We ferried to Ketchikan, first. Arriving at 4:00 a.m., we had plenty of time before our 3:30 p.m. departure to Hollis. Another ferry passenger had suggested Ward Lake as a good place to hike, so we did the two-mile hike around the lake (once early in the day, and again in the early afternoon when we didn't feel like competing with cruise-ship passengers to walk around downtown). A very nice hike. Lots of birds along the way, but no bears.
After arriving in Hollis, there was the nerve-wracking drive up to Whale Pass. Beautiful country. Gravel roads that seem to be one-and-a-half lanes wide with lots of curves. Saw several adorable deer, but no bears.
Too many misadventures to mention. The people of Whale Pass are WONDERFUL, kind people. God bless them! The remote location was difficult for the unprepared. We had hoped to fish and bring home lots of salmon. What we did instead was practice casting on the river while the fish jumped around us. Probably laughing. It was fun, though. Lesson learned: a hot shower makes everything better.
