The town of Wrangell is relatively small in size but grand in charm. National Geographic Sea Lion pulled into port in this quaint town to explore the mix of history, nature, and modern-day culture it has to offer. A day of sunny blue skies and tall, voluminous clouds began with a hike up to the Dewey Mountain Lookout. The town of Wrangell is also home to the largest collection of petroglyphs in Alaska. These 8,000-year-old etchings in rock tell the stories of the area’s Tlingit population. Just across the Zimovia Strait, the Stikine River provided an ideal location to start a jet boat tour up the river. Unlike typical propeller boats, this boat has a draft of about six inches. The jet boat uses jet propulsion of the water beneath to move its way upriver towards Shakes Glacier and Shakes Lake.
7/31/2024
Read
National Geographic Sea Lion
Wrangell, Alaska
After navigating the Wrangell Narrows overnight, we arrived at the small town, Wrangell. The land of this town was originally stewarded by the Tlingit people, before contact with Russians and later, Americans. There were several activity options for our guests to enjoy during the day. In the morning, several guests chose to take a jet boat tour up the Stikine River, the fastest free flowing navigable river in North America. Other guests chose to visit the Anan Wildlife Viewing Area and were rewarded with an amazing view of black bears feeding on salmon. A third group chose to visit Chief Shakes Tribal House to learn more about the culture and traditions of the native Tlingit people who continue to call this region home. At the end of the day, as we traveled away from Wrangell, we were delighted to spot the dorsal fins of killer whales breaking the surface of the water. What a spectacular way to end an amazing day.