Alaskan Expedition Vol. II and More
Almost one year after selling our stable household of 30
years,
we began our next adventure in this thing we call life as husband and
wife.
 |
| Alaska Bound Summer 2017 |
Monday, June 12, 2017
Eye “I”
Departing from the Fenton area, fifth wheel in tow. We traveled through 3 states beginning in
“I”, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Sooner or Later
We finished Iowa, up to Minnesota and in to South Dakota.
The ride across Highway 90 was long and arduous. The vastness of nothingness
made the open skies seem expansive. We could see storms way in front of us as
we eventually passed through them.
At 8:30 p.m. (mountain time – Lisa not adjusting to time
change very well this trip – Chip loving the extra time to drive more) we
arrived at Rushmore Shadows Resort. This was a Resort of Distinction (part of
our membership to
Waldenwoods). It was a very nice resort and centrally located between natural and man made wonders. We decided to extend our stay in that area to experience sites neither Chip or Lisa had seen in our 55 years of existence. Our initial intent was to visit the infamous George, Tom, Teddy, and Abe - a.k.a. Mt. Rushmore.
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
We did not visit Mt. Rushmore initially, Wednesday was spent driving through the Bad Lands and visiting the town of Wall. While there we visited Wall Drug and sought out their famous 5₡ coffee.
The Flat Flood Plains were carved with wind and water creating the spectacular Jagged Badlands. Erosion is constant and in another 500,000 years the Badlands as we viewed it will be non-existent. As we crossed the gate-less cattle barrier into the National Park, off in the distance, we saw free-roaming Bison. This area is also inhabited by Thousands of Prairie Dog Colonies. Midway through our visit we walked atop the high grassy plains. Watch your step, as we decorate our homes with the Prickly Pear Cactus this area was littered with them.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Just call me Crazy
We drove through the Black Hills to get to Jewel Cave. The
caves in this area seem to be a hot spot.
Tours are limited to 30 people.
If you do not get there before noon you more than likely will not get in
that day. While we waited for our 2:00
p.m. tour we traveled back to the town of Custer for lunch and (for anybody
that knows us) our first local craft beer.
Jewel Cavern is the third largest cave in the world. We spent 1 ½ hours
walking/climbing descending to a level of 700 feet below ground. The
temperature was a constant 49°.
On our trip, back to the campground we made a stop to see the self-funded (paid for by tourism) monument to Native Americans. Crazy Horse is still being developed and is said to be a work in progress for the next 100 years. Before leaving the Crazy Horse Monument we had the privilege to watch and learn about the Lakota Sioux ceremonial hoop dance performed by two of its members.
 |
| A model of what they want the final monument to look like |
Friday, June 16, 2017
Thanks to Teddy
Today was the day to go visit Mt. Rushmore. Unfortunately,
this and Jewel Cave do not allow dogs so Bentlee (Ms. B) had to stay and man
the camp. As with all the pictures we
will display, our photos do not do the beauty justice. The closer you inspect
anything (man/god’s creation) the more spectacular they are. Thanks to Theodore
Roosevelt we as a nation can enjoy some of these wonders. Knowing how frugal we are, we “GATHERED” firewood. We were
able to enjoy a nice campfire while visiting with our camping neighbors.
Saturday, June 17, 2017 was spent preparing for the next day’s departure. Laundry, shopping, planning.
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Closer Encounter
of a Personal Kind
We departed for Devils Tower and what lies beyond. Out of
the flat South Dakota Prairie and into the Wyoming and Montana Hills and
Prairies. Devils Tower has been an
important landmark for the Plains Indian Tribe not to mention our nation’s
first national monument (1906). As large as it looms the top is only 1.5
acres. The green color is because of
lichens which is a combination of symbiotic plant and fungus community. Molten magma when cooled underground
contracted and forced sedimentary rock formations into the vertical columns. The Tower rises 876 feet from its base. The Northern Plains Native Americans still
regard Devils Tower as a sacred site to this day. On our hike around the Tower
this was evident by seeing the variation of colored cloth tied around trees
allowing them to fly in the wind carrying the spirits to the sky. This monument is truly a natural phenomenon.
Now to adding some serious miles beneath our rubber. We continued through Wyoming and in to Montana. Seeking one of the many ports to cross in to Canada we chose to travel diagonally and enter through the Sweetgrass port. Only after contributing our fair share at Walmart and dry camp for the evening.
Monday, June 19, 2017
Montana also known
as “The Little Rockies”
Home to Fields, Cattle, Cowboys and pronghorn antelope, mule
and white tail deer.
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
British Columbia -
“Free at Last”
Like South Dakota, the vastness of nothingness in British
Columbia has large farms and open sky. The Cloud formations are awe inspiring. Here we see more trees and mountains. The wildlife has changed and we now see
Moose, Stone Sheep, Free Range Bison and Bear.
One of our breaks allowed us to take a little walk up Boulder Canyon in
the Northern Rocky Region. We let
Bentlee off lead (free at last) and she had a blast. She even found water to romp in.
Out of BC and into
the wh“Y”
The further West we travel the prettier it gets. The Yukon holds much of the same wildlife but
the landscape is more Mountainous. The Yukon has many “REST” stops along the
Alaskan Highway but none of which allow overnight camping or parking – wh”Y”? A
photo taken at 1:30 a.m. will show both how light it remained (nearing summer
solstice) and that people, including us, do not pay attention to those
signs. After all, if you have driven 12
to 14 hours in a day and need to rest, isn’t that what a rest stop is for?
 |
| (This one is for you Lauren) |
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Illegal Alien
Up and at it bright and early. Driving through the mountains and nearing the
border of Alaska we were witnesses of a double (full) rainbow (words cannot
express)…
Of course, we HAD to stop at the border and take our
pictures. Especially since this was Bentlee’s first time. Did we mention what a
good traveler she has been.
While we awaited our turn at the Port of Entry we were
amused by the Raven that wanted to either car jack or just cross the line with
us. And on that note…
Cont. Saturday, June 24, 2017
… Made it through the Cellular DEAD ZONE and into Tok,
Alaska, a favorite town of Megyn and Kristyn. Fueled the truck, checked our
email and text messages and made a few phone calls before heading south on the
Tok Cutoff for Gulkana and another 100+ miles of cellular silence. It was good
to arrive in Gulkana and Lisa, Bentlee and I got to share my first solo
campsite from May 2013. It was once a bridge construction staging area for the
Gulkana River Bridge but the state had converted it to FREE dry camping site.
Salmon fisherman and travelers alike make use of the public portage and camp.
Eagles fly overhead and salmon runs in the river and it costs nothing.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Goodbye Gulkana, Hello Palmer? Why trade the remoteness of
Gulkana for the town of Palmer? As is the case for most of Alaska, once you
leave town, you are in the wilderness. First stop before Palmer was The Hub in
Glennallen. We didn’t need fuel and that’s a good thing because The Hub is the
busiest fuel stop I’ve experienced in Alaska. Full of RVs and Dip Net
fisherman, the average wait to fuel is 30 minutes waiting in line. The location
also has an Espresso depot, Thai Food depot and Visitor’s Center. We visited
all three and you waited for your Pad Tai as well as your Americano.
The Mountain View RV Park was in a rural location and had a
mountainous backdrop for a view. The rates were fair and it was attractive to
Class A, fifth wheel RVers and travel caravans from the lower 48. This attracts
mostly retired folk and not the good-time/drunk-time/noisy type campers. We
made brief friendships with couples from Arkansas, Florida and Breckenridge,
Michigan. Shared stories of our travels and sites to be enjoyed and offered
advice and a helping hand when needed.
Monday, June 26, 2017
 |
| It is said that mountains create their own clouds. This shot definitely indicates that. |
Necessary
Maintenance
Settled in enough to drop the truck off at the Wasilla
Chevrolet dealer for the “check engine” light and a fuel filter change. We were
the second diesel truck for their one diesel mechanic so we took a Chevrolet
Trax for a loaner and headed into Anchorage to shop for a solar panel that
would tend our RV batteries.
 |
| This picture was taken at 10:45 p.m. (sunset) June 25th. It really does not get DARK right now. |
Glowing
The truck was ready for pickup around noon and the result
was 3 glow plugs replaced and fuel filter changed. Warranty covered the glow
plugs and the rental so we celebrated and headed to Sportsman’s Warehouse for
Lisa’s hiking boots.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Left Mountain View RV park for Willow Creek State Recreation
Area (SRA). Arrived at the almost empty park and had our pick of the SRA. This
would be a 3-day Dry Camp and we could test the new solar panel. The SRA
bordered the Susitna River and the King/Chinook Salmon were running. However,
the King Salmon are in sparse numbers and the season is closed. Bentlee enjoyed
the frequent walks as we enjoyed the bald eagles, ravens and salmon. Late evening a bicycle ride led us to an area
we had visited 4 years ago. There was
evidence that fire had gone through since we were there last. We learned that there are 250 fires burning
(150,000 acres) in Alaska currently.
Thursday, June 29, 2017
 |
| Fire has made its appearance in this State Recreation Area since 2013 |
Washing the 13-foot tall RV is not an easy chore when you
have a ladder and power washer. Accomplishing it in a Dry Camp is a bit more of
an undertaking. The water had to be pumped by hand from the well head 50 yards
from camp. Trip after trip, 8 gallons at a time, we washed, rinsed section by
section for the next 7 hours. Chip did the washing and Lisa completed the trim
work, seals and windows.
Friday, June 30, 2017
Another lazy morning as we watched our vacant campground
grow with campers as the weekend approached. We continued with some camp chores
and Lisa set off to do laundry around 2:00 PM. After a 3-hour absence, I called
her to see what her status was. No Answer…after two more attempts, I could hear
her phone in the RV. At 7:30 PM, Lisa returned with the laundry, and groceries
from Wasilla (a 60-mile round trip).
Saturday, July 01, 2017
Soul Food
It is much more relaxed packing up and moving sites when you
are unhurried and today’s move was just that. It was the sunniest morning since
being at the Willow Creek SRA and our solar panel was kicking butt. After 3
days of Dry Camp (No Water, No Electricity and No Sewer Dump) we sought a
campground with Full Hook-up, that offers those services. Dry Camping is Free -
$20 and Full Hook-up runs from $30 - $50, dependent on the camping location and
site demand. We chose a $30 site off Willow Creek on the Parks Highway, Pioneer
Lodge. The river rock strewn drive was bumpy and the site was overgrown with
willow but we carved our place amongst 5 other campers. Our set-up was as slow
and deliberate as our pack and move. Electric hook-up, water hook-up and waste dumped
after we leveled followed by bumping out the slides and returning everything
we had strapped down, to livable status. After, we ate lunch and packed our day-pack for a hike in Hatcher’s Pass (3886 feet).
Hatcher’s Pass/Fishhook Road runs due east from Willow to
the Pass then “hooks” south to Palmer. As with most remote roads, the road
surface near civilization is usually paved then it turns to gravel the further
from town you get. In the case of Fishhook’s 49 miles, there are 10 miles of
asphalt from Willow and 17 miles from Palmer. We had the privilege of driving
20 miles of reasonable gravel to Summit Lake (head water of Willow Creek) where
we’d hike the April Bowl. Our late departure (4:00 PM) wasn’t an issue as we’d
have light past midnight, but as we drove east, we left the sunshine and headed
into the clouds and drizzle. Temperatures dropped from a sunny and dry 72 to
wet, windy 42. NOTE TO SELF: Revise items
in the DAYPACK for Hikes.
Fishhook Road follows Willow Creek for the most part and the
remote sections are home to Gold Mining Claims and areas for ORV Trails and
remote Camping. The miner’s claims are well marked and the trail riders are a
serious bunch of hard-core Alaskans. Their mini encampments were anywhere you
could park your trailers and campers then erect a tent and canopy. Through the
falling rain and cold, they were outside tending to chores, fires, cooking,
etc. and not inside the warmth of their RV.
The April Bowl Trail puts you a couple hundred
feet above the pass and its hiker’s choice if they take the winding slow,
meandering trail or set out on their own. Ms. Bentlee preferred to blaze her
own trail and sniff every ground squirrel hole she passed. As the grade
increased, Ms. B was still on her lead until we cleared most of the hikers.
Once she was freed, her nose took her everywhere as she sniffed and chased
after ptarmigan. We had walked up to cloud level and were soon enveloped in
them. Ms. B was over a ridge and not returning to our calls and whistles. A
minute later, there she trotted and was therefore relegated back to her lead.
The whole time there was a steady wind and light rain. The mountain side was
covered with slippery shale and rock, and whomever was holding Bentlee, had to
risk being pulled down the mountain as she chased after rolling stones.
Nonetheless, we summited the mountain and experienced the occasional break in
the clouds for a few Kodak moments. An hour later, we had descended the
mountain and climbed into the truck, wet and cold from our climb. It wasn’t a “picture
perfect” day but it was a wonderful day for the soul. |
| We continued to climb to the summit despite the rainy weather |
 |
| An old mine shaft entrance (mid picture) |
Sunday, July 02, 2017
Decompression Day –
It would be our last day on the “Dry River Bed” and it started with
RAIN. To respond to the constant harassment regarding our Blog, we decided it
would be a good day for its creation and posting. A word of caution to those
seeking Free WIFI when camping…it is rarely what you get at home on your
personal WIFI. Especially in remote or high traffic campgrounds. Writing was
completed and picture selection nearing completion. Tomorrow it should be
ready…
Monday, July 03, 2017
Lisa took her turn at the wheel and I rode shotgun north on
the Parks Highway. A cloudy day is a good day to put miles behind you and we
did just that, right past Denali Park and Fairbanks, enroute to Manley Hot
Springs and the Arctic Circle. We made it as far as Mile 27 on the Elliott
Highway to a “Double Ended Paved Turnout,” just as the Milepost had published.
In the morning, we would inch closer to the Dalton Highway and make day trips
from our new camp.
Tuesday, July 04, 2017
We located an abandoned gravel pit just outside of
Livengood, that made a nice camping spot. The Elliott Highway is a 140-mile
roadway that is 50/50 paved/gravel. As you guessed, we pulled the Cyclone to
the end of the paved portion and today we drove the gravel end to Manley Hot
Springs (hot springs were contained in three cement tubs in one of the resident’s
back yard and required a reservation). The scenery was beautiful but the road
was crap. About 2 and half hours for the 70 miles (30 MPH average). The town of
Manley had grown for the day from 130 to over 200+ for the July 4th
festivities. A pike fishing contest, boat races and town picnic brought in
neighbors and a few tourists but by 5 PM, everything was back to normal.
Bentlee enjoyed playing in the Tanana River and we got some up-close looks at
the salmon fish wheels. Dinner was a burger and beer at the Manley Roadhouse
where we met a lady whom had moved to Manley from Brighton, Michigan three years
before (“It’s a small world after all”).
Now, get that song outta your head…
For anyone who’s watched Yukon
Men on the Discovery Channel, The Tofty Road project starts in Manley and
will eventually reach the town of Tanana on the Yukon River to the west. All in
all, the drive was hard but it was pleasurable to see how people live at the
“End of the Road,” or in this case, almost the end.
 |
| One of the boats they raced on the river running through Manley |
Wednesday, July 05, 2017
Double and Triple
Time
Slowly finding out that we didn’t pack everything we could
use on this leg of our journey. Add sleeping bags, tent and kayaks to the list.
We’ve got place settings and bedding for 8 people though. So, our trip up the
Dalton Highway (Haul Road) had to be a Day Trip and not an over nighter. The
135.7 miles one way on gravel and the occasional paved section put us to
Gobblers Knob, about 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle. In this area of the
north, gravel is more flexible and forgiving to the frost heaves and the
pavement had the worst sections. Lisa needs to see the Brooks Range, experience
the Atigan Pass and walk the tundra where the Barren Ground caribou call home.
As we paralleled and crossed over the infamous Alaskan
pipeline, crossing the Yukon River; hiked to Finger Mountain (Tor); crossed the
Arctic Circle and panned for gold in Prospect Creek. Had lunch at the Hotspot
Café (Mile 60.3) north of the Yukon River and the half pound burger has been
the best bargain meal yet at $12.50.
 |
| Finger Mountain - History states that Pilots would know which way to travel because it points toward Fairbanks |
 |
| We can remember when the pipeline news was making history back in the 70's. To see it in real life is aw-inspiring. |
 |
| Alaska Pipeline coming off of the bridge at the Yukon River crossing. |
Thursday, July 06, 2017
South to the North
Pole
Headed south on the Elliott at “Retiree’s Pace” and arrived
at River View RV Park on Chena River in North Pole around 2:00 PM. They pack a
lot of RVers in a small space. Not to mention having to share the FREE WIFI that
was so SLOW. Temps were in the 80s too so we even got to use the air
conditioner and fan.
Friday, July 07, 2017
Foxy
The Full Hook-up life in the RV Park does spoil you. No
monitoring of electrical use or water or using flushing toilets. It gave us
time to catch up on the news via internet and TV. Lisa did laundry while I carved
a miniature dugout canoe. We both did a GOOD job so I suggested we go to the
Silver Gulch Brewery in Fox for dinner and a beer. Everything was great and
we’ll stop in again when we pass by.
Saturday, July 08, 2017
Solar Power
Made our way out of North Pole and headed east on the Chena
Hot Springs Road for the Rosehips SRA (State Recreation Area) and a 3-day dry
camp. Found only one site that could accommodate the Cyclone as most were too
short and shaded. Site 6 had the southern exposure and was due north of a day
use parking area that allowed sunshine to hit the solar panel for 12 hours of
the day. Not too shabby. We had several walks, around the park, nature trail
and along the Chena River. We had to give Ms. B our full attention because
tomorrow was only for humans.
Sunday, July 09, 2017
Naturally Hot
Drove into Chena Hot Springs for the day after an early
lunch. Chena Hot Springs is a resort that offers lodging, hiking, horseback
riding, tours, but most of all, HOT SPRINGS! It was a sunny 75 and we wanted to
soak in hot springs? Yes, but after we toured the Ice Museum which was only 29
degrees. The Ice Museum was filled with ice sculptures of all sorts and you can
even spend the night in one of the 4 rooms for $600. Call it magic or call it
science, but the ice museum is cooled utilizing the hot springs. In fact, the
Resort’s electricity, heating and cooling is provide using the 165-degree
water. Two turbines use the water (and a bit of refrigerant additive) to create
550 Kilowatts. The greenhouse and chicken coop are also heated using the
expansive network of insulated water pipe.
 |
| Ice Museum - Outside |
 |
| Ice Museum - Inside |
 |
| Pillars separating sections of the Bar inside the Ice Museum |
Our trip home from the Chena visit we noticed a bunch of
people standing out at the road in one of the turnouts. Looking to the north we spotted the
attraction, a moose. We turned around
and joined the rest of the crowd. No matter how many (or not) you see, it is mesmerizing. We took an additional half
hour returning to camp because
we just sat and watch the ole gal submerge her
head under the water gathering and eating her dinner. Further down the road we spotted a juvenile
moose off in the distance in another body of water (slough).
Monday, July 10, 2017
Rainy Day spent on the Blogging on the computer. We can’t update our post for the next few
days due to limited WIFI and data access.
On Tuesday, July 11, 2017 we will be migrating south through Delta
Junction, Paxon and eventually back to Gulkana/Glennallen before heading west
on the Glenn Highway for a couple of stops and day hikes.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Began making our way South on the
Richardson. Stopped in Fairbanks for a
few groceries. Not much description on travels other than you can be in a city
and 10 minutes later views with mountains, braided rivers and wildlife are
amidst you. |
| Rainbow Mountain - Richardson Highway |
 |
| Braided Tanana River |
 |
| Pipeline popping out of the ground (and Bentlee) |
 |
| Home Sweet Home |
Wednesday, July 12-13, 2017
Continuing to venture South we made a detour to head West on
the Denali Highway. From the east, the
first 21 miles of the highway and the last 3 miles out of 134 miles are
paved. The rest of the highway is
gravel. On this trip, we only drove on 1
mile of gravel on the Denali Highway to get to the Tangle Lakes BLM
Campground. The next couple of days were
a bit hazy and it made for surreal surroundings.
July 14-15, 2017
South then West to Lake Louise. We officially made one big
loop around the interior of Alaska. Starting at the Tok cut off when we arrived
and passing it on our way back through today.
Making our turn North on the Lake Louise Junction, a few miles in, we
realized that this paved road was by far the worst we had been on since being
in Alaska. You hear the horror stories
of the dips and bumps you can experience while RVing the Alaska Highway but
those road conditions pale the 20 miles of the Junction of Lake Louise. Our view from camp was beautiful however our
camp neighbors were pure “trailer park”. Two thirty something couples, with
five children between them, and the parents lacked all civil parenting
skills. Kids were being kids and the
parents had an “F-n” problem with it. “What are you F-n doing? Didn’t I F-n
tell you…We found more enjoyment away from camp, bicycle riding and
fishing.
We briefly entertained the idea of living off the grid. A local invited us back to his cabin because
his neighbor’s house is for sale. Ken’s
place had solar panels, generator, fuel oil stove, wood burning stoves, two
cisterns collecting rain water and two waste water tanks on a trailer. Five
snowmobiles and a four-wheeler providing year-round access of the beautiful
Lake Louise area.
 |
| The road resembles the ribbon that you see at a gymnastics competition |
July 16-17, 2017
Back in to Palmer for another couple day stay at Mountain
View RV Park. We made a 4-mile round
trip 2,202 foot climb up the Matanuska Peak Trail on Monday and had an
appointment to have the large awning arms replaced on Tuesday. Seems you can’t leave a 16’-0” awning out all
day (and leave for a day trip). There
must have been a fierce wind storm go through and the awning was laying on top
of the RV roof. Let’s chalk it up as an
expensive learning experience.
 |
| Overlooking the Knik Tributary - Mid Trip |
July 18-20, 2017
Continuing South through Anchorage and down to Girdwood on
the Alyeska Highway. A quaint small town (pop. 2,710). Girdwood is known as a resort destination
thanks to its appeal in both summer and winter (we would have to agree). There seems to be a concentration of a few
more beautiful homes in this area. While
visiting, we tried our hand at gold panning, took a few nice walks, and climbed
another mountain. Mt Alyeska is a ski resort that offers a tram ride to and
from its gorgeous hotel (for a fee). However,
if you choose to climb 2,300 feet the tram ride down is free.
Night one we had a yearling black bear cub walk through the
parking lot where we were camped. Day two we spotted three moose on our climb
and day three we say a mamma black bear and her three cubs not far from where
we had just crossed.
We will return to Girdwood.
The scenery and options this town has to offer definitely warrants a
return trip.
July 21-22, 2017
Now on to Hope (pop. 151), a town popular with hikers,
campers, bicyclists, bird watchers and recreational gold miners. The scenery to get to this tiny town is
breath taking as you wind around Turnagain Arm at the base and look up at the Chugach
Mountain range.
On Saturday, we decided to take a hike along Gull Rock
Trail. This 5.7-mile (one way) trail is rated easy and relatively flat with
lush vegetation. The last two miles
requires you navigate devils club, cow parsnips and lots of bear scat. This was our third big hike of the week. Not that we must complete the hike/climb, but
it seems the trails narrative become our challenge to complete the trip. Our dogs, and the dog were exhausted by the
end of this hike.
 |
| Stopped 1/2 way for lunch tide was out |
 |
| Trip back to camp tide was coming back in (same spot) |
 |
| Video of the tide rushing in |
 |
| Bentlee kept pouncing along the trail. She finally redeemed why. Her big kill of the day was a shrew. |
Our next stop is Portage.
We stayed one night at a campground with water and electric and a dump
station. This allowed us a chance to
recharge, refill and empty our grey and black tanks (something we have to do
after four or five days of “dry camping”.
We did a lot of hiking and biking in this area and even tried our hand
at fishing for rainbow trout and grayling in the borrow ponds. One of our mid-day hikes allowed us to eat
lunch in the snow as it said that this area gets approximately 12 feet of snow
in the winter and there was still snow in the bottom of one of the valleys.
 |
| Beautiful (mostly flat) Trails |
 |
| Waterfalls Out of Everywhere |
 |
| Snow in July |
 |
| These Trees Reminded Me of the Movie Avatar (so cool) |
Up until the year 2000 the town of Whittier was only
accessible by train or boat. This very
small but quaint town is located at the head of Passage Canal on Prince William
Sound. We drove through the 2.5-mile-long
Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel through the Maynard Mountain. The weather on one side of this 1-lane tunnel
is typically different on the other end.
We went in to Whittier for a great seafood dinner Tuesday evening and
could see the mountain on the Portage side but as we exited the tunnel we drove
in to drizzle and fog. Evidently the
mountains surround the area and have glacial ice on them. We could not see them that evening. Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruiseline are
popular stops in Whittier where they then board the Alaska Railroad passenger
service and can tour Alaska. The popular
trip is up to Denali National Park.
Back in Portage we visited the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center
at Portage Lake. One thing Alaska is big
on is protecting historical heritage.
Each of the visitor centers we visit are evidence of this. Not only with the content in the centers but
the building that houses the information and items. The Begich, Boggs Visitor Center was a unique
building and was named after two congressmen who died in a plane crash in 1972.
Location of the center, I am sure, was selected in the early
1990s in order to see the Portage Glacier but now you have to take a glacier
cruise in order view it as it has retreated dramatically around the corner of
Byron Peak Mountain in recent years.
 |
| Waiting For Our Turn After the Train |
 |
| Inside the Tunnel |
 |
| Whittier Harbor with a Princess Cruise Ship In the Background |
 |
| Begich, Boggs Visitor Center at Portage Lake |
Back to what seems kind of like home, Mountain View RV Campground. Again, after dry camping we needed to recharge, refill and empty our grey and black tanks. We also needed to clean, organize and move a few things to a storage unit we rented for a month to make room for family that is flying in for vacation.
 |
| First Sunset We Have Witnessed In A Long Time |
Saturday, July 29, 2017
We returned to Girdwood (30 minutes south of Anchorage) and
in the direction, we are heading on our first trek after we pick Careen and
Harry up from the airport.
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, July 30-31 and August 01, 2017
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, July 30-31 and August 01, 2017
South to Seward. Our
first stop, along the route at a pull off, has a trail to walk down to a spot
where we could watch a group of sockeye salmon spawning. Next stop we set up camp. We then toured the town of Seward located on
Resurrection Bay. Seward is known as the
“Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park” and was known as an important
transportation hub for Alaska’s mining, exploration, fishing and trapping
industries. Seward was named for William
H. Seward, U.S. Secretary of State under president Andrew Johnson. Seward was wounded the same night Lincoln was
assassinated, by a co-conspirator, Lewis Powell. Seward was instrumental in arranging the
purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.
A couple of other interesting facts are that Seward (Resurrection Bay)
is a year-round ice-free harbor. Did you know Alaska is only 50 miles from
Russia?
Enough about the history of Seward and on to our trip. We visited the Seward Ale House for dinner
and a beer and back to camp for an early night because Chip and Harry had to be
down to the harbor for an early departure for Halibut fishing. Harry caught two Halibut and released his
small one. Chip and Harry each caught a couple Rock Fish (Chip did not fish
much, his tummy can’t handle the four feet rolling seas). The particular charter they were on processed
the fish out at sea (disappointing to Careen and I as we wanted to see their
catch hanging on the pole back at the harbor). Fish went into the freezer so we
could prepare a nice Halibut Enchilada when the rest of the family arrives.
 |
| Sockeye Salmon Spawning |
 |
| The Flies Were a Tad Bit Annoying (sorry Harry - had to do it) |
 |
| The Big Catch We Didn't Get to See |
 |
| Harvesting Salmon Eggs and Milt from the Males |
The following day weather was not the greatest but we did
not let that stop us from taking our first hike. We walked the Bear Lake Trail after stopping
at the Bear Creek Weir. Mid trip we ran
in to 5 workers from the Trail Lake Fish Hatchery (Moose Pass) who were
harvesting eggs and milt from the spawning Red Salmon at the lake. This was an interesting and enlightening
experience to witness for those who had not seen it before. The Hatchery
employees were more than willing to answer all our questions.
 |
| Posing Before the Dinner Cruise |
All four of us went on a dinner cruise out to Fox Island for
an all you can eat prime rib and salmon (King Crab for an additional fee)
dinner. Back in 2013 Mom treated us to
this trip and I remember we toured the ocean prior to eating. We got to see Stellar Sea Lions, Sea Otters,
Puffins and Eider Ducks among other sea birds.
This trip we ate first then rounded the island for the tour of sea
animals. That was not a good thing as a
few passengers on the boat (Careen and I included) were unable to enjoy the
wildlife because the seas were a bit rough and were fighting to keep dinner
down.
 |
| All of the Adorable Puffins (and Gulls) |
The weather was kind of crumby as well and the clouds hindered the sight
of the beautiful glacial filled mountains of the area. The thing about Alaska though, is even if the
weather is bad the beauty (cloud covered or not) far exceeds sitting inside.
 |
| Sea Lions Trying to Stay Warm |
Wednesday – Thursday, August 02-03, 2017
Tunnel Vision
Tunnel Vision
Off to Portage and Whittier.
We felt re-visiting the area and sharing our experiences with Careen and
Harry were warranted. The weather was
rainy and cloudy again/still but we hiked upon arrival. The next misty morning
we walked to Byron Glacier Trail-head.
The trail ended quite a way from the glacier. Knowing that touching a glacier was an item
on Harry’s bucket list we all decided to hike/climb the rocks/boulders (glacial
moraine), crossing streams (melting snow and glacial ice) until we could
actually walk on the glacier.
We then traveled to Whittier for a tour of town, watching wall to wall pink salmon naturally spawning up the streams, and dinner at one of my favorite spots again. To travel to Whittier, you must wait in a staging area to go through the 1-lane, 2.5-mile tunnel. We have a funny story to tell about what happened while waiting. Anyone interested in hearing about it can call us.
  |
| Glacial Snow/Ice With Glacial Water Running Underneath A Sight to See |
 |
| Careen, Harry, Chip and Lisa Hiking Up to Byron Glacier |
 |
| We Had to Stone Hop On Our Trip Back |
We then traveled to Whittier for a tour of town, watching wall to wall pink salmon naturally spawning up the streams, and dinner at one of my favorite spots again. To travel to Whittier, you must wait in a staging area to go through the 1-lane, 2.5-mile tunnel. We have a funny story to tell about what happened while waiting. Anyone interested in hearing about it can call us.
  |
| You Have to Zoom In to Really See How Wall to Wall They Really Are |
 |
| The Additional Climb Above the Restaurant/Tram Center |
Friday morning, we packed up and drove the 15 miles to
Girdwood. Dropped the RV and headed to the Alyeska Hotel parking lot for the
strenuous hike up Mt Alyeska. Lunch and
a Beer were our goal before hopping on the Aerial Tram to take us back to the
bottom of the mountain. The climb took
us approximately 2 hours, 3 mile, 2,200 ft. climb. That was also the first sighting of a Moose,
but not until we got to the top. It was
a clear, warm day and the cow and her calf were laying on one of the few
remaining areas of snow trying to stay cool.
Check, item number 2 on Harry’s bucket list.
We ended up spending the night in Girdwood
and yes, took a walk, to look for bear and visit the Girdwood Brewery. No Bear, but we did enjoy the Beer.
 |
| Moose Laying in the Snow |
 |
| Yes, It Is As Pretty As It Looks |
 |
| Bicyclists Ride the Ski Lift to the Top and Ride Down the Mountains |
Saturday, August 05, 2017
We traveled back home (Mountain View RV Campground) unloaded
the RV and drove up to Hatcher Pass via Palmer-Fishhook Road (beautiful
drive). It was a beautiful sunny and
warm day. There were a lot of people out
near the summit (the most I have seen there).
We will let the pictures tell the rest of the story.
This is the evening the rest of the group (Kristyn, Lauren
and Brad) fly in – back to the RV in anticipation of their arrival.
 |
| The Pass Looking North |
 |
| There were a lot of Para-gliders Out On This Beautiful Day |
Sunday, August 06, 2017
Burning the Rubber
Burning the Rubber
Today we began the 7-day Alaskan Blitz. Before leaving Michigan, we sat down and
developed an itinerary. In review and
reflection, I started to question our goals – as everyone had at least one
thing or place they wanted to do or visit.
Sunday, we started out in Talkeetna.
Stop one included the Denali Brewing Company Tasting Room. After leaving there Kristyn and Lauren said
something about a mountain off in the distance but we continued down the road
to Talkeetna. Only to turn around and
re-visit a turn off that highlighted the one and only Mt Denali and yes, we
could see the top and clearly. Only 30%
of the
general visiting population ever get to see the top. It is otherwise covered by clouds (clouds that it generates all on its own). After our perfect photo opportunity, we continued to town. Talkeetna is a unique blend of old-time Alaska small town and a modern tourist destination. It is also known to be the supply base for Denali climbing expeditions. We walked around town visiting a few of the store fronts before departing town and making a quick stop at Kahiltna Birchworks – Birch Syrup production facility. This was a place we visited a few years ago and I just had to have some more Birch Syrup. It is quite different from the typical Maple Syrup us Michiganders know. On to our next night stay in Cantwell. This would be one of our two wet camp stops.
general visiting population ever get to see the top. It is otherwise covered by clouds (clouds that it generates all on its own). After our perfect photo opportunity, we continued to town. Talkeetna is a unique blend of old-time Alaska small town and a modern tourist destination. It is also known to be the supply base for Denali climbing expeditions. We walked around town visiting a few of the store fronts before departing town and making a quick stop at Kahiltna Birchworks – Birch Syrup production facility. This was a place we visited a few years ago and I just had to have some more Birch Syrup. It is quite different from the typical Maple Syrup us Michiganders know. On to our next night stay in Cantwell. This would be one of our two wet camp stops.
 |
| Mt Denali Through Binoculars on Cell Phone Camera |
 |
| The 8 of Us NearTalkeetna |
The “Big 6”
Considering the four-hour time difference, Kristyn, Lauren
and Brad all seemed to adjust rapidly as we were up and ready to travel up to
Denali National Park for our 6-hour bus trip into the park. Final destination
was Toklat River. Our bus driver
introduced himself and told us his primary job was to drive the bus and get us
to and from safely. It was up to us to
holler out a direction (in reference to a clock) when we spotted wildlife so
everyone on the bus could reap the benefits.
This trip did not disappoint.
Evidently, we got to see the “Big 5” and then 1. We witnessed Moose, Caribou, Grizzly Bear,
Sheep, Grey Wolf, and a Gold Eagle. On
our way in we did get to see the top of Denali, hence the “Big 6”. This excited the bus driver, evidently, he
doesn’t get to see this often.
 |
| Stopped at Polychrome Pass In Denali National Park and This Guy Came Walking Up Behind Our Bus |
 |
| And Then He Headed Up The Hill Right Behind Us |
 |
| One of the few Moose we saw |
 |
| Polychrome Pass - Denali National Park |
 |
| Brad Sitting in Front Of the Magic Bus Used in the Movie |
Tuesday, August 08, 2017
Holy Cow – The
Dust
Time to hit the Highway (Denali that is), 134 Miles west to east.
The West end is paved for 3 miles and East has 21 miles. The remaining is dirt,
gravel, stone and conditions vary based on maintenance and personal
opinion. This is the second 40-foot RV
we have pulled across the highway and I would speculate the last. Although conditions this year were better
than our trip in 2013 it wreaks havoc on the RV and the dust is
horrendous. We were able to check an
item off of several bucket lists on this route as we stopped and got great
pictures of a cow moose munching in a pond (similar to what Kristyn witnessed
back in 2003).
Blueberries were in
abundance but not quite ready (a week or so would be great). Paxson bound and 5 or 6 hours later, we were
on the Richardson Highway (4) headed toward Glennallen. We grabbed a quick dinner at a roadside stand
that had NO French fries, charged the same amount and made no substitution exceptions…Some
of us had already ordered and others were not happy. We traveled a bit further south past Copper
Center and dry camped at a pull off area at Willow Lake. The view was by far one of the best views to
fall asleep and wake up to. Mount Drum
(12,010 ft), Mount Sanford (16,237 ft) and Mount Wrangell (14,163 ft) in the
Wrangell-St Elias National Park Preserve right out the big picture window.
Wednesday, August 09, 2017
 |
| Alaskan Mountain Range Backdrop and a Kettle Pond In the Forefront. One of the Many Beautiful Scenes along the Denali Highway |
 |
| A Picture Perfect Sunset |
 |
| With a Different View |
 |
| In a Matter of a Few Minutes |
The Edge
Up and atom, a 3-hour 60-mile trip into McCarthy and
Kennicott. This would fulfill another
item on several bucket lists. The road
to McCarthy must be traveled with caution as it may contain railroad spikes,
sharp rocks and certainly railroad ties as well as humps, bumps and holes. McCarthy and the mining area, Kennicott are
on the television show Edge of Alaska featured on the Discovery Channel (a
little birdie, “Neil Darish” told me that the 2017 season will start in October
2017 and they have signed on for an additional year in 2018). Aside from that the two locations are just a
very neat place to visit. McCarthy
retains many of its original structures and all its original flavor. Nearby Kennicott offers solitude and scenery,
including the massive moraine of Kennicott and Root glaciers. At the end of the McCarthy Road there is no
vehicle access. Visitors must cross the
Kennicott River footbridge and walk a short half-mile walk or take a shuttle in
to McCarthy. You can than take another
shuttle up to Kennicott or walk the additional 4.5 miles (our group chose to take
the shuttle). We walked the street of
Kennicott and stopped at the little bus/restaurant for lunch before visiting
the historic buildings and taking our hike up to the Kennicott Glacier. I am not sure if it was on anyone’s bucket
list to be real close to a bear but some of us were. We saw one little black bear meandering out
on the edge of the moraine approximately 75 yards from the trail we were
on. A short while later some of us
witnessed a Sow and her cub eating berries at the top of a hill approximately
30 yards from us. That was a bit close
for comfort. Harry had his side arm at
arm’s reach just in case. This hike
fulfilled a few peoples bucket list as we not only got to touch but we got to
walk on and drink from this wondrous natural beauty.
We had to pick up our pace after leaving the glacier in
order to catch the shuttle back to McCarthy.
While visiting the general store and then the bar that is owned by Neil
Darish we also saw Mark Wacht and Gary Green.
Evidently, I embarrassed my daughter when approaching Neil at lunch and
asking for a picture with him. He was
friendly enough and had me sit in his new (historic) car that he purchased
one-month prior back in Palmer. I
embarrassed her again while visiting Neil’s bar in McCarthy when I asked for a
photo with Mark Wacht and then Gary Green walked up and I got a picture with
him as well. They were all down to earth
and just living life with these strangers invading their humble small town. By this time the shuttle service had stopped
and we had to walk the half plus mile back to our vehicles and head back on the
slow going 60-mile trip to the RV.
 |
| Old 14 Story Mine Building |
 |
| Glacial Ice Beneath the Gravel |
 |
| Bear off in the Distance |
 |
| Bear Just Up the Hill |
 |
| Down the Moraine Toward the Glacier |
 |
| Climbing Up the Glacier on a Gorgeous Day |
 |
| Brad, Lauren, Careen and Harry |
 |
| Chip, Kristyn, Lisa and Bentlee |
 |
| Neil Darish |
 |
| Mark Wacht |
 |
| Gary Green |
Thursday-Saturday, August 10-12, 2017
Rain, Rain and
More Rain
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is a 30% Urea Additive that is
required for diesel engines since 2011. Urea is short for urine and you’re
wrong if you assume you can pee in your fuel tank and call it good. If it were
only that simple… Anyways, back to the DEF. The truck threw a code that there
was BAD DEF and the truck would be limited in performance. First you are
limited to 65 mph, then 55, then 45 and finally 4 mph, in about 300 miles. That
could cause a problem but Valdez was about 100 miles away and we could get it
fixed. So, onward to Valdez to catch some Pink Salmon and see some wildlife.
Blah, blah, blah, more gorgeous countryside. Glaciers, snow
covered mountain peaks, glacial rivers with milky gray waters, crystal clear
mountain streams and the Alaskan Pipeline led us to Valdez. Worthington Glacier
required a short hike but GLOBAL WARMING prohibited us from reaching it due to
the massive melt. “Damn the Industrial World!” Then we crossed over Thompson
Pass before our decent into Valdez which also included a stop at the Bridal
Veil Falls. The Thompson Pass is breathtaking and Careen picked it as a
possible future residence location. She
would be the FIRST to try to live in such a location but I would agree with her
that during the summer it would be a PERFECT home.
 |
| I will have to find the comparison picture from 3 years ago but the Worthington Glacier has retreated a lot. |
 |
| We are in the clouds at Thompson Pass. Construction and bad weather do not allow the true beauty show through. This area is truly magnificent. |
 |
| Bridal Veil Falls |
Valdez could be the perfect location for an Alaskan home if you like a maritime climate. Clouds, rain and a breeze shouldn’t damper your attitude for the chance of sunshine tomorrow or the next day. When, if you are lucky, it does shine, mountains are the backdrop to the bay filled with Stellar Sea Lions, Sea Otters, Harbor Seals, Bald Eagles and salmon. Pink Salmon in July and Silvers in late August are all fed on by Black Bear and Brown Bear at their leisure. Catch as many as you like but keep only six of the best fish. Remember that everyone you keep, you must clean and prepare for a meal.
We settled in our favorite spot on Allison Pointe, between
the hatchery and the Pipeline Terminal. It is a state campground that is
considered dry camping but then again you are in Valdez and there is no such
thing as DRY… Set-up was completed then a quick trip to grab fishing licenses
for Brad and Lauren. Harry, Brad and I went back to the Hatchery area and
caught/released Pink Salmon for an hour or so. We then looked over the Hatchery
and the receding tidal flat. The boys were impressed with the salmon numbers
and we returned home for the night.
On Friday, the rain/drizzle lingered throughout the day but
that didn’t keep the guys from fishing. We caught several Pinks and released
most of them. Later, the girls joined us and everyone got to catch a salmon.
Brad and Lauren caught the 2 freshest fish so I filleted them for and we’ll
bring them back to Michigan in the fall. Although the day was damp, everyone appeared
to adjust their expectations and had a wonderful time catching salmon and
watching sea lions and sea otters. We celebrated late into Saturday night
(perhaps 10 p.m.) because Saturday was a travel day and our last night
together.
 |
| Harry Threw This Little Guy Back |
 |
| This One Will Make the Dinner Table |
 |
| Kristyn's 1st Fish (that she knows of) |
Sunday-Saturday, August 13-19, 2017
Lisa and I would spend the next week in Mountain View
preparing for our final few weeks in the Interior. Of course, this meant
another trip to the dealership to check on the DEF problem, rotate the tires
and an oil change. We also had to make a repair in the Jumbo Slide on the
Cyclone. On Wednesday night, we had
dinner with Jon and Krista at the Palmer Alehouse.
Sunday-Thursday, August 20-24, 2017
Our second trip back to Willow SRA and this time we had the
opportunity to fish for Silvers (Coho) Salmon on the Susitna River. I started
fishing on Monday morning and caught a decent Silver with just a hint of
blush/color. Lisa and I each caught one apiece that afternoon. The limit went
from 2 fish to 4 fish Monday at five but the fish didn’t get the memo. We
fished all day Tuesday, but came up empty. Wednesday was better as we each caught
a Silver. Thursday, I caught and kept a Silver and released a Keta/Chum/Dog. We
ate fresh salmon that week but processed most for smoking.
Everyone feels the pain
and everyone experiences the pleasures. As one stands on the river bank for
hours and hours you meet all kinds of sportsmen and sportswomen. You feel
comfortable amongst your kind here. You find your place in the fishing
experience hierarchy and you are accepted. Lines get tangled, fish are lost and
fish are landed. Cheers, laughter and heavy sighs are heard up and down the
river. Only the most obnoxious are shunned or openly criticized. A fish landed is applauded and a fish lost
is mourned by ALL.
Friday-Saturday, August 25-26, 2017
Just a couple days of rest and recuperation at Mountain View
before the caribou hunt in Chicken. We laundered clothes and resupplied at Fred
Meyer. Lisa prepared Halibut Enchiladas and we dined with new friends, Bill and
Carol from Colorado.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
“Goodbye” Mountain View RV Park and “Hello” Glenn and
Richardson Highways…going northeast to Chicken to hunt the Forty Mile Caribou
Herd that opens on Tuesday. We witnessed the Alaskan version of the “Color”
Tour as we passed by yellow, red, rust and browning landscapes that were framed
by glacier covered mountains. The roads were fine by Alaskan standards until
the Tok Cutoff where frost heaves forced you to slow down. We made it to Tok in
the early evening but pushed on to the Taylor Highway at Tetlin Junction and
found a turnout for the night.
Monday, August 28, 2017
The Taylor Highway is
NOT maintained in the winter so those who choose to stay in Chicken or Eagle
must rely on their own via snow machines, planes, dog sleds, and stockpiled
supplies. NO powerlines, natural gas, municipal water or waste services,
cellular service or television broadcasts. What you bring in or buy from
someone else who brought it in, is all that is available. Chicken is a gold
mining community and derived its name from the Ptarmigan, a grouse-like bird,
that were so plentiful that the miners called them “chickens.”
Alaska showed yet another of its many faces with rounded
mountains, wide valleys and treeless peaks. You could see similar backdrops
around the state but here these vistas were at a grander scale. I had
butterflies in anticipation of the next day’s hunt as this looked like Caribou
Country. The Forty Mile Herd is estimated at 40,000 animals inhabiting 40,000
square miles of mountains north east of Fairbanks, east to Eagle and into the
Yukon Territory of Canada. One caribou per square mile sounds like poor odds
compared to Michigan Whitetail Deer at 20-30 per square mile but timing is
everything. This is the time of the year when herding occurs in preparation for
the Rut/breeding season of October and you could see hundreds every day if you
were in the right place at the right time. The Forty Mile HOTLINE (Biologists
radio track about 50 Cow “female” Caribou) provides a weekly update to the
herds primary location. Their summer range is inaccessible by road and can only
be reached by plane or a boat. As fall approaches the migration takes the herd
east over the Taylor Highway and into the Yukon or west to the Steese Highway,
northeast of Fairbanks. Hunters along the road system take a majority of the
850 BULLS “male” ONLY Caribou quota. This year, the herd moved west toward the
Steese, over 250 miles from where we would be hunting. Hunting for stragglers,
those late to the party, would be our plan.
We set up camp in the Gold Panner RV Park then took a drive
to scout the area north of Chicken. My last time hunting this area was with
Jerry in 2003. We used ATVs to drive west of the roads to mountains that
afforded us the best view of the valleys. Lisa and I would hike if we found a
good spot or saw a bull near the road as we drove. No sign of caribou in our
short drive but we did come across a public gold prospecting area.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Opening day for Zone 3 of GMU 20E (RC860) and we set out
with packs, rifle, binoculars and our trusty hound, Bentlee. USUALLY, the area
north of Chicken is filled with hunting camps at every turn-out and borrow pit
for 50 miles but this year was different. Perhaps the 25 or so camps were
optimistic there would be enough “resident” bulls and stragglers and wasn’t
worthwhile to drive the Steese and contend with that hunter population from
Fairbanks. Nonetheless, they drove their wheelers to the mountain tops and
glassed for “bou.” We, slowly drove the road, stopped and glassed, then drove
some more, over 50 miles north on the Taylor. On our way back, we side-tripped
to Canada (9 miles) on the “Top of the World” Highway. More driving, more
glassing and NO wildlife until I spotted a “black” spot amongst the
blueberries. Binoculars at the ready confirmed a Black Bear and it didn’t take
long to talk Lisa into making a stalk. Ms. B barked from the truck as we made
our way toward the bear. We started from a higher elevation then the bear but
it was late afternoon and thermals moved down hill, STRIKE ONE. I could feel
the breeze at the back of my neck, STRIKE TWO. The walking was easy as they
were “game” trails crisscrossing the hillside of black spruce, alder, willow,
blueberry and cranberry bushes, but our elevation was below the alpine.
Therefore, the growth was waist high and a bear could walk below that, STRIKE
THREE. We walked a mile round-trip and picked a pint of wild blueberries. Not a
total loss as we planned sourdough pancakes with blueberries as we approached
the truck.
On our way back, we stopped and did some gold panning in the
public area. Bentlee found a caribou leg bone and chewed on it until I took it
away from her. I found a caribou shed
antler and gave it to her as a replacement then watched some hunters drive
south with a grizzly bear in the bed of their truck. After several pans and no gold, we continued
toward home. Then it happened in the
hilliest section of roadway. Lisa
stopped the truck and there in the road was a lone set of caribou tracks
(probably a bull) walking south. This
caribou came down off the steep hillside and walked down the road to find an
easier path downhill on the other side. A
quick check of the sun’s location and we were good for another 3 hours of
light. This could get exciting. After a hundred yards, the tracks disappeared
but the gravel surface was hard-packed and a caribou might not leave any sign. The willows were too tall and hill too steep
on both sides to see very far, so we slowly moved on. More tracks! Dang! A small and large set
(probably cow and calf) and they were heading north. We continued south and decided that the “bou”
were too few and far between that we would head out the next day. “How do you end a hunt after just one day?” You do that by understanding the animal
densities and travel patterns.
 |
| River Running Through Caribou Country Off of the Taylor Highway |
 |
| Beautiful Country Side Just North of the Top Of The World Highway |
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Off to the Tesaro to top off the diesel. Free vehicle was with fill-up and we took
advantage and washed the truck and the Cyclone. Dang! Lisa found another flat tire (picked up
a drywall screw somewhere) and this was on the Cyclone. An hour later the
$24.00 repair was good to go but it was lunchtime and that meant Fast Eddy’s. Everyone has or should eat at Fast Eddy’s in
Tok, Alaska. The prices are fair and
they have great burgers and pizza. It is
always full of Alaskans, dining as they return to Fairbanks or Anchorage. As we parked, we met hunters from the Taylor
Highway and they too gave up after seeing ZERO.
Inside the restaurant were at least two other hunting parties with ZERO
caribou. At the most, they gave it 48
hours of hunting before pulling the plug. I
checked the HOTLINE later that week and confirmed that only 16 caribou were
taken in Zone 3.
It happened somewhere
near the Alaska-Canada Border when I turned to Lisa and asked how she was
feeling. We were missing our summer home in the Interior already. Canada would
feel different and Juneau has its own feel. The Interior holds a special place
in our hearts as there is so much to do, see and experience.
The remainder of the day we drove for Haines Junction, Yukon
and made it at 8:30 p.m. (9:30 p.m. local), a dry camp in a turn-out.
Friday-Tuesday, September 01-05, 2017
We met our RV hosts, Dan and Val at their home in Haines Junction. This would be our parking spot for the Cyclone while we visit Jerry and Lisa in Juneau for the month. After getting settled in we made reservations on the Alaska Marine Highway only to learn that there wasn’t room for our truck until Wednesday so we’ll get to Juneau on Wednesday night instead. We walked every day, cleaned and repaired the rig and truck and visited the Village Bakery.
We met our RV hosts, Dan and Val at their home in Haines Junction. This would be our parking spot for the Cyclone while we visit Jerry and Lisa in Juneau for the month. After getting settled in we made reservations on the Alaska Marine Highway only to learn that there wasn’t room for our truck until Wednesday so we’ll get to Juneau on Wednesday night instead. We walked every day, cleaned and repaired the rig and truck and visited the Village Bakery.
 |
| Dan and Val Drummond's Place In Haines Junction - Yukon |
Wednesday, September 06, 2017
Juneau Bound. We
packed up the truck and headed South to Juneau.
There are only two ways to get there.
Either by plane or by Ferry. Our
Ferry did not leave the Harbor until 6:00 p.m. and would take 4.75 hours (poor
Bentlee had to stay in the truck the whole time and we were not allowed to go
down to see her). Before boarding the Ferry,
we had time to stop and visit Dan and Lori in Haines. Chip caravanned up to the Brooks Range a few
years ago to Caribou hunt with them.
After a long day we finally arrived at the Nankervis residence. Jerry and Lisa both had things to do Thursday
but graciously waited up for our arrival.
Thursday, September 07, 2017
This day was spent organizing and grocery shopping to
prepare for our voyage toward Pack Creek on Friday, destination Brown Bear
Observation.
Friday – Sunday, September 08-10, 2017
Our mode of transportation was a 36’-0” Westport Gill
Netting boat that Jerry uses in the summer to catch and sell Salmon
commercially.
Friday afternoon we traveled
south down Gastineau Channel into Stephens Passage and pulled in to Taku Harbor
where we tied up for the evening. We
departed the boat for a short hike up to one of the several cabins which also
allowed the dogs some exercise, ate dinner and hit the hay. Saturday morning, we departed Taku Harbor
around 8:00 a.m. and continued down Stephens Passage and in to Seymour
Canal. We made it to our destination
around 3:00 p.m. It was high tide and Pack
Creek was not visible. At that point we
turned around and headed back South and boated in to Windfall Harbor. It was there that we dropped one crab pot and
baited the fishing poles to do a little Halibut fishing. No fish that evening, but the brown bear did
not disappoint. We saw at least 5 while
fishing and after we anchored in the harbor that night we saw a few more. Jerry and Chip bravely paddled in to shore
(dogs in tow) just minutes after two of the Brown Bear were right in front of
us. That was a little nerve racking.
 |
| The Bear That Passed By in Front of the Boat Shortly Before Chip and Jerry Took the Dogs to Shore |
 |
| Bentlee Very Curious About What is in the Crab Pot |
 |
| The Crabs Have to Be Male and Measure 6 1/2 inches |
 |
| Cleaning the Crab After Steaming Them |
Back out In Seymour Canal for the almost 12-hour trip back
to Juneau we sailed in 4-foot seas.
Needless to say, we lost Chip to the bunks (or he may have blown
chunks), which was too bad because we saw at least 15 whales and some harbor seals. Once we rounded the peninsula and headed
North up Stephens Passage the seas really calmed down. We saw more whale action and pulled slowly
around Midway Island which is notorious for harbor seals. It was an amazing sight, as there were almost
100 seals sunning themselves. There must
be a magic distance to their comfort and we crossed it as we approached them. They all started jumping in the water. The minute we turned around they all started
climbing out again. In that same
vicinity, we also drove very slowly around a couple of icebergs that had broken
off of the Taku Glacier (One of few glaciers that is still growing). Chip and I tried our hand at Halibut fishing
again (little bit deeper seas here) to no avail – darn, we like Halibut. Back at it we still have a way to go. Jerry put me in charge for a while. We were motoring against the tide and only
traveling approximately 7 to 8 knots.
 |
| Harbor Seals |
 |
| As We Started to Pull Away They Started to Swim Back to Shore |
 |
| Birds Sun-bathing on the Iceberg |
 |
| Iceberg From the Taku Glacier |
 |
| Holding 10,000 Year Old Ice |
We
definitely got to see what we were going for and more. It is all so amazing to witness and such a
great trip with great companions. If you
zoom and look closely you will see one of the bears we saw that had a tapeworm
hanging from it’s rear. Evidently a lot
of the bears have them (poor things).
 |
| Bear with a Very Long Tapeworm Hanging |
Monday, September 11, 2017
Jerry is an assembly man on the City Borough Assembly for
Juneau. As a representative of the
assembly we joined him in attending a memorial celebration at the Rotary Park
near his neighborhood. We walked down
with him to honor those that perished and those that sacrifice today.
The monument in the park was designed by a couple that had a
strong feeling that something needed to be created and signify the loss on
September 11, 2001. There were many
features cited by the mother of one of the visionaries – here are just a
few. Construction of the monument is
with concrete and marble from Pennsylvania, one of the sites targeted by the
terrorists and represents the strength found in our heroes. The broken shape is that of the Pentagon with
each side measuring four feet in length, representing the four lost airplanes. The two voids signify the absence of the twin
towers. The Forget Me Not flowers
planted around, symbolize the rebirth of patriotism and our promise never to
forget. The head of the memorial
pentagon is aligned with the North Star, a symbol of all Alaskans. Most of us can remember vividly where we were
when this terrible tragedy occurred. It
was a very nice tribute and a day/memory we hold in our hearts.
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
The hike up the West Glacier Trail. The last time Lisa hiked this trail was in
1992, carrying Kristyn on her back. We
chose to take the Cairn route, could be quite treacherous. Our goal was to get to the infamous ice caves
below the Mendenhall Glacier. The last
time Jerry had been out there was two winters ago and even he was surprised at
how drastically they had deteriorated. The
hike was on a fairly nice day. When long
wavelength light (i.e. red) from the sun hits the ice, it is absorbed, rather
than reflected. The light transmitted or refracted through the ice returns
as blue or blue-green. But for whatever reason the glaciers look
dirtier when it is sunny out. They
actually look more blue when it is cloudy out.
We will let the pictures tell the rest of the story.
 |
| Inside the Deteriorating Ice Cave |
 |
| Ice Cave in Lower Front Left Corner |
 |
| Panorama of West Trail, Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Creek Waterfall |
For all of you Alaska (reality TV show) watchers, I not only
got to meet and talk to three of the people from Edge of Alaska in August but I
got to talk to Dustin Hurt from Gold Rush.
He and another worker were checking out the construction of a bridge at
the end of the West Glacier Trail. As he
was walking away I looked and said to Chip “Was that Fred’s son?” Chip seemed to think so, so I hollered out
and asked him. Sure enough, it was. He is now working construction in Alaska
(unfortunately, no picture with him).
After our hike, Jerry took us on a tour around town. We got to see all the change being made. In comparison to the lower 48 states, Juneau
has a limited road system, but with the increase of population and people
moving out of the City proper, they too have road construction with turn-abouts. Jerry then, took us to the Lemon Creek area near
where his storage unit is. He introduced
us to Jeff, the owner of Alaskan Brewery who had been walking outside his
buildings. We then headed done the road
to another construction yard. It was
there that I got to meet Gene Cheeseman from the show Gold Rush (Discovery
Channel). He is a friend of Jerry’s whom
he has played hockey with for years.
Very nice, down to earth Gent.
 |
| Lisa with Gene Cheeseman |
We are spending a fair amount of time in Juneau therefore we
will cover the highlights of our stay (not every day).
Thursday, September 14, 2017
We thought we would try our hand at fishing for the Silver
(Coho) Salmon that were supposed to be swimming up the Gastineau Channel. There were some fish going up sheep creek,
but none worth eating. We did, however
catch many sculpins. Sculpin, also
called bullhead or sea scorpion, any of the numerous, usually small fish of the
family Cottidae. Sculpins are
bottom-dwelling, inactive fish. Most are found in shallow sea waters, though
some live in deeper waters. The sculpins are of little value to humans, as they
are not generally considered tasty. We
did get to watch the eagles just hanging out ready to grab a fish for lunch.
September 15-24,2017
Juneau is in a temperate rainforest area. On average it rains approximately 222 days a
year. During our visit this summer we
have been lucky and have not seen a lot of rain. It has been cloudy and overcast though. When the sun shines it is spectacular but it is beautiful even if the sun
isn’t shining.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
We visited the Alaska State Museum with Lisa. They had completely demolished the old museum and re-built the new one in it's place. Construction was in two phases and Lisa was in charge of the project. The new museum is gorgeous. Lisa toured the museum with us and shared her knowledge of Alaskan History and Culture. She is so passionate and it is great to listen to her. We then got to go behind the scenes to see and learn about the new construction of the new building and the process of how/why they preserve and archive the historical collections.
Monday, September 25, 2017
We visited the Alaska State Museum with Lisa. They had completely demolished the old museum and re-built the new one in it's place. Construction was in two phases and Lisa was in charge of the project. The new museum is gorgeous. Lisa toured the museum with us and shared her knowledge of Alaskan History and Culture. She is so passionate and it is great to listen to her. We then got to go behind the scenes to see and learn about the new construction of the new building and the process of how/why they preserve and archive the historical collections.
 |
| Alaska State Museum - Juneau |
 |
| Terrazzo Floor with Axis Lines and Special Markings in the Atrium |
 |
| Native Canoes |
 |
| Preservation Area |
 |
| Eye Spy Art Piece In Children's Section of Museum |
We took advantage of the nice weather and hiked up Mt
Roberts, climbing 2.5 miles, 1800+ feet to tram level. At that point, we meandered up a bit further
to a couple of overlook platforms and enjoyed the sun and lack of wind where
Jerry taught us a few more things about Juneau and Douglas Island. It was not planned, but it ended up being a
day of exactly 12 hours of daylight and night.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
 |
| Only (3) Cruise Ships Today |
 |
| Looking South - Gastineau Channel |
 |
| These Stairs Actually Have a Street Name as They Climb One Block to the Next |
Upon our decent on the tram we dropped Jerry off at a
meeting and then traveled to the hatchery.
The Macaulay facility is also the home of DIPAC's Ladd Macaulay Visitor
Center which has accommodated hundreds of thousands of visitors since 1990, and
has become a vital educational resource for the community of Juneau and the
surrounding areas. The hatchery
is permitted for 50 million pink, 121 million chum, 1.5 million coho and
950,000 chinook. The facility can
hold up to 300 million eggs, and is one of the five largest salmon hatcheries
in the State of Alaska. It is
always neat to see these huge fish climbing the fish ladder. At this time of year it is the Silver (Coho)
population returning to spawn. We got
the inside, in depth, scoop on how the hatchery processes returning fish
because Elliot is employed at the facility.
He shows his passion for what he does by his excitement when explaining
what they do at the hatchery. It is
always interesting to learn new things and how they contribute to hatchery cost
recovery, commercial fishermen, and subsistence users.
 |
| Two Male Coho in the Viewing Tank at the Top of the Ladder |
As we were leaving the hatchery we saw an eagle watching us
from atop the local newspaper building.
The lighting was not the greatest but the backdrop of the cultural
depiction and the fish crow next to it was a great comparison.
 |
| Eagle in Comparison to a Fish Crow |
We tried our hand at fishing out on the boat again. Jerry and Chip had packed away the commercial
netting a few days earlier. Jerry read
the numbers were not good on commercial catches the last couple of weeks and
decided he was done for the season. He
had heard people were catching a few around the end of Douglas Island so we
tried our hand at trolling for some Silver Salmon. Not even a bite, but the scenery and camaraderie
made it worth the trip.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
 |
| A House Boat in Harris Harbor I Don't Think It Has Moved In Awhile |
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
We took a little time and went in to the City with
Jerry. The goal was to do a bit of
shopping. Jerry took us into City Hall,
where he spends a lot of time these days serving as Deputy Mayor and an
Assembly Member. We stopped in to see
Mayor Ken Koelsch. He and his wife are
originally from Michigan. He graduated
from High School with Chip’s ex-stepfather from Standish/Sterling and his wife
is from Ionia. Small world.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
 |
| Juneau Borough Assembly Room |
 |
| Juneau is All About Displaying Art and Historical Artifacts by the Natives and Local Artists |
Took a hike out to Point Bridget Trail. This trail can be found at the North end of
Juneau approximately a half mile from the end of the road. Keep in mind you can
only Ferry or Fly in to Juneau. The main
highway (Hwy 7) is 39.1 miles from South to North. The trail was boggy, swampy and wet, (they call in muskeg) but
beautiful to say the least. The dogs had
a ball and required a bath once we got home.
Friday, September 29, 2017
 |
| Chip and Jerry at the Beginning of the Hike |
 |
| Foam Created by Vegetable Fatty Acids as Water Flows Over Plant Life In the Middle of the Woods. It is a Little Oily Feeling |
 |
| End of the Road - North of Juneau |
 |
| Beautiful Sunset in Tea Harbor North of Auke Bay Area - North of Juneau |
The weekend weather was spectacular. Jerry took me to the storage unit to pick up
his motorcycle for a few days. I
immediately took a trip out to the visitor center near the Mendenhall Glacier. Stopped back at the house for lunch, and then
back out for a ride for the afternoon.
On that trip I traveled over to Douglas Island and went to yet another “end
of the road”. I headed north the 11
miles to the end and back. Great open
road kind of day, and got to see the glacier from afar.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
 |
| Mendenhall Glacier from the North End of Douglas Island |
Time spent just relaxing with Jerry and Lisa or should I say
preparing dinner for the celebratory dinner Jerry wanted to give Ed
Mercer. He has been a friend of Jerry’s
for some time and was recently promoted to Chief of Police. He is also the gentleman that Chip assisted
halibut fishing with in 2015. We also
got to meet Hanna’s (Elliot’s wife) parents.
It was a very nice evening spent visiting and laughing. A group of us played Speak Out as the others watched
with sheer enjoyment at our laughter.
Sunday, October 01, 2017
 |
| Chip, Elliot, Hanna and Jerry |
 |
| Hanna and Elliot with Their Potato Yield |
No, say it isn’t so – it is October already. We are nearing the end of our stay here in
Juneau. It is looking like the rest of
this whole week it is supposed to rain.
Chip, Lisa and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful Fall day and
went out to Mendenhall Glacier. We
needed to get our picture at photo rock, just as we had in 1992 and 2003. I like to compare from years past the
recession of the glacier. It is quite
drastic this time. Matter of fact, back
in 1992 the falls that we walked up to this year flowed down at the edge of the
glacier and there was no trail to the falls.
The water that flows from above truly shows the power and beauty of
nature.
Earlier this summer Jerry had caught a King Salmon and they
were going to serve it the next day at a gathering. He left it on ice in a cooler right outside
of the garage access door, when they got up the next morning they discovered
they had a visitor. A bear helped itself
to the Salmon.
It is routine, several times a day, to take the dogs out for
a walk at the municipal park (baseball fields) across the from Jerry and Lisa’s. Last week we were getting quite a bit of
rain. It is getting dark around 7:00 now
and I decided I did not want to track through the mud and puddles like we had
earlier in the day. I started down the street to get to the sidewalk when suddenly
Bentlee began to bark. I lifted my head
to shed light ahead of us and saw a sow and her two cubs climb the evergreen in
the neighbor’s yard. They had dragged
the other neighbor’s garbage down one house and were having a grand ole time
picking through the trash. We
immediately turned, stopped and told the guys what had happened and walked in another
direction.
Thursday, October 05, 2017
We traveled across to North Douglas Island. The Borough of Juneau approved the construction of the extension of the roadway back in 2015, to eventually connect to the East side of the island near Middle Point. This area would allow deep water access for the larger fishing boats. This part of the island is uninhabited for the most part. The theme I am sensing this week has been "End of the Road". Once again we traveled to the end. It was a nice hike. The project has been extended beyond the initial scope and is still under construction so we had to hike to the end. Hiking allowed us the opportunity to see all of the huge Sitka Spruce and Hemlock trees, both live and those demolished for the road construction. It was on this trip that Bentlee also got mixed up with a porcupine again (she obviously did not learn her lesson the first time).
 |
| City Park (Everyone Brings Their Dogs To Run Here) |
 |
| Tree that the 3 Bears Climbed. We Were at the End Of That Drive |
Two days after my sighting of the three bears, I was once
again taking the dogs for their evening exercise and decided to cut across the
park over to the road where there are street lights. We walked a bit down the sidewalk when I
heard a snapping branch. I thought no
way, and continued to walk, Bentlee on edge as well. We continued to walk a little more and low
and behold, what came slumbering out of the trees? Yes, it was the bears
again. Needless to say, we turned around
and high tailed it back to the house. We
have had other signs of them hanging in the neighborhood since. There
may come a point they will have to be dealt with and Jerry did talk to the City
Manager about them. We won’t be in
Juneau when that happens, but it certainly makes me nervous to take the dogs
out in the dark for now.
Thursday, October 05, 2017
We traveled across to North Douglas Island. The Borough of Juneau approved the construction of the extension of the roadway back in 2015, to eventually connect to the East side of the island near Middle Point. This area would allow deep water access for the larger fishing boats. This part of the island is uninhabited for the most part. The theme I am sensing this week has been "End of the Road". Once again we traveled to the end. It was a nice hike. The project has been extended beyond the initial scope and is still under construction so we had to hike to the end. Hiking allowed us the opportunity to see all of the huge Sitka Spruce and Hemlock trees, both live and those demolished for the road construction. It was on this trip that Bentlee also got mixed up with a porcupine again (she obviously did not learn her lesson the first time).
 |
| End of the Road |
 |
| This Beautiful 7 Foot Plus Tree Will Have to Come Down For the Road |
 |
| Just as This 5 Foot Tree Already Has |
 |
| 2nd Time this Month We Have Had to Pull Quills |
We could not have asked for any better weather our second to last day in Juneau. Signs on the mountains (fresh snow) indicate that it is time for us to move on though. One big difference between Alaska and Michigan is the drastic change in the ever-changing landscape. Not only day by day, but minute by minute.
 |
| October 07, 2017 - 8:50 a.m - Lots of new snow. |
 |
| October 07, 2017 - 3:30 p.m. |
 |
| October 07, 2017 - 4:07 p.m. - from a Different Vantage Point |
 |
| October 08, 2017 - 1:50 p.m - Hey! Where is the Glacier? |
