I met my good friend and former expedition partner Lisa at her home in Anchorage. When not mountaineering, mountain biking, packrafting, kayaking, or skiing, Lisa's life style involves daily trips to the gym and multi-mile "hikes". Long, fast, hard hikes.
Anchorage has an amazing trail system within town and the town itself backs up to the Chugach Wilderness. Many of the trails are groomed in the winter and include lighting for after-work and weekend winter skiing, dog sledding, skijoring and fat-tire biking. The hike we went on on the first day (purple line) was right up the road from her house and included Mellen's Way named after a friend of ours who introduced me to mushing and died from cancer not long after my last trip to Alaska.
Just as we were leaving the parking lot, some kids ran up to us to tell us to watch out because there was a buck moose on the trail. The trail system is also known for bears. Thus one loop being called Black Bear trail.
Bogs, birch, alder, black spruce, bunch berries and fireweed. I felt like I was back in northern Minnesota.
Lisa set a quick pace all the while complaining of a cold she had caught and jet lag from her trip home from Uganda two days before.
Like we would be able to see a moose or bear in these woods.
Even the mushers get a port-a-potty.
More interesting flora along the trail.
The next day we met up with some of Lisa'a friends for coffee and a brisk hike along a varied terrain, winter ski trail. I carried my camera but except for light poles in the middle of nowhere, there really wasn't anything of interest to photograph in the thick alder/spruce woods.
One of my goals for this trip to Alaska was to learn to packraft. These boats have intrigued me ever since I first heard of them. Packrafts weigh around 5lbs; are quick to inflate; and can go just about anywhere. I bought a special lightweight, waterproof pack, boots and dry suit in preparation for packrafting. In January I had signed up for two days of advanced lessons so I could master whitewater and rescue techniques.When I got to Anchorage, I found that even though we had confirmed the lessons via email and phone and his web-site still advertised the session, the owner of the company had forgotten. He booked another trip for those dates.
Lisa and I had discussed the possibility of a packrafting trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve after we returned from sea kayaking but I needed to learn how to handle the boat first.
Plan B: lots more mountain hiking.
This hike started at 8pm. With record heat wave and the sun going down at 11:30, the trails were busy even in the later hours of the day.
Yup, mountain trails right outside Anchorage city center.
The record Alaskan June/July heatwave is thought to be the reason for massive meadows in bloom with fireweed.
Fireweed even in dense forest groves.
No need for the suitcase stuffed with rain and warm clothing I packed for this trip.
74 degrees at 10:30 pm.
