Ketchikan Alaska

Ketchikan Alaska is the last port of the Hawkins family cruise. It is the last port of call for cruise ships heading south. It goes by many names and is best known as the first city or gateway city. It claims to be the Salmon capital of the world. Most famously, it holds the title of Rain Capital of the US, receiving an average of 162" of rain a year. For this reason the surrounding area of Ketchikan boast some of the worlds most impressive rain forest. It is also a hearth of the native cultures of southwest  nations as depicted by the many totem poles in town and the surrounding area. Each has its own story that represents the traits of local natives. While visiting a local rain forest we were impressed by how many black bears take up refuges in the rain forest. It is what I would call a paradise for the furry animals. The forest provides everything in abundance of what they need to grown and prosper (berries, different vegetation, salmon, Hugh tree trunks and caves  for hibernation. etc).

My younger brother Joe and I booked a walking tour into one of the rain forest where we spent some time talking to one of the natives who was carving a totem pole.  It takes about a year to complete a totem like what he was doing. He was a older gentlemen and said he had learned the skill from his dad as a boy and had been doing carving for just over 27 years.

As we enter the city a welcome

Inter city bronze statues that represent the history of Ketchikan

Totem Poles that represent the Native cultures of the area

Ketchikan is know for its Rain Forest. This is the entry point of a tour that my brother Joe and I took

Our guide warning us to be alert and stay together as we walked our tour.

One of the many typical trees in the forest. They call this tree the Giraffe Tree 



An example of how big trees are in the Rain Forest

A bears hibernation den under a tree



An example of the abundance of berries through out the Rain Forest during the summer

A Salmon hatchery in the Rain Forest run by water from a lake high above in the Mt..

When the Salmon are released they will eventually return to their birth place by going up this ramp  

Note Zip lines in the forest. They goes over a lot of the forest.

A wounded Eagle being nursed back to health  

A few of the Totem pole at the home of an old Native who curves that as a lively hood.

The old Native carver answered many of the questions ask him by tourist.

Example of some of the homes in Ketchikan.