Trek The USA: sitka

Monday, June 18, 2018

Flying on one of America's most unique commercial flights ~ Try an Alaska Airlines Milk Run

Other than Hawaii, the state of Alaska is one of the most unique states for transportation. Because of the terrain and the fact that many areas are sparsely populated, the road system is minimal which leaves many areas inaccessible by car. Juneau, the state capital, is the only US capital not connected to a road system. With limited transportation options, everything must come from either air or water based transport. Alaska Airlines has played a large role in aviation in Alaska with many routes serving the remote regions. There are smaller feeder airlines that serve the VERY small and remote areas but Alaska Airlines mainly serves airports large enough to handle mainline jet aircraft.

One of the more unique routes in the Alaska Airlines roster is what's affectionately known as Milk Runs. Because everything must come by air or water, cargo can consist of not just mail and luggage but every day essentials like milk!, produce, dry goods, meats, bookshelves, TVs, car parts, office equipment and more. If it's safe to transport by air, you can bet it's been shipped by Alaska Airlines. Larger items like building materials, furniture, appliances, vehicles and mining equipment is usually transported by barge or the Alaska Marine Highway ferry. Alaska Airlines can ship vehicles but that's uncommon for most people.

In order to make transport as efficient as possible, Alaska Airlines daisy chains smaller cities rather than typical out and back routes which uses more resources. While needed goods are brought in, produced goods like seafoods are shipped out. Between Seattle and Anchorage, there are 6 major milk runs in operation today. Flights 62, 64 and 66 are southbound routes from Anchorage to Seattle and Flights 61, 65 and 67 are northbound routes from Seattle to Anchorage. The routes run in pairs, one north and one south. Route 61 and 66, Route 64 and 65 and Route 62 and 67. There are other routes that hop around but not in the same fashion as the above routes.

If you're an aviation fan like myself, flying on one of these milk runs is something of interest and a badge of honor. Unfortunately, you cannot just fly on one of these routes end to end. For example, on Flight 64, you could not fly from Anchorage to Seattle. You would have to fly from Anchorage to Ketchikan or any of the other stops.

I recently flew on Flight 67 from Anchorage to Juneau with stops in Cordova and Yakutat. It was very interesting seeing the different people getting on and off and wondering about why they are coming or going to these remote places. Since my trip was in June, it was a hodgepodge of locals, tourists, workers in the seafood industry and fishing enthusiasts.

I was able to score a First Class upgrade which was nice not only for the bigger seat but also for the birds-eye view of the action. From seat 1F, I could see all of the cargo coming and going as well as see all of the passengers. All three flights were roughly 35 minutes in the air each. When flying southbound, you'll want to sit on the left for best views and on the right on northbound flights. Even though I was on the wrong side, the views are still great. It's Alaska after all!

Once on the ground in Cordova, air-stairs are rolled up to the front door. In years past, these routes were usually served by the 737-400 Combi which was half cargo and half passengers with boarding by the rear door. Currently, these routes are mainly served by 737-800 aircraft and there are now dedicated cargo planes.

An unusual sight out the front door are trees. Like a forest of trees rather than the concrete and metal jungle of most airports. On this flight, about two thirds of the passengers disembarked and a handful boarded. Cordova is a major seafood processing point so about two dozen boxes were loaded on. We were on the ground for about 40 minutes before departing for Yakutat.

I enjoyed a quick slurp of whiskey before arriving in an even smaller airport. A lot of grocery and household items came off here and a dozen passengers boarded. The final leg to Juneau was jovial as most of the passengers who boarded in Cordova and Yakutat were headed to Seattle and beyond.

The reminder of the passengers who boarded in Anchorage disembarked in Juneau where a lot of people were waiting to board. I really enjoyed this flight even though it took almost 4 hours compared to the nonstop flight which is about an hour and twenty minutes. It's just a unique peek into the lives of those who venture to the remote parts whether to live, work, hunt or tour. I hope to take a northbound milk run from Ketchikan to Juneau sometime.

alaska airlines, milk run, flight 67, anchorage, cordova, yakutat, juneau

Flying to Cordova Alaska

Looking out the front door of the airplane in Cordova, Alaska

Cordova Alaska Airport terminal

Flying to Yakutat Alaska

Yakutat Airport terminal. It's smaller than it looks

Downtown Juneau from the air

Airport Codes:

ANC - Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport

CDV - Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport (Cordova)

JNU - Juneau International Airport

KTN - Ketchikan International Airport

PSG - Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport

SEA - Seattle–Tacoma International Airport

SIT - Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport

WRG - Wrangell Airport

YAK - Yakutat Airport

Flight 61:
SEA-JNU
JNU-YAK
YAK-CDV
CDV-ANC

Flight 62:
ANC-JNU
JNU-SIT
SIT-KTN
KTN-SEA

Flight 64:

ANC-JNU

JNU-PSG

PSG-WRG

WRG-KTN

KTN-SEA

Flight 65:

SEA-KTN

KTN-WRG

WRG-PSG

PSG-JNU

JNU-ANC

Flight 66:

ANC-CDV

CDV-YAK

YAK-JNU

JNU-SEA

Flight 67:

SEA-KTN

KTN-SIT

SIT-JNU

JNU-ANC

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All photos taken by Paul Clough.

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Alaska Marine Highway Matanuska - Trip Report

I took the famous but indispensible ferry system that links many of the remote communities along the Alaska coast.

I caught the ferry in Ketchikan after a week long stay.
Although cabins were available (I didn't price them but I'm sure they were out of my budget), I opted for the adventurous route which meant I was on my own for sleeping arrangements. On this vessel, there are two places you can sleep. The solarium which is outside but covered with heat lamps and in the recliner lounge. You could also pitch a tent albeit at your own risk on the deck next to the solarium. I chose the recliner lounger which was actually quite cold. Like most, I hit the floor between the seats since it wasn't too crowded on this trip.

My destination was Juneau and there are a few routes from Bellingham or Prince Rupert during the summer. I ferry I took came from Prince Rupert and was scheduled to stop in Wrangell, Petersburg, Kake and Sitka for a total travel time of 36 hours. From Ketchikan, there was a faster ferry that bypassed Sitka but since the price was the same, I went with the longer route as it allowed me to do some additional sightseeing and I wanted to see Sitka just to say I've been there. Plus ferries don't run at the same time every week so this particular routing got me to Juneau in the afternoon instead of 4 in the morning like some routes.

Most of the passengers had vehicles and or RV's and most of those opted for the cabins. It's quite fascinating watching the process of unloading and loading vehicles at each port. There was a 40 foot tour bus for the cruise ships, a large front loader, RV's from small to large and a few state vehicles as well as some cargo trailers. You can really see how many of the remote communities rely on the ferries to bring everything from supplies to equipment to vehicles.

On the Matanuska, there's a cafeteria which serves up three meals a day with a rotating menu. This is not reheated food! A full kitchen and staff cooks up classics as well as specials. There was a Reuben sandwich for a dollar so I had to roll the dice on that for a midnight snack. I also had a cheeseburger with fries which was quite good.. The prices overall were very reasonable and there was something for every budget. If you happen to not have a budget, you're allowed to bring your own food and there's a microwave and toasters for use free of charge. I brought a few things to stretch out my budget so it worked out nicely. And there's not tipping because all employees on board are state employees so a tip would be like a bribe and that's not allowed. They take cash and credit/debit.

If you're into photography, there's no better way to see Alaska than by ferry or cruise ship. You'll never know what you'll see. I saw many bald eagles, a whale and some some deer. Every trip is different. And then there's the ever changing landscapes. It's easy to get click happy and that can cause you to get photo'd out so pace yourself. Also, be sure to bring warm clothes if you plan on shooting out on the deck. It gets windy. Most people shoot outdoors to avoid the reflections and glare of the windows.

In case watching the scenery is not enough for your pleasure, there are TV's in the recliner lounge which show various movies and a documentary about the Alaska Marine Highway. There's a lounge that used to contain a bar but all of the bars were closed due to budget cuts so now it's just another lounge to sit in. Sort of the quiet room so to speak. You're able to walk around most areas of the ship so you could get exercise as well. You can also get off at ports and walk around. Just make sure you take your boarding pass and ID and get back a few minutes before departure. There was a three hour layover in Sitka so I took a short hike from the nearby trailhead... at 2 in the morning.

For people traveling without a cabin, there are public showers available. You can't use them in port but once underway, you can use them. Towels are available for rent but you can save a few bucks and bring your own. The water was surprisingly hot and good pressure. After a day on the water and the hike in Sitka, it was nice to have a hot shower.

Taking the ferry was on my bucket list and I'm glad I can cross it off. I would not hesitate to take the ferry again. June 2017

Alaska Airlines airplane taking off from Petersburg

Outside the Sitka Ferry terminal

American Flag on the back of the Matanuska

The Matanuska in port in Kake

The Matanuska in port at Petersburg

Scenic view of the bay near the Sitka ferry terminal

Outside the Ketchikan ferry terminal in Alaska

Bald eagle at Ketchikan ferry terminal

Pair of bald eagles along the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry route

The shuttered bar on the Matanuska which is now just a lounge

Enjoying the recliners on the Matanuska Alaska Marine Highway ferry

Coast Guard helicopter flyby

Deer on island in the middle of the inside passage. How did they get there?!

$11.75 dinner on the Matanuska consisting of a cheeseburger with fries, a Reuben sandwich which was on sale for a buck and a soda. Believe it or not, the Reuben was actually very good, well worth the gamble. The cheeseburger and fries were also great.