Twelve Mile Circle – An Appreciation of Unusual Places

Twelve Mile Circle

  • Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel

    Whittier, Alaska, USA (July 2010) I’d long wanted to traverse the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel heading to Whittier, Alaska and the Prince William Sound (map). The tiny town of Whittier holds a couple hundred people where nearly the entire population lives in a single building. You might wonder why the government built a tunnel nearly…

  • Captain Cook State Recreation Area

    Near Nikiski, Alaska, USA (July 2010) We traveled along the Kenai Spur Highway, heading past Nikiski on the way to Captain Cook State Recreation Area where the road ends at milepost 36. Literally, one can go no further on the public road system on the northwest side of the Kenai Peninsula (map). This remote area…

  • Sitka National Historical Park

    The City and Borough of Sitka, Alaska, USA (August 1995) Sitka National Historical Park became the first park in Alaska to become Federally designated (map). It commemorates the 1804 Battle of Sitka that took place between the native Tlingits and agents of the Russian-America company. The 113 acre park also features totem poles placed at…

  • Somewhere Between Juneau and Sitka

    Inside Passage, Southeastern Alaska, USA (August 1995) One of the benefits of small-ship sailing was our ability to fit through tight spaces where ordinary cruise ships would never dare to venture. To prove the point our ship threaded a needle between a rocky island and the shoreline, barely wider than the boat. The wall on…

  • Sitka Points of Interest

    The City and Borough of Sitka, Alaska, USA (August 1995) American history recognizes the 60-foot high promontory known as Castle Hill for a significant event (map). It marks the spot where Russia transferred Alaska to the United States after its purchase for $7.2 million in 1867. It also has a notable history from earlier times.…

  • Downtown Juneau, Alaska

    The City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska, USA (August 1995) Juneau, Alaska (map) is one of the smallest state capitals in the United States. It has a genuinely small town feel and it is easily walkable. This image shows one of the best shopping streets, lined with numerous stores, restaurants and bars to wander among…

  • Panoramic Views of Juneau

    The City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska, USA (August 1995 and July 2000) We stayed at the Hotel Baranof during our 1995 visit to Juneau (map). We had a room on the top floor with a full harbor view. This was the scene that presented itself each morning as we woke up. This shot looks…

  • “Out the Road”

    The City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska, USA (August 1995) We drove straight out of Juneau about 40 miles until we ran out of road. Juneau is not an island. However, it’s wedged between the Gastineau Channel and the Coast Mountains that completely cut it off from the rest of mainland North America. The only…

  • Mendenhall River Rafting

    The City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska, USA (August 1995) We have a lot of experience with whitewater rafting so we were excited to hear about rafting in Juneau (map). There are indeed float trips down the Mendenhall River. They from the glacier with the same name down to the Gastineau Channel, and are available…

  • Various Points Around Juneau

    The City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska, USA (August 1995 & July 2000) Mount Roberts The Mount Roberts Tramway  delivers visitors 1800 feet up the side of the mountain, above Juneau (map). On a clear day the view extends for miles along the Gastineau Channel. Snow still clings to mountaintops in July. Trails radiate from…

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