I Don’t Know But…

Welcome to Alaska

For those who don’t know the tag line, here’s a hint:  people who live here refer to the rest of the US as “the lower forty-eight.”  My take on Alaska was magnificent scenery, lots of wildlife and very unattractive housing.

In Juneau, the helicopter intended to transport us to the Mendenhall Glacier was cancelled due to fog. Another service tried to step in but I felt that the cancellation was a sign to desist. Beautiful downtown Juneau is a parade of t-shirt and jewelry shops as well as the famed Red Dog Salon, a beery spot with sawdust on the floor.

The White Pass & Yukon Route narrow gauge railway climbs from Skagway up to the summit of the White Pass trail where the snow was a good three feet deep (on a beautiful, sunny day—something of a rarity in southern Alaska.)

White Pass & Yukon RR moving up the line

In 1897 during the Klondike gold rush era, over 100,000 men and women and even some children raced to reach the goldfields about five hundred miles inland. The White Pass came to be known as Dead Horse Pass because so many pack animals died along the trail. Each adult was required to carry in a ton of food and supplies, pretty tough up such a steep trail especially in winter.

The town of Skagway has the kitchily cute recreated Mascot Saloon and the Arctic Brotherhood Hall, a wonderful building with a façade decorated entirely with twigs.

Arctic Brotherhood Building in Skagway

Glacier Bay, a product of the Little Ice Age, included views of plenty of glaciers prefaced by excellent presentations by two Park Service Rangers. Loved watching the whales jump and the adorable sea otters lying on their backs to eat their fish.

In Ketchikan, advised by many to “get out of the town,” we went to various beaches (in Alaska this means piles of rocks) to see bald eagles but were too early in the season to spot bears. Back in the town, Creek Street, formerly home to brothels and now to souvenir shops, rises on stilts.

Houses build over Creek Street, Ketchikan

I visited Dolly’s House, home of a once-famous madam with an eye either to thrift or crafts as she (or her, um, employees), used silk condoms fashioned into flowers, to decorate a shower curtain. The funicular provided a fast trip up to the Cape Fox Inn for very good Bloody Mary’s and an excellent grilled salmon BLT lunch.

The Chinook salmon is the Alaskan state fish, served everywhere in every way.

Grilled Salmon BLT (minus bacon, lettuce and tomato)

Grilled Salmon BLT

Per sandwich:

2 slices meaty bacon

1 ½ inch thick salmon filet

1 T mayonnaise mixed with 1 t pesto sauce (if you don’t make and keep pesto on hand, buy it)

1 slice ripe tomato (if it isn’t tomato season omit this unless you enjoy unripe tomato)

1 leaf lettuce

Piece of ciabatta bread larger than the salmon filet split in half

Cook bacon and drain well. Brush salmon filet lightly with unseasoned mayonnaise (keeps it from sticking and will burn off) and grill over a hot fire for three minutes per side. It should emerge with grill marks on both sides.

Lightly toast the bread on the grill. Spread both sides with the mayonnaise/pesto mixture. Put lettuce on one side of bread with tomato if using and salmon on top of that. Top with bacon slices.  Close with the second piece of the bread and serve immediately.

Think of yourself as one with the bears and otters who also love salmon.  Appreciate summer. Rejoice that you don’t live in Alaska (and, if you do, my apologies.)