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marky

climber
Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 29, 2008 - 10:18pm PT
Seems like a nice town. Haven't been, but will be going soon.
fairweather

Mountain climber
Roseville, CA
Feb 29, 2008 - 10:50pm PT
I was actually a little disappointed in it. I somehow expected more. I can't really say anything bad about it. It just doesn't seem to live up to the hype. In great weather the view of Denali is hard to beat. For lower key, and closer to the mountain, I prefer Caldwell.
fear

Ice climber
hartford, ct
Feb 29, 2008 - 11:07pm PT
Kinda neat place. Worth the trip IMO. There are (or were anyway) all these white-supremecy militia kook camps on the drive up there.... Lots of odd folks in the town itself.

Reindeer sausage... That was good...

-Fear
survival

Big Wall climber
arlington, va
Mar 1, 2008 - 03:36am PT
Walleye,
No. It's a quaint little drinking village with a small climbing problem....

Fairweather, what hype? A nice little AK town to climb on airplanes at? Geesh, what did you expect Zermatt?
T2

climber
Cardiff by the sea
Mar 1, 2008 - 11:29am PT
My first experience rolling into Talkeetna.

After checking in with our bush pilot (Doug Geeting) we headed on over to the legendary Fairveiw Inn for a couple of brews. Sitting at the bar with brew in hand I noticed a sign on the wall stating "CHECK ALL FIREARMS IN WITH BARS MAID" I chuckled to my partner and sarcastically say "How many people you think actually check in their firearms?" the lady behind the bar overhearing my comment say's to me "everybody except you guys." Hmm I say to myself as i look around. Then a few moments later some guy says good night to the fine lady behind the bar, she says good night in return as she puts down his .45 on the bar that he picks it up, holsters it, then walks out. I realize then that I am in the "WILD WEST" and not in kansas anymore. haha
Scared Silly

Trad climber
UT
Mar 1, 2008 - 12:26pm PT
Done 5 seasons in the AK range, been over 20 years since my first visit. Talkeetna is slowly growing. It is used to be in the spring time mostly climbers hanging out. But now with more and more cruise ship turons coming up from Anchorage to do flights around the hill climbers are being squeezed out to some degree. Last time I was there the Fairview was closed. I can not remember why. There were also more boutique eateries but the places like the Road House are still my favorite for breakfast. Enjoy it for what it is - a little diverse piece of Alaska.
John Moosie

climber
Mar 1, 2008 - 01:35pm PT
Whats perfect about Talkeentna is its location. Alaska !!! I had a blast. I want to go back. That is one beautiful state. There is just something in the air. Wildness. Rawness.. I love that feeling. The northern lights are a dream. Bears are cool. The Salmon are to die for. Watch out you don't die getting one. haha. The moose are trippy. They are so big and yet they can move pretty fast.

Its BIG. Not Talkeenta.....Alaska. I hopefully will get to go again.

What is Talkeenta? It is a base from which you can go explore wild places.

Oh.....and there is a big effing mountain right close.

Other then that. It sucks. LOL

Not really...But beer is not cheep.
Marco

Ice climber
Maine
Mar 1, 2008 - 07:09pm PT
http://www.talkeetnaair.com/webcam/index.html
Here is the view from the hill as you drop down into town.
I've been going to the AK range for a while. Town is getting bigger and has many more tourists than it used to - thanks to the train full of folks from away stopping to take a look. Still a great place to begin and end a trip. Agree the Road House is the best breakfast around....the perfect way to begin the morning on the day you are flying in...
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Mar 1, 2008 - 07:13pm PT
I have to admit that, despite the imperious thread title, the responses have been moderately enlightening.
ontheedgeandscaredtodeath

Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
Mar 1, 2008 - 10:14pm PT
Shot of whiskey and a beer at the Fairview, then things will start to look good. Nice town, amazing setting.
L

climber
Malibu, baby....in a Cheetah shirt
Mar 1, 2008 - 10:45pm PT
Spent a little time in Talkeenta a while back after being away for 9 years. The place had grown, but was still primarily a frontier town. Everything's more expensive, and there are less modern conveniences than you'd expect with all the touristas syphoning through. Which was good, in a way.

Still the center of some of the most beautiful wilderness I've ever bushwhacked through.
renoenvy

climber
Mar 2, 2008 - 11:14am PT
Talkeetna's great. Camping on the river. Breakfast at the Roadhouse. There was also a Tom Waits songbook on the piano at the Roadhouse. Last time I was up there the "west rib" had cook your own steak night.


And the tourists are only there in the middle of the afternoon. Then they get back on the train or bus and head up to the park.
tolman_paul

Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
Mar 2, 2008 - 08:47pm PT
As long as you realize it isn't a destination in and of itself, and that it's a small town, it has it's own charm. Couple decent places to eat, a neat small museum and that's about it.

The best way to describe service in Alaskan restaraunts as bad to very bad, just don't order a meal and expect it to arrive quickly, even if the place is empty.
Gimp

Trad climber
Grand Junction
Mar 2, 2008 - 09:26pm PT
First time I was there was 1973, didn't get back until 84. Last time was 2001. Town has changed a lot with paved mainstreet, lost of artist shop's etc.
Fond memories
Flew with Lowell Thomas Jr, Doug Geeting, Cliff Hudson, Jay Hudson, Jim Okonek, and the last time with the late Keli Mahoney.

Remember Talkeetna Days when guys from the north shore were paying hundreds of dollars for pies, and Geeting staggering over to his little red byplane to do another air show.

Remember one year just giving the bartender at the Fairview a bunch of money and closing the place down acting as our own bartender.

Liked it better before it became an artist colony but you can't stop the people wave no matter how hard you wish.
Steve
Double D

climber
Mar 3, 2008 - 01:09am PT
The Bird in Photo Garb, Talkeetna AK 1980? 1st Mooses Tooth Attempt
Emon

Trad climber
Palo Alto, CA
Mar 3, 2008 - 02:01am PT
One of the best reasons to visit Talkeetna is coming right up:

The OOSIK. March 15.

http://www.anchoragenordicski.com/Events/oosik.htm

50km of double-poling to get your lats in shape for climbing season and a great party (great homemade food, beer and a band in the local bunker) afterwards.
Michael D

Big Wall climber
Napoli, Italy
Mar 3, 2008 - 04:20am PT
Run the stopsign, nobody will notice. Walk in the middle of the street, nobody cares. Passout on the beach, nobody checks. Paint your building purple...oh, my God! Check out Wal-Mikes on the way. Cheers, Michael
survival

Big Wall climber
arlington, va
Mar 3, 2008 - 07:45am PT
Lookit all those hexes below Birds right foot,...bitchin'!
SteveW

Trad climber
Denver, CO
Mar 3, 2008 - 08:08am PT
Not only the salmon is good--try some of the halibut!
MMMMMMMM!!!!!
Take lot's of mosquito repellent, and something
to cover your eyes to sleep in the midnight sun!
Hard Rock

Trad climber
Montana
Mar 3, 2008 - 09:20am PT
At the Fairview inn I was worried that Doug Geeting needed to have a second job and was playing with the band. But they were OK and I'm not that much of a music critic. The flight was ok and better than the first one. That year Jay (no last name) wanted to show his 18 year old girlfiend the glaciers and asked if she could come along. We said sure. Never fly through one shot pass with a young one trying to impress his girlfriend. Seem to me the town has alot of character(s).

Messages 1 - 20 of total 63 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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