From September 14th to September 17th, TotalAdventure travelled on the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage north to Talkeetna, back to Anchorage and South to Seward as well as whistle stops in glacier areas. The video shows a compilation of the entire trip, along with the the incredible adventure experiences offered in each area.

On the morning of the 14th, we left Anchorage on the Denali Star Train at 7:50 AM for the 3 hour ,150  mile ride North to Talkeetna. As Gold Star passengers we were seated in a glassed roofed upper deck, with an outdoor balcony for photography and viewing.Upon arrival at the tiny frontier town we passed Nagley’s Store. The Denali Star Train goes all the way to Fairbanks – an 8 hour journey. Fairbanks is Alaska’s second largest city and serves as a Gateway to the Arctic.

After lunch we walked to the security –  free , private, Talkeetna Airport for our incredible flight on K2 Aviation to the Denali Base camp, where climbers for Mt.McKinley begin their 2 week climb to the Summit. Experience the flight in the blog posts below.

Afterwards we were invited for cocktails at the incredibly beautiful Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge – 5 Star Luxury Rooms with ample views of Mt.Denali on a clear day. A simple, but hearty dinner was enjoyed at Mountain High Pizza Pie – real Italian style from the owner who hailed from Pittsburgh.

After a long day we returned to our rustic inn, the Talkeetna Roadhouse , for a good night’s sleep. TotalAdventure stayed up a few hours editing the incredible aviation footage for the video featured on the Mt.Denali post below.

The next morning, Thursday the 15th, our group split in to two. The bravest of us, including TotalAdventure went Ziplining with Denali Zipline Tour.

The rest went on a jetboat adventure with  Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures. The rivers run fast and cold, fed by Mt.Denali’s glaciers. Interesting fact – the snow that falls today on Mt. McKinley will flow into the  river 1500 years from now. The boat stops at a remote dock for a wilderness hike, observing old trapper and miner cabins. The guides are armed with shotguns in case of bear attacks – which thankfully have not happened.

After lunch we were treated to a tour of the Denali Brewing Company by founder Sassan Mossanen. Denali Brewing products accompanied many of our meals on the trip. Alaskans drink almost the entire production  – so unfortunately none is yet exported to the Lower 48.

Afterwards we returned to Anchorage on the Denali Star , resting for the night at the very comfortable Copper Whale Inn.

Early the next morning, Friday, September 16th at 6:45 Am we boarded the Coastal Classic Train for the 5 hour journey to Seward . It was a short walk from the depot to the town docks, where we boarded a Kenai Fjords Tour Boat for an incredible North Pacific Adventure- see below.

At the end of the day, chilled to the bone, we checked into our toasty warm cabins at the  Seward Windsong Lodge.  That night , we feasted at the hotel’s restaurant – the Resurrection Roadhouse  – on local seafood delicacies of halibut and cod – fresh, not frozen.

Our final day on the Alaska Railroad Adventure was on the Glacier Discovery Train. Our group rode to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop to kayak across an icy lake to the Spencer Glacier. We were guided by Ascending Path  ( See Below). The Alaska Railroad is one of the last railroads in the world to use whistle stops. The railroad serves remote areas that don;t warrant a station. Rather, a passenger tells a conductor at what milepost he wants to stop and notifies the engineer with a whistle. When getting back on the train, days or weeks later – the passenger stands by the tracks and flags down the passing train.

Our final night was at the Alyeska Resort – Alaska’s ‘s most luxurious hotel, with beautiful ski slopes overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The season goes from mid November to almost May, with snow measured in feet,not inches. Our final dinner- at 10 PM – reached by cable car – was at the mountain top restaurant Seven Glaciers – amazing Alaskan seafood, Kobe beef  – best of all Spencer Glacier ice in our whiskey glasses.

TotalAdventure has journeyed on many of the world’s railroads, as you can see throughout our blog .The Alaska Railroad is amongst the best run  – and certainly one of the more luxurious trains one can take for a daytrip. Other US train lines do not even begin to compare. Now that winter is approaching the line scales back for one weekly trip – The Aurora Winter Train !

Please scroll below, for all the Alaska Adventures !

On our first day of the Pre-Summit 2016 Adventure our group departed Anchorage on the Alaska Railroad for a beautiful three hours journey to Talkeetna. After lunch we arrived at the local airport for an incredible flight to the Mt.Denali basecamp. Until recently known as Mt.McKinley , it is  tallest mountain in North America, at 20,310 feet. 6249 Meters.

K2 Aviation flew our group in 2 planes.

At Talkeetna the temperature was a relatively mild 53 degrees. At the Basecamp it was 20 degrees  ( -7 )C ) with 3 feet  ( 1m) of fresh powder .It is always winter here.

TotalAdventure – On Top Of The World.

Extremely difficult ice walls – some of which have never been climbed. K2 Pilots are highly skilled – most have been flying the route for over 20 years. Weather is dangerous at all times of the year and quick decisions have to be made.

TotalAdventure may return to Denali next week with more footage.

Shot by TotalAdventure’s Blaine Zuver and Martin Zuver.

A an overnight first class sleeper train ride from Budapest had us arriving fresh and rested on the first morning of summer, June 21.

The”Dacia” Boarding in Budapesti Keleti.

Brasov – Romania’s Hollywood ? Brasov is the center of Transylvania.

Dracula’s Castle, known as Castle Bran, is about 25 km from Brasov. Building began in the 1200s and was added on to over the centuries.

A hidden stairway deep in the interior.

The modern day ( 1883 ) Peles Castle, in Sinaia. was built by King Carol.  It was built with electricity,telephones,telegraph and other modern conveniences.

A comfortable drawing room in Peles.

The Carpathian Mountains are quite undeveloped. There are a few small ski areas, with a long powdery season, rafting,climbing and seeing rare animals that are extinct in Western Europe. For many years only Dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu was allowed to hunt.

While forcing his subjects to live in poverty and half-starvation,Ceaușescu lived in the grand style of a Communist Emperor .An entire section of Bucharest ( not just a neighborhood, but comparable to the Upper West Side of Manhattan or Soho in London  ) in order to build the People’s Palace – the world’s second largest building in terms of square footage , just after the Pentagon. It took 18 years to complete – from 1978 to 1996 – 7 years after the execution of he and his vile wife Elena.

A chandelier weighing 5 Metric Tons  – one of over 100 in the building – constructed at a time the populace was relegated to one 40 watt lightbulb per apartment.

The Dictator. – “Genius of The Carpathians” was one of his many self-bestowed titles.

One of many grand staircases. Many had to be rebuilt several times in order to make him seem taller than his  short stature.

The view from one of the balconies from which Ceaucescu would never make a speech.

One in three adults were rumored to work for the Secret Police – the Securitate.

In a nautical mode.

In Nicolae and Elena’s villa – solid gold water faucets. Commoners were rationed to half an hour of hot water every other Sunday.

Modern radio – circa 1988.

Monday, February 1st, dawned warm and springlike, with TotalAdventure being awakened by crowing roosters. The countryside near Trinidad reaches from high mountains to white sand Caribbean beaches.

A 1951 Chevy was hired for the day. For a 65 year old car, it ran great , though the driver would not take it over a high mountain pass.

We drove to a finca for horseback riding.

Lunch was being prepared – boiled yuca.

In Cuba, rum flows like water.

Off on a trail to the mountains.

To a large cenote – cool water in a cave – perfect after riding in the hot sun.

Torre Manacas Iznaga – 200 years old, 200 feet tall , 61 meters – built by sugar cane plantation slaves in 1816.

For current adventures in Cuba CLICK HERE.

A recap of ArcticTropic’s Australian Adventure last February. We are soon relaunching as totaladventure.travel and are currently in testing phase.

All TotalAdventure Packages In Australia

Today ArcticTropic climbed Vatnajökull Glacier – the largest in Europe. Winds gusted as high as 65 mph ( 110 kph) but we held steady thanks to icepicks and crampons supplied by our guide.

Ice Cave.

Looking up into Springtime Arctic skies.

Corn surface – good for climbing.

In 1900 , when the current warming period began . the mountain behind us was covered in the glacier, it was not even visible The very elderly of the community remember that time. . While it snows more on the mountain tops, the weight pushes the ice faster down the moraines where it melts into the ocean. When the Vikings came in 900 to 1000 AD , it was a warm period and there was almost no ice. 1600 – 1900 was a mini Ice Age with rapid ice accumulation. Yesterday’s report on growing glaciers in the area was incorrect.

At day’s end -caviar – $ 3 per jar.

Sunset in Höfn,where we are spending the night.

For adventures in Iceland, CLICK HERE

ArcticTropic drove East along Iceland Route 1 for about 200 km today. While only about 125 miles, it was long day because of the incredible amount of nature to experience.

Glaciers flow directly into the Atlantic Ocean.

Black Lava Sand Beach At Vik.

River of Ice. Recent winters have gotten colder and the glaciers are expanding.

Icy Iceland Beach.

On The Moon ?

During the 2 hour sunset.

For adventures in Iceland, CLICK HERE

Courtesy Verne Global Data Centre Iceland.

ArcticTropic arrived to a long sub-Arctic sunrise this morning in Reykjavik. By 9:30 the sun had risen enough to project some warmth and melt ice. But by 10:30 it was dark and cold again, with the sun blocked out by 98%. Special filters are needed to photograph the eclipse, but we had the opportunity to view through safe lenses provided by townspeople.

Across Reykjavik Harbour during latter part of the eclipse. The temperature had dropped and the streets became icy again.

Proper viewing attire.

A seabird unsure whether it is time to go back to sleep.

For adventures in Iceland, CLICK HERE

ArcticTropic traveled along the Southern Ocean today, along the Great Ocean Highway. Cold summer weather between 15 and 19 C. The coastline is 2000 miles from Antarctica.

Some of the Twelve Apostles.

A Koala munching on Eucalyptus leaves.

Strange local birds.

The Apostles.

London Bridge. Until 1990 there was a second arch that connected to the mainland but it collapsed. All of these natural structures consist of very soft sandstone and regularly collapse.

Video upload is very limited at this time. Rural Australia does have some wifi, but at dialup speeds. The above 7 second video took 40 minutes to upload.

For adventures in Austalia, CLICK HERE

2014 was an incredible travel year for ArcticTropic. We explored Myanmar ( Burma), European Russia,Siberia,Mongolia,China,Japan,British Colombia,Canada,Singapore,Philippines and Panama. Here’s 184 clips in 11 minutes. This version is natural sound,a musical version will be uploaded soon.