Sharon Sparlin: JUNEAU ALASKA

The 2,376 passenger cruise ship Norwegian Jewel docked in Juneau Alaska at 10am on August 29, 2019. The sun was shining, temperature mild and no rain predicted for the day. Ingredients for a perfect day in Juneau.

Juneau Alaska aerial view

Juneau is located in the Gastineau Channel at the base of Mount Juneau which rises to a height of 3,576 feet.

Mount Juneau

The first European to sight the Gastineau channel was Joseph Whidbey early in August 1794, first from the south and later from the west. Most historians however, believe the channel was named after John Gastineau, an English civil engineer and surveyor.

Designated as the capital of Alaska in 1906, the name has morphed over the years from Harrisburg to Rockwell and finally renamed Juneau in 1906, undoubtedly after Joe Juneau, a gold prospector from Quebec.

Joe Juneau

With the exception of Honolulu Hawaii, Juneau holds an unusual distinction among all U.S. capitals. There are no roads connecting the city of Juneau to the rest of Alaska or to the rest of North America. The absence of a road network is due to the extremely rugged terrain that surrounds the city. Ferry service is available however, so cars are numerous in the city.

Map of Juneau and Juneau Icefields

All goods coming in and out of Juneau must go by plane or boat, in spite of the city being on the Alaskan mainland.

Downtown Juneau sits at sea level, with tides averaging 16 feet. It also sits at the base of mountains 3,500 to 4,000 feet high. Atop these mountains is the Juneau Icefield, a large ice mass comprised of about 30 glaciers. Both the Mendenhall Glacier and the Lemon Creek Glacier, are visible from the local road system.

Years have come and gone since my last visit to Juneau and Mount Roberts. The Mount Roberts Tramway opened in 1996 and operates May through September. It is Juneau's top-rated attraction, the only aerial tramway in southeast Alaska and is located directly across from the Cruise Ship docks.

Walking up to Mount Roberts Tramway Center

There are 5 major cruise ship berths in the port of Juneau. Two of the berths are large enough to accommodate ships up to 1,000 feet in length. On the day of my arrival there were four ships in port:

            Celebrity Eclipse docked at Alaska Steam Dock
            Holland Noordam docked at Cruiseship Terminal
            Crystal Symphony docked at S. Franklin Street Dock
            Norwegian Jewel docked at A.J. Dock

Juneau Port Docks

The A.J. Dock is the furthest south in Juneau. Their address is listed as 1110 Jacobsen Drive, Juneau, AK 99801. If you are wondering where your ship might dock check out the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska website. They publish an online calendar for all Alaska ports and berths for all cruise ship companies for the year.

I stepped off of the Norwegian Jewel shortly after noon. My iPhone map displayed the walking distance between the A.J. Dock and Mount Roberts Tramway Center as being 0.6 mile and taking 12 minutes. With a recent foot surgery, walking was not going to be an option. Luckily, a complimentary shuttle bus operated every few minutes during our time in port.

Boardwalk behind Mount Roberts Tramway Center

If you purchased tickets online you will need to exchange the voucher for a ticket at the Tramway Center. Tickets are $35 for adults for an all-day pass.

Ticket Counter inside Tramway Center

Each tram car is a 60 passenger Poma system with a capacity of 1,050 people per hour and a total length of 3,087 feet. The five minute ride quickly ascends 1,800 feet, making it one of the most vertical tramways in the world.

Finally on the tram

Mount Roberts Tramway has received the Governor’s Award for facility accessibility design. It is fully ADA compliant and can easily accommodate guests with accessibility requirements.

From the top you will have access to one of the most expansive views in Southeast Alaska. View the Chilkat Mountains to the north, Gastineau Channel to the south, Douglas Island to the west, and Silver Bow Basin to the east, where gold was discovered in 1880.

Also at the top you will find the beautiful Mountain House recreation and cultural complex. The Mountain House contains the Timberline Bar & Grill, with seasonal outside dining.

Norwegian Jewel docked at A.J. Dock

Panoramic shot from top of Mount Roberts

Exiting the Tram

You will also want to take in the Chilkat Theater to watch “Seeing Daylight”, an 18-minute award-winning film on Tlingit history and culture. The theater seats 120 and shows start on the hour and half hour. The video was produced by, and features, many local Alaska Natives.

Stairs down to Chilkat Theater

Inside Chilkat Theater

Local entertainment prior to the show

At the Timberline Bar and Grill I purchased one of the local beers produced by the Alaska Brewing Company and walked out to the balcony to enjoy the view and the brew while I waited for the film to begin.

Inside Timberline Bar

Local Alaskan Brewing Company pours

Several choices on tap

Timberline Bar and Grill Menu

View from deck of Timberline Bar and Grill

In addition to the theater you will also find the Raven Eagle Gift Shop, the Nature Center the Juneau Raptor Center Bald Eagle Display and the Mount Roberts Trail System.

The Juneau Raptor Center is a volunteer, non-profit organization founded in 1987. They provide medical care to over 150 sick and injured raptors and other birds each year. They also provide educational programs, featuring non-releasable birds, teaching the basics of conservation.

Local artisan at work

The Raptor Center is home to Lady Baltimore, a non-releasable American bald eagle who was shot, is blind in one eye and has an injured wing. She normally spends spring and summer months in an educational display. Unfortunately, her display area was closed on this visit and Lady Baltimore wasn’t available for viewing. The staff is in the finishing stages on construction of a new $170,000 display for her seasonal home.

Juneau Raptor Center under construction

Lady Baltimore from prior trip

Lady Baltimore Photo: Public Domain

The Nature Center on Mount Roberts is run by Gastineau Guiding. At the Nature Center you can enjoy a cup of cider while you browse around the interpretive displays or through the gift shop where you can find unique nature-oriented gifts, books and maps.

Nature Center Entrance

Once I arrived back at the Tramway Center I made my way to the world famous Red Dog Saloon. The walk took less than 4 minutes.

Entrance to Red Dog Saloon

Originally the saloon was located a couple blocks up Franklin Street and later it was across the street next to the Alaskan Hotel. In 1988 the saloon was moved, intact, to the current site. Extreme care was given to replace everything to its original place within the room.

Inside Red Dog Saloon

In 2008 the saloon was purchased by a group of locals who have continued the tradition of providing hospitality, fellowship and entertainment to weary travelers and local patrons.

In 2012 the saloon was expanded slightly and connected to the new larger Red Dog Mercantile which carries a wide variety of Red Dog souvenirs and apparel. Today the local owners of the Red Dog Saloon continue to work to improve and enhance the experience behind the "swinging doors and sawdust floors".