Category: Alaska Activities
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Steese Highway
We spent the weekend traveling the Steese Highway, which brings travelers within 50 miles of the Arctic Circle. Be sure to stop at Chatanika Lodge for a meal (likely a great place to spend the night too). It is a quirky & fascinating Alaskan backwoods “museum” that you can explore while waiting for your delicious…
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Denali Highway
We are constantly experiencing time warps up here! Somehow we traveled 6 hours before realizing that we had better turn around as it was a long way home. So much beauty around each corner. Technically the highway isn’t open yet. Where the snow drifts were high it was sometimes only one lane. No bites fishing.…
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Denali Night, Moon and Moose
It was a full moon last night, so we went into the Park when we would usually be getting ready for bed. We heard more Ptarmigan than we saw. C’s Facebook page has a video posted where you can hear them! Once the moon came up, it stayed close to the horizon, appearing to rise…
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Twilight II, Week 7 in Healy
The days are changing so fast. We are up to 17 hours of daylight and it is never very dark. We have no true night and no astronomical twilight. I was curious what nautical twilight looks like and took some photos when the clouds were mostly covering the moon. In real life there was plenty…
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Ptarmigan, Week 7 in Healy
We started our 7th week with a nice visit to Denali. The moose wasn’t in a good place for a photo, but the Ptarmigan were cooperative. I love their feathered “slippers” and the clucking and purring noises they make. Above is a picture I posted earlier, back when the Ptarmigan were all white. Below is…
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Hot Springs also Sun Halos
Chena Hot Spring is an easy evening trip from Fairbanks. C had a training in Fairbanks this past week. Evenings we alternated running errands and having fun. Chena Hot Springs was enjoyable & worth the $20 each. One afternoon while C was still working I enjoyed a walk and seeing a sun halo at Creamer’s…
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Dancing Cranes, Migration
Spring migration at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge has been amazing. I am not really a birder, but love watching them when it is this convenient & dramatic. The above video shows 2 sandhill cranes dancing (courtship? territorial?). Below there are a couple cranes along with other species. Every visit I have watched Trumpeter Swans,…
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Aurora III, Week 5 in Healy
Another splendid night! Unfortunately C overdid it at work this week, came home exhausted & he couldn’t force himself out of bed at 1 a.m. He got to enjoy the photos later this morning.
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Aurora II, Week 4 in Healy
Another strong Aurora showing last night when I woke up about 1:30 a.m. I could barely raise C who went right back asleep so I went outside myself. I watched the lights dance for about an hour. At -10F I came back in the house regularly to avoid getting too cold. When I went back…
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Dogsledding (continued)
It was fascinating watching the dog team find the trail which was covered by fresh snowfall and often completely blended in with the surrounding untouched landscape. When there were 2 clear trails, Jeff quietly told the dogs right or left (gee or hup, maybe?) & they seamlessly took the correct path. Throughout this post I…
Me & C 