What an adventure. We just got back from one of the most unforgettable trips I’ve ever taken – a wild, beautiful journey through Alaska to celebrate the wedding of our amazing friends, James and Lauren Gaston. And we didn’t just show up for the ceremony… we made a whole experience out of it.
We landed in Anchorage and made our way to our first stop: an Airbnb on Big Lake, where the wedding was taking place. The property was incredible – a mansion on the water surrounded by mountain views and the constant hum of life under the midnight sun. And I mean midnight sun. I learned quickly that sleep doesn’t come easy in an Alaskan summer. One night, around 2:00 AM – after plenty of drinks and laughs – a boat cruised by with water skiers, pulling up to our dock like it was the middle of the day. Wild.
James is from Alaska, and a bunch of his local friends and family were there. It didn’t take long to understand the energy: after months of winter darkness, Alaskans go all in during the summer. The days are long, the drinks are flowing, and nobody wants to go to bed. We soaked it up with a fish fry, lakeside hangs, and some much-needed chill time after the whirlwind of travel.
After the wedding weekend, the adventure rolled on. Most of the crew packed up and drove down to Girdwood, a charming town tucked under Alyeska Resort. We grabbed another Airbnb and took it easy the first night – dinner at the resort and a peaceful walk through the forest trails back into town. That was also the night we were told to wear bells and carry bear mace. According to the locals, the mace is mostly useless, but the bells at least give bears a heads-up that humans are coming so nobody gets surprised. Sounded good enough for me.
The next day was fishing day – and this one was for the books.
We drove to Whittier, a strange and fascinating little port town only accessible through a shared road/train tunnel that’s only open during the day. If you miss your slot, you’re sleeping in Whittier. NPR actually did a story on the town called “A Community Under One Roof,” and they weren’t exaggerating. From what we saw, there were only a few buildings: a giant apartment complex, the school, and the boat dock.
From there, we took a two-hour boat ride through Prince William Sound, out to the Gulf of Alaska, where we fished for Halibut, Snapper, and Cod. And we crushed it. Everyone hit their limit, the weather was perfect, and the views were straight-up movie magic. It was the kind of day that just keeps topping itself every hour.
After the big haul, we headed back to Girdwood for one last night before splitting up. Some folks headed down to Homer for more fishing, others back to Anchorage. Summer and I? Off to Denali.
We spent two nights at the McKinley Chalet Resort, and took the Denali Backcountry Adventure through the park. It was surreal – moose, grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep – we saw them all. The only one missing from the “Big 5” was the elusive wolf, but we were more than content. Denali itself loomed in the distance, totally humbling. There’s just no overstating the presence that mountain has.
From Denali, we made our way to Talkeetna, where we got to do something completely different – summer sled dogs. These were Iditarod racing dogs in the off-season. When we pulled up, they absolutely lost it with excitement, knowing some of them were about to run. The sled was a custom rig with wheels and brakes – same mechanics, just no snow. We got to mush through the forest and talk with the handlers, who couldn’t wait for winter to return. It was such a contrast to the wedding crew – they were done with summer. They live for snow, stars, and nights with the dogs. Honestly? I get it. It’s a unique lifestyle and they have gone all in on it. I have a huge amount of respect for them and what they do.
Our last stop was back in Anchorage, where we reunited with the wedding crew for one final night of celebration – a proper send-off after an incredible week.
Huge thanks to James and Lauren for getting everyone together in such a magical place. You gave us the perfect excuse to see a part of the world we’ll never forget.
Until next time, Alaska. We’ll be back.
– Vince