David Multer

The ladies head out early from their hotel in Gardiner just outside the entrance to Yellowstone. They actually stayed in the same hotel I was in this past winter. It’s really interesting to compare the photos from that trip here. They spent some quality time enjoying the Mammoth Hot Springs along with a couple of very cute birds. Check out this area in the winter here. Then it’s on through Lamar Valley, the really beautiful area of the park. Plenty of wildlife, including a shaggy black bear. And here’s the area in the winter. ...

Today we’ve made it to the Marsh Fork and Dirk’s first pickup point. We won’t be leaving from here, but it’s a nice sign we’re on track. This is an incredible spot with a great campsite overlooking the riverbed.

Following yesterday’s long drive to Salt Lake City, the girls start with an early morning run at City Creek Canyon. Then a bit of exploring around the capital, including this cool looking eatery called Spoon Me. Pretty cool logo. The billboards in Utah totally rock. A few other sights, but otherwise not much to see. Rolling into Idaho, it’s time for lunch and a frisbee break for Gracie. I’m sure Gracie was jealous of the awesome doggie trailer. Nice twist on the motorcycle sidecar approach. ...

Today is a bunch of riverbed hiking. The ice is a great walking surface, cools us off, provides a great water source, and cuts down on the bugs. What’s not to love?

After a short day yesterday, the girls are planning on twelve hours of driving through Nevada and Utah to Salt Lake City. Not much to see in Nevada on the first half of the day, except for a few oddities. Gracie gets a frisbee lunch break in Elko, while the girls get to stretch their legs. Gracie finds a stuffed traveling companion to keep her company the rest of the way. ...

Today we’re up and over Carter Pass to the north side of the Brooks Range. There are so many beautiful colors and flowers in the tundra. The going definitely gets tougher as we head along sheep trails through the scree. Spring Creek cuts a stunning canyon on this side of the mountains.

Charlotte and Monica have fully loaded and decorated the car for the long drive to Bootjack. The Ritchey is riding on the back, while my road bike (her name is Sweetness) enjoys the luxurious interior. Time to load the dog and hit the road. First stop is the Jelly Belly factory near Sacramento. I know they’ve bought at least a few bags of belly flops. After checking in at the hotel in Truckee, it’s off to Lake Tahoe for a run around the Tahoe Rim Trail. Plenty of people lined up for the big fireworks display, but the girls are a bit too tired, and there’s another long day ahead tomorrow. ...

It’s been really hot, but we have to stay covered to avoid being eaten alive. The hiking is pretty easy as we make our way north to Carter Pass and the Continental Divide. I love hiking on tundra.

After a very nice night in Wiseman recovering from our travel, it’s back to Coldfoot to catch our flight with Dirk over at Coyote Air. He’s got a beautiful pair of Beaver planes, along with a very cool pair of geese. It’s a stunning flight north to our destination in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. There’s nothing like getting dropped off in the middle of nowhere with nobody around for hundreds of miles. See you again in a week many miles from here. ...

Matt and I were planning on heading to Alaska for a week of backpacking in the Gates of the Arctic along with our friend Brendan. Once we got there, a few discussions with locals and rangers made us change our minds and head to the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge instead. It’s still the Brooks Range, but it should be even more isolated with less brush and tussocks to negotiate. First we’ve got to head north from Fairbanks via the Dalton Highway. It’s quite an adventure in itself stretching over 400 miles to the northern coast of Alaska. We make a stop at the official Arctic Circle marker before continuing north. ...