July 16 - Anchorage: Wild Salmon on Parade

July 16 - Anchorage: Wild Salmon on Parade

A nicer day could not have been picked for this walk.  It was sunny and in the low 70's.

When this event was first held, there had been an annual art display called "Wild Salmon on Parade."  Different groups bid on statues of salmon and the winning bidders got to decorate them and then they were displayed around the downtown area.  This tradition has been discontinued, but the Anchorage Volkssports club continues to hold the walk every year.

About half of the 10k walk followed the Ship Creek Trail.  We did get to see some real wild salmon in the creek - and they were huge!

Town Square

Before you get to Ship Creek the walk shows off many downtown highlights.  It starts at the museum, passes the new Dena'ina Convention Center, the historical mural at City Hall, the Performing Arts Center, and the gorgeous flower beds at Town Square.  (I'm sorry I didn't have a camera with me.)  The route also passes the Alaska Public Lands Information Center and the Log Cabin Visitors Center.   

View from Resolution Park

After passing the historic art deco Fourth Avenue Theater, the Nesbett Court House, and the Captain Cook Hotel, walkers are treated to a breath-taking view of Cook Inlet at Resolution Park.  The walk continues  down to the Alaska Railroad Depot, past the Ulu Factory, and then on to the Ship Creek Trail.

The Ship Creek Trail is a beautiful greenbelt in the middle of an urban area.  Ship Creek is the 2nd most fished stream in Alaska.  In addition to the salmon, we also encountered a large moose browsing right next to the trail.  (Where is that camera when you need it?)

After completing the Ship Creek Trail portion of the walk, the route passes by the bustling Saturday Market - a huge area full of booths, street musicians, and locally grown produce.

Saturday Market

This walk was a lot of fun, though I would not recommend that a woman walk on the Ship Creek Trail alone due to homeless people who sometimes hang out there.  The walk instructions were very informative.  I would suggest printing them in a two-column format next time, so you can fold and still read it.  I also found the map to be a little difficult to read.  It was very cluttered.

A guided walk at 11:00 am was advertised, but I was the only one who showed up at 11:00, so it didn't happen.  In all, 22 people did this walk.  It was such a beautiful day that it is a shame we didn't have more participation.

I grabbed a few photos off the internet to show you what you missed.

Rating:

Walk Route:  A

Documentation and Logistics:  B