Getting to Alderworks

The Alderworks Residency at which we're staying is 9 miles north of Skagway, Alaska, 3 miles from the site of the former gold rush town of Dyea. Getting here is complicated, but it is also part of the magic of this place.

We flew out from Oakland on Friday morning, changed planes in Seattle, and landed in Juneau in the afternoon. At 5:00 am the next morning we set out for an Alaskan ferry to Skagway. We sailed 7 hours past magnificent peaks and glaciers and fjords. I had planned to start my creative processes on board, sketching and photographing for future paintings, but after pacing the deck for a while, I stretched out on a bench and slept. Maybe that was more important than drawings.

We docked next to two towering cruise ships and were greeted warmly by Annie, the daughter of our hosts, Jeff and Dorothy Brady. We wedged our suitcases into a large SUV with a canoe lashed to the roof, dodged tourists as Annie gave us a driving tour of the six blocks of town, stocked up at the local market and natural food stores, and headed north to Alderworks. We could see bald eagles as we skirted the Taiya Inlet and went over a couple one lane bridges. As we drove through the gate and the electric bear fence, we were greeted by four large friendly dogs. And here was our cabin, familiar from photos online but much larger than we expected. We felt instantly at home.