Basic information for our out of town guests

If you are coming from out of state, you will want to fly into Anchorage (sit on the right side of the plane for the best views!). Talkeetna is 115 miles north of Anchorage.

Alaska is a BIG state. There's plenty to see and do in and around Anchorage and Talkeetna, but if you want to explore more, be sure to allow plenty of time to get where you want to go and do what you want to do. Train, bus, ferry, and tour schedules are limited, and travel distances can be deceiving. If you have any questions as you are planning your trip, please do not hesitate to contact us.

September is still tourist season in Alaska, so booking your lodging early is a good idea. We've reserved a block of rooms at the site of our wedding and reception, the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. Our blocked rooms will only be held through June 1, but there are many other options for lodging in Talkeetna (see our blog post about Talkeetna, below). To reserve your room at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, call 907-265-4501 or 877-258-6877 and mention that you are with the Colt/Gore wedding party.

The most important stuff: when and where

We are getting married on Saturday, September 5, 2009, in Talkeetna, Alaska.

The wedding ceremony will take place outdoors, in front of the "Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge," starting at 5pm.

The reception will follow the ceremony and will also be outdoors, but under the open-air pavilion and wedding tent -- until 10pm.

On Sunday, September 6, please join us at our friends' lakeside compound in Talkeetna for more food, fun, and games. The exact schedule of events will be determined at a later date, but we expect to be in full swing from about 11 am to about 5 pm.

Lodging in Anchorage

Where to Stay in Anchorage

Below are some lodging options we’re familiar with. If you want to look beyond this list, we recommend staying in downtown Anchorage where you’ll be able to walk to museums, shops, restaurants, and trails.

High End

Hotel Captain Cook (www.captaincook.com)

Mid-range

Copper Whale Inn Bed and Breakfast (www.copperwhale.com )

Anchorage Walkabout Town Bed and Breakfast (www.anchoragewalkabout.com)

Hilton Anchorage (www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/ANCAHHF-Hilton-Anchorage-Alaska/index.do)

Inlet Tower (www.inlettower.com

Parkside Guesthouse (www.campdenali.com/ps/index.php )

Anchorage Grand Hotel (www.anchoragegrand.com) – very close to Alaska Railroad depot.

Anchorage Downtown Bed and Breakfast (www.anchoragedowntownbandb.com)

Budget

Anchorage Guest House (www.akhouse.com)

Spenard Hostel International (www.alaskahostel.org)

Alaska Backpackers Inn (www.alaskabackpackers.com)

Talkeetna: Getting There, Where to Stay, About

Getting to Talkeetna
From Anchorage, you can reach Talkeetna by train, bus, or car.

* Train (www.AKRR.com)

We encourage taking the “Denali Star” train departing Anchorage 8:15 am and arriving Talkeetna 11:20 am. The Alaska Railroad is an experience unto itself, and the views will be much better than those from the highway. Transportation will be provided (or walk the 0.7 mi) from the train station to the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, the location of our ceremony and reception. Return train departs Talkeetna Sunday 4:40 pm, arriving Anchorage 8:00 pm.

* Buses and Shuttles

The Alaska Park Connection bus makes a stop at our wedding ceremony location, the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. (www.alaskacoach.com)

Denali Overland Transportation caters to mountaineers and will make individual arrangements for pick up locations and drops offs in Talkeetna. (www.denalioverland.com)

The Go Purple Shuttle also offers door-to-door service for a great price. (www.gopurpleshuttle.com)

* Rental car

Check online for rental cars, which are available at the airport. Local rental car companies are also an option, but may be harder to find online.

Where to Stay in Talkeetna

Options range from tent camping to luxury hotel suites, and everything in between.

* Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge (www.talkeetnalodge.com)

This is where the wedding ceremony and reception will take place. For the greatest convenience, this is the place to stay. We’ve reserved a block of rooms for our guests. Please ask for Kristi and mention that you are with the Colt/Gore wedding. This block of rooms is only being held through June 1.

* Talkeetna’s Best

If you want a taste of “real” Alaska, the

Talkeetna Roadhouse (www.talkeetnaroadhouse.com) is a favorite, full of local character

* B&Bs

A B&B on C (www.abbonc.com)

Swiss Alaska Inn (www.swissalaska.com)

* Camping

Our friends the Knapps have generously offered to let us use their wonderful lakeside compound for the weekend. There’s ample ground space for tents, a sauna, an outhouse, and a lake to jump into, but limited water and no showers. There is also a cozy cabin with wood stove for warming up, cooking, and generally avoiding the weather. This is the location of our sunday party, and it is about 3 miles from the Lodge.

About Talkeetna

We chose Talkeetna as the site for our wedding because of its beautiful location at the confluence of three rivers. On a clear day the views of Denali (known outside Alaska as Mt. McKinley) and the whole Alaska Range from Talkeetna are spectacular. A flightseeing trip from Talkeetna airstrip to, or onto, the Ruth Glacier below Denali is a real treat for those who enjoy flying in small planes. Talkeetna Air Taxi (talkeetnaair.com) and K2 Aviation (flyk2.com) offer these trips.

Talkeetna still retains much of its frontier charm. This recent article from the Anchorage Daily News sums it up. Or, to read a little about its history, visit this page on the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce website: talkeetnachamber.org/history.html.

For any other information about Talkeetna, most of your questions should be answered here: talkeetnachamber.org. If not, just ask us.

Weather: What to Expect

Weather: what to expect

Think Fall. Talkeetna is generally colder than Anchorage, and daytime temperatures in early September will most likely be around 50 degrees farenheit. Temperatures could drop below 40 at night, and if we are lucky, could be as warm as the low 60s during the day. The sun will not set until 9pm.

Visit this website for more info about Talkeetna weather: www.idcide.com/weather/ak/talkeetna.htm