Wrangell 9.8.2013

The ferry ride from Sitka to Wrangell lasted 16 hours.  We boarded in the afternoon and traveled until early the next morning.  Breland and I sat on the deck for hours, fascinated with how close we passed to the shore on each side.  We passed black bears, including one with cubs, whales and seals along the way.  We were close enough to see the salmon leaping as they neared the streams and the gulls and eagles feasting.  The  boat threaded though small islands and past waterfalls and rocky beaches.  The Malaspina was not as luxurious as the Columbia.  The cafeteria served nice meals, with choices of baked chicken, poached salmon, and roast beef as well as halibut fish and chips, hamburgers and other sandwiches and soups.  No white tablecloths this time, just comfortable tables and views of the passing shoreline.

Our berths were comfortable and we both slept well, barely waking when the boat reached Petersburg.  Our alarms were set for 5 am and someone knocked on the door at 5:15am to let us know we were within half an hour of Wrangell.  We drove off the ferry and headed straight to the Wrangell city campground.  It has 30 amp power but no water or sewer.  We will dump next door at one of the city’s five harbors before we leave.

The city owned RV park is on the water and surrounded with trees.  There are only a few spaces able to hold large motor homes .  We were the only occupants there for three of our five nights there.

Wrangell does have a lot to offer.  There are over 150 miles of smooth, well tended  forest road through the mountains.   Twenty miles of this road follow high above the shoreline and give incredible views. We picked lots of wild blueberries along the roadway.   There are miles of trails to view lakes, waterfalls and overlooks.  Petroglyph Beach contains massive rocks covered with petroglyphs that are between 1000 and 6000 years old.  The Wrangell museum is a small masterpiece, telling the history of the area with photos, stories, and artifacts.

I expected Wrangell, Sitka and Haines to be very similar.  They are very different.  Haines has the feel of a friendly small town from the 1950’s with essential services but a peaceful, laid-back atmosphere.  Sitka was much busier with an emphasis on commerce, driven by the number of cruise ships that stop there each week.   Wrangell has the same types of services you find in Haines, but it has a rawer, edgier feel.  Logging was a big industry here at one time and you can see many clear-cut areas of mountainside still.  Fishing seems to drive the economy now.
Today we will board another ferry for an 18 hour trip to Prince Rupert, Canada.  It will be our last day in Alaska, the end of two wonderful months here.

Petroglyph, one of many.

Searching for Petroglyphs

Playing Make-Believe