Hiking

[Snook]

I'm a sort of hiking nut. I'll be in Ketchikan in middle May. I'm looking at several trails but the Deer Mtn. trail seems to beckon me from all of the info I've read. They say that you can walk from the dock to the trailhead but it looks like quite a walk. I don't want to be tired out before I even start the hike (I'm no spring chicken). Are there other reasonable ways to get to the trailhead - taxi - bus- ?

[winste]

I'm looking at that as well. I read in a thread I can't seem to find that the trailhead is mostly uphill and it was suggested to take a taxi. Then downhill on way back to ship. Hopefully more will chime in.

 

 

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[Jugglerladym]

I've been on the Deer Mountain Trail twice from different cruises. It's fantastic: mysterious in the mist and rain, full of moss and waterfalls and bits of boardwalk, with good views on a clear day. It breaks above the treeline after a couple of steep miles, and I saw deer in the fog last time. I highly recommend it.

 

As for getting there, you can certainly take a taxi, but I'm a shoestringer, so here's what I recommend

 

Take the free downtown shuttle toward the Totem Heritage Center. Tell the driver you're going to the Deer Mountain Trail head and hopefully he'll drop you off at the closest point, just before the Totem Heritage Center on Deermount. Follow Deermount until it ends in a T intersection. Turn right and follow that. It's only about half a mile to the trail head (a parking lot at a four-way intersection). And yes it's uphill, but it's a good warm-up for the REALLY uphill of the trail.

 

I hike in all the ports in Alaska, and I love it. Glad to find kindred spirits.