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I have conducted summer Alaska Travel/Study Ecotours since 1991. I conducted my fourteenth Alaska Travel/Study Ecotour from June 28 to July 11, 2008. Charles Davis, a freelance ecologist and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Natural History Society of Maryland, served as co-leader for the ecotour.
This ecotour features environmentally sensitive travel that combines the pleasures of touring southcentral Alaska with the satisfaction of discovering and learning about Alaska's physical and cultural environments. Space on this ecotour is limited to 27 participants and is assigned on a first come, first served basis. You do not need to be a Towson University student to participate on this tour. All are welcome!
Charlie Davis and I may consider offering a future Alaska travel/study ecotour to Alaska. To receive information about a future Alaska ecotour, please send an email to Jay Morgan at .
The following is the 2008 ecotour itinerary with clickable links for information on most of the places we visit while in Alaska:
Day 1 (Saturday, June 28, 2008)
Travel from Baltimore to Anchorage (morning departure from Baltimore Washington International Airport). Late afternoon and early evening free to explore Anchorage. Overnight at the Westmark Anchorage.
Day 2 (Sunday, June 29, 2008)
Morning tour of the Anchorage Museum of History and Art and the Alaska Public Lands Information Center. Early afternoon tour of the Alaska Native Heritage Center and Anchorage including Ship Creek, Earthquake Point, and Chugach State Park. Evening free to explore Anchorage. Overnight at the Westmark Anchorage.
Day 3 (Monday, June 30, 2008)
Day trip from Anchorage along the picturesque Turnagain Arm section of the Seward Highway (National Forest Scenic Byway). Stops at the Portage Glacier, the Alyeska Resort, and Potter Marsh (part of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge), along with stops to photograph the Turnagain Arm. Evening free to explore Anchorage. Overnight at the Westmark Anchorage.
Day 4 (Tuesday, July 1, 2008)
Drive to Denali National Park and Preserve via the Glenn and George Parks Highways. Stops enroute at the Eklutna Historical Park, the Musk Ox Farm, the Iditarod Trail Committee headquarters in Wasilla, and Talkeetna (home of the annual "Moose Dropping Festival"), along with stops for photographs of Mt. McKinley. Overnight at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.
Day 5 (Wednesday, July 2, 2008)
All day National Park Service bus tour of the Denali National Park and Preserve (the 66-mile trip to the Eielson Visitor Center takes 5 hours one way!). The bus makes frequent stops to photograph the park's abundant wildlife (grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep, and wolves). Overnight at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.
Day 6 (Thursday, July 3, 2008)
Free day to explore Denali National Park and Preserve. Optional activities include backcountry hiking, whitewater rafting, flightseeing, or a day trip to Fairbanks. Overnight at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.
Day 7 (Friday, July 4, 2008)
Drive from Denali National Park to Valdez via the George Parks Highway, the Denali Highway, and the Richardson Highway. Stops enroute to photograph the glacial features and wildlife of the Alaska Range, the Trans Alaska Pipeline, the Wrangell-St. Elias Range, and Thompson Pass. Overnight at the Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn.
Day 8 (Saturday, July 5, 2008)
Morning whitewater raft trip on the Lowe River (class 3). Afternoon drive on the Richardson Highway with stops at Keystone Canyon, Thompson Pass, and the Worthington Glacier. Late afternoon and evening free to explore Valdez. Overnight at the Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn.
Day 9 (Sunday, July 6, 2008)
Travel from Valdez to Whittier via the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry (M/V Aurora). The 6-hour cruise on Prince William Sound includes numerous opportunities to photograph the Sound's tidewater glaciers and wildlife. Travel from Whittier to Portage and drive from Portage to Seward via the Seward Highway with stops enroute at Turnagain Pass and Tern Lake. Overnight at the Seward Windsong Lodge.
Day 10 (Monday, July 7, 2008)
Morning tour of the Alaska SeaLife Center. Afternoon tour of the Exit Glacier. Overnight at the Seward Windsong Lodge.
Day 11 (Tuesday, July 8, 2008)
Free day to explore Seward. Optional activities include hiking one of the many trails in the area, halibut or salmon fishing, sailing or sea kayaking on Resurrection Bay, or a day trip to Homer. Overnight at the Seward Windsong Lodge.
Day 12 (Wednesday, July 9, 2008)
All day cruise on Resurrection Bay (the 6-hour cruise provides numerous opportunities to photograph the abundant marine wildlife, tidewater glaciers, and scenic vistas of Kenai Fjords National Park). Early evening travel to Anchorage via the Alaska Railroad. Overnight at the Westmark Anchorage.
Day 13 (Thursday, July 10, 2008)
Morning afternoon free to explore Anchorage. Travel from Anchorage to Baltimore (early evening departure from Anchorage International Airport).
Day 14 (Friday, July 11, 2008)
Morning arrival at Baltimore Washington International Airport.
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