Im looking to stay a few weeks in Alaska (non-hunting) and was preferring a town that exemplifies the frontier-western look and feel. If possible, Im hoping this town also offers some scenic views of moutains or lakes and what have you, for exploring.

City/town suggestions?

Thanks!

Hyder

Alaskans aren't Texans,because their pride won't allow them to stoop that low.

Perhaps consider a Dude Ranch in January?

quote:

Originally posted by Whirlwind:
Alaskans aren't Texans,because their pride won't allow them to stoop that low.

Perhaps consider a Dude Ranch in January?

A poor response and obviously not an Alaskan.

Having never been there I am under the impression Nome may well fit your bill. I gather it is plenty western and rustic and the scenery should be breath taking. Dillingham has very pretty scenery outside of town but its a little more frontier-ish in an itinerant migrant worker kind of way rather than a Virginia City atmosphere.

You've admittedly impressed me,with just how very wrong you can be.

Congratulations?!!?

Best Eskimo village Barrow
Best SE town Petersburg
Best big city Fairbanks
Most Scenic that you can get to easily Valdez or Sitka
Most to do in town Anchorage
Most expensive Juneau or Anchorage for cities, and any of the bigger villages.
Worst native village Bethel or Point Hope
Most wild west Nome

quote:

Originally posted by Whirlwind:
You've admittedly impressed me,with just how very wrong you can be.

Congratulations?!!?

Starting to sound like Busheler on every post, I think he's back.

Back on topic.
I've heard good things about Skagway from some people although I've never been there, what do the more travelled have to say?

"Guess again".

This is turning into another "pink rifle" thread.

Busheler, by "Whirlwind'.....

What shocked me the most about Alaska when I got here 20 years back was how so much outside Anch looked like tobacco road everywhere with unreal mnts & scenery; no joke. You get quite use to it just the same and enjoy the freedom & peace of mind more than anything.

Here's one for ya.

5-6 years back, I was stuck in Fairbanks for 9 days on weather hold. We even had to fly back from 30 miles from home to fairbanks twice. Man, when they called me and said maybe fly at 9 am; I beat my way to Everts.So as they called out names, I heard Andy Beck and figured must be one of the Indians people as Indians had taken over this White name of old Gold miner dead and gone. So I asked him who'd he was related to in Eagle. The kid was Chinese guy 3rd generation New Zeelander. He started going on about how he wanted to experience a real bush town for a few days so did a side trip on way home from wedding in toronto.

I thought about it for a minute and said so your a minus 35 tourist are ya? He said he had researched everything and there were motels in Eagle and on and on. I told him but they were closed in winter. Then I clued him in that he'd be sleeping on Post Office floor, ha.

Nx day, my son said there was this goofy guy all the dogs were chasing around down in town and his gear was up at post office. So I told the boy to go get him and let him stay in our extra bedroom a couple days until weather again lifted.

I had that guy riding snowmachine chasing caribou, run my dogteam on a 50 mile run downriver, shooting alot of guns, and on and on. They only had 10-22's down where he come from he told me.

Anyway, he had some website and posted picts and seemed to think he had a good time in Ak.

AS for somebody coming to Ak when it's minus 40 or minus 65 is just nuts. Alot to see in warmer weather though. Every community has a couple people who do tours, ect. Probably best to find B&B who will show ya a good time in a rural community. Whatever you do, make sure you bring some whiskey for the local Indians. You ain't experienced Ak unless you got plastered with those crazy guys. Probably end up in bed with his wife listening to her tell you "You need good Indian woman".

quote:

Originally posted by Whirlwind:
You've admittedly impressed me

I don't think you impressed anyone with your first reply. If you don't have anything meaningful to add please go away.

Brett

I'll second the Hyder, Ak suggestion and you could think about Skagway ....

I could argue with D99's best / most / worst pics but I won't.

Muskegex, what would you pick?

How's Ketchikan stack up? I just picked places I had been or lived. I have never been to Ketchikan, Hyder, or Skagway.

To me the worst part of Valdez is the damn snow, but then again to folks that like to ice climb or ski the snow of Valdez is legendary.

I would say ...

Best SE town Prince of Wales Island
Most Scenic that you can get to easily Hyder or Skagway
Worst native village Hydaburg (by far)
Most wild west Hyder

But like you mentioned we all have our views based on where we have been and Alaska is a BIG place.

If you are around Palmer, a drive up to Hatcher's Pass & the gold mine is a good way to get above the tree line and see some history

We had a real nice couple hundred foot waterfalls in Sutton, 15 miles east of Palmer; above treeline ; camp overnight, sheep walk up to tent wondering what your doing there;;; between Eska & Granite Mnts. Also , hike out on Matanuska glacier; tourists like that.

Ak is chock full of good things to see; but hunting is better than just seeing the country.

ketchikan is a hub for southern southeast and prince of wales, but you have to go by ferry or plane, its on an island,you can get tours to the misty fiords, plane rides boat rides anything you want,its all touristy now and you can walk tru town and not even hear people speaking english, but in logging days just 15 or 20 yrs ago it was the armpit of s.e. ive seen guys brawling in front of the foc'sle on Christmas morning. and from ktn its easy to get to POW where there is hundreds of miles of nice roads. if you get to POW you can tell when your getting close to downtown hydaburg by the bullet holes in the signs, when you cant read the signs anymore youre there.
you can drive to Hyder and take a float plane to ktn its about 90 miles by air tru some really cool unihabited areas like the misty fiords