Ketchikan

Very cute. Liked this town despite (being part of the) cruise ship tourist infestation.

Temperate climate, supposedly between 30s and 70s pretty much all year. Lovely rainforests.

There is a Wal-Mart. Apparently people come (by boat or sea-plane) from 400 miles around to shop there. Seemed more like middle-of-nowhere cabin country than shopping metropolis, but clearly I have no idea.

Rained all morning. Apparently it rains there like 85% of the days of the year.

For comparison:

annual rainfall in Houston 47"

annual rainfall in Seattle 36"

annual rainfall in Ketchikan 152"

Suck it up, put on some appropriate rain gear, and get out there! We did a bike ride + hike in the rain and it was lovely.

Ketchikan is located at the extreme southern end of Alaska, sometimes referred to as Alaska’s First City, due to its location.

It’s history is deeply entrenched in the lumber industry, but today a sizable portion of its economy is based on tourism.

Mrs. viii and I wandered around the town. One of the highlights was the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. We watched demonstrations of log cutting, pole climbing, log rolling, and a bunch of other lumberjack skills. It was very entertaining.

We also visited the Creek Street district, which are old restored buildings which now house businesses that sell t-shirts and gourmet coffees. There is also an old building which once housed a bordello which gives tours.

Ketchikan is one of the most beautiful places in the world and I thank my lucky stars everyday while I’m running around town. Situated in the Tongass National Forest, this area makes up the largest old-growth temperate rain forest in the world! Wehave a great arts community here, and lots of hustle and bustle throughout the winter. Still, it’s a snail’s pace of life compared to the big city. But we like it that way!

Love this town. Don’t miss the ferry back to the airport, that can make travel plans messy.

I live in Ketchikan for twenty-three years. It was a great place to grow up in. You’ve got the outdoors, a fairly close-knit community, and Alaska island living. The people make it a great place as well as the fishing. If you are a mall-addict this isn’t the place for you but I’m glad that I spent my formative years there.