We were real lucky to see a mom grizzly with two cubs, maybe 3 months old - the 2 out of focus fur balls to the right of mom. The other wildlife were the snowshoe hares - a HUGE population explosion evident by the heavy gnawing on the willows above snowline and the numbers everywhere!, Dall sheep and Arctic ground squirrels and a mom moose with a young one. The other special sighting was a Golden Eagle being chased by a Gyrfalcon - an arctic bird larger than the peregrine. We have not really seen Mt McKinley but other views of the Alaska range leave little more to be desired.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Denali NP
We've hiked several of the developed trails around the visitor's area and taken the tour bus into mile 51, Tolkat which is as far as the road is open so far. The rest still needs to dry out. We could see why the road is not open to the general public - some STEEP in places. Along with caribou and moose, we were very lucky to see this Willow Ptarmigan. We had a steady rain on Fri night at Savage CG which turned into about 1" of snow by morning. The best thing to do was to curl up with a good book - #4 for Charlie!Fortunately, we did have partly sunny weather the day of our tour so, did bundle up and walk some on the way out.
Monday, May 25, 2009
They have been using thermal to heat and grow hydroponic veggies. In the tomato hot house the vines have been growing for a year and they just wind them around the bottom and readjust the growing part upward. Tomatoes year round! In fact they say their winter tour business supports them, not the summer trade. I'm not sure who comes here for very long when it is -40 all day with only 3 hrs of daylight - they say the Japanese!
Just filled up with gas here at the local Fred Meyer store - $2.42. We have paid up to $2.75 and expect it to be much more in NOME! There are 2 huge F Meyer stores here, 2 Safeway, a super Walmart, Lowes and Home Depot -- yet the city is very 'user friendly', probably about the size of Rutland. Headed to Denali now with the weather clouding over after 20+ days of spectacular sun.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Art work
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Museums
Fairbanks
Thursday, May 21
We arrived in Fairbanks today with the temperature reaching into the high 70s. Most of the museums seem to be opening this Sat. Our evening meal was a salmon/roast beef/halibut buffet for $13.00, normally $31.00!!! They run this special this week before the big opening. It was all outside with great ambiance. Temperature at 11pm as I write this, is 65 and it is dusk!! Sunrise is at 4am!
We arrived in Fairbanks today with the temperature reaching into the high 70s. Most of the museums seem to be opening this Sat. Our evening meal was a salmon/roast beef/halibut buffet for $13.00, normally $31.00!!! They run this special this week before the big opening. It was all outside with great ambiance. Temperature at 11pm as I write this, is 65 and it is dusk!! Sunrise is at 4am!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Quartz Lake Recreation Area
The state operates many fine recreation areas open to many recreational activities. These introduced rainbow trout were coming to the shoreline to spawn, but the eggs would not develop in the silt bottom lake. These fishermen were catching the trout and stripping eggs to make roe sacks which they were using very successfully for bait. The take is 10/p/day all year! I was MOST delighted that these guys taught us a lot about AK fishing, but also shared one meal of fresh salmon for dinner!
Rika's Road House
The AK pipeline goes across the river here on a bridge.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Denali Highway (E access)
This is the view from Paxson Lake campground. The ice was just pulling away from the edges and there were lots of ducks close in for viewing. Charlie identified his first Wandering Tattler all by himself without me around. Another lifer for us both and a good bird to get.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Moose # 6
This big bull was maybe 150' from our vehicle - and SOME BIG! His antlers are just clubs so far; be was very much aware of us and easily disappeared in the scrubby black spruce swamp. While watching the moose, 3 Pintail Ducks flew into the open water and out again, but were almost overlooked in the excitement of seeing this guy in a natural habitat.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
SNOW
The mountains are socked in and it looks like an all day rain. We are expecting clearing skies on Sat.
Pinnacle RV Park et al...
Besides RV hookups, the place had llamas, alpacas, ducks, chickens, turkeys, pigs, 4 kinds of goats. There were many old tractors and farm machines as well as 'bicycles', stoves and other antiques galore. We chatted a long time with the owner, both she and husband former truckers. They are definitely having great fun with this venture. We did too! She makes the best homemade cookies!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Salmon rule!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
AK Native Heritage Musuem, Anchorage
Tuesday, May 12 we traveled from Portage Glacier, though ANK on our way north. The day was spent at the fabulous ANHM which has extensive displays, performances, videos and living recreations of the 5 major native tribal groups which many of the smaller tribes fit into. It was exceptionally done. Charlie is trying to spin a native yo-yo after I successfully failed! He did as poorly! Native dancers perform at the Museum daily. The history and story of this totem pole was well explained. The most interesting was talking to the young interpreters, all natives of the tribe they were explaining, but all having grown up in today's world... more or less.
We came away with the thought that if everyone still practiced the basic teachings of native cultures - RESPECT for elders, earth and its being and self, the world wouldn't be in such a state today.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Homer Scenery
This is the view you get coming into Homer looking to the mountains W of the peninsula across the bay. The Redoubt volcano is also visible across the bay from the N-S road running along the coast. A fine plume of steam can be seen coming out the top. A significant 'dusting' of ash is very visible around here. It really can be quite a hazard as its composition is minute crystals which we viewed at the fabulous Pratt Museum in Homer -definitely a place to visit here.
Heading N. today, Mon
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Top End Real Estate in Homer
Homer Shorebird Festival
For the past 3 days we have been in Homer, on the W side of the Kenai Peninsula. The terrain is much different here - broad 'plains' of wetland and scrub Sita Spruce - we left the mts and snow behind. The festival has apparently been uncharacteristically beautiful weather, sunny, albeit cold and windy. However, the Fri am boat trip out into the bay to Gull Isl and beyond was as good as it gets!! Glassy clear waters, sun and great bird and otter activity to observe. There were 100s of Red-necked Phalaropes on the water and we had 1 bird each of Surfbird and Wandering Tattler and Red-faced Cormorant - all lifers for me.
Have done forest birding, shorebird birding, gone to lectures and Inuit folklore presentations. One more day here and we will head N.
Have done forest birding, shorebird birding, gone to lectures and Inuit folklore presentations. One more day here and we will head N.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Seward birds
Resurrection Bay
We were in awe of the goats on the steep cliffs, females coming down low to soon 'drop' their kids. We saw Dall porpoises, a humpbacked whale, harbor seals and sea otters as well.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Sun, Snowcovered mountains and Birds
Our arrival in ANK went without a hitch; we picked up our RV and set off to super WALMART for vitals and a place to overnight. Tried to make it dark inside our RV, but resorted to an eye mask for me. Charlie didn't need a thing! I think it's getting dark around 11pm, but not really sure. Light again around 5am. Nights have been cold!! But the first 2 days were in 60s and sunny, an unusual stretch warm weather for 14 days that ended last night!
We walked a lovely wooded park/botanical garden in ANK on Tues. The leaves are just starting to pop and a light covering of ash from the recent volcano eruption covered the leaf litter in a dusty gray. With no rain since the 'ashing,' the gray remained when the snow melted. Besides a few birds, we crossed paths with a female moose no more than 20 ft away, unconcerned about us - and us with no camera in hand!
Later we tried to go to Alaska Native Heritage Museum, but it does not open until this weekend so we'll hit it at the end of May.
We ended our day at Potters Marsh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)