“USA 🇺🇸 Alaska ~Soldotna, Old Town Kenai, Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church and More”

• June 30, 2023
• By Pen
• 0 Comment

We arrived in Soldotna from Seward; our 2nd stop of three, whilst visiting the Kenai Peninsula. 

We are staying at the Klondike RV Park with easy access to the nearby, Old Town Kenai.

We have internet at this campground AT our site that works most of the time; where we are not required to hang out at laundry rooms or camp offices to upload our photos. (so far)
This is a first, in over a month.

With the pouring down rain for two days and nights, I binge-watched Outlander; season 6, and the current, season 7.
I’m all caught up. It helped to take my mind off the weather 🤣

⬇️ I asked at the camp office, and the owner told me about this Moose hunt, someplace in remote Northeast Alaska, by plane.
Quite a feat to get an almost 2000 pound Moose, out.

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The distances traveled, for our three stops, here on the Peninsula are not great. This is a nice change of pace. It was also a pleasure, to actually drive on a good road, coming here, too; The Sterling Highway!

As we left Seward, Hwy 9; the Seward Highway, is not good at all. We do drive under the posted speed, since we are 62-feet-long with our toad, and that’s a long length to get across each broken road part of the road, for which there are MANY! Then add driving in the pouring down rain.

So, to the guy who laid on his horn, as we turned off Hwy 9, for the Sterling Highway; (he was driving his rental class C, without a toad, btw)

DUDE:

There is both good and bad, about spending the summer in Alaska. Most of it is good, I mean it’s Alaska, after all!

The bad part? Summer has failed to launch, yet, and July is only a few days away. Long-range weather forecasts do not show much change, in to mid-July!
….just rain and clouds.
Really?

We have so many fun activities lined-up, but spread across a 2.5 month period. It’s gonna take time to get to all those exciting parts!
Perhaps we will actually see summer come in, since we are staying for the duration.
I’m trying to stay optimistic.

Old Town Kenai ⬇️

Holding off for some sunshine payed off!  By 3PM, on this day, we were off to explore.
The sky had lots of blue and the sunshine made an appearance.  NO RAIN!!
My entire soul was happy!

Old town Kenai has a proud cultural history. The early Dena’ina, Russian fur traders, and explorers all came to this unique old town in the heart of the Kenai Peninsula, for the abundant natural resources. However, they mainly sought the exceptional Salmon Fishing.

The earliest known inhabitants; the Dena’ina Athabascan people, migrated here 3,000 years ago. They setup camp on a high bluff at the mouth of the world-famous Kenai River, calling it Yaganen: “the good land.” It provided them with a spectacular view of Cook Inlet.

Later, in 1716, Russian fur traders discovered the riches of this vast wilderness. In 1778, Captain Cook sailed through, thinking that the Cook Inlet would provide a gateway to the Northwest passage. But, Russians were only interested in the fur trading.

The construction of the first garrison was called “Redoubt,” in 1791. Fort St. Nicholas was later built, theN abandoned, after the battle of Kenai.

From 1871 to 1957, Kenai grew into a small town, mostly because of homesteaders. They developed canneries to take advantage of the abundant natural resources, namely the Salmon. They discovered oil in the area in the late 1950s, giving rise to the oil boom of the 1960s.

Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church ⬇️

Built in 1894, this National Historic Landmark is the oldest Orthodox Church on mainland Alaska.
The well-preserved site is still used for regular services, to this day.

Jonah goes to Church!

I had called ahead of our visit, since it was later in the afternoon. I wanted to find out if the church would still be open. I was told by the priest, who answered the phone, that a volunteers would be around, till maybe 3PM or so. We arrived in time, but found the church to be locked up.

We went to the gift shop to inquire. There we found the priest and a volunteer. I asked if we were too late. He said; “You didn’t tell me you would be arriving in a classic Volkswagen.” I asked if he could hear us coming. He said, “most definitely.”

Believed to be the oldest original building on the Kenai Peninsula, the Parish House Rectory is home to the priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, whom we were lucky enough to meet and chat with.

Built in 1881, The Rectory is situated adjacent to the Russian Orthodox Church and houses the oldest piece of non-native art in Kenai; the copy of the 400-year-old Our Lady of Kazan.

Being in this old town and near to the sea, I felt transported to our time, spent in Maine on the east coast. Very reminiscent of the old town, there.

As one of the most highly recognized structures on the Kenai Peninsula, the St. Nicholas Chapel was built in 1906 as a tribute to Igumen Nikokai.
With the aid of his two assistants, Father Nikolai was responsible for bringing the smallpox vaccination to the Kenai Peninsula.

Located in the northwest corner of the Russian Fur Trading Post of Fort St. Nicholas, today, the chapel is used for memorial services and its annual Thanksgiving service on December 19– St. Nicholas Day.

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Veronica’s  Old Town Cafe and More ⬇️

⬆️ Kenai Beach 

⬆️ The Arness Cabin was built in 1925 by Emil Berg. He was a well-known registered guide and trapper on the bluff east of Riverview Road in Kenai.
The hand hewn corners and joinery reflect a form of construction carried over from his home country of Finland.

In 1948, Peggy and James Arness bought it to use as their home. They modified and added on to the original structure, and at one time the cabin was used as Kenai’s first kindergarten. 


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LOOKING FORWARD 

We pick Chelsie up in Anchorage in 10 days. The countdown has begun!

POSTCARDS

⬆️ Oh, and the Grandkiddos got their post cards in the mail, we sent them from the North Pole a few weeks ago.
They were just as blown away, as I knew they would be.

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MEMORIES

The last time I was in Alaska, was in 2005. That time was spent on the inside passage of Alaska. It was September and very dry.
This is an area we will not take our Motorhome and toad to on this trip, as it requires “Marine Routes” to get there, aka as the ferry system. Our outfit will fit, but the expense, I just could not justify.

In hindsight, this was a good choice, apparently, because I would learn as our time neared, to be in Alaska, not all ferry routes will be operating this summer. AND even worse, I’m hearing some of the Ferrys (RVers already booked) have been cancelled. Rv-ers are having to scramble to change things up, last minute. I’m just glad we are not those people. 

MORE MEMORIES
The first time I traveled to Alaska was in the early 1990’s. I spent time with my friends; the Carrs and their friends who caravan-ned up from Oregon. What a treat! It was in May/June with lots of sunshine and perfect comfortable temperatures.
We camped, fished and clammed! We cleaned our catches and cooked some of them on an open fire, regularly.

I fished in the Kenai River at midnight for Salmon!
I caught a gigantic Halibut from the ocean. That was like pulling a piece of plywood up, from the bottom of the ocean floor.
I would end up taking home a cooler full of seafood from this trip. I savored every last bite! 
Thank you Dorothy! 

I find myself in the same area of the Kenai as I was on that camping trip. We drove through Cooper Landing, and saw (mostly) fly fishermen/women in the Russian River in their chest-waders, as the Reds (Sockeye Salmon) have started running.

I’m shocked at how much this area has grown, though. It does not feel as wild and remote. I don’t recognize most of it. It now feels way more populated by humans, and less by wildlife.

BUT, the salmon are still running on the Russian River, no matter the time that has elapsed.
I can’t wait for Daryl to get out and get us some Salmon next week. He got his fishing license and he is ready!

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A little Somethin’ Somethin’ on AMERICAN NATIONAL PARKS ⬇️ 

I’ve had this ongoing list in my notes, for quite some time. Visiting National Parks has been very important to me, and more so, as as I’ve gotten older. I have been to so many, and Daryl and I have added more visits, together, since traveling full-time.
Here in Alaska, on this trip, we will get to visit three more. These would be the ones we can drive to, not the ones you must fly in to see (in Alaska) That will obviously be a different trip.
So, just for fun, here is my list.

List of all 63 USA National Parks ⬇️

✅ Indicates I’ve been to 45 and have 18 left to visit, still, after we leave Alaska.
I’m very motivated!

✅ Yellowstone National Park

✅ Grand Teton National Park

✅ Yosemite National Park

✅ Grand Canyon National Park

✅ Zion National Park

✅ Arches National Park

✅ Denali National Park and Preserve

✅ Death Valley National Park

✅ Glacier National Park

✅ Badlands National Park

✅ Bryce Canyon National Park

✅ Olympic National Park

✅ Joshua Tree National Park

✅ Acadia National Park

✅ Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

✅ Capitol Reef National Park

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

✅ Shenandoah National Park

Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve

✅ Canyonlands National Park

✅ Redwood National and State Parks

✅ Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Big Bend National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

✅ Mount Rainier National Park

Great Basin National Park

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Kobuk Valley National Park

Saguaro National Park

Pinnacles National Park

✅ Mesa Verde National Park

✅ Theodore Roosevelt National Park

✅ Rocky Mountain National Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

✅ Petrified Forest National Park

✅ Kenai Fjords National Park

Everglades National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

✅ North Cascades National Park

Hot Springs National Park

✅ Crater Lake National Park

Voyageurs National Park

✅ Sequoia National Park

Biscayne National Park

Wind Cave National Park

Katmai National Park and Preserve

✅ Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Haleakalā National Park

By the end of the year we will be able to check off a few National Park visits, in Florida.

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Scenic Rainy Drive from Seward to Soldotna

⬆️ The Kenai River ⬇️

⬆️ 2019 Fire devastation on the Sterling Highway 

Kenai Peninsula ⬇️