All Who Wander Are Not Lost

May 31, 2023
Haines, Alaska: Day 5
Battery Point Trail
Total Distance walked: 4.5 miles

The Ruby Princess arrived alongside Port Chilkoot Dock in Haines, Alaska at 9:00am. It was a cool, overcast morning. Perfect for hiking.

Bundled in rain gear and warm hiking clothes, we gathered on shore with a group from our ship to meet our guides.

The two guides drove our group south to the trailhead at Chilkat State Park in an old, beat-up van. We hoped to hike to Battery Point, which—from what I’ve read—was named because the booming waves at the point sounded like a battery of guns.

The guides—whose names escape me—offered us hiking poles and water. I took a bottle of water and Chris found his own rustic walking stick near the trailhead.

Our adventure began through a lush forest of evergreens. It was like entering a fairy tale. Wanting to be near the lead guide—who I assumed would be well-informed of the flora and fauna and would point things out to us—I hurried to the front of the pack. She mentioned that she and her partner—who was bringing up the rear of the pack—led rafting trips, not hikes. The excursion company was unable to provide hiking guides and employed these two young people to do the task. I was disappointed that she didn’t have much knowledge of the area.

The path twisted and turned down a few steep hills until we emerged onto the shoreline of Chilkoot Inlet.

We ambled along the rocky beach absorbed in the beautiful scenery.

Leaving the beach, we veered uphill through a hillside of flowers making our way to the cape known as Kelgaya Point.

Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, we rested and enjoyed a snack graciously provided by the guides: coffee, hot chocolate, homemade smoked salmon with crackers, and dried apricots.

After a short break, we left the breathtaking views and reentered the forest toward Battery Point. The guides cautioned us not to brush against the Devil’s Club. Its large leaves conceal thorny stems and would be akin to bumping into cactus.

But something was amiss. We were off the trail now and walking through a thicket as opposed to the neat path we had been trekking. The rafting guides were lost!

After fifteen minutes of wandering, we found the correct trail only to be stopped by a tree that blocked the path. It was too big to climb over. To proceed meant trudging through an enormous patch of ankle-deep mud. Chris and a few other strong men laid pine branches over the mud for support. One by one we made our way around the large tree. (No photos.)

Our leader seemed anxious after the two delays. She had another group to guide and needed to return to port. The decision was made to turn around.

Chris and I, believing that we both could have managed this hike without a guide, departed from the pack and walked at our own pace to the van. Nevertheless, we had a great time exploring the stunning Coast Mountains of Alaska.

Back at port, we hopped on a bus that dropped us in town. The town had a little library that I wanted to see, but after the long day, we had a hunger for fish and chips. The bus driver recommended a good local spot. We made it to the restaurant just as it closed.

Alas, we went back to the ship for our meal and rested up for the next day’s adventure.