Alaska




After 5 days in Fairbanks for the Evolution conference, Amanda and I took the train to Denali National Park.  I saw 11 moose along the way.




A bus took us into the park toward the area where we would backpack, but here there was some oncoming traffic.




The only way you ever want to be this close to a grizzly bear is if you're inside a sturdy vehicle.  But this guy just ignored us and went on his way.




It was after dinner when we got started, and raining lightly.  Amanda prepares to switch back to boots from sandals after crossing near-freezing water.




Much of the ground was covered in a spongy layer of sphagnum moss.  Wildflowers abounded. 




Pleasant blue and pink flowers.




After travelling up the Teklanika River gravel bar the first evening, we started upstream along Big Creek on Day 2, the only day it didn't rain.




The horns and skull of a Dall sheep had tumbled down near the creek. 




Looking up Big Creek toward Igloo mountain.  Sometimes we got easy gravel bars to walk on, sometimes willow thickets, and sometimes rocky slopes.




Our Day 3 and Day 4 campsite was near this orange lichen-covered rock pile.  A chipmunk vocally expressed its outrage at our presence. 




A moose must have dropped something while crossing the creek.




After overshooting the pass (marked by dark trees in the distance), we hiked way up high to get our bearings.  No trails here, just map and compass. 




Across the valley from the same spot, a group of Dall sheep grazed where not much else ventures. 




We hiked back to the pass, which turned out to be very swampy.  We also lost the pole for our tent's rain fly here. 




After that wet experience, we climbed up high to camp.  Later we watched a moose traverse the pass, where we had earlier seen a seagull, of all things.




Our campsite was cold and windy, but it had some nice views (though dark clouds obscured the mountaintops). 




Before hiking back to the road (visible to the right), we took a quick hike along the ridgeline.  Here we look out over the Teklanika valley, where we started from.




That gave us a chance to size up the terrain separating us from the road, where we would catch a bus out and see about getting some clean/DRY laundry.




This was as high as we got before heading back to break camp.  Behind us are the mountains above Big Creek.




On our extra day in Denali, we visited sled dogs and went whitewater rafting. 




A park ranger holds on for dear life as 6 very eager sled dogs tear down the trail.




After Denali, we went by bus to Anchorage, small plane south to Homer, and water taxi across Kachemak Bay.  Above, starfish in tidal pool near our cabin.




Dark mollusks covered nearby rocks.  The smaller barnacles(?) made hissing sounds while sealing up if they detected a vibration.




This Stellar's Jay came amazingly close as we ate breakfast.  It was entranced by a shiny silver butter packet on our table.




On the day between our two nights in the cabins, we kayaked the fjords and islands of Kachemak Bay.




We saw numerous bald eagles in this area.  They showed no fear as we drifted by.




A closer shot of the same eagle and the curious rock it perched on.




These harlequin ducks, on the other hand, didn't stick around once we got too close.




Curious rocks with red, purple, and yellow patches, a tunnel to the right, and a bald eagle to the left.




Of course, we couldn't resist paddling through the gap.




Otters are very abundant in this bay.  This one is doing the classic back-floating shellfish snack.




After leaving the cabins, we went to camp at Grewingk Glacier Lake in Kachemak Bay State Park.  The glacier constantly spits icebergs into the lake.




These dusty blue butterflies congregated on the shore of the lake.




Hiking near the lake, we came across this little black bear.




The darkest we ever saw it in Alaska, I called it "dawnk" (dawn + dusk).  Twilight lasted from midnight to 3am.  It wasn't even this dark in Denali and Fairbanks.




We hiked up very steep trails above the glacier lake, here finding our way through the ferns.




Getting way up high on the Alpine Ridge trail.  Notice the airplane well *below* us.  At the west shore of the lake, a tiny dot shows our tent.




The trail ended with some nice views of the glacier.




Purple lupins thrived in these high elevations, and bumblebees were seen to visit them.




Several times, willow ptarmigans like this one stayed close to the trail as we passed through...




...because they wanted to stay close to their chicks...




...and sometimes we would overhear their conversations (cooing from the mother, chirping from the chick).