2007

Charlotte took me through Pogonip up through Moore Creek Open Space. We were hoping to walk among the cows and get some nice photos. No cows, but a very nice view of the coast.

Last night was a mad dash to get things setup. We arrived at what looked like a good spot to camp, and then it started raining. I managed to get my gear on and tent up just in time, but Matt got a bit wet. Always fun to setup your tent on a bush. It’s best not to be picky when it’s dark and raining. We did manage to squeeze in some hot food on our last night in the park. ...

Finally, a decent night’s sleep again. I really needed it after the typhoon winds the other night. We’re pretty tired today from walking on the glacier yesterday, so it’s a little slow going this morning. Today we’ve got to make it back close to the road, so we can catch the morning camper bus back to park headquarters. I remember this river bar.

Last night was really rough. We heard later someone talking how we caught what was left of a typhoon in China. Sounded right to me. Matt and I spent the whole night waiting for our tent to get blown away as we got hit by at least 50 mph gusts. Twice I needed to get up to restake the tent, even though I worked hard to prep it before I went to bed. Man, it’s gonna be a long day. ...

A really cool fog bank moved in over the glacier this morning. After being socked in for a short while, it cleared off in a most spectacular fashion. It’s amazing how many ways this place can impress you. Today we have a big day of hiking ahead of us. We’re going to head out to Anderson pass along the ridge. We figure it will be more fun than walking the river bar the whole way. The pass promises a great view of where the glacier turns, and a chance to see more of the huge mountains of the Alaska Range. When we get close to the pass, the wind is blowing like crazy. Little did I know our campsite was getting blasted at the same time. ...

Thank goodness I managed to get a solid block of sleep on my first night in the park. I definitely needed it, and I know the rest of the trip is likely to be a problem when it comes to sleeping. We had a nice view of the imposing Muldrow glacier from our campsite. And how are we ever going to cross that monster? Hiking up the river bar is a whole lot easier than the glacier, but walking on rocks all day is it’s own challenge. Another grizzly is our first encounter that isn’t from the safety of the bus. Nice bear. ...

Matt and I are off to the great state of Alaska for a one week backpacking trip in Denali National Park. It’s my first time and I’m really looking forward to it. Matt has been there plenty of times, so I’ll be relying on him to show me the routine. My new Canon 40D and 17-40mm f4L lens should make for some awesome photos. The trip to the park turned out to be quite an ordeal. Our United flight to Denver was delayed by a little over an hour. This was just long enough to miss our connecting flight to Anchorage. We managed to get on a later Alaska Airlines flight, but we were really worried if our backpacks would make it along with us. Fortunately we all arrived as expected, so now we only have to drive 4 hours in a rental car to get to the park just in time to get our permit at 9am. ...

Charlotte, Gabe, and I are off for some hiking over at Pogonip and UCSC. It’s also another chance to test out my new Canon 40D before I’m off to Alaska. The views really are excellent over at the old clubhouse. Charlotte really likes the big palm trees. This will really be an amazing place once they get around to fully restoring the property. Meanwhile nature still offers up a great show. ...

It was finally time to get a decent camera after lusting after a Canon DSLR for quite some time. With my upcoming trip to Alaska, I didn’t want to let the opportunity go by to get the very best photos I can on the trip. Gabe has the privilege of being my very first subject.

Our last day will cover just over 13 miles, and boy are our feet sore. Time to suck it up and hit the trail. Fortunately it’s mostly downhill today. The trail along the river makes for plenty to see along the way. A few trout make Gabe wish he had a fishing pole. Catching this newt during lunch is surely the highlight of the day for Gabe. I love the way the trail ends with a bunch of climbing while the sun bakes down on us. Gabe is not amused. ...