Arriving in Anchorage after our trip to Denali, Kyle set off back for a few days of work, and I set off to the mountains for some more hiking...after a nice day of just relaxing. Surrounding Anchorage is the Chugach State Park which, in my opinion, offers the most impressive network of hiking trails, lakes, and mountains which I have ever seen in such proximity to a city. As Kyle said, "Anchorage is only 20 minutes from Alaska." I climbed up to the top of Wolverine Peak one day with my camera and captured these moments.
Only a mile or so into the hike the trees began to give way and provide excellent views of the city and surrounding area in the distance.
Turn around in the same exact spot however, and not a building, car, or person is in sight. Just the ominous clouds blocking any view of the peak.
This bull moose was munching away on the opposite slope.
With about 3/4 of a mile left till the peak the trail reaches the main ridge. At this point I was above the clouds, yet still surrounded by them. The clear blue sky above and thick gray clouds below made for an incredible scene.
It is hard to tell but this ridge is on a ~50 degree slope. Immediately vanishing into the clouds it gives off the impression of falling forever.
Looking farther up the ridge to where the peak would be visible on a clear day.
Fortunately, once I reached the peak, the clouds parted enough to provide magnificent views into the adjacent valleys. In the distance Williwaw Lakes (a location I am hiking to tomorrow) and Mt. Elliott (on the left in clouds) can be seen.
I just liked this image of alternating layers of clouds and mountains.
The cliffs dropping off the edge of Wolverine Peak. I left my foot to help with depth perception.
This past weekend, Kyle and I set off on our next adventure, and I crossed off another National Park. We arrived in the coastal town of Seward on Friday night and setup camp. The following morning we set off on the Harding Ice Field Trail in Kenai Fjords National Park. This shot was taken not far up the trail looking towards Exit Glacier.
Although the hike wasn't as strenuous as we had hoped/anticipated, and therefore a little more crowded than desired, the views were still hard to wrap my mind around. Jagged dark rocks, bright patches of vegetation, cool blue slabs of ice, and lazily drifting clouds were around every turn.
Kyle takes in the view.
A herd/pack/group (?) of mountain goats had convened on a bluff overlooking Exit Glacier.
Creeks fed from glaciers and melting snow cascaded down the slope by the dozens.
Kyle getting his little toes wet.
Some of the mosses were almost neon green, especially against the background of gray and black slate.
Approaching the end of the trail the scenery became even more foreboding. Vegetation steeply declined in abundance and the landscape began to look like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie.
The declining presence of plants can be seen here from right to left.
The view of the icefield from the top is difficult to explain. Although clouds did limit the extent of our view, we could still see several miles out onto the icefield. The Harding Icefield is the largest icefield fully contained within the borders of the United States. At places over 10 miles wide and well over 50 miles long.
I gaze out into the white, icy abyss.
A lupin displays its pretty flowers despite the inhospitable weather. Sweating profusely on the hike up, Kyle and I had to throw on layers as the air near the icefield dropped probably 20-25 degrees and caused a chilly wind to blow over the trail.
Kyle nabs a shot back down Exit Glacier.
Just an all white background.
An intriguing spectacle of ice and rock.
Rocks torn apart by glacial movement.
On the way back down I had my camera out to try to snap a photo of a few wildflowers I had seen on the way up. This here I believe is Campanula uniflora, but I sure wish I had my botany crew members with me to confirm this.
And this here is known as Monk's Hood (Aconitum sp.). I have always like this flower, the zygomorphic floral symmetry is marvelous. Oh, and it is extremely poisonous..."with large doses death is almost instantaneous."
The Extra Pharmacopoeia Martindale. Vol. 1, 24th edition. London: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1958, page 38.
Kyle almost walked into this guy who was relaxing on a rock. A big ol' marmot who just wanted to be left alone to munch on leaves.
And munch he did.
A pleasant creek we crossed near the end.
We decided to hike the additional mile or so total to see the very popular toe of Exit Glacier. The path brings you right up to the ice which helps one gain a greater appreciation of its behemoth size and tremendous power.
After our hike we headed down to check out the town of Seward. Located right on Resurrection Bay I was absolutely blindsided by the beauty of this place. It was out of a fairytale. Snow-capped mountains fell precipitously down into shale green waters so clean and fresh that the salmon living in it are considered sushi-grade and can be eaten raw right off the cleaning slab. I know this is just a gull, but I like the photo.
Gulls squawking and flying, the clouds hovering over the mountains, and the fishermen out in the boats and waders made for quite the idyllic scene.
Back in the land of my ancestors.
For dinner we headed to the Salmon Bake. Not usually a big fan of seafood I had the red snapper fish & chips and was completely blown away...now I am dreaming about it.
Kyle working on our desperate fire situation. A shortage of good kindling and slightly damp logs made for a frustrating (yet ultimately rewarding) fire making process.
Another culinary invention of Kyle's (second only to his banana & oat cookies which I would be glad to share with anyone who is curious). As the slices of cheddar melted they did a wonderful job of obtaining the flavor of the smoke, delicious!
The next day we joined a kayak trip to Tonsino Beach and Bridal Veil Falls. Paddling in that water was the perfect way to interact with the landscape. My only regret is that I don't have an extra week with which I could go for a multi-night kayaking trip around the Kenai Fjords' hundreds of islands, peninsulas and lagoons.
Halfway through the trip we stopped at Tonsino Beach and hiked a few hundred yards inland to where the serene Bridal Veil Falls tumbled down through the temperate rainforest. Much more lush and wet than anywhere else I had seen in Alaska this area readily brought Oregon to mind.
On the way back to the dock I had the treat of spotting three new species of wildlife for my personal list! A couple harbor seals came by to check us out. Like secret agents they appear out of nowhere and only show their head as they judge your likeliness to be a threat. Then, the quietly slink back into the water with barely a ripple. A sea otter scammed us as we drifted towards him and he vanished only to reappear a hundred yards behind us where we had just come from. Drifting on their backs, these otters don't do much more than eat and groom. Their fur is so thick that it needs constant fluffing to maintain warmth. Our guide told us that one square inch of sea otter fur has more hairs than an entire golden retriever. We also spotted a pod of porpoises jumping in and out of the water. Sleek and fast, they were exciting to watch. I should also note that the entire paddle there were 15-20lb salmon literally jumping out of the water in every direction. I just wish one would land in my lap.
We had dropped off two of Kyle's housemates, Joel and Christine, at a trailhead farther up the highway from Seward and were planning on meeting them at the other end of the trail only 5 miles outside of Seward on our way out of town. They were on the Lost Lake Trail, a trail I had recognized due to its popularity online as a premier mountain biking trail. Our timing was perfect and we caught them right as they arrived at the end of the trail. With time to burn, we all strolled back up the trail a little ways so we could enjoy our afternoon snacks by a trickling creek.
If the air had been about 30 degrees warmer I would have taken a bath...
I am a big fan of little creeks and flowing water.
Kyle, Joel, and Christine take a breather after the busy weekend.
Devil's Club was everywhere. Definitely not a good plant to use as a hand-hold whilst bushwhacking.
Bobbing for rocks.
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