Petersburg
Recent rain had fueled an immense waterfall along the Cascade Creek trail, a perfect place for an introductory walk in the temperate rainforest. It was hard to talk over the noise of the tumbling, crashing water, as the spray bathed us in mist. A well-maintained path climbed over steep steps through thick stands of Sitka spruce and western hemlock to a log bridge that crossed the creek, a good turn-around spot for all but the fastest of the hikers.
After lunch we tied up in picturesque Petersburg, a thriving fishing town choked with boats and charm. The town was founded in the late 1890s by Peter Buschmann, a Norwegian attracted to the year-round fishing, abundant timber, protected harbor, and plentiful ice from the nearby LeConte Glacier. The Norwegian flair still remains along the main streets where paintings called rosemaling decorate the buildings. The Sons of Norway Hall stands conspicuously near the waterfront, and next to it the Valhalla, a replica of a Viking ship, is displayed.
Hikers departed for a walk to a muskeg, a fairyland environment with delicate carnivorous plants and soggy sphagnum moss. Stunted trees look like carefully trimmed bonsais, dwarfed due to limited nutrients in this unique habitat. A Sitka black-tailed deer stepped gingerly through the mounded greenery close to two groups of walkers.
Flightseeing was another option. Both float planes and helicopters took off for a different perspective of the region. Glaciers look so different from the air with sweeping curves cut by massive crevasses in the ice.
Once everyone returned from the day’s adventures, the ship pulled away from the harbor. Before long we entered the dining room to feast on fresh Dungeness crab perhaps caught by a Norwegian fisherman from Petersburg.
Recent rain had fueled an immense waterfall along the Cascade Creek trail, a perfect place for an introductory walk in the temperate rainforest. It was hard to talk over the noise of the tumbling, crashing water, as the spray bathed us in mist. A well-maintained path climbed over steep steps through thick stands of Sitka spruce and western hemlock to a log bridge that crossed the creek, a good turn-around spot for all but the fastest of the hikers.
After lunch we tied up in picturesque Petersburg, a thriving fishing town choked with boats and charm. The town was founded in the late 1890s by Peter Buschmann, a Norwegian attracted to the year-round fishing, abundant timber, protected harbor, and plentiful ice from the nearby LeConte Glacier. The Norwegian flair still remains along the main streets where paintings called rosemaling decorate the buildings. The Sons of Norway Hall stands conspicuously near the waterfront, and next to it the Valhalla, a replica of a Viking ship, is displayed.
Hikers departed for a walk to a muskeg, a fairyland environment with delicate carnivorous plants and soggy sphagnum moss. Stunted trees look like carefully trimmed bonsais, dwarfed due to limited nutrients in this unique habitat. A Sitka black-tailed deer stepped gingerly through the mounded greenery close to two groups of walkers.
Flightseeing was another option. Both float planes and helicopters took off for a different perspective of the region. Glaciers look so different from the air with sweeping curves cut by massive crevasses in the ice.
Once everyone returned from the day’s adventures, the ship pulled away from the harbor. Before long we entered the dining room to feast on fresh Dungeness crab perhaps caught by a Norwegian fisherman from Petersburg.
