Flying around in Alaska

These are some photos of last weekends flight out to Wood River and around Mt. Deborah!  It was a beautiful night to fly up and around Alaska's mountains and glaciers :)  We got dropped off at an abandoned hunting camp 30 miles east of Denali for a few nights.  We hiked around, picked blueberries and enjoyed the dark sky and stars for the first time all summer!  

More Alaska!!

ALASKA!

I am spending the summer in Alaska! I am working at Denali National Park on the Savage Alpine Trail Crew.  My job is to hike up a mountain and finish a 4 mile trail with a group of 8 other Trail Dogs.  I live in a wall tent 13 miles into the park, next to the Savage River.  I can see the summit of Denali from my back yard! Its so beautiful here.  I have already seen three Grizzlys, many herds of Caribou,  lots of Moose out nibbling on willow, and a number of other slightly less exciting animals like sled dogs, arctic squirrels, grey jays etc...  I love the midnight sun, the Alaskans, the mountains and living and working outside in the wilderness...

This is the view from the park road of the summit of Denali, which stands at 20,320 ft. My Dad climbed this mountain 30 years ago!

A Grizzly Bear! We saw it from a scope on the other side of a river in Denali National Park. Later it walked down the side of the mountain and across the river and we saw it from quite close while getting on the bus out. Pretty cool!

Getting ready to Pack Raft on the Healy River with some friends!

Hanging out in Doug's cabin :) Home Sweet home.

 Doug and I in Seward Alaska, a beautiful coastal mountain town!

 Homer, Alaska  - Halibut Capital of the World

My first view of Denali driving up to Denali Park from Anchorage.

 Alaskan Bars are full of cool dead animals.

A view of Denali National Park in snowy May.

 Denali Air when we first arrived in early May, it looks a lot different now!

 Doug and I hiking on my trail, the Savage Alpine Trail, my office for the summer!

 Doug, pack rafting the Healy River!

Caribou crossing the road on my drive up to Savage Camp.

Doll Sheep! The reason that Denali National Park exists :)

Walking home at 1 am on the air strip, the sun was just starting to set :)

Canyoneering with Dad

This spring I was lucky enough to get to come visit my Dad in Durango for a few weeks. After spending the whole summer in Durango last year it feels like a second home. The month of April in Colorado looks a little different than it does in Wisconsin and I was happy to arrive with Doug and stroll downy the street in a t-shirt in the Colorado Sun. Dad took us out to Utah the first weekend to a free camp sight near Hanksville. It was Doug and my own first time canyoneering, so we were pretty excited to see what it was all about. The first day we did two canyons. We hiked up into the canyon lands to the first rappel into Blarney's Canyon. Canyoneering is a little different from rock climbing in that the anchor systems that are in place are not something a climber would even consider using! They are "sketchy as hell"!!! But, you are not "shock loading" them, you are only putting your body weight on them for a controlled rappel, so they work i guess. Still, kinda hard to trust them and rappel into the canyon for the first time! Dad set up the ropes and we rappelled down into the first canyon. Fun Fun!!

Doug's first rappel of the day!

Doug Elevators down

We rapelled a few times getting further into the canyon and then from there it gets to be a scramble through narrow sandstone curving where the water once eroded away at the canyon. At times there are spots where it doesn't make sense to use a rope but you have to chimney or elevator your body down using your arms and feet, gets to feel a lot like a play ground!

We did two more canyons, the last one, West Leprechaun got super narrow and we had to squeeze our way through! My Dad is a great guide and has done lots of canyons, some in which you use your vehicle as an anchor to rappel into the canyons! Super fun!

One Sketchy anchor!