Extreme Ziplining Fun With Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures In Seward

There are a million and one reasons to love the charming little coastal town of Seward, but ziplining with Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures (hands down) deserves to be at the very top of that list. As you fly through the trees and gaze at gorgeous glaciers and towering mountains in the distance, you will feel your heart skip a beat from more than just the adrenaline rush of the ziplines.

The beauty in the area is simply unmatched and the staff is undeniably top notch. If fun is what you’re after, this three hour eco-tour will have you falling head over heels in love with The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground.

The tour starts from the convenient main strip area in Seward next to the boat harbor. You’ll find lots of tourism vendors nearby including day cruises, fishing operations, hiking, kayaking and many others.

We parked about a block away in one of they daily parking lots. The cost for parking was $5 for the day and the walk took just a couple minutes. When we came upon the main building we were very impressed right from the get-go by the beautiful log cabin.

As we headed inside to sign our waivers and to check in for the tour, we noticed a very impressive logo on the door. 😉 Any business who reps The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground is a friend of ours! 🙂

After we checked in we peeped our heads around the main building to soak in the view. Bluebird skies and mountain views overlooking the boat harbor. Talk about the most incredible dose of eye candy that we’ve ever experienced! The 70 degree weather wasn’t too shabby either!

After about 10 minutes the shuttle arrived to take us to the enchanting ziplining area tucked away in the woods, free from the crowds.

We pulled up into an area that had a big yurt and some outbuildings. The first thing we did was check all things that ‘could fall off’ at the front desk. Next, we got suited up with our harnesses and gear.

Next came ground school. Our two super awesome, knowledgeable and completely hilarious guides trained us on all of the basics including hand and foot placement, traversing, stopping and overall safety.

Everyone in the group had to then individually demonstrate the ability to properly traverse on a mini-zipline located at base camp. After we all completed ‘ground school’ we gathered around for an official graduation photo. First came the group shot… “say cheeeeeeese!”

Next came the individual shots. Say “awwwwww!” But really, we just met. New Alaska friends are the best friends!

A different kind of shuttle bus came next. We all loaded in the back and held on tight before heading up into the trees.

On the way up it was hard to ignore the beautiful views as we gained elevation.

And first, one last group shot before zipping the next couple hours away.

Each individual zipline offered such incredible features. The phenomenal views simply could not be ignored. Snow-capped mountains in the distance while surrounded by lush Pacific Temperate Rainforest is an experience that is hard to top!

The group rotated who went first, second, third, etc. the whole trip. Some of the daredevils in the crowd were always willing to go first while others had to work up the courage on some of the longer and steeper lines.

The guides were entertaining and provided wonderful, educational commentary throughout the whole trip. During the height of the season, they do up to seven tours a day! That was incredible to hear considering each tour takes about three hours from start to finish. To go on a tour you have to be at least 10 years of age and weigh 80 pounds.

Repelling down from the high platforms in the trees to the ground was probably one of the scariest parts of the tour for most people. However it was actually super easy and not scary at all once you took that first step off the ledge.

The guides were also very interactive the whole time which made the process feel very safe and reassuring.

The suspension walks were such a fun bonus towards the end of the tour.

So many bridges, so many photo ops! Cheese! 😉

With the peaceful noise of Stoney Creek rushing downstream in the backdrop, it was the most perfectly serene way to end a day of action zipping through the trees.

If you’ve never been ziplining with Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures in Seward, be sure to add it to the top of your 2017 summer bucket list. It is a once in a lifetime experience and the perfect day trip to enjoy with your friends or your family.

From Florida to Alaska: Training to be a Sea Kayak Guide

By: Daniel P. Meuninck (meuninck@gmail.com)

I was used to living around mountains. Splash Mountain is my personal favorite. Big Thunder Mountain is considered a classic. And of course, Space Mountain is most people’s favorite to summit. I even went on an expedition up Everest a number of times. No big deal. But to say the landscape of my former residence of Orlando, Florida is vastly different from the views over Resurrection Bay would be more than an understatement. I mean shoot, the largest “hill” on a recent marathon I ran was the exit ramp at Disney World. Compare that marathon to the 5k race up Mount Marathon in Seward and I’m not sure which would be the bigger challenge.

From Florida to Alaska

But here I am. From Florida to Alaska for a summer adventure as a sea kayak guide at Sunny Cove Sea Kayaking. I like challenges and enjoy challenging myself and this job definitely provides both. Many of my friends said they were envious of me for getting paid to have a vacation. And while yes, I love what I am doing, this is definitely not a vacation. Not to say it isn’t fun, but to say wilderness guides are just on a pleasure cruise does a disservice to everything they do, train for, and provide for the guests they interact with on a daily basis. Personally, I came in with some training. All guides at Sunny Cove need to have their Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification. While the remoteness of our trips is a huge draw for people, it also means you are far from help if something goes amiss and the WFR is a prerequisite for any aspiring guides. As an alum of the National Outdoor Leadership School’s (NOLS) Alaska Outdoor Educator course, I also knew what to expect in regards to the climate of the temperate rain forest that surrounds, but that doesn’t necessarily make the cold rainy days any easier.

So what does it take to be a sea kayak guide?

A passion for the outdoors? Absolutely! But so much more. Guides are interpreters of everything a guest sees along their journey. One may paddle near shore and see a simple rock sticking out of the water. But I see the effect of tectonic plates smashing together forming a drowning mountain being sunk in a bay carved out by massive glaciers that have retreated over time and that’s just the cliff notes version of the story. A guide is trained to invite their guests into that story. Guides are educators; and not just of simple paddling technique, but of local history, geology, and ecosystems. Sure, a large part of training is to make sure guests are safe on the water which includes reading weather patterns and tides and teaching the essentials of paddling a kayak, but the real meat of training a sea kayak guide is helping that guide become an expert story teller on the water. It can be easy to take people from point A to point B, but where is the joy in that when there are a million stories all around just waiting to be told to compliment the journey.

Mental fortitude is also a must! As great as this job can be, there are days where the rain doesn’t end and the warm weather seems as far away as the Florida sunshine. But throughout my training, I have learned to navigate these challenges. A three day kayak camping expedition led our training crew to witness a number of bald eagles, sea otters, harbor seals, and Stellar sea lions culminating with a pod of orcas and a breaching humpback whale. Those days definitely make it easier to deal with the elements. And while the formal part of training may have concluded, my learning continues as a sea kayak guide never truly leaves training. There is always something new to learn. For me that could include bomb proofing my roll or delving into the history of the native culture. Either way, I am excited to start telling my story and the story of all that surrounds me in this beautiful place called Alaska.

Written by Daniel P. Meuninck (meuninck@gmail.com) of Sunny Cove Sea Kayaking.
Learn more about Sunny cove by visiting their website: www.sunnycove.com and Facebook: www.facebook.com/kayakalaska

Featured Town on The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground

Cooper Landing, Alaska – Gem of The Kenai

The Cooper Landing area is rich in native and pioneer history. Joseph Cooper and his crew traveled up the Kenai River from Cook Inlet in 1884 then later in 1896. Kenai Lake was at that time called Lake Long with the miner’s camp called Lake City.

This was renamed Cooper Creek Landing around 1914 and then changed again to what is now known as Cooper Landing. Cooper Landing, The Gem of the Kenai Peninsula, an Emerald in summer, and a Diamond in the Winter. Conveniently located in the middle of the Kenai Peninsula, nestled in the majestic Kenai Mountains along the beautiful turquoise waters of Kenai Lake and the upper Kenai River. These waters are uniquely tinted blue-green by suspended ultra-fine glacial silt.

Adventures & Activities	Dining & Shopping	Fishing
Area Services	Transportation Service & Rentals	Planning & Booking Agents
Bed & Breakfast	Bear Viewing	RV Parks & Campgrounds
Resorts Lodges & Cabins	Hotels & Motels	Shopping & Gift Shops
Attractions & Sightseeing	Visitor Services

Featured Town on The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground

Anchor Point, Alaska – North America’s Most Westerly Highway Point

“North America’s Most Westerly Highway Point” stretches along the Sterling Highway, atop the bluffs overlooking Cook Inlet, and winds down through the pristine Anchor River Valley. Anchor River offers a wide variety of fishing opportunities beginning with King Salmon in the spring, continuing with Dolly Varden and Silver Salmon in the summer and cumulating with Steelhead in the fall until freeze up.

Not interested in fishing? May we suggest beachcombing, a favorite activity of residents and visitors alike. Visit our neighboring community of Nikolaevsk, a Russian village inland a few miles; enjoy our art studio and gift shops, or take in a motor cross race. Be sure to come by our Visitor Information Center and mini-museum.

Adventures & Activities	Dining & Shopping	Fishing
Area Services	Transportation Service & Rentals	Planning & Booking Agents
Bed & Breakfast	Bear Viewing	RV Parks & Campgrounds
Resorts Lodges & Cabins	Hotels & Motels	Shopping & Gift Shops
Attractions & Sightseeing	Visitor Services

Dive into Your Next Adventure!

Start packing your bags; it’s time to dive into your next adventure! The Six Mile Creek is one of the most challenging rafting rivers on The Kenai! The excitement and thrill of running this river with an expert is an experience unlike others. Towering rocky cliffs looming over the huge waves provide a stunning setting for this thrilling run. Mainly class 4 or 5 sections, it should only be attempted by experienced rafters or with a reputable company.

 

Learn more about adventures on The Kenai! Request the Alaska’s Playground Kenai Peninsula Discovery Guide and BOOK IT!

 

2011 Alaska Kayak Highlights from Entropy333 on Vimeo. Here are some highlights from the 2011 kayaking season. Featured waterways are: Bird Creek, Archangel Creek, Tana River, Ship Creek, Little Susitna, Six Mile Creek, Canyon Creek, Montana Creek.