@RCF Oh man! The possibilities! I've sat down and then walked away from the keyboard a number of times….cuz there’s sooo much to experience.
First off, I have nothing to add regarding guided or destination fishing. I was, however, what I refer to as an extended tourist....meaning my wife and I lived in Fairbanks for a couple/three years in the late 80's....and we traveled around a bunch….so I say, if your situation allows, spend a month or so up there.
Like you said, it's the experience of a lifetime....maybe fish for a week, then travel/sightsee, fish some more…repeat
…maybe take a late train from Anchorage to Fairbanks and watch the alpenglow on Denali
…and from Fairbanks go up to Eagle Summit for the solstice and watch the sun not set
…or if the body allows maybe go dip net some reds in the Copper River
…or take a poor man’s cruise (the AK ferry) from Juneau to Skagway and go to the top of Chilkoot Pass when the clouds are low and you can barely see past the hood of your car
…and then hop over to Haines and go the back way up to the junction to watch grizzlies roam on the mountain side
damn…I’m excited for you but I’ll stop cuz like gSmolt wrote…I could throw out stuff to do forever.
Just go for it…we only live once
Part of the reason I am starting to research now. Due to all the mileage points I have, I can fly free anywhere Alaska Air goes... Train ride sounds interesting too. Side note: when I retired I spent ~2 1/2 months fishing Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. Maybe all summer in Alaska? Who knows...
