Juneau, Alaska
Thursday, May 29

Juneau became the state capital on January 3, 1959 when Alaska was granted statehood.  Size: 3,108 square miles - Population: 30,000
Arrival time into Juneau: 7:11am - Departure: 8:47pm
Temperature: approximately 59 degrees F

Click on small picture to view larger image.
Franklin St
Red Dog Saloon
Looking toward Front St
St Nicholas Orthodox Church - built in 1894, it's the oldest original Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska
Alaska State Capitol

Look at right of picture... "El Sombrero" mexican food! I had a snack here, couldn't resist.
The Alaskan Hotel & Bar - established in 1913, is the oldest operating hotel in Southeast Alaska. It was built by 4 men in 6 months. In Oct. 1978, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places

Mount Roberts Tramway
Beginning of my Whale Watching Tour. 

One of my many attempts to capture the whales






Loving the boat ride & the scenery... not loving my slow shutter camera. I'm missing all the whales.


This is probably the best picture of the day. What do you think?














This is the one going up on my wall
I had to climb all over these rocks to get to the falls. It was definitely worth it!

Nugget Falls
That speck in the middle of the picture is me, lol.






Mendenhall Glacier


Nugget Falls
Links & Info:  
Alaskan Hotel & Bar

Whale Watching Tour - Orca Enterprises
There are many whale watching tour companies in Juneau.  I'm glad I chose this one.  First of all, they have purple boats (too bad I forgot to take a picture).  Seriously, Capt. Larry and his crew were great.  We saw approximately 15 whales (not that you can tell from my pictures). 


 

 Juneau History - In 1880, Joe Juneau and Richard Harris were prospecting in Alaska.  They were lead by three native guides to the Silver Bow Basin, where they discovered gold.  Juneau was first named Harrisburg.  The name didn't stick.  After news of the gold strike spread to Sitka, nearly 300 prospectors swarmed to the camp and renamed it Rockwell.  Shortly after, it became Juneau and that name stuck.  While many people made a fortune during the gold rush, Juneau and Harris never got rich from their discoveries.  Juneau died broke in the Canadian Yukon and a collection had to be taken up to send his body home for burial in the city he co-founded. (Obtained through Princess Patter).

Mendenhall Glacier, a part of the Tongass National Forest is a glacier located in Mendenhall Valley about 12 miles from downtown Juneau.
       Length - 12 miles from the Juneau Icefield (which has 1,500 sq. miles of ice) to Mendenhall Lake.
      Width at the face - 1.5 miles from side to side.
      Average height of the glacier face above lake level - 100 feet.
      Distance from the face - 0.5 mile.
      Average rate of forward flow - 2 feet per day.
      Average rate of recession - 25 to 30 feet annually.
      Age of ice at the glacier face - no more than 150 years old.