Sitka, Alaska. I could go on and on about this amazing town. It's off the beaten cruise ship path, though some ships still venture to Baranof Island. Sitka sits on the Sitka Sound, a channel abutting the Pacific Ocean. We were fortunate to stay in Sitka for four nights and had absolutely perfect weather. The mountains surrounding Sitka tower over the water, unlike any other place I've seen. Our first two nights in Sitka were spent at the Starrigavan Cabin, which is a quick 15 minute drive from downtown. In early September the pink salmon are running and when salmon are migrating home, it is no joke in Alaska. There were so many fish in the tributaries, I could have walked across their backs from bank to bank. Salmon are truly an amazing species, and I may be biased given my line of work. Pink salmon live for 2 years, that's it! And in their brief 2 year existence they migrate from a freshwater stream to the ocean and back again, covering hundreds to thousands of miles...salmon are awesome. Anyway, enjoy the photos from Starrigavan & the nearby hikes!
 |
| Mt. Edgecumbe in the distance |
 |
| Starrigavan Cabin |
 |
| Mosquito Cove Loop |
 |
| Forest & Muskeg Trail |
 |
| Starrigavan Creek |
 |
| Low tide near Starrigavan Camground. |
On day 4 in Sitka, we hiked Gavan Hill. Alaskans love their stair-climbing trails. This was no exception. This was a 7 mile roundtrip hike up to the summit with an elevation gain of 2,500ft. Unlike Deer Mountain, we had the most amazing views on this hike. Mike proclaimed it in his top 5 hikes of all time, #nbd. If you are in Sitka on a clear day, HIKE THIS TRAIL. It will take 3-4 hours, but it is accessible from downtown. You will not regret it. Check out these views!
 |
| Views of downtown Sitka. |
 |
| Mt. Edgecumbe in the distance |
 |
| Seriously, we had 360 mountain views. |
 |
| Returning home. |
 |
| We earned these. |
 |
| That sky. |
Post a Comment