The small southeast town of Wrangell gets just a sliver of the 1.3 million cruise ship tourists who visit Alaska this summer. Local tour operators say that’s not a bad thing.
Tourism
Ferry strike disrupts travel to and from Southeast Alaska State Fair
Some visitors who arrived in Haines on the ferry before the strike began are stuck. But some regional transportation services and tour companies are trying to pick up the slack.
From gondolas to ropes courses, Eaglecrest eyes expanding summer attractions
Last month, Eaglecrest Ski Area unveiled a plan to expand summer operations and turn the beloved local ski mountain into a self-sustaining, year-round recreation destination.
As Homer’s Grewingk Glacier recedes, the risk of landslides and tsunamis grows
One of the most popular landmarks in Kachemak Bay State Park is a glacier that’s becoming increasingly unstable.
NOAA closes investigation into close call between cruise ship and humpback whales
NOAA Fisheries confirmed that the agency’s Office of Law Enforcement determined Holland America Line’s Eurdoam altered course and slowed speed as it approached the humpback whales on June 24.
At Portage Glacier, business boom follows glacial recession
Portage Glacier has receded a lot. And employees are seeing the changes first hand. What does that mean for a company whose business is based on this particular piece of snow and ice?
Alaska lawmaker criticizes state loan to former Dunleavy administration official
A former deputy commissioner in Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration has been approved for a more-than-$4-million loan from a state agency, drawing criticism from an Anchorage legislator.
Governor vetoes funding for Ocean Rangers cruise ship inspectors
Funding for Alaska’s onboard cruise ship inspectors has been eliminated by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. The Ocean Rangers program was created by a ballot initiative and is paid for by cruise ship passengers.
Feds investigate video of cruise ship in near-miss with humpback whales
Federal regulators are investigating video footage that appears to show a Holland America Line cruise ship narrowly missing a pod of humpback whales while on its way to Juneau.
Following the purchase of Minto Mine, Yukon ore may be shipped from Skagway once again
The Yukon’s Minto Mine is expected to resume ore production in the near future. That means that Skagway’s ore terminal may begin loading ships with ore after months of inactivity. However, this may complicate the other needs of Skagway’s port.