I’ve been in a bit of a dilemma.

I have, like many of you, been trying to plan my summer vacation. But for me, with a business geared around Alaska travel, it is almost impossible to get out of the office during the summer - the peak Alaska travel months. The closest I’ve been to a summer vacation in the last 7 years since I started Dolly Varden Tours, was my daughter’s wedding in October 2003! But I am determined to make it work and this is the year I am finally going to do it.

Where do I want to go on vacation?

You’ll probably be surprised at my first choice. It’s sort of like a “bus man’s holiday” but each of the two times I have been there I am in total awe – it is just my cup of tea so to speak. Each time I read about this area and learn more about the people I yearn to go back to explore, learn more about the history and get my creative juices flowing!

Then it hit me. I have the perfect way to guarantee my summer vacation which is by getting you to come with me. And to entice you to come with me I am going to make real easy for you to say “YES.” The only thing is, you’ll have to act quickly.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself... Let me back up for a moment and explain.

The city girl moves to Alaska

I was a real city girl. That is until my husband and I bought a house in Haines, Alaska. He had lived in Alaska off and on for years – but this was my first real Alaska experience other than being a tourist myself.

One of the first years we were there, we had a rare free weekend. We decided to get out of Haines and take a “road trip” into the Yukon and parts unknown. If you’ve ever been to Haines, AK you’d realize that Haines, at the upper end of Lynn Canal, is rather remote (at least for this city girl). To get to Haines you can fly to Juneau and then take either a small plane (if the weather is good) or a ferry (if it is running that day and you time it right). Summers are easier than fall or winter because of the long days and better weather. So even though Haines is only about 65 miles as the crow flies form Juneau you don’t just pop in the car and drive (no roads). The other close town to Haines is Skagway – but again the only way to get there quickly is by plane or ferry. It’s only 15 miles away by air or water– and you can drive, but then it’s 367 miles because the mountains get in the way. So the closest town to Haines, AK is really Whitehorse in the Canadian Yukon Territory and it is around 250 miles away. If you live in Haines, Whitehorse is a good place to visit – the exchange rate with the Canadian dollar is good, they have Chinese restaurants, interesting shops, Wal-mart for supplies and movie theaters. After being in Haines, Whitehorse feels like going to New York. As a town of about 2000 residents, Haines can get very small. But that’s another story...

Chicken and The Top of the World Highway

Dave and I took a huge loop of a drive going from Haines to Haines Junction (Yukon) where we joined the Alcan Highway taking us to Kluane Lake, Destruction Bay and Burwash Landing before going across the border back into interior Alaska at Beaver Creek. From Tok, Alaska is where the trip got really fun for me because I was now heading in to new territory where I had never been. There was the little town of Chicken, Alaska where rumor has it that the only reason that it was named chicken is because they didn’t know how to spell Ptarmigan . And the spectacular Top of the World Highway with its hairpin curves over the spine of the mountain range. I remember spending the night in a log cabin in Boundary, AK where the next morning we crossed the border across the Yukon River ferry back into Canada.

But this is not exactly where I want to go for my summer vacation 2006 – but I’m getting close!

Dawson City is where my quest for adventure began! We arrived in Dawson City – the goldrush town filled with the hustle and bustle of a time gone by. There was a big fair going on with Royal Canadian Mounties on horseback, merchants selling their wares in tents and numerous events taking place. It was like walking into a time warp. The main street down the center of town and paralleling the Yukon River was muddy, construction was going on all around and we were just in time for a big parade. It was just as I had imagined the gold rush. Later on I realized we had happened into the Discovery Days Festival, an annual event in Dawson City. But at the time I was totally mesmerized with all the commotion. What got me really excited was a chance encounter into the North West Territories visitor center that had information all about the Dempster Highway, the Arctic and Northern people. I was in heaven – totally fascinated that I could actually drive the historic Dempster highway to the Arctic. I stayed at the visitor center for hours, talking to some of the employees, listening to tales from people who were either just getting back from a trip or just getting prepared to go. There were displays of art work, the beautiful flowers and animals and the wonderful history of the far north. I had to get there! And then I discovered an annual festival – the Great Northern Arts Festival . It was already over that year – but there was plenty of time to plan for the next summer. The GNAF sealed it for me – I was going and I had an entire year to read and plan.

Do you know the way to Inuvik?

So this is where I want to go again – up the Dempster "highway" across the Arctic Circle to the Great Northern Arts Festival 2006 in Inuvik! See a MAP of the Dempster Highway to see the way to the Arctic.

Inuvik is in the Land of the Midnight Sun and gateway to the Beaufort Delta – with 24 hours of daylight during the months of June & July. The first year I traveled to the Great Northern Arts Festival, my friend Judy, a shop owner in Haines, and my sister Ann from New York went with me.

What a time we had! This was a test year. I bought a sturdy van for comfortable, safe traveling, read up on driving the Dempster and studied all the activities along the way and at the GNAF. We made lists of where to stop and planned our entire journey based on the arts and history we were interested in. These included art galleries, a great knitting shop in Whitehorse, wildlife viewing, historic sites, museums and photography. (see sister Ann with the camera - this photo was actually taken on another trip in AZ)

The journey to Inuvik was half the fun and it took us longer than we had planned mainly because we didn't want to miss a thing. Along the way we saw the beautiful fields of fireweed all in bloom making a path along both sides of the road reminiscent of the road to Oz. Ann photographed many arctic tundra wildflowers which she later cataloged and identified.

We participated in many of the events at the Great Northern Arts Festival - meeting artists and watching them work, buying items for sale, learning by talking to locals. Judy was able to find artists wanting to sell their works in her Haines gallery, Windspirit.

Beluga Whales, Tundra Swans, Moose & Muskox

The best was yet to come - for the highlight of our trip was a floatplane flight to Herschel Island. an Arctic Island in the Yukon North Slope on the Canadian side of the US National Arctic Wildlife Refuge accessible only by boat or plane. If you are interested in the proposed oil drilling in Alaska, a trip over this country to Herschel Island will give you a good idea of what it is like.

Flying over the Mackenzie Delta, Canada's largest delta and the world's 12th, was a fantastic experience - we witnessed tundra swans, moose and muskox. When flying over the Beaufort Sea we were thrilled to see a small pod of beluga whales below us. Once we landed on Herschel Island, we were warmly welcomed by our Canadian guide. Pierre, who was our personal guide for the entire visit. Perfectly charming, Pierre gave us the grand tour explaining the incredible history & wildlife of the island.

Coincidentally the Canadian Yukon Minister of Tourism was visiting Herschel Island on the day we landed and Pierre introduced us to her and her small entourage along our private tour. Pierre was so knowledgeable about Herschel Island, all of us were like sponges wanting to learn more and more about this remote island in the Arctic. I had heard tales from friends who had rafted the Firth River and then been flown to Herschel from the Nanaluk spit at the end of their trip. I never thought I would actually get to see it!

Help me get to the GNAF!

For a limited time super discount and a trip of a lifetime - click on the link below. The offer will be available only through February 14th or until there are a total of 10 seats sold. Since this is a limited time offer - please call with any questions, I will be most happy to talk to you about this extraordinary adventure!