IASCP Northern Polar Regional Conference
SPECIAL EVENTS & FIELD TRIP DESCRIPTIONS
SPECIAL EVENTS
Monday, 18 August
Awards Banquet
Special recognition will be given to Dr. Vincent Ostrom. Dr. Ostrom is one of the drafters of the first natural resource clause of a state constitution, written for Alaska prior to Statehood. To learn more about Dr. Ostrom, please visit the following website: http://www.indiana.edu/~workshop/people/vincent_ostrom.pdf
The awards banquet will be held at 6:00 pm in the Quarterdeck of the Captain Cook Hotel.
For conference participants, no additional fees are required to attend the Awards Banquet.
Non conference participants are invited to join us at this special event and can purchase tickets through iascp@indiana.edu.
Cost: US$55.00
Tuesday, 19 August
Alaska Native Heritage Center Tour & Banquet
http://www.alaskanative.net/8.asp
At the Alaska Native Heritage Center, conference participants and observers will be introduced to the eleven Native cultures of Alaska. Participants will have an opportunity to see how native cultures lived in the past and in the present. Cultural representatives will be present to share cultural information and to provide village site tours.
Dinner will be served at the Alaskan Native Heritage Center shortly after the tour.
For conference participants, no additional fees are required to attend the Awards Banquet.
Conference observers are invited to join us at the Alaska Native Heritage center and can purchase tickets through iascp@indiana.edu
Cost: US$75.00
II. FIELD TRIP DESCRIPTIONS
Phillips 26 Glacier
Cruise
www.26glaciers.com
Join local experts in the fields of Prince William Sound fisheries management
and ecosystem restoration from the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill for an
unforgettable four and a half-hour long cruise through the rich waters of Prince
William Sound. The cruise begins and ends in Whittier, a small town 60 miles
Southeast of Anchorage. The bus to Whittier departs at 11:00 a.m. and arrives
back in Anchorage at 7:00 p.m. The bus leaves right from the Captain Cook Hotel
and travels along the Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet. Once you arrive in
Whittier you will board the 137-foot catamaran Klondike Express,
the fastest, largest and most luxurious high-speed catamaran in Alaska. Aboard
this well-equipped vessel you will come face to face with over 26 glaciers and
an amazing array of wildlife. The cruise travels over 135 miles into Prince
William Sound and takes you within 400 feet of the massive walls of ice, close
enough to see, and hear, these plodding, icy giants. The cruise also provides an
excellent opportunity for up-close views of seals, sea otters, porpoises, and
even Orca or Humpback Whales. Looking to the rugged shoreline you can observe
the many other creatures that call Prince William Sound home: bears, mountain
goats, bald eagles and thousands of sea birds. The quintessential Alaskan
adventure, this is truly Alaska at its best; words simply do not give justice to
this enlightening and awe-inspiring experience.
Cost: $ 172.50
Talkeetna tour & meeting with managers from Denali National Park http://www.akohwy.com/t/talkeetn.htm
A day trip to the historic town of Talkeetna that offers a truly “Alaskan” experience. The bus departs from the Captain Cook at 10:00 a.m. and returns around 8 p.m. During those 10 hours, you will travel 113 miles to Talkeetna, stopping along the way at the Iditarod Dogsled Race Headquarters in Wasilla. Upon entering this dog sledding Mecca you will be immersed in the unique and fascinating world of the Iditarod, the world’s longest dogsled race (1,049 miles!). From dogsleds to red lanterns, the Trail Headquarters is filled with unique artifacts from the Iditarod’s past. Following this, you continue your journey up the Parks Highway to the Talkeetna Lodge, where you will be served a delicious meal of Alaskan cuisine. And at only 60 miles South of the summit of Mt. McKinley (or, as it known locally, “Denali”) this rustic setting also serves up stunning views of the majestic 20,320-ft. peak. While you enjoy the food, an expert from Denali National Park speak about conservation efforts in Alaska and the commons management of North America’s tallest mountain. The group will explore downtown Talkeetna, the traditional assembly point for trips up to Mt. McKinley base camp. Or you could even engage in nearby trail hikes, a Mt. McKinley flight-seeing tour (weather permitting), or a scenic float down the Talkeetna River. The return bus to Anchorage leaves around 5:30 p.m. This trip offers you an invaluable glimpse into the history and heritage of Alaska.
Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge Entrée Options
Includes a cup of the Soup of the day, a dessert, and choice of coffee, tea, or soda.
Thursday, 21 August 2003
Seward’s Exit Glacier & the Alaska Sealife Center, www.alaskasealife.org http://alaskaoutdoorjournal.com/Travelog/Exit/exitglacier.html
A visit to Exit Glacier and the world-class Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. The bus departs at the Captain Cook Hotel and travels down the scenic Seward Highway. Upon arriving in Seward you will stop at the Seward Windsong Lodge for some delicious Alaskan cuisine in the Resurrection Roadhouse. Following lunch it is only a short drive up to Exit Glacier, one of the most exceptional glaciers in Alaska. Unlike many other glaciers this land-locked sea of ice is not receding and is extremely accessible; you can walk up to within a stone’s throw of its immense face. After this, the bus will depart for the SeaLife Center, which is less than 20 minutes from Exit Glacier. This 115,000 square-foot facility has several laboratories, tanks and pools made for cold-water marine research, and is the only one of its kind in the world. The many exhibits at the Alaska SeaLife Center will immerse you in Alaskan marine ecosystems and provide opportunities to watch animals in naturalistic habitats as well as research settings. Witness a 1000-pound Stellar sea lion gliding past underwater viewing windows, puffins diving in a carefully crafted naturalistic habitat, and harbor seals hauled out on rocky beaches. Alaskan king crab, sea stars, and the Giant Pacific octopus also await you, as well as a whole variety of intertidal creatures and deep-sea fishes. The Center offers an unrivaled, up-close and personal experience with Gulf of Alaska marine wildlife. Accompanying you on this highly entertaining and educational experience will be the knowledgeable Malcolm Roberts, Senior Fellow at the Institute of the North. This trip provides you with both the sublime beauty of Exit Glacier and the impressive and educational experience of the Alaska SeaLife Center.
Resurrection Roadhouse Entrée Options:
Arctic Tours
Our options to the Arctic are an opportunity to see life in either a traditional Native village or an historic gold-mining community. On both trips a local host with expertise in relevant commons management issues will meet your tour for lunch.
KOTZEBUE ARCTIC TOUR, http://kotzebueira.org/
A one day guided round trip journey by air to Alaska’s remote Chukchi Sea Coast. You depart Anchorage International Airport at 9:25 a.m. and fly north across the Arctic Circle to the Inupiat Eskimo village of Kotzebue. Upon your arrival at 11 a.m. you will receive an official Arctic Circle Certificate and participate in a village tour highlighted by a fascinating visit to the unique Culture Camp where village elders teach ancestral heritage to Kotzebue’s youth. Receive a true glimpse of life in Alaska’s Arctic as you enjoy a cultural presentation at the Museum of the Arctic featuring demonstrations of ancient skills and an interpretive program. Your return flight departs at 6:49 p.m. and will arrive back in Anchorage at 9:30 p.m.
Cost: $366 (Price does not include meals or transportation to and from the airport.)
NOME ARCTIC TOUR, http://www.nomealaska.org
A one day guided round trip journey by air to Alaska’s remote Bering Sea Coast. You depart Anchorage International Airport at 9:25 a.m. and fly north across the Arctic Circle to the gold rush community of Nome. You will receive an official Arctic Circle Certificate and enjoy a tour highlighting the Gold Rush heritage of historic Nome, the terminus of the Iditarod Dogsled Race. In fact, this trip gives you the chance to participate in a dogsled demonstration on the actual Iditarod Trail. Relive Nome's Gold Rush history as you pan for gold and keep what you find. Your return flight departs at 8 p.m. and arrives in Anchorage at 9:30 p.m.