Majesty

To think that Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be our national bird instead of the bald eagle! For one thing, while eagles are beautiful to look at, I'd hate to have to eat these scavangers for Thanksgiving.

Wishing he could fly

I have nothing but admiration for the hardships the early prospectors endured while seeking gold in the Alaskan wilderness. This statue commemorates their spirit and is located in front of the Sitka Pioneer Home in the heart of downtown Sitka.

Edgecumbe Looms

Some days when Mt. Edgecumbe is viewed from the Totem Park side of town, it looks even larger than it does when seen from closer. This looming effect is probably due to the heat rising from downtown which creates a magnifying effect.

I'd rather be fishing!

My father-in-law, Pete Karras, would rather be in his boat in Sitka Sound than just about anywhere. Originally from California, he has lived in Sitka since the mid-40's, and surrounded by his kids and grandkids and together with his wife of 54 years, Bertha, he has lived the Alaskan dream. They operate Karras Day Rentals, just a short walking distance from downtown Sitka. (907-747-3978)

Pioneer Nocturne

Arguably the most impressive building in Sitka, the Alaska Pioneer Home, provides assisted living care for scores of elderly Alaska residents. The impeccably kept grounds and building are a jewel in the center of Sitka's beautiful setting.

Katlian Street

Running along the waterfront near downtown Sitka, Katlian Street was once the center of activity for Sitka's native community. Today, a hodgepodge of fish processing plants, boat harbors, marine related services, bars and restaurants share the access the narrow, winding road provides.

Winter?

We never know from year to year if we're going to have a real winter. This last week has convinced many of us that this may be one of those years, with temperatures hovering in the l0w 20's during the day and into the teens at night. This contrasts with the typical winter day with a 35 degree high and 33 degree low.

Wounded survivor

The Sitka Raptor Center nurses injured eagles back to health, but sometimes the damage is so severe that they can never survive in the wild again. They appear to live contented lives in roomy, outdoor enclosures.

Fall

It's been known to rain a bit around these parts. This shot looks out toward the mouth of Indian River. A Tlingit fort existed in a clearing on the point until they were driven away in the Battle of 1804.

A River Runs Through It

On a recent trip to the Interior of Alaska, I got a roadside view of the Matanuska River winding its' way through the valley of the same name towards the Gulf of Alaska.

Waiting their turn

In the not too distant past, purse seiners would compete in a survival-of-the-fittest battle for returning salmon in Sitka Sound. Occasionally, they would agree to take turns, as shown here this summer off Long Island.

The Table is Set

I've been told that there is an old Tlingit saying that "when the tide is out, the table is set". At the mouth of Indian River, along the Totem Park trail, a Tlingit settlement thrived for years until the Russians drove them away. The river still hosts thousands of returning salmon every summer, treating locals and visitors to a close-up view of the cycle of death and new life.

In search of Gold

The Pioneer statue in front of the Sitka Pioneer Home was erected in the late 40's and has stood there as a symbol of the independent spirit these hardy people brought to Alaska. It took two shots to get this image.

Hooked

Seven miles from downtown, you can step off the road, walk a few hundred feet and have the time of your life hauling in pink salmon returning to their place of birth.

Bug off!

June and July are "eagle months" in Sitka as the white-headed birds battle each other for fish scraps discarded by a multitude of sport fishermen. This one was enjoying his lunch and didn't seem to take kindly to having his picture taken. But then again, they always look annoyed.

Sitka photographer Dan Evans takes off from the top of Harbor Mountain, landing at Sandy Beach below after a several minute flight.

St. Michael's

Right in the middle of the street, right in the middle of town, sits St. Michael's Cathedral, the site faithful Russian Orthodox believers have been worshiping since the 1830's.

By the Sea

View of downtown Sitka from the lookout at the top of Harbor Mountain.

Tidal reflections

Low tide leaves behind tidal pools that on a calm evening beautifully reflect the evening sky and occasionally, a passing bald eagle.

How blue

This was about as close as I wanted to be to the face of Mendenhall Glacier last February, after I had walked about a mile across the lake to shoot some pics. These people were actually posing inside a yawning crevass. Note the deep, unretouched blue of the glacial ice.

On the ridge

Some days, fog will blanket the mountains until mid-day when it will burn off, letting the sunlight penetrate to the forest floor.

Deep Harbor

The west coast of Baranof Island, south of Sitka, contains some of the most rugged coastline in North America.

Golden Steps

In the heart of downtown Sitka, the wall encompassing the well-manicured grounds of the Pioneer's Home yields to the steps leading to the home of dozens of Alaskans living out their golden years.

Orange Sunshine

One of the incredible things about the beauty of this area is that you can pull over to the side of the road and get most of your photos, such as this Mt. Edgecumbe scene, shot from my car window a few hundred yards from the grocery store I was headed to.

The Great One

Mt. McKinley, (Denali) is the tallest mountain in North America at over 20,000 feet. It rises from the plains of interior Alaska with hardly any foothills in the way. This shot was taken from Talkeetna. I'm told the top of the mountain is occasionally visible.

Smoked Sunset

On the way down Baranof Island on a commercial fishing trip we watched the effects forest fire smoke from Canada had on the setting sun.

Sitka's Roses

The Alaska Pioneer Home in Sitka was built in 1934, replacing a military barracks which had been used to house elderly Alaskans since 1913. Surrounded by a hedge of Sitka Roses the setting in downtown Sitka is an Alaskan treasure.

Oh, there's the beach!

As the fog dissipates, the Carnival Spirit settles in for the day off the Indian River delta, the site of a battle between the Russians and the local Tlingits in 1804 that led to the establishment of a permanent Russian settlement in Sitka. Hundreds of thousands of people visit Sitka and Southeast Alaska every year by cruise ship. End surveys generally point to Sitka as the favorite place to visit....something we already knew.

Bridge to Somewhere

I guess you could argue that any bridge in Alaska goes to nowhere, if your argument is about the number of people on either side. However, due to the ruggedness and isolation of our geography, we don't have the ability to build roads to very many places.

Lift Off

While rightfully wary of humans, bald eagles in Alaska will generally let you get within range enough for a nice close-up. Check out the web site for the Alaska Raptor Center, one of the most visited sites in Sitka.

http://www.alaskaraptor.org/EducationPrograms/JustForKids.cfm

Smoked Kings

Wild King and Sockeye salmon make the best tasting smoked fish I've had.

Mickey, Minnie and the Mt.

Alaska Airlines (www.alaskaair.com) provides twice-daily service into Sitka in the fall, winter and spring, and three or four flights a day in each direction in the summer months. Occasional "Web Specials" offer reasonably priced trips from anywhere on their coast-to-coast system.

Winter Playground

Juneauites take to the ice when Mendenhall Lake freezes over in the winter. The closeup in the next photo is of the iceberg just to the left of center above.

Ice Cube

In the summertime large icebergs break off the Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau and then freeze solidly into the lake by mid winter, creating beautiful ice sculptures that are generally safe to check out.

Hands of a fisherman

My father-in-law Pete Karras Sr., has spent most of his adult life fishing and trying to get his engines to run so he could go back out. The wear and tear of constantly working outside on gear and equipment has even worn pits in the gold wedding band he first put on back in 1952.

King Fisher

One that didn't get away. Alan Andersen on the Sea Haven hauls in a nice sized wild king salmon. Each fish is hand cleaned and packed and these troll-caught fish are the highest quality seafood in Alaska. You can find them featured in the finest restaurants around the world.

Safe Harbor

Fishing boats seek sheltered coves and inlets on the outside coast of Baranof Island when the weather is too rough to ride it out at sea. Three or four hours sleep and the succesful fishermen are back at it, chasing the elusive King.

Dive!

You had to be there to appreciate the raw power at the tail end of a humpback as it makes its dive.

Too cold to erupt

A trail leads from the shoreline to the top of Mt. Edgecumbe and many locals and visitors take the moderately difficult hike each summer. I don't think too many attempt the feat in the winter. Over thirty years ago, a local prankster and his friends staged a fake eruption. Go to this website for the whole story: http://www.olypen.com/sitkacds/porky.htm

Buddies?

Eagles and Ravens are not known to be fond of each other so the sight of these two sharing opposite railings on a narrow dock warranted a closer look and a snapshot.

Farmed, and dangerous?

Eyes front!

Farmed salmon is seen by many as a potential threat to Alaska's wild salmon fisheries. Raised in pens without the strenous exercise that breed firm, red flesh in wild salmon, the farmed fish have a bland taste and mushy texture in my opinion. For those of you without a sense of humor, I'm fully aware that these are wild king salmon with an extra eye cloned in for effect.

Fore!

January 25th was a really hard day to leave Sitka. After several days of unpleasant weather, the sun finally broke out and we had to fly to Seattle for my wife Georgina's final chemo session (of 27). I managed to get a couple of shots off before we left the Sitka area. The clear-cut area shows the Mountain View Golf course, nearing completion after countless hours of work and expenditure of dollars by Roger Sudnikovich and many others