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!

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.

May Ruination

I went on a very enjoyable boat trip a few weekends ago in the Delta Clearwater River of Alaska. It is  a beautiful place, certainly worthy of a visit. I wrote this poem afterward:

May Ruination

This is the Delta Clearwater—a river merging

into the Tanana and eventually, by way of opposing

currents introduces a lake. Transparent liquid

blankets rounded river rocks, flowing onward.

This river holds the clearest water

I’ve ever seen, my shadow in the shallows as the sun shines down realizing, today

is subtly impressive

I paddle onward, until meeting the waters

that for nearly a mile, spill from the lake.

the currents diverge here—a role reversal

from downward floating to upstream struggle—

upstream where the birds are, resting in the lake

So I step out of my boat to the river bed,

leading the boat like a leashed dog

to trudge onward, knowing churning feet

serve me better than cycling arms for awhile,

my foot  sometimes swallowed by clay- sludge

And amid this pleasant scene a stench rises

from a rotting salmon carcass, sleeping in the mud,

finished  with her migration to waste in May’s warm weather.

Now  sun rays beat my back and the salmon seeps

into my eyes while swans fly overhead, their calls

penetrating the once silent sky. Mesmerized by the fish’s

grotesqueness against graceful swans, I take one

picture of the fish sinking into muck

thinking each spring I witness these cycles

Those birds just upon the horizon,

calling with clarion cries, flocked

 and pleased with the weather make me look

one last time at the fish before  my boat

drifts beneath the bird stoked sky.

You laugh and say, “This is where things go to die.”

Clearwater Lake, reached after paddling the Clearwater River

*Thank you to Jonnell Liebl for helping me with the structure of this poem. My first attempt was quite disorganized!

First Frost

The first frost spreads glitter across the land like fairy dust in a dream. I captured the first picture at Eagle Summit. The other pictures were taken at Jack River, in Alaska's Denali Park. Ice crystals sparkling in the sun is one of my favorite parts of winter.

Let's Take a Tor!

How to Reach A Summit

Legs burning, but mind resolute, I submerse myself into a winter ridden earth. This place surpasses serenity with its boundless beauty, yet demands respect. Climbing its hills, my feet sink into the snow. I’m slipping back, but how high can I go? I question reasoning briefly, yet strength of thought never leaves me as I venture toward Granite Tors.

I ponder these plutons’ presence from afar, imagining their grandeur when I arrive at their base. But first I must break trail, doubt, and a sweat. I know what hard work truly is as I struggle towards the summit.

There’s harmonious peace to be found with a pack weighing me down as the wind claws my face and the sun sets too soon.

There is division between summit, illustrious exhaustion, and adventurous doom. But I’m safe at the tors, having made it this far.

In the snow blanketed high tundra, amidst endless mountain views and distinct granite monuments, I gaze in awe.

What is more glorious, the land or power of will?

How does a hiker reach a summit?

He must never abandon the thrill. It’s the thrill of accomplishment, raw power, and pride. It’s the thrill of looking on a subarctic wonderland, sitting as close as he can come to the sky.

View from the cabin at Granite Tors.

...........................................................................................................................................................

In the Chena River State Recreation Area, only 39 miles from Fairbanks, Alaska, Granite Tors Trail begins. Easy access and beautiful scenery make this a great day or weekend destination. I had the opportunity to hike the 15 mile loop on October 11 and 12. My experience was phenomenal and something I would surly do again. 

Tors Trail is the 15 mile loop, branching off of the 3 mile loop.

The 15 mile loop presents obstacles which should be considered, but are not impossible. One such obstacle is the possibility of no trail. Because I hiked in October, the trail was covered in snow and had to be broken. This is strenuous work and hikers may question if they are travelling in the correct direction. However, a trail map is found on: http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/chena/granitetorsho.pdf and landscaping flags mark the path so the task can be accomplished by even novice navigators.

People and animals both break trails.

Breaking trail was just one element of  the hike. Another challenge is the three hills that must be surmounted before even getting close to the tors. A hiker must manage gaining 2,900 ft of altitude over the loop's first half. This is not too daunting in the warmer months, but gaining that elevation in slippery, thick snow can prove to be quite a feat. The last hill was especially steep and slick, so I was glad to be wearing snow shoes. Hiking poles also help with the terrain. Luckily, the view at the top of the hill makes the climb completely worthwhile.

A view from the second hill. I felt as if I was on top of the world because of how big the view was.

After a hiker summits the hills, the tors present themselves in their full glory. There are the Near Tors and Far Tors, both of which are seen from the 15 mile loop. They are randomly placed amidst the windswept tundra above treeline. Far reaching views of the Alaska Range and Chena River are also on display from the tors.

Various plutons from the Near Tors section.

Lizard's Eye Tor

The frigid tundra with Far Tors in the trees below.

Hiking even further, the trail descends into a black spruce and birch forest. This part is a nice, relaxing portion with more views and water. Chena River is the grand finale view from the hike before going back onto the 3 mile loop and reaching the trail head.

I suggest visiting Granite Tors one day or weekend. It can be a strenuous or casual hike depending on the season and loop choice. No matter what, one will be astounded by the beauty this place has to offer, all while being within reach of Fairbanks. I'm happy I was able to visit the tors and enjoy what I would call a true Alaska experience.

Until next time...

Views to Alaska

I recently had the privilege to drive all the way from Montana to Fairbanks, Alaska with my parents. If you ever get the chance to take this drive...DO IT! We drove through Alberta, Jasper National Park, British Columbia, Dawson City, and Chicken, AK. Each part of the drive was gorgeous in its own way, offering views of neon flowers, lush trees, and gargantuan mountains. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the drive:

I had to post this low quality picture just because it was the first view. This is the border crossing from Montana into Alberta. Cross this if you are near it! The journey begins...

The first views we had were of amazing glaciers. They were scattered over the mountains like cracks in a sidewalk.

First there were glaciers and then there was greenery.

This is a dormant volcano we saw in the Yukon.

As we approached the border into Alaska, the landscape became high tundra.
All the fall colors were on display.

The closer you get to Fairbanks, the more tree filled expanses you see.

Look Closer

Taking a walk is always a good experience. Details easily missed otherwise are put into a new perspective when we slow down and enjoy the view. A typical trail yielded some unique close up pictures the other day when I went hiking. Look closer!