I 'd scored a cheap plane ticket from Boston to Anchorage in mid-September 2013, the week after the local tourist season ended but before the cold of winter started to set in. Having no itinerary in mind, I just booked a hotel and a car in Anchorage and figured it out as I went. I opted to book myself a fjord cruise trip, and on my way down to Seward, I made an overnight stop in Kenai to get a quick glimpse at several nearby volcanoes. I scored several great views of Mt. Redoubt from various little towns on the west side of Kenai Peninsula, and grabbed a quick selfie with it over my shoulder. It was a really freeing day, exploring deserted beaches and side roads to take in the view, and then racing to a panoramic point to see one of the most stunning sunsets of my life with three volcanoes silhouetted in the foreground.