Flattop Hike

We also hiked Flattop last weekend, which is interesting since this was our first hike ever in Alaska.

Some things were different, of course. For example, there was still snow on the ground in many areas. Also, the fireweed and flowers we saw last July are not around yet in June.


There is still ice on the trail to flattop.

As always, I took some gratuitous pictures of flowers and vegetation along the way...

Flower along the way

Along the trail, there are great views of Anchorage and Sleeping Lady.

Anchorage


More snow


Strange Coleus-type plant

In order to get to the top of Flattop, there's quite a bit of scrambling that you need to do at the very end of the hike.

View to the top

Actually, I did not find it as difficult as last time. Also, unlike last time, Galileo made it all the way up (and down!).

Frank and Galileo made it!


Frank (red jacket) and Galileo looking out from Flattop

I made it to the top too -- here's proof:

Family portrait at the top

As usual, at the top I spent a lot of time taking photographs of plants. Here are a few:

Gratuitous flower shot 1

Pretty purple flowers

Picture of the mountainside. Do you see all the colors of moss and things growing on the rocks?

Another interesting plant

Art shot of yellow flowers

Purple Flower

Here's the last one:

An Alaskan Valentine?

Bodenburg Butte Hike

Hey! Finally got the pictures up from last weekend!

On Saturday, we went hiking on Bodenburg Butte. The Butte is located around Palmer down in the Mat-Su Valley. It was a bit of a drive, but was definitely worth the trip! Basically, in the middle of this valley, there is a huge "bump" of sandstone-type rock that rises out of nowhere. The trail takes you to the top for spectacular views of the valley.

There are two entrances to Bodenburg Butte -- the one we took (the harder one) was right near a reindeer farm.

Reindeer farm in the valley near Palmer.

The view, even from a little bit up, was quite spectacular.

View of a glacier from the Butte

Pioneer Peak?
The trail goes up quite steeply -- after only a half mile, you can see the reindeer farm below.

View of the reindeer farm from the trail.

The Butte forms an entire ecosystem unlike any other in Alaska supposedly, complete with sagebrush.

More "bumps"

We did finally make it to the top...it's worth it!

Frank and Galileo at the top

Here are some pictures of the view from the top:

Peaks and the Butte


Matanuska River


View on the way down...

On the way down, we met some people from Long Island. We spent some time visiting while Galileo got to entertain the horses.


What a nice place for horses.

Galileo-Horse encounter

The horse really liked us

Another horse wanted to visit

..and another!

Galileo LOVES the horses

If he could only get free of that leash...

Anyways, it was a great hike on a beautiful day in the valley.

More Sunsets

I'm not sure how I was able to stay up so late to get these, but here are some spectacular sunset shots off of our front deck.


Sunset #1


Sunset #2


Sunset #3

Rhubarb Madness and Other interesting Alaska Stories

Interesting news day today...

Amanda Brannon from Palmer has written the penultimate book on rhubarb. Considering the massive monster of rhubarb that we have in our side yard, perhaps we should get this book ;).

In Ketchikan, a bald eagle took a wrong turn into the window of Jean Stack's living room, leaving a mess and a salmon carcass.

The Navy has a new ferry that they want to test to move workers from Mat-Su to Anchorage over the Knik Arm. It's like a Transformer catamaran.

More Galileo Pictures

Galileo is getting ready for his trip to Ohio!

Look at him resting up on his papasan pillow...




Galileo loves the camera

I also have been learning about my exposure settings on my camera, and, as usual, Galileo is my model...

Phantom Dog!

Eklutna Lake Hike

Last weekend, Frank and I went to Eklutna Lake. It's a lake in Eagle River which is made by a glacier (called "Eklutna Glacier", imagine that). I thought it was one of the most beautiful places I have seen -- who knew water in AK could be this color?

Here's a picture of the lake:

Eklutna Lake


Kids learning to fly a kite at the lake


People were fishing in the lake as well (what kind of fish do you think live in a glacial lake?)


Puppy decides to sit right in the water and take a drink.

After "ooh-ing and aah-ing" at the lakefront, Frank and I continued around the lakeside trail. It connects up to other trails, and there is even a campsite about 5 miles into the trail. You can actually see Eklutna glacier, but you have to hike in about 9 miles before you can see it.


The mountains at Eklutan were beautiful and rocky


Note the "impending doom" of the clouds. About 2 minutes before we went back to the car, it started raining here.


People getting ready to kayak


A nice place to sunbathe (if it was warmer)


Another lakeside trail shot


There was a convention of butterflies along the lakeside trail


More butterfly shots


Butterfly close-up