Aviation runs in my blood: my dad was an aviator in WWII, and I love any opportunity to get
up in the air. Although today’s commercial air travel doesn’t necessarily fit my enjoyment
expectations, viewing Alaska’s Misty Fjords national wilderness area in a classic Alaskan
“bush” plane was the highlight of a recent trip to Ketchikan.
The DeHavilland DHC-2 “Beaver” is well-known in Alaska. When roads are scarce, and any
kind of travel requires a boat or plane, the Beaver is called upon for its rugged reliability to
navigate Alaska’s unique terrain. Although I haven’t researched the actual numbers, it’s
likely that there are a hundred Beavers in the skies and on the waterways almost daily,
During our cruise stop in Ketchikan, my wife Susan and I seized the opportunity to
schedule a flightseeing trip out to Misty Fjord. We boarded our flight near the cruise port,
and from the first rotation of the Beaver’s engine, as we prepared to take off, I knew we
were in for a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience. The short, 22-mile flight took us to our
destination in just a few minutes.
Misty Fjord is almost indescribable. It’s a National Monument and wilderness area
covering a vast 2.3 million acres! It’s dotted with rugged mountain peaks and serene,
pristine lakes. If we had just flown around the area, we would have had a fantastic trip.
However, the highlight of our trip was actually landing on one of the isolated lakes in the
area. After the plane slowed to a stop, the pilot asked us if we’d like to get out and really
enjoy the scenery. Getting out of a small plane while sitting in the middle of a huge body of
water was a little daunting, but we decided we were up for the experience. Standing on the
plane’s pontoons on this eerily quiet lake miles from the nearest civilization was the
pinnacle of our trip. Honestly, it was a most reverent experience and a true feeling of God’s
immeasurable handiwork.
We wholeheartedly recommend a similar flightseeing adventure for yourself. When your
Alaska cruise itinerary has a stop in Ketchikan, don’t miss an opportunity to experience
Misty Fjords the way we did. It’s Alaska at its finest.
Rick McCormick and his wife Susan have explored almost every corner of the world during
their travels. They are passionate about helping others discover their ideal travel
destinations and appreciate the diversity of people and places they encounter. Rick has
been providing travel planning services since 2015 and is a certified Master Cruise
Consultant. You can contact him at 423-665-6005 or at Rick@TailoredTravel.Vacations.
