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Alaska or Florida Everglades

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Jason Stoller

Jason Stoller

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I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make suggestions in the same regard.

Thanks
Jason

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Jason Stoller [email protected]

We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!
 
Jason,
I'd personaly recommend Alaska and the great Canadian Northwest.

I use to live in Florida and have no desire to ever go back. Well...... maybe the Florida Keys :-)
Jim C.
Jason Stoller said:
I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course
there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois
and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to
pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have
been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as
far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you
have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make
suggestions in the same regard.

Thanks
Jason

--
Jason Stoller [email protected]
We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their
new products!
Click to expand...
 
Jason Stoller said:
I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course
there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois
and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to
pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have
been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as
far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you
have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make
suggestions in the same regard.

Thanks
Jason

--
Jason Stoller [email protected]
We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their
new products!
Click to expand...
Jason:

Maybe a few of these will help.

http://www.alaska.com/akcom/v-css/

http://www.state.ak.us/

http://www.flyrusts.com/

http://www.flyk2.com/

http://www.ketchumair.com/

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/index.html

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/schedres/scheds/search/search.html

http://www.adn.com/

http://www.news-miner.com/

http://juneauempire.com/

I've been to both...needless to say, I prefer Alaska.

Good Luck.
--
Wiley D
 
Hi Jason,

I took a 10-day trip to southern Florida (Everglades, Keys, Gulf Coast) specifically for bird photography. This was in March, when the heat and humidity were satisfactory, and the bugs weren't bad. The trip was awesome. I have 4 galleries of images at my site that you can have a look at if you're interested.

But I'm not sure I'd want to be there in the summer months - heat, humidity, bugs, would be harder to take.

So if you're looking for a summer vacation, I'd think Alaska would have some added appeal. I went there probably 10 years ago (pre-photography passion, unfortunately), and was extremely impressed. I'd love to go back.

Hope this helps.

Don
http://www.dlcphotography.net
Jason Stoller said:
I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course
there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois
and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to
pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have
been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as
far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you
have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make
suggestions in the same regard.

Thanks
Jason

--
Jason Stoller [email protected]
We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their
new products!
Click to expand...
 
It's usually wet, cold, and rainy in the summer and getting to places like Denali national park is hard. Count on spending a lot of money for a guide or transportation into and out of the areas. Some interesting places you cannot go like the McNeil river to photograph the bears - you have to have a professional pass or win a lottery. PLaces like Katmai where the bears feed on salmon is accessbile but again itsd hard to get to and you have a small window of opportunity to catch the action. A photo trip to Alaska has to be well planned and thought out with optional locations tpo go to if there is bad weather. If you go to Alsak make your plans in detail well ahead of time or you might be dissapointed.
 
P.S...there are guides like AlaskaPhotoTours.com that will take you around to places of interest to photographers. They have float planes, rafts, and boats to take you around etc. It is a little pricey but a tour guide like this is almost a must if you want to see what Alaska has to offer. Most Alaska national parks have restrictions on personal vehciles due to environmental considerations so its not like you can just hop in a car and get to where you want to go. A lot of guided photo tours around places like the grand Canyon or Yellowstone are a waste of money but as far as Alaska is concerned its definately needed. Also if you just want to see mountains and ice formations etc take a cruise and you will save money.
 
Thanks Don! I am going by June 1st! My girlfriends parents live in the Lehigh Acres area so that is why I was considering the Everglades National Park. You are probably right about the conditions.

I would have gone to Alaska last year but by the time we drove all the way up the Coast Hwy from TJ to Vancover, my time was just too short and my kids and girlfriend just did not want to do the extra miles so we came back down and did Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.

The drive is what has got me at this point because its about 3700 miles to Anchorage from my house. If you drove can you tell me how the roads are in Canada? It looks like if we go, that we will go up through Minn and North Dakota.

Maybe I can get lucky and catch Glacier National park on the way back!

Thanks

Jason
DonCohen said:
I took a 10-day trip to southern Florida (Everglades, Keys, Gulf
Coast) specifically for bird photography. This was in March, when
the heat and humidity were satisfactory, and the bugs weren't bad.
The trip was awesome. I have 4 galleries of images at my site that
you can have a look at if you're interested.

But I'm not sure I'd want to be there in the summer months - heat,
humidity, bugs, would be harder to take.

So if you're looking for a summer vacation, I'd think Alaska would
have some added appeal. I went there probably 10 years ago
(pre-photography passion, unfortunately), and was extremely
impressed. I'd love to go back.

Hope this helps.

Don
http://www.dlcphotography.net
Jason Stoller said:
I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course
there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois
and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to
pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have
been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as
far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you
have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make
suggestions in the same regard.

Thanks
Jason

--
Jason Stoller [email protected]
We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their
new products!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
Jason Stoller [email protected]

We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!
 
Hi Mike! I tow a car with me behind my motorhome. We were planning on Denali. Why is it hard to get to Denali? Can you be a little more specific about what you mean? I understand the planning issue and that is why I am attempting to make a final decision now and researching what I can in order to have a decent trip. Why is it that difficult to get into a lot of places? Does the tour industry there have everything tied up?

Thanks

Jason
Mike said:
It's usually wet, cold, and rainy in the summer and getting to
places like Denali national park is hard. Count on spending a lot
of money for a guide or transportation into and out of the areas.
Some interesting places you cannot go like the McNeil river to
photograph the bears - you have to have a professional pass or win
a lottery. PLaces like Katmai where the bears feed on salmon is
accessbile but again itsd hard to get to and you have a small
window of opportunity to catch the action. A photo trip to Alaska
has to be well planned and thought out with optional locations tpo
go to if there is bad weather. If you go to Alsak make your plans
in detail well ahead of time or you might be dissapointed.
Click to expand...
--
Jason Stoller [email protected]

We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!
 
Thanks for the Advice! I will call up to the National Park and check into the Photo Tour guides. I never cared much for commerical tour guides but I am sure you are probably right about Alaska. I did the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone on my own but I will investigate this.

Jason
Mike said:
P.S...there are guides like AlaskaPhotoTours.com that will take you
around to places of interest to photographers. They have float
planes, rafts, and boats to take you around etc. It is a little
pricey but a tour guide like this is almost a must if you want to
see what Alaska has to offer. Most Alaska national parks have
restrictions on personal vehciles due to environmental
considerations so its not like you can just hop in a car and get to
where you want to go. A lot of guided photo tours around places
like the grand Canyon or Yellowstone are a waste of money but as
far as Alaska is concerned its definately needed. Also if you just
want to see mountains and ice formations etc take a cruise and you
will save money.
Click to expand...
--
Jason Stoller [email protected]

We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!
 
Jason Stoller said:
The drive is what has got me at this point because its about 3700
miles to Anchorage from my house. If you drove can you tell me how
the roads are in Canada? It looks like if we go, that we will go
up through Minn and North Dakota.
Click to expand...
Holy smokes! I get car-sick just thinking about that. So no, we flew into Anchorage.

If you do drive, I've been very happy with Delorme's Street Atlas and Map'n'Go for travel help, route planning, etc. For about $100 I added their "Earthmate" GPS, and with these applications on my Laptop, can navigate in real-time. This has really come in handy when we've travelled in unfamiliar places.

Have a great trip!

Don
http://www.dlcphotography.net
 
This would be a really easy decision for me. Follow the Dalton Highway north of Fairbanks, get off past Coldfoot, and go hiking though Brooks Range and Gates of the Arctic National Park. It's not for most people; you can hike two weeks and not see another human, but that's exactly my point.
Jason Stoller said:
I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course
there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois
and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to
pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have
been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as
far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you
have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make
suggestions in the same regard.
Click to expand...
 
I was part of the crew for the six day AIDS bicycle ride from Fairbanks to Anchorage (eastern route). The ride never left the main highway and yet I saw the most spectacular scenary I've seen anywhere. Only Montana has come close.

Every turn in the road is spectacular. Where else can you see glaciers, moose and bears in Aug (it snowed on us one day - the locals said winter was three weeks early).

The first image, below, was taken at the base of a glacier. The white stuff on the ground is snow, not trash. The second was shot on a side trip. We flew in a very small pontoon plane for about an hour to reach a fishing camp where we spent four or five hours viewing bears. The bog in the background is floating but dense enough for you to walk upon. (Photos shot with a Nikon 990)

One consideration though - money. Alaska is a lot more expensive to get to and just about everything up there is imported so higher in cost.

By comparison Florida is flat, flat, flat and boring. But you'll meet a lot of lovely eighty year old ladies (careening down the highways in big cars).





billtoo
Jason Stoller said:
I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course
there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois
and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to
pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have
been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as
far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you
have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make
suggestions in the same regard.

Thanks
Jason

--
Jason Stoller [email protected]
We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their
new products!
Click to expand...
--
http://www.pbase.com/billtoo
 
Jason Stoller said:
I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course
there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois
and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to
pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have
been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as
far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you
have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make
suggestions in the same regard.

Thanks
Jason

--
Jason Stoller [email protected]
We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their
new products!
Click to expand...
 
Sounds wise. The biggest problem is the weather. You never know what youre going to get and the weather reports are usually like playing the lottery. You go there dreaming of crisp mountain landscapes against blue skies and you end up seing cloud cover and haze that envelops the ranges for the whole time you are there. Thats when you need an experienced guide to take you to some decent photo spots.
 
The problem is getting into Denali. It is in a remote area. Take all those ideas of Yellowstone you have and throw them out. This is totally diferent. There are roads that can be used around the park but they dont take you anywhere really great. We are talking serious remote wilderness here. You can only go to a certain point and then they have vehicle restrictions for which you cannot proceed. Most people either take a float plane in or have a third party guide take them in via watercraft etc. Its just very inaccessible at least the good spots. Also many areas are restricted and you need a special pass to get to them. They usually only give them to professional photographers with credentials. The key is planning ahead of time.
 
Hi Mike! I just got off the phone and I have the number for the Rangers to get the photographers pass. Also I understand that you can only drive about 13 miles inside Denali and you have to take Shuttle to access other areas. They told me a shuttle pass for the whole road is $30 and that there is only about 91 miles of road. It has also been suggested I get to Homer if I want to see Whales. Yes I think your right about throwing out the Yellowstone ideas. I was told the mountains are huge compared to the ones in Colorado. I did call the Phototour company you suggested and I am waiting for an email or phone call from them. I have until the end of the month before I really have to leave so I will try to follow your advice. From what I understand you cannot get into the remote villages unless you go by plane and most people do not do this. I am fearful of Hiking out there because of the wildlife that I might encounter and not being experienced it would probably not be an intelligent thing to do without a guide.

Jason
Mike said:
The problem is getting into Denali. It is in a remote area. Take
all those ideas of Yellowstone you have and throw them out. This is
totally diferent. There are roads that can be used around the park
but they dont take you anywhere really great. We are talking
serious remote wilderness here. You can only go to a certain point
and then they have vehicle restrictions for which you cannot
proceed. Most people either take a float plane in or have a third
party guide take them in via watercraft etc. Its just very
inaccessible at least the good spots. Also many areas are
restricted and you need a special pass to get to them. They usually
only give them to professional photographers with credentials. The
key is planning ahead of time.
Click to expand...
--
Jason Stoller [email protected]

We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!
 
Forrest did you ever do your Colorado back country trip? I remember your thread in regard to your planning and gear, but I never remember hearing if you actually went. How about an Update?

Jason
Forrest said:
Forrest41926 said:
I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course
there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois
and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to
pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have
been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as
far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you
have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make
suggestions in the same regard.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
Jason Stoller [email protected]

We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!
 
I would pick Alaska. I have been there 3 times now, I have freind that lives there I go to viste. I do not want to go to Florida. Alaska is very nice place. It does cost more money. My freind/personal tour guide helps. Alaska is big, very big, when is the last time you drove 100 mile and not see an building (gas station, store or phone) or car or other person other then people you are with. You get hurt or sick and in can be > 300 to the nearest doctor, depends on were you are at. If it Alaska plan well. The anamals are not in cages either, and they can get mad at you.
WJF
 
Thanks for the pictures Bill! They are fabulous. Yes that is one thing I do know, that its very expensive. I could save a lot by going to florida and photographing the little old ladies.

I think its great you were part of the crew for the AIDS bicycle ride. I started to ride events last year. I figured it was time to get the fat boy some exercise. I have a 45 mile ride tommorow sponsered by the Lions club here. I ride Tour Easy Recumbent.

Jason
Bill too said:
Every turn in the road is spectacular. Where else can you see
glaciers, moose and bears in Aug (it snowed on us one day - the
locals said winter was three weeks early).

The first image, below, was taken at the base of a glacier. The
white stuff on the ground is snow, not trash. The second was shot
on a side trip. We flew in a very small pontoon plane for about an
hour to reach a fishing camp where we spent four or five hours
viewing bears. The bog in the background is floating but dense
enough for you to walk upon. (Photos shot with a Nikon 990)

One consideration though - money. Alaska is a lot more expensive
to get to and just about everything up there is imported so higher
in cost.

By comparison Florida is flat, flat, flat and boring. But you'll
meet a lot of lovely eighty year old ladies (careening down the
highways in big cars).





billtoo
Jason Stoller said:
I am chosing between two destinations for my vacation. Of course
there are picture opportunites in both places. I am in Illinois
and will be driving my Motorhome accross country. If you had to
pick one to go to, tell me why you would go there! If you have
been to Alaska then please suggest where to go and what to see as
far as Wildlife, Culture, Historic sites and landscapes. If you
have been to the Everglades National Park in Florida, please make
suggestions in the same regard.

Thanks
Jason

--
Jason Stoller [email protected]
We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their
new products!
Click to expand...
--
http://www.pbase.com/billtoo
Click to expand...
--
Jason Stoller [email protected]

We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!
 
Wow! Three times! Did you drive in or fly in? Did you drive the Alcan Hwy( hope I am spelling that right) and what was it like if you did. I am wondering about the roads because of the motorhome.

Thanks

Jason
WJ Fleury said:
I would pick Alaska. I have been there 3 times now, I have freind
that lives there I go to viste. I do not want to go to Florida.
Alaska is very nice place. It does cost more money. My
freind/personal tour guide helps. Alaska is big, very big, when is
the last time you drove 100 mile and not see an building (gas
station, store or phone) or car or other person other then people
you are with. You get hurt or sick and in can be > 300 to the
nearest doctor, depends on were you are at. If it Alaska plan well.
The anamals are not in cages either, and they can get mad at you.
WJF
Click to expand...
--
Jason Stoller [email protected]

We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!
 
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