Alaska: with all its majesty (and mosquitoes)

Photos courtesy of Ann and Peter Coriasco

Peter and Ann Coriasco get ready to board a plane for Mount McKinley.

Among the wildlife the Coriascos saw: brown bears on their way to the Kenai Peninsula and an eagle at Anchor Point, close to Homer, Alaska.

Ann Coriasco poses on Creek Street in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Among the wildlife the Coriascos saw: brown bears on their way to the Kenai Peninsula and an eagle at Anchor Point, close to Homer, Alaska.

A glacier in Glacier Bay National Park reaches four to five stories high.

Ann and Peter Coriasco bought their house in 2004 and moved to SML from Westfield, N.J., in 2006. They have two sons, both of whom live in Portland, Ore. The Coriascos love to spend the summer at the lake, but they also enjoy traveling and do so whenever possible, said Peter. In addition to Alaska, recent trips have taken them to the Caribbean, Europe, Baltic and Scandinavian countries, Russia, New Zealand and Australia. After spending the holidays with their sons, they plan to take a vacation with Ann's family to Barbados, a month-long trip to Morocco, Spain and Portugal in the spring and a river cruise in Europe in the fall.

Peter said of their trip to Alaska last summer:

"Pictures and words can't describe some of the sights we saw, such as mountains, glaciers and wildlife." Although the couple said they thought it was a great place to visit, they aren't so sure they would want to live there. "[Temperatures] -40 to -70, along with very little daylight hours in the winter, is not our cup of tea," said Peter. "However, the weather while we were there cooperated, not sunny every day, but only got a few sprinkles one day, which did not stop us from going hiking up a mountain looking, but not too hard, for bears. The first seven days of our trip was a one-way cruise through the inside passage from Vancouver to Whittier. One downside: The mosquito should be Alaska's state bird ... they are big and mean, lots of them.

"After our visit we flew home to SML, our own little slice of paradise. We met many wonderful people traveling around Alaska, a great trip filled with wonderful memories and thousands of pictures," said Ann.

Name:

Ann and Peter Coriasco of Moneta

Where did you go?

Alaska

When?

For 18 days, June 4-22

How did you hear about your destination?

We have always heard great comments from everyone we know who has traveled to Alaska. However, we got lots of information from lake friends, Jim and Toni Seidelmann, who have visited Alaska many times.

What did you like best?

The beauty, the wildlife and the people. We stay in bed-and-breakfasts, because they afford us the opportunity to interact with locals and visitors.

What were the negatives?

Not enough time to savor the beauty, and the mosquitoes -- big, mean and too many.

What advice would you give to lake residents who are considering this destination?

Go! Take a one-way cruise through the inside passage, but allocate time to see some of the rest of the state, too. Order the Alaska Tour Saver book (www.toursaver.com).

What attractions should people make sure they visit?

Inside passage; Glacier National Park; Denali National Park; Mount McKinley; Kenai Peninsula and Kenai Fjords National Park. Pictures and words can't describe the sights, mountains, glaciers, wildlife, etc. Sunrise around 3 a.m. and sunset around 11 p.m. gave lots of hours to explore.

Our cruise from Vancouver to Whittier through the inside passage:

• Ketchikan: We visited the stores along Creek Street, the Totem Heritage Center, and took a cruise to Misty Fjords. We saw orcas (killer whales) and Dall's porpoises while cruising through this beautiful area.
• Juneau: We hiked to the Mendenhall Glacier, took a Tramway for panoramic views of Juneau and the surrounding area; enjoyed a whale-watching trip, where we saw whales playing and breaching as well as lots of sea lions and birds. Of course, you can't stop in Juneau without visiting the famous Red Dog Saloon.
• Skagway: The Klondike Gold Rush history was interesting, and we enjoyed walking around in this small, quaint town. We also took a tour into the mountains over the beautiful White Pass and Yukon route.
• Glacier National Park: A great experience, seeing glaciers close up, watching chunks of ice (three-four stories high) break away, crash into the sea, sounding like thunder when they hit the water.
• Whittier: We cruised north, visiting College Fjord for more wonderful views of glaciers and wildlife, before making our way to Whittier, our final destination.

Our self-drive tour:

• Denali National Park: We took a full-day bus tour into the park, saw lots of animals, a bear and her cub playing, moose and their calves, a baby lynx, mountain sheep, caribou, more bears, and beautiful expanses of mountains and valleys. We did not see Mount McKinley while at the park, but we saw it many times while driving to Talkeetna, where we took an airplane that flew us to nearly 21,000 feet for a dramatic view of Denali's summit (Mount McKinley's native name), the surrounding peaks and glaciers and an amazing view of Denali National Park. We felt the excitement only a few mountaineers have experienced: the view from the top of North America's highest peak.
• Prince William Sound: We drove via the Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm, one of the most beautiful stretches of highway in America, to Girdwood then on to Prince William Sound where we enjoyed a cruise of the Sound, its glaciers and wildlife as well as more hiking through this beautiful area.
• Seward, Homer and the Kenai Peninsula: This is one of the most beautiful areas of Alaska. In Kenai Fjords National Park, another favorite, we took a full-day cruise through the park enjoying the wildlife and scenery. Orcas, Dall's porpoises, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters and many birds call this home. We also had the opportunity for many hikes while watching out for the bears that inhabit the area. Although we don't fish, we enjoyed watching those who did along the Russian River and seeing the huge halibut coming off the boats in Homer. Anchor Point, home to many bald eagles, allowed us to see these majestic birds up close.