"Juneau, Alaska" a Juneau Travel Page by crazyak

I recently moved from Homer, Alaska to the state's capital, Juneau. I am here to further my education, but I've had two weeks of nothing but play time before classes start! Juneau is only accessible by boat or plane, so many adventurers do not make it here on their own. Gigantic cruise ships dock here and from what I can see that is how the majority of visitors arrive. If planning a trip to Alaska on your own, I highly reccomend trying to work Juneau into your plans. In one day, on one hike, you can see glaciers, whales, bears, otters, sea lions, snow capped mountains, and a rainforest! The ecological diversity of this place is absolutely unreal. If you like to fish, you have your choice of freshwater rivers and creeks or the saltwater inlet, channles, or bay. I just bought the book "90 hikes in and around Juneau" and there is no doubt more than enough trails to keep any visitor or local busy.

Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau is the most visible, popular, and visited chunk of ice in this place! During the ice age this glacier covered the city of Juneau. The recession now places it at about 15 miles from downtown. This is the first thing I checked out after driving off the ferry. When I parked I saw people leaving their cars with beach items such as balls, towels, chairs, and sunscreen. I was completely confused until I learned that on sunny days ,the shallow pools of water created by the glacier's recession warm up and are very suitable for swimming. So on a warm, sunny day in Juneau it is not unusual to comfortably swim and catch some rays in a glacial swimming hole!

No travel page of mine is complete without a dog shot. Frasia has been my most faithful hiking companion. She always knows the way back, and the tags on her collar jiggle to make enough noise to warn any bears of our arrival. Besides unbeatable natural beauty, Juneau is also full of oragnized recreational activities and health conscious citizens. In this photo Frasia is observing from afar a game of ultimate frisbee.