Alaska For Fiber Fanatics - 3 Day Tour
August 26, 27 and 28, 2010 - $899 per person (does not include air fare)
Day 1 - Thursday, August 26th
Pick-up in Anchorage in the early morning
Drive to Valley to visit: Musk Ox farm, Buffalo ranch, Alpaca farm
Lunch at local park
Alaska State Fair in the Afternoon
Local Wasilla yarn store
Drive to Dream a Dream Dog Farm in Willow
Lodging at Dream Inn B&B
Evening Meal - Salmon bake at Dream a Dream
Day 2 - Friday, August 27th
Breakfast at Dream a Dream
Full Iditarod Kennel Tour with Rides
Drive to Talkeetna for Whistle Stop train ride for the afternoon
Lunch on the Alaska Railroad
Shopping and dinner in the quaint village of Talkeetna
Back to Dream a Dream
Day 3 - Saturday, August 28th
Breakfast at Dream a Dream
Hatcher Pass drive to Summit Lake view point
Independence Mine Tour
Gold Panning
Lunch in Palmer
Local Palmer Yarn store
Drive to Anchorage
Alaska Native Heritage Center
Anchorage Museum
Drop off at Hotel
Fiber Related Workshops:
First Night: How to dye your own self stripping sock yarn
Second Day on Train: Toe up socks, magic loop socks, Any of Cat Brodhi sock patterns
using your own hand dyed wool
Last Day, morning: Spinning with a drop spindle or spinning wheel
We supply the yarn, dye and patterns for the sock workshop. We have needles to loan
for the socks, depending on your wool preference and knitting tension. We will also
supply the drop spindle and wool for the spinning workshop and have spinning wheels
to loan.
Alaska For Fiber Fanatics - 7 Day Tour
August 27th, 2010 (Friday) - September 3rd, 2010 (Friday)
Combine your love for adventure with your love for fiber and yarn in this seven day tour. Spectacular Alaska scenery and unique Alaska events are combined with fiber and yarn venues. Knitting, dyeing and spinning workshops are interspersed throughout the sights and beautiful scenery of the tour.
  
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The Matanuska and Susitna Rivers drain the Chugach Mountains to the south and the Talkeetna Mountains to the north. To the west are the Rockies and Denali/Mt. McKinley - the Great One. Plan on seeing spectacular scenery your entire trip. The Matanuska Glacier pictured here pours down out of the Chugach Mountains and is visible and accessible by foot.
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For hundreds of years, the Athapasken Natives used trails along the Matanuska River to trade goods between Cook Inlet and the Copper River to the East. Around 1800, George Palmer established a trading post on the River now present day Palmer. The largest growth was during The Great Depression when 202 families colonized the Valley and farming began. We will tour the scenic Matanuska-Susitna Valley visiting farms where Musk Ox and Alpaca are now raised for their warm and soft fiber. Pictured here are grazing Musk Ox with the farm in the background.
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The Alaska State Fair celebrates Alaska's Farming and Colony heritage. Wandering among the giant vegetables and 80 to 90 pound cabbages is a delight. The State Fair grounds sit at the foot of Pioneer Peak which juts up several thousand feet. It is a beautiful setting for a days stroll at the Fair.
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The Alaska Railroad Hurricane Turn Train is one of the most unique train rides in the world. It is said to be for "Locals" and is also called the Flag Stop train because people flag it down to get on. We will take our knitting, lunch and enjoy the 5.5 hour 55 mile journey into the wilderness - You can only get there by train. We will stop right on top of Hurricane Gulch looking down hundreds of feet into the Gorge.
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You will participate in Dream a Dream's Iditarod Program which includes Vern's Iditarod presentation with our famous Raz Ma Taz video a true story of the Iditarod Race. We follow this up with Rides and Pup Walks on our nature trails. It is a lot of fun and very educational.
  
Spend an afternoon in Anchorage - Alaska's biggest city. Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center and Alaska Museum of History and Art. Enjoy converstation with a small gorup of like minded people as you travel.
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Your guides are sisters
Susan Whiton and Nancy Wild.
Susan has lived in Alaska
thirty years and owns "Dream a
Dream Dog Farm" with her
husband Vern Halter.
Nancy Wild owns "Warm and
Wild Yarns" and has lectured
extensively on fiber related topics.
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Fiber Fanatics Alaska Tour Agenda
August 28th (Friday) - September 4th (Friday)
Day 1 - Anchorage - Portage - Willow:
Pick up at hotels, Anchorage Yarn stores, Scenic drive along Turnagain Arm, Wildlife viewing at Wildlife Conservation Farm, dinner, Wasilla.
Day 2 - Willow:
Iditarod Sled Dog Kennel Tour, puppy walk, rides, afternoon fiber workshop 'How to dye your own self stripping sock yarn'. Optional nature hike or journal writing/quiet time, dinner, Salmon bake at kennel.
Day 3 - Willow - Talkkeetna:
Spinning workshop in morning, North to Talkeetna and Alaska Railroad Tour, sock knitting on the train as we spend the day enjoying views of Denali Mountain, sightseeing in the small town of Talkeetna, dinner - Sheep Creek Lodge.
Day 4 - Willow - Mat-Su Valley:
Stop at fiber and spinning shop before visiting an Alpacca farm, Musk Ox farm and the opportunity to make a one skein scarf from the softest fiber in Alaska, afternoon at the Alaska State Fair, dinner at Fair in the evening, spinning and knitting.
Day 5 - Willow - Matanuska Glacier:
Spectacular scenic and river views Glenn Hwy, Hike on a real glacier, lunch at Sheep Mt. Lodge, Palmer yarn store, dinner in Palmer, evening; original sock pattern using the wonderful dog down you have seen and touched all week.
Day 6 - Willow - Hatcher Pass:
Morning, "Twinned Knitting' - Wristers, drive up beautiful Hatcher Pass to view fall colors, lunch at Summit Lake, Independence Gold Mine Tour, Gold Panning, Dinner; Grilling at Dream a Dream Dog Farm.
Day 7 - Willow - Anchorage:
Project sharing over breakfasts, Wasilla yarn store, Anchorage sights, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Alaska Museum of History and Art, Native crafts at Alaska Native Hospital, Downtown shopping, drop-off at airport or hotel.
Reservations Policy:
- $3,499 per person (Does not include air fare) - $1,000 deposit required
- Mastercard or Visa Accepted
- Written Confirmation Provided with Deposit
- Maximum twelve guests accepted / Minimum five
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