Category: Alaska Wildlife

• Bore Tide, Puffins, and Coho III

  

  Seven nights:  Seward,  Swanson River,  and Sheep Creek Slough Our second attempt to see the Turnagain Arm bore tide was spectacularly successful.   The August 21 wave was much bigger than July 25 (https://roaming-nature.com/2024/07/27/bore-tide-and-bears-sockeye-ii-2024/) This time we could see the wave even before Beluga Point!  As we were pulling the trailer we didn’t have the flexibility…

  Melissa Rudacille

  August 30, 2024

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Birds, Camping in Alaska, Fishing in Alaska, Wildlife

  Alaska Sealife Center, Alaska Wildlife, bore tide, fishing, running water, Trumpeter Swans

• 8 Days Coho Count and Talkeetna

  

  We spent 6 days camping, canoeing, and fishing in the rain. We saw 6 moose, a river otter, a beaver, and 3 Sandhill Cranes.  We watched a Merganser mother with her 11 (!) ducklings scavenging and fishing around us.  We also watched the Olympics on C’s phone during a break in the rain. On our last…

  Melissa Rudacille

  August 15, 2024

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Birds, Camping in Alaska, Fishing in Alaska

  Alaska weather, Alaska Wildlife, Bird Watching, coho salmon, Denali National Park, fishing, Sandhill Cranes

• Bore Tide and Bears, Sockeye II, 2024

  

  We planned this 6-day trip  around the Turnagain Arm bore tide.  C was working on the best predicted days, but we still had a shot on his first full day off.  (We will have a chance at a better bore tide in August,  but not sure if we will try again.) We likely would have…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 27, 2024

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Camping in Alaska, Fishing in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, bore tide, coho salmon, fishing, Grizzly Bear, Russian River

• Russian River and Nikiski

  

  We had a splendid week on the Kenai Peninsula, July 10-16.  After C worked 9.5 days on the Riley Fire he took 7 days off.  We spent much of our time fishing for sockeye on the Russian River.  We saw two black bears and one grizzly.  Each bear was closer than the last, with the…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 17, 2024

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Birds, Camping in Alaska, Fishing in Alaska, Wildlife

  Alaska weather, Alaska Wildlife, Bird Watching, Caribou, fishing, Grizzly Bear, Kenai River, Russian River

• Hatcher Pass and Eklutna Tailrace

  

  Our 6-day weekend was shortened to 4 days before we left, and then to 3 1/2 on our way back (doggone wildfires).  We had fun exploring and fishing in the Palmer area.  Our first night, we stayed at Matanuska Lake Campground.   Since the Palmer Musk Ox farm had 4 babies, we decided to take a…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 1, 2024

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Birds, Camping in Alaska, Fishing in Alaska, Wildlife

  Alaska Wildlife, animal tours, Bird Watching, Dalton Highway, Eagle Summit Wayside, fishing, Hatcher Pass, Maclaren Summit, Musk Ox, Palmer

• Denali Highway June 2024

  

  We had 6 fun days camping, fishing, and wildlife viewing along the Denali Highway. C’s new schedule of 8 work days followed by 6 days off is great for exploring Alaska.  Two weeks ago we traveled on the Dalton Highway and went over the highest highway pass in Alaska (Atigun Pass).  This time we drove…

  Melissa Rudacille

  June 19, 2024

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Birds, Camping in Alaska, Fishing in Alaska

  alaska, Alaska Wildlife, Bird Watching, Denali Highway, fishing, Maclaren Summit, Tangle Lakes

• Dalton Highway, Part I

  

  We had 4 wonderful (and tiring) days on the Dalton Highway.  We drove well north of the Arctic Circle on a quest to see wild Musk Ox.  Our trip deserves at least 3 posts, one on the animals,  one on the mountains and geography,  and one on time, distance, and sunlight.   As expected, we didn’t…

  Melissa Rudacille

  June 5, 2024

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Birds, Camping in Alaska, Wildlife

  alaska, Alaska Wildlife, Arctic, Bird Watching, Caribou, Dalton Highway, Owls, Wolf, Yukon River

• 21 Caribou and a Baby Dall Sheep

  

  We decided to let the weather determine what we would do Sunday afternoon.   It wasn’t quite warm enough for fishing on chilly, windy Otto Lake.  Therefore, we took our last opportunity this spring to drive out to the Teklanika Rest Area and had another phenomenal day viewing wildlife. Despite (or because?) of the many other…

  Melissa Rudacille

  May 21, 2024

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Wildlife

  Alaska Wildlife, Caribou, Denali National Park, Teklanika River

• Midnight Moose, Pika, and 17 Caribou

  

  C and I took a late drive to Teklanika, enjoying wildlife and the surreal Alaska twilight.  We set a new personal record by seeing 17 caribou in this one trip.  We saw 2 groups of 8 each, all at a distance,  then the above bull caribou crossed the road in front of us.  No young…

  Melissa Rudacille

  May 20, 2024

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Garden/Plants

  Alaska Wildlife, Caribou, Denali National Park, moose photos, nautical twilight, wildflowers

• Dry Cabin Daily Rhythm

  Yesterday we arose early and spent 8 hours looking for wildlife.  Unlike last weekend’s phenomenal day, we saw few animals  (primarily 6 caribou and 1 porcupine).   Today I am shifting gears to a theme I put off while writing about more exciting things. 2 a.m., South bedroom window If we had indoor plumbing, I…

  Melissa Rudacille

  May 12, 2024

  Alaska Wildlife, dry cabin, Life in Alaska

  astronomical twilight, Caribou, dry cabin, hand washing dishes, outhouse, running water