Trip to alaska, looking for an extension

[RichF]

I am planning attending a photo tour in Homer to photograph eagles, 3/10-15/24 (yes, 2024) so I have some time to plan my extension

A few questions - to get from Anc to Hom there is Ravn air (small planes, not sure how equipped they are for carry on camera bags and/or computer bags). Web site says one carry one item the size of a computer bag. The alternative is to drive. How is the drive? Any good stopping point along the way or is the entire scenic?

Like to photograph the aurora. Is it better to shoot before the extension w/o a moon (darker sky) or with a moon to get a light on the landscape (sense of place?). Are there good areas close to Anchorage or should I plan on traveling to Fairbanks?

Not sure if anything would be open at Denali Nat’’l Park or what could be seen in that region in March (moose, ?) Any good areas for moose around Anchorage, on the way to/from Homer or north of Anchorage.

BTW is the road from Anchorage to Fairbanks drivable (in a rental vehicle) at that time of year ? Anything to see, any place to stop for food, gas, stay .. Any recomendations for another tour that time or year?

Thanks for al the help

 

[NorthernFocus]

I am planning attending a photo tour in Homer to photograph eagles, 3/10-15/24 (yes, 2024) so I have some time to plan my extension

A few questions - to get from Anc to Hom there is Ravn air (small planes, not sure how equipped they are for carry on camera bags and/or computer bags). Web site says one carry one item the size of a computer bag. The alternative is to drive. How is the drive? Any good stopping point along the way or is the entire scenic?

Ravn's planes are small. You won't be able to carry on airline sized carry on luggage. Be prepared to surrender your camera bag at the gate. If I'm traveling with a big prime lens I carry it on with me.

That's a bad time of year for driving. There's enough sunlight during the day to start melting the snow piled along the road but the ground is still cold so the water freezes. Typically very icy conditions in spots. If you're going to rent a car get 4/all wheel drive and go slow. If you're not used to driving in snow/ice probably not the best idea. That said it is a beautiful drive.

Like to photograph the aurora. Is it better to shoot before the extension w/o a moon (darker sky) or with a moon to get a light on the landscape (sense of place?). Are there good areas close to Anchorage or should I plan on traveling to Fairbanks?

Can't provide any advice regarding the moonlight but definitely the Fairbanks area is better than near Anchorage/Kenai. Much higher likelihood of clear skies.

Not sure if anything would be open at Denali Nat’’l Park or what could be seen in that region in March (moose, ?) Any good areas for moose around Anchorage, on the way to/from Homer or north of Anchorage.

Denali and everything around it will be closed. If you drive to Homer it's about 90 percent chance you'll see moose along the way. When there's snow they tend to come out on the roads. Keep in mind the bulls will not have antlers that time of year.

BTW is the road from Anchorage to Fairbanks drivable (in a rental vehicle) at that time of year ? Anything to see, any place to stop for food, gas, stay .. Any recomendations for another tour that time or year?

The highway between Anchorage/Fairbanks is driveable year round. Same comments apply regarding conditions in March. There are plenty of snow covered mountain landscapes to photograph but not much else.

 

[RichF]

Ravn's planes are small. You won't be able to carry on airline sized carry on luggage. Be prepared to surrender your camera bag at the gate. If I'm traveling with a big prime lens I carry it on with me.

That's a bad time of year for driving. There's enough sunlight during the day to start melting the snow piled along the road but the ground is still cold so the water freezes. Typically very icy conditions in spots. If you're going to rent a car get 4/all wheel drive and go slow. If you're not used to driving in snow/ice probably not the best idea. That said it is a beautiful drive.


Can't provide any advice regarding the moonlight but definitely the Fairbanks area is better than near Anchorage/Kenai. Much higher likelihood of clear skies.


Denali and everything around it will be closed. If you drive to Homer it's about 90 percent chance you'll see moose along the way. When there's snow they tend to come out on the roads. Keep in mind the bulls will not have antlers that time of year.


The highway between Anchorage/Fairbanks is driveable year round. Same comments apply regarding conditions in March. There are plenty of snow covered mountain landscapes to photograph but not much else.

Thanks. Very helpful

 

[Anjin San]

Roads in AK are just fine. The comment re icy conditions is right…but if you’re used to driving in those conditions then taking it easy and driving is probably just fine. Given the other note about space on the plane…I would probably just drive…it’s only 220 miles or so…but figure it would take all day instead of the normal expected time…but then I’m used to drivin* in snow even though I don’t do it any more.

 

[RichF]

Roads in AK are just fine. The comment re icy conditions is right…but if you’re used to driving in those conditions then taking it easy and driving is probably just fine. Given the other note about space on the plane…I would probably just drive…it’s only 220 miles or so…but figure it would take all day instead of the normal expected time…but then I’m used to drivin* in snow even though I don’t do it any more.

I live in Chicago and have spent nearly my entire life in areas that have had during the winter (except for 5 years graduate school at UCLA).

 

[Anjin San]

I live in Chicago and have spent nearly my entire life in areas that have had during the winter (except for 5 years graduate school at UCLA).

In that case…and considering the luggage limitations on the flight…I would drive and just keep the speed down…and pay attention to the conditions on the road. Could be dry…could be wet…could be some ice but experience and care in not pushing it should be just fine.

 

[jeffnles1]

We drove from Anchorage to Homer and the drive was beautiful. One caveat is we did it in mid June.

 

[RichF]

We drove from Anchorage to Homer and the drive was beautiful. One caveat is we did it in mid June.

mid June, early March, only 3 months apart ...

 

[jeffnles1]

mid June, early March, only 3 months apart ...

Haha. There’s always that.

 

[Mark Garfinkel]

Great information, now to plan a trip.

 

[AnnetteJane]

My husband and I drive from Anchorage to Homer every now and again, road is pretty good and very scenic and you can stop and take pictures wherever you like. Just outside the dump in Soldotna there is a big congregation of Eagles that hang out close to the road. ( And you cant see the dump from there and the eagles aren't very shy). But you very well could get your fill of eagles in Homer anyhow..I’d rent a 4 wheel drive vehicle as suggested. I’d far rather do that than fly that short of a distance and you have the option to stop whenever you like and really see the area. But we are used to ice and snow and Alaska roads so there is that.
There are usually swans in the Cooper Landing area that stay all winter, ( photo below) which you might see on a drive to Homer.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[ricardo00]

Kincaid Park right in Anchorage might be worth visiting. We saw moose and a lynx there. Outside Homer we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast and saw moose right outside our window when we woke up. But we weren't there in March. Have you looked into hiring a guide while there? There are people with expertise in shooting the aurora and could tell you the best places, etc. And you presumably have set up to check on one of the websites for the aurora predictions? Not sure how far ahead (a week?) they can accurately predict but they can see the solar flares and then they predict what might be the best days to look for the aurora? A moose in Kincaid Park (was quite used to people):
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https://flic.kr/p/2mbNscu

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[Ivan Rothman]

I am planning attending a photo tour in Homer to photograph eagles, 3/10-15/24 (yes, 2024) so I have some time to plan my extension

A few questions - to get from Anc to Hom there is Ravn air (small planes, not sure how equipped they are for carry on camera bags and/or computer bags). Web site says one carry one item the size of a computer bag. The alternative is to drive. How is the drive? Any good stopping point along the way or is the entire scenic?

Like to photograph the aurora. Is it better to shoot before the extension w/o a moon (darker sky) or with a moon to get a light on the landscape (sense of place?). Are there good areas close to Anchorage or should I plan on traveling to Fairbanks?

Not sure if anything would be open at Denali Nat’’l Park or what could be seen in that region in March (moose, ?) Any good areas for moose around Anchorage, on the way to/from Homer or north of Anchorage.

BTW is the road from Anchorage to Fairbanks drivable (in a rental vehicle) at that time of year ? Anything to see, any place to stop for food, gas, stay .. Any recomendations for another tour that time or year?

Thanks for al the help

Rich, I've been to Homer 3 times in the winter, last in February 2022. I've always driven back and forth from Anchorage to Homer. It is about a 4 ½ hour drive if weather conditions are good. Easy drive. Not much traffic. Few places to stop for food. Poor cell service for many stretches but if you got stuck another vehicle would come along before too long. Bad weather is another story - once I drove in a heavy snowfall and soon had to stop and spend a few hours drinking coffee and eating donuts until things cleared up. They do clear the roads quickly. But much better to be driving in good weather. I leave myself at least one extra day to get to Homer, so that if weather is not good I'll just wait until it clears. I've taken the risk of driving because I want a car in Homer (although you can fly in and rent a car in Homer) and I want to avoid small planes because of the camera equipment I'm carrying. But most people in my group had flown in rather than driving.

 

[Calson]

It is only 220 miles from Anchorage to Homer. I have driven down from Anchorage and not flown. Lots of great scenery and wildlife along the way that you would miss in a plane. with your own vehicle you can take more clothes to allow for the weather and stock up on non-essentials like wine in Anchorage. This is one place where you are much better off with your own vehicle and not flying in an renting a car in Homer and dealing with the very poor local airlines. It is much safer to fly on a major airline to Anchorage

For the eagles on the river outside of town I would use a 500mm PF as the best possible lens choice. A 600mm will have too narrow a view angle and you will not get the framing you want. If you look at photos posted online you will see that most are taken with a 600mm lens and how this eliminates the overall environment from the pictures.

The last time I was there the eagles were being fed with fish scrapes near the town and opportunities there to photograph them coming in or taking off.

 

[RichF]

Rich, I've been to Homer 3 times in the winter, last in February 2022. I've always driven back and forth from Anchorage to Homer. It is about a 4 ½ hour drive if weather conditions are good. Easy drive. Not much traffic. Few places to stop for food. Poor cell service for many stretches but if you got stuck another vehicle would come along before too long. Bad weather is another story - once I drove in a heavy snowfall and soon had to stop and spend a few hours drinking coffee and eating donuts until things cleared up. They do clear the roads quickly. But much better to be driving in good weather. I leave myself at least one extra day to get to Homer, so that if weather is not good I'll just wait until it clears. I've taken the risk of driving because I want a car in Homer (although you can fly in and rent a car in Homer) and I want to avoid small planes because of the camera equipment I'm carrying. But most people in my group had flown in rather than driving.

Thanks Ivan.

 

[Calson]

Car rental is not a problem in Homer but the local small airlines are definitely worth avoiding whenever possible. I know the person who was in charge for the FAA for airline operations and maintenance and with the small airlines struggling to stay afloat the maintenance was often not performed.

I have always enjoyed the drive from Anchorage to Homer and with a major airline I can take 100% of my photo gear onto the plane, including my tripod.