The capital of Alaska: Juneau

We arrived Monday morning in Juneau, Alaska. Considered by many to be the nation’s most beautiful capital city, it is famous for its spectacular mountains, glaciers, fjords, lakes and wildlife. The town is nestled in the rain forest where the mountains meet the sea amidst the 17 million acre Tongass National Forest, and a 1,500 square mile ice field.

Juneau is one of only two state capitals in the country not accessible by road; however, it is the second largest city, in area, in the United States. Its terrain is hilly, and its winding, narrow streets are filled with character. It is a quaint, yet sophisticated, town that is rich in Native culture and gold-mining history.

It was a gorgeous day and we took a helicopter tour over the lush rain forest and mountains, with the pilot getting up close to explore the deep blue crevasses and glacier-carved peaks. Our destination was the Alaska Icefield dog camp located at the Mendenhall Glacier’s 3,500 foot level. As the helicopter approached the camp and set down, it seemed like we were landing on another planet. There were 240 dog houses and tents for 18 people on a massive icefield surrounded by huge mountains. The people are professional mushers and live there six days a week to take care of the dogs, without running water, electricity, or cell phones.

The snow was 25 feet deep on the icefield and we witnessed several small avalanches before we were introduced to our musher, Joe. Joe in turn introduced us to the 11 dogs that would be pulling our sled (the other dogs were jealous and barking like crazy). We then set out on a spectacular journey across the icefield, and the camp at times seemed like a little dot in the distance. It was an exhilarating experience to be swept along the snow by these strong dogs, and to see that they enjoyed it as much as we did. To sum it up, John says it was a highlight of the trip and one on the best days of his life.