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Winter travel out of Southeast Alaska is notoriously challenging. If your trip is scheduled in advance, perfect weather will prevail right up to the morning of departure when suddenly, if it's not snowing or blowing, there's a good chance it's calm but socked-in-foggy.

While working for a floatplane company in Thorne Bay, I was amazed to realize just how often the weather could reverse course in one day. Visibility would be completely obscured by snowfall, then five minutes later blue sky and sunshine would dominate for an hour only to be superseded by more snow, then back to sun ad infinitum.

Lacking private transportation, there are basically three ways to take leave of Prince of Wales Island: By ferry, floatplane or wheeled airplane, and, unless you are island hopping, you'll probably be going to Ketchikan first for connections with the Alaska Marine Highway System or Alaska Airlines.

The first challenge is the journey to the departure site. This can be as simple as walking a few blocks to the floatplane dock or as complicated as breaking through ice in the bay with your skiff at daybreak to reach the dock from your waterfront cabin or floathouse, then braving around 100 miles of unknown road conditions to the Inter-Island Ferry dock in Hollis on the southeastern side of Prince of Wales Island. I've engaged in both scenarios, although the latter was the most memorable.

The Inter-Island Ferry, which provides daily service between Hollis and Ketchikan, is generally the most reliable transportation from Prince of Wales Island since it can proceed in much worse weather than the airplanes and is not restricted by daylight. If the storm is so bad that the ferry cancels, you probably don't want to be out there anyway.

On most days the ferry ride between Hollis and Ketchikan is very pleasant and relaxing, the cost is cheaper than by air for walk-on passengers and you can even take your truck. If you're headed for the Ketchikan International Airport, however, you will have to make your way from the ferry dock in Ketchikan to the airport ferry dock right up the road for a quick ride across the channel to the airport on Gravina Island.

Alternatively, several floatplane companies service Prince of Wales Island with scheduled flights to and from several communities. They will drop you off in Ketchikan or at the airport but in winter, even with a late jet flight out, it is probably best to leave a day ahead of time and spend a night in Ketchikan. It doesn't take a storm to cancel flights, just an obstinate fog at either the departure or destination location.

Another means of transportation from Prince of Wales Island is by wheeled airplane from the Klawock Airport. Scheduled flights with airplanes rated for Instrument Flight Rules will get you to the airport in Ketchikan in time to catch the first Alaska Airlines flight south in the morning. In addition, since they are not restricted by visual flight rules, they can offer flights later in the day than the floatplanes, thus allowing return to Prince of Wales Island without a stay in Ketchikan, even in winter. Of course everything has its limits, as I found out last month on the return leg of a trip to Colorado.

I had purchased my Alaska Airlines ticket a few weeks ahead and as the time drew near I would need to determine my mode of travel to Ketchikan. Since no heavy precipitation or high winds were predicted, I decided to take a chance and fly from the Klawock Airport to catch the first flight south rather than going to Ketchikan the previous day.

The 40-mile ride from Thorne Bay to Klawock on snowy roads went fine and the flight over to Ketchikan was fantastic. Taking off in darkness, we quickly broke through a widespread, scattered low cloud layer and into a view of the rising sun. There was nothing but clear sky above and the transition was stunning. What a way to greet the morning.

Thirty minutes later, I was claiming my bag and heading upstairs at the Ketchikan International Airport, where, the lone customer at Alaska Airlines security, I was quickly processed through. In Seattle I had 45 minutes to zoom around on the subway to the next Alaska Airlines gate. From Denver, an uneventful hour-long bus ride and 15-minute car ride completed my day's travel.

The Weather Channel corroborated my parent's story that Loveland's temperature the previous day had been 60 degrees, so I didn't argue when snow immediately began falling and temperatures hovered around 20 degrees for the next two weeks. Such was my timing. On the return trip the weather in Seattle was great, but upon reaching Ketchikan I learned that vicious winds now dominated the weather pattern and my flight back to Klawock had been cancelled.

There was nothing to do but call a hotel, collect my bags and head down to the airport ferry for a ride across the channel to town. It was raining like crazy and the wind howled. The next day all transportation, including the Inter-Island Ferry cancelled their service to Prince of Wales Island.

By the following morning the weather had improved slightly, but strong winds returned to cancel my flight at the last minute. I now needed to make my way down the road from the airport ferry terminal to the Inter-Island Ferry terminal to find out if they would still be sailing. I struggled, soaking wet, against the strong wind with my accumulated luggage for some distance when a longtime Alaskan, not surprising, pulled up to offer a ride in a touching example of the kindness of strangers. Thanks again, Bill.

At least the ferry was running, but things were further complicated in that the friend who was supposed to pick me up in Klawock wasn't answering his phone. I couldn't let him know I needed a ride from the ferry terminal when we arrived in Hollis. Onboard the boat I was able to find some acquaintances headed for Thorne Bay who offered to squeeze me in their truck if necessary, but when we arrived in Hollis three hours later, my ride was there waiting after all.

Aaron directed his truck out onto the dark, icy blacktop road, which eventually improved to snowpack. About 60 miles later, we arrived safely in Thorne Bay and my off-island junket was complete. It was great to be back home, even if it was a couple days later than planned.

Carla Petersen writes from Prince of Wales Island. She may be reached at whalepassoriginals@gmail.com.