Skiing at UAF

 Many people spend Black Friday  racing through stores and blowing their money on the best deals yet. I had just as much fun skiing though. Hitting the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) ski trails a great way to get outside...for free!

The UAF trail system is great for skiing, walking, and snowshoeing. 

Watch out for branches above! Might get snow down your neck.

Some branches are small.

The trails are surrounded by trees.

Eventually, you'll reach Smith Lake or Ballaine Lake. The sky was pastel.

Some trees were shaded, while others were spotlighted in the sun. I loved the effect.

My favorite trees.

I hope everyone had a fun Friday and got a chance to enjoy outside!

Sky Views

The smoke on my way to the gym

The sun is red...looks evil!

Fairbanks has been smokey lately--so much so that people can't go outside without wearing masks. I am not a fan of the red sun and grey air. 

Forest fires are expected in the summer, but when they get this bad I cant have outdoor adventures and summer is less than desirable. Then, I resort to posting pictures of past skies to remind myself of what blue is like.

This was the sky outside of my dorm last spring.

Here is the sky-draped mountains on my way back to Montana.

Sometimes, clouds reflect over the water. I took this picture at the Delta Clearwater in April.

The sky was actually clear at the start of summer...

Sometimes, the sky is full of migrating birds. I took this picture in Choteau, Montana while watching the snow geese migration at Freezeout Lake.

Here is the sky from a pass in Glacier National Park.

This is the sunrise from Freezeout Lake. It doesn't look too cold, does it?

I hope you enjoyed my pictures. Also, here is the Alaska fire map. I will cross my fingers that the red dots go away soon!

Exit Glacier

     I had the privilege of visiting Exit Glacier during a natural resource management field class. We discussed how the Kenai Fjords National Park and wildlife are managed. One of the biggest issues the park faces is how to manage the disappearing Exit Glacier. People come to the park specifically to see the glacier. Yet it melts with each passing year, making access more difficult and viewing opportunities less than desirable for some park visitors.

     You can visit this link to learn more about melting glaciers. (Just don't let the chaos of climate change dampen your outlook on visiting glaciers despite how they are different from the past).
   
My experience at the park was wonderful. We hiked to Exit Glacier through the rain, which I thought added to the scenery. Below are some of the pictures I took. You can also learn more about visiting Exit Glacier here. Enjoy!

Instead of pavement, the park trails near the glacier are gravel. Because of the glacier’s movement, all structures near it including trails and viewing stations must be made portable at a low cost. Doing so ensures the structures can be moved and repaired easily when the glacier moves again. The trails are wide and not too steep until we got within a mile or so of Exit Glacier.

Along the trail we saw signs depicting where

the Glacier's terminus (ending point)

used to be. I can't imagine such a

huge glacier as Exit Glacier in 1926!

Here is the old viewing station and a prime example of why
permanent structures are not a good idea near a glacier. The
glacier receded so it is now very far from the viewing station.
The viewing station was built to last though, so it just sits
as a relic of when people didn't have to hike to see the ice.

Here you can see how Exit Glacier's size changes over time. I found this impressive and somewhat sad.

Be sure to watch for puddles on a rainy day!

Lots of neat plants live near Exit Glacier, even though
the whole area is covered in gravel.

I present to you...Exit Glacier! It was named Exit Glacier after some people exploring Harding Ice Field decided the glacier was a good place to exit. I didn't want to leave though.

We also saw Exit Glacier's moraine. You can learn more about them here.

 Maybe my pictures will inspire you to visit Exit Glacier or some other glacier on your next vacation. They are special to see, especially since they change so rapidly. I am certainly glad I got the opportunity to visit Exit Glacier and learn about resource management at the same time.

Welcome to the Arctic

Hello readers! It's about time I posted again, isn't it? I've been very busy with school, but I had the chance to drive up to the Arctic Circle for the weekend. My time there was short, but enjoyable. I went camping, hiking around Finger Mountain, and enjoyed a scenic drive. I hope you enjoy my pictures. 

Finger Mountain off to the right...Who knew a mountain was so small?

 I spy a raven wing.

There's nothing around but the ravens.

We wandered over the snow.

The wind leaves marks in the snow.