beautiful experience, including the ranger's presentation. Ranger Sonya is Tlingit and provided information and stories about her ancestors at this special place. The Clan House was only recently (2016) completed and opened to the public. Hand carved and built, this is a very special place. We arrived by ferry back to Juneau that evening, with the Driftwood Hotel's shuttle ready to greet us right on schedule (8p).