Have you ever been Geocaching? Well I had my first experience with it about a year ago. I was walking over an unnamed (don’t want to ruin the fun) local Alaskan overpass, when I caught sight of something sticking to the side of the guardrail. A popular candy tin was cleverly attached and disguised. After opening the tin I discovered the cache. A teeny pencil and paper were inside. I saw name after name scribbled on this ragged piece of parchment and I was hooked. I had to learn more. Continue reading
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Mother’s Day- Alaska’s Edible Flora
In honor of Mother’s Day this coming Sunday, here are a few ideas for Alaska moms (or moms visiting Alaska) to wrap their culinary finger around. The recipies are boundless, and I have included a very simple one at the end of this post.
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Spring has Sprung!
Alaska is thawing. The trees have taken on a red hue, a precursor to their eventual new-growth. Bears are awakening, moose are heading back to the hills, and people emerge from their homes. The mountains still boast a white curtain over their crests, and the forests still harbor patches of snow beneath them, but it is surely going to fade away. Even as I type this, the temperature soars. Recently the Anchorage bowl experienced temperatures in the mid-fifties. While that may not be entirely welcoming for some of our warm-blooded readers, for an Alaskan this is a wonderful sign of shorts and tee-shirts to come. Soon the bottom of our lakes will be unfrozen, the hills will be devoid of ice, and the maroon tips of trees will have turned a lush green. Continue reading
Family trip
I’m from the Space Coast of Florida. My neighbor was an astronaut and I lived close enough to the beach that it took me 8 minutes to literally walk down the street to it. The area is f-l-a-t. When I say flat I mean the most elevation you can achieve within a 10-mile radius is when you go up the elevator at Ron Jon’s. My dad was getting tired of all the people, and the muggy heat that we were constantly engulfed in. He decided that we would pack up for a week and head to Alaska for a little refreshment.
I blended in pretty well with the people there, not your usual bleached-blond tanned babe. Of course everyone was just as friendly to my sister, who fits into every stereotype that is ‘Floridian’. She had issues with the idea of Alaska; the woods, and the man-eating mosquitoes weren’t her in bag of “fun stuff to deal with on vacation”. I, however, loved the idea. Out rocking it with nature, that was my style. I do remember how enormous the mountains were, and the smell of pine. It was a little different than my elevation-less and moldy-musky smelling home.
When we landed in Anchorage I was stiff and thoroughly surprised that it was still light out at two in the morning. This trip turned out to be a lot more exciting than realizing that your parents couldn’t tell you to be ‘home by dark’. We settled into our hotel, and were off to Denali by morning. After an entertaining trip by Motorcoach to the Denali National Park entrance, we boarded the bus to Kantishna and the Denali Backcountry Lodge. We saw three Grizzly bears. Three! I couldn’t believe how HUGE they were. We also saw a few moose, and just one caribou on our way in from Anchorage.
We stayed at the lodge for a night, then went hiking the next day, my sister’s moment of truth. As it turns out there are no man-eating bugs or too many claustrophobic woods for that matter. She won’t admit it, but she enjoyed being out in the wilderness. Florida seems so crowded now that I’m home. It was pretty humbling to realize how small we really are compared to Denali. I’m glad I’ll be able to tell my adventures at school next year.
- Felicia & the rest of the Rae Family.
Guided Hiking deep inside Denali National Park
CASUAL HIKES
Comfortable, easy stroll
For the casual hiker that wishes to view the splendid Alaska Range, vista’s, flora and fauna at a casual pace. Enjoy the sounds that float through the air and scents that tickle your nose during the beauty of the casual hike in the backcountry of Alaska’s Denali National Park. These hikes range from 1-4 miles round trip.
MODERATE HIKES
If "she" is not out look the other way
Take a step up into the Alaska hiking experience and go where the bold dare. Slightly more elevated view of the Backcountry. Memorize a panoramic ridgeline view where no photograph would dare to try and capture this feeling, this accomplishment. Still, you should bring your camera and do your best to publish your experience. These hikes take you through a tougher 3-5 miles into the Alaska Tundra’s and Ridge’s.
CHALLENGING HIKES
Stop And Look
Isn’t this the reason you came to Alaska, the Backcountry, and the Wilderness? If “Seeing is Believing” then doing these hikes are monumental. These hikes range from five to nine miles and the elevation ranges are up to 2300 feet. It’s not exactly climbing Denali herself at 20,320 feet it but it will feel like it!
