Thanks, all good thoughts. We'll be flying on Alaska Air, though we might take a sigthseeing trip on a float plane. DD2's friend runs a research vessel for ADFG (Alaska fish and game) so we might try to hook a ride around Prince William Sound. Weather is high of 55 degrees,low 50, rain every day.

I carry all the things you mention in my Maxpedition Gearslinger on the plane, under the seat in front of me. I'm going to try using a multipocket vest on this trip and will transfer gear to that once we get there.

I printed topo maps of the area and also loaded them into my Magellan GPS though I don't think we'll be straying too far into the boonies.

For those of you who read the Wall Street Journal in today's edition (10 August), first page, below the fold is a story on a Frenchman's efforts to preserve the spoken language of the native Eyak people. The town mentioned, Cordova, is where we're headed.

Pictures next week. Hopefully no out of focus, off center, close-up picutres of a bear...