Subaru Drive - Outback Owner Explores Alaska

“In 2013, I drove my 2011 Outback from St. Louis, Missouri, to Alaska with my wife, Sue. The plan was to see as much of Alaska as possible by car and to hike and take pictures of bears. I spent more than a year planning. We left on May 28 and didn’t get home until August.

“The trip fell into place when I discovered the Alaska Marine Highway, a ferry system run by the state. This is a unique way to travel and get into areas that you will never see taking a typical Alaska cruise. On the ferry, you can drive your car on board, pitch a tent on the deck, take a shower and wash your clothes.”

A group of Subaru vehicles of various years and models parked in a row at a parking lot.

While at one of their stops, Ronald Cobb captured a shot of Subaru vehicles, all from various parts of the country. Photo: Ronald Cobb

“At Denali National Park, we checked in at the entrance and got our permit to drive the Outback 33 miles inside the park to the Teklanika Campground, where we camped for three nights. There were no showers, but Sue did get a cot for Mother’s Day. To explore, we relied on the hikers bus, which takes travelers 60 miles into the park where cars aren’t allowed to go. The trails were beautiful.

“We reserved a state-owned cabin on Fielding Lake, a body of water along the interior of the Alaska Range mountains. The cabin didn’t have electricity or water, but it had a wood-burning ﬁrebox and, considering we were in bear country, was safer than a tent.

“There, I got one of my favorite bear pictures. I never realized this old guy with the gray hair on his nose and yellow teeth was missing half of his left ear until I got it enlarged and hung it in my ofﬁce.”

A fully grown adult grizzly bear with a torn ear and snarled teeth.

The enormous black bear Cobb photographed. Photos: Ronald Cobb

Cobb’s white Subaru parked on a rocky landing next to his tent and a river.

Cobb’s Subaru parked along the riverside where they camped.

“Hope, Alaska, was a great discovery. When my wife and I found this little jewel, we adjusted our itinerary to spend a couple of nights in the area.

“We pitched our tent in Porcupine Campground on a bluff looking over the Turnagain Arm. We were sitting in our lawn chairs, enjoying a glass of wine, when we heard this noise like strong winds going through the pine trees. When we looked out over the bay, we saw a large wave of water coming in. It was our ﬁrst bore tide. Hope someday you get to experience it.”