Back to photo homeView this gallery in a slideshowStatic thumbnail page

An Alaskan Adventure : July 1 - 29, 2026

Part 10 - Skagway and back home

July 24: Gustavus to Skagway

A beautiful day for the short scenic flight to Skagway.

Gustavus Runway 29 approach end
pIMG_97971.JPG
Porpoise Islands
pIMG_4424.JPG

pIMG_4426.JPG
The view across Lynn Canal
pIMG_4433.JPG
Howard Bay

Lynn Sisters
cIMG_4445.JPG
Lynn Brothers
Endicott River

pIMG_4457.JPG
Eldred Rock
pIMG_4472.JPG
pIMG_4476.JPG

Isthmus connecting Dalasuga Island
West side of Chilkat Peninsula; Kalhagu Cove
Looking across the Chilkoot Inlet
Mud Bay

Katzehin River and halocline
pIMG_4493.JPG
pIMG_4494.JPG
Haines

Skagway
Right downwind for Runway 20
pIMG_97992.JPG
cIMG_97999.JPG

July 24: Skagway

The town runs on the cruise ship schedules. Bustling when the ships are in, then becoming a ghost town after passengers embark. I walked the short trail out to Yakutania Point, wandered around the cruise ship dock.

pIMG_4524.JPG
Rotary snowplow
pIMG_4549.JPG
The Emerald Princess

pIMG_4557.JPG
pIMG_4567.JPG
It's like a floating condo complex
pIMG_4580.JPG

pIMG_4581.JPG
Busy streets with everyone from the cruise ships
cIMG_4583.JPG
Runway 2 at Skagway Airport

Fireweed
The Carnival Luminosa
Common Raven
Arctic Tern

Tern attacking gulls
pIMG_4617.JPG
pIMG_4621.JPG
Looking down the Taiya Inlet at Mt. Harding

Parsons Peak, Face Mountain
pIMG_4644.JPG
Bald Eagle
Twin Dewey Peaks

Rusavskia lichen
Murrelet
Bonaparte's Gull
cIMG_4667.JPG

cIMG_4668.JPG
pIMG_4669.JPG
pIMG_4672.JPG
Emerald Princess flying the British Red Ensign

Lichen
Mt. Harding
cIMG_4688.JPG
A bit of perspective

pIMG_4709.JPG
pIMG_4710.JPG
pIMG_4712.JPG
pIMG_4713.JPG

pIMG_4714.JPG
Short-billed Gull
pIMG_4725.JPG
cIMG_4731.JPG

Nearing embarkation time and the streets are deserted
pIMG_4738.JPG
pIMG_4762.JPG
pIMG_4766.JPG

pIMG_4772.JPG
Running a lifeboat drill?
Unmooring
Underway

cIMG_4791.JPG
They got hoisted while I was watching the other ship get underway
pIMG_4798.JPG
pIMG_4811.JPG

pIMG_4818.JPG
pIMG_4821.JPG
cIMG_4834.JPG
Ship Signature Wall

pIMG_4874.JPG
pIMG_4875.JPG
cIMG_4880.JPG
pIMG_4881.JPG

pIMG_4883.JPG
pIMG_4884.JPG
pIMG_4885.JPG

July 25: Skagway

I did a bunch of cruise ship touristy things like ride the White Pass and Yukon Route train, and hiked up to Lower Dewey Lake.

Holland America Zaandam
cIMG_4888.JPG
cIMG_4889.JPG
pIMG_4893.JPG

cIMG_4896.JPG
pIMG_4901.JPG
cIMG_4917.JPG
pIMG_4927.JPG

cIMG_4929.JPG
cIMG_4932.JPG
Being shown into the brothel... tour
pIMG_4950.JPG

pIMG_4962.JPG
cIMG_4965.JPG
cIMG_4967.JPG
cIMG_4988.JPG

Black Cross Rock
pIMG_5005.JPG
pIMG_5031.JPG
cIMG_5033.JPG

cIMG_5035.JPG
cIMG_5037.JPG
cIMG_5038.JPG
cIMG_5040.JPG

cIMG_5060.JPG
pIMG_5069.JPG
cIMG_5079.JPG
cIMG_5088.JPG

cIMG_5102.JPG
pIMG_5104.JPG
pIMG_5107.JPG
cIMG_5112.JPG

cIMG_5113.JPG
cIMG_5116.JPG
cIMG_5120.JPG
pIMG_5129.JPG

Border monument 117
cIMG_5135.JPG
cIMG_5143.JPG
cIMG_5144.JPG

pIMG_5149.JPG
pIMG_5155.JPG
pIMG_5162.JPG
pIMG_5175.JPG

pIMG_5183.JPG
pIMG_5192.JPG
cIMG_5194.JPG
cIMG_5197.JPG

cIMG_5200.JPG
cIMG_5204.JPG
cIMG_5218.JPG
pIMG_5235.JPG

pIMG_5236.JPG
Bridal Veil Falls
cIMG_5253.JPG
cIMG_5255.JPG

cIMG_5261.JPG
cIMG_5284.JPG
View from Rocky Point
cIMG_5290.JPG

cIMG_5296.JPG
pIMG_5300.JPG
cIMG_5305.JPG
cIMG_5312.JPG

pIMG_5324.JPG
cIMG_5326.JPG
cIMG_5327.JPG
cIMG_5328.JPG

cIMG_5329.JPG
Holland America Zaandam
Hermit Thrush
pIMG_5362.JPG

Lower Dewey Lake
pIMG_5373.JPG
pIMG_5376.JPG
cIMG_5377.JPG

pIMG_5380.JPG
pIMG_5382.JPG
cIMG_5393.JPG
pIMG_5396.JPG

cIMG_5400.JPG
cIMG_5406.JPG
cIMG_5409.JPG
pIMG_5418.JPG

pIMG_5432.JPG
pIMG_5434.JPG
pIMG_5437.JPG
cIMG_5445.JPG

Moore Cabin
pIMG_5462.JPG
pIMG_5473.JPG
pIMG_5475.JPG

cIMG_5476.JPG
cIMG_5477.JPG
pIMG_5480.JPG
pIMG_5487.JPG

July 26: Skagway to Tacoma

With forecast headwinds for the flight south, I had to plan a fuel stop at Port Hardy, which meant the additional overhead of clearing customs twice.
I left Skagway with good weather, but had to deal with low ceilings again south of Juneau. After refueling at Ketchikan, I flew IFR to Port Hardy. While it was a nice day at Port Hardy, clouds and rain enroute meant another IFR flight to Bellingham for US Customs. The final leg of the day was a relatively short flight to Gig Harbor to visit a friend. All told, I traversed 860 nm on the day.

Runway 20 departure
Haines
Berners Bay, Antler River
Herbert Glacier

Mount Wrather in background
Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhaven
Over Heintzleman Ridge

Gastineau Channel
Potential hazards of flying low over the water
Over Frederick Sound, Point Agassia Peninsula
Petersburg

South end of Frederick Sound
Dry Strait
Touch and go at Wrangell Airport
Zimovia Strait at Turn Island

West end of Cunningham Island near Bella Bella
Interesting vegetation pattern near Fish Egg Inlet
Port Hardy Airport

July 27: Tacoma


pIMG_5614.JPG
pIMG_5615.JPG
pIMG_5616.JPG
pIMG_5621.JPG

Inverse contrails
pIMG_5631.JPG
Browns Point Lighthouse
Egg Yolk Jelly

Osprey
pIMG_5642.JPG
pIMG_5644.JPG
Chinese Reconciliation Park

cIMG_5654.JPG
pIMG_5661.JPG
Thea's Park
Ochre Star

July 28: Tacoma


Yellowjacket nest
cIMG_5700.JPG
cIMG_5706.JPG
pIMG_5707.JPG

Pigeon Guillemot
Sea lion
cIMG_5725.JPG
pIMG_5738.JPG

July 29: Gig Harbor to San Diego

The final legs home. 901nm with a fuel stop at Nervino (Beckwourth, CA).

Olympia
Mt. Rainier
Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams
Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier

Three Fingered Jack
Mt. Washington
Devils Lake
Agate Bay, Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe
pIMG_5811.JPG
Gilmore Lake, Crystal Range, SW of Tahoe
Half Dome

Top of Half Dome
Merced River
Red Peak and The Minarets
Little Five Lakes