Trout Lake Backpacking

Alaska celebrates Seward's Day on the last Monday in March. We celebrated being in Alaska and not speaking Russian by going on a backpacking trip on the Kenai Peninsula. Our house was full of visitors, so we traded in our three bedroom house for a one room (plus loft) cabin at Trout Lake along the Resurrection Pass trail.

Callie, Lila and I all took Friday off so we could have a four-day weekend. Our house was abuzz Thursday night as we packed. Our party was composed of Callie, Vivian (Callie's friend visiting from LA), Lila, Hillel (Lila's fiance), Andy and Lea. Lea made gear runs to friends' houses to grab extra sleeping bags, pads, poles, snowshoes and sleds. Andy and I made a grocery run. Then it was a long night of packing.

I took some time to convert my store-bought plastic tobaggon into a sledge (or pulk). A sledge/pulk is a sled that you load gear on a pull behind you. Because the trail was going to be snowed over, Lea, Andy and I decided to pull our loads while wearing only a light backpack. The sledges were attached to us either by rope and carabiners or metal poles. The poles (on the sledge that Lea used) worked well on mixed pitch ground because they held the sled back on a downhill so it didn't run into your feet. Andy and I opted for the simpler rope attached to pack belt by carabiners. It was a bit cumbersome when descending, but workable. We eventually devised a system of unclipping one 'biner and walking to the side of the sled on the short downhills. For an article on how to build a pulk, check out this article. ("Pulk" is the term they use up here - I use the term "sledge" because that's what they called them on Shackleton's voyage.)

Friday morning we loaded up the cars and headed south on the Seward Highway. The sky was bright and clear. The views as we drove along Turnagain Arm were spectacular. We spotted bald eagles perched on the water's edge. The peaks of the Chugach and Kenai Mountains stood out white against the dark blue sky. Portage glacier was clearly visible as we rounded end of the Arm and headed over Turnagain Pass. Tin Can (a popular backcountry ski area) was on our left as we descended the pass and continued on to Cooper Landing.

At Cooper Landing we left the highway and found the Bean Creek trailhead. We loaded up our gear, let Jackson (MK's dog) run around and surveyed the terrain. Our luck with the weather continued to hold and the day remained clear and warm.

We set out. The group stuck together and those with packs were kind enough to humor those of us with sledges as we got used to pulling a load. Steep uphills were the biggest challenge. Parts of the trail were slick with ice. Mostly, though, we walked comfortably on packed snow with good traction. We began to make good time.

Our lunch stop was at the convergence of the Bean Creek and Resurrection Pass trails. Much to our chagrin, we discovered that the bag containing our lunch meat and fish for dinner had been left in the refrigerator. Luckily Andy and I had bought liberally and there was still plenty of food for all.


At this point we noticed that Jackson was starting to have trouble with his feet. The snow had cut his paws. We put his three booties on (he'd already lost one on a previous trip).

The rest of the walk to the cabin (total of about 5 miles) went well.

The cabin itself was about a half mile off the main Resurrection Pass trail at the end of Trout Lake. The cabin is an A-frame with a loft above the main room. It has a nice porch, two sets of bunk beds, a wood fired stove, a table with benches and a food prep area. In short, it was perfect. There was already a large supply of split wood and a number of unsplit rounds. A small firepit was in front. See more about the cabin here and here.

When we arrived, we made short work of getting down to having fun. The ladies enjoyed the bright sunshine on the deck. The men (12 year old boys?) immediately busted out the sleds for some serious fun. The trail down to the lake from the cabin was a great run with two slightly banked corners and a nice increasing drop off before shooting you out onto the frozen, snow-covered lake. The end of the run went by the snow-buried boat that comes with the cabin.

Andy, Hillel and I made numerous runs and constructed a small jump beside the boat.

Our next hill was across the lake. The powder was deep and we almost ran into a small tree. So of course we had to do it again. It was fun, but we all ended up drenched in powder.

Finally, we headed back down the main trail to a spot that we had noticed on the way in. The trail made an S-curve and had naturally banked sides that were remarkably similar to a luge-track. So of course we had to try it. Jackson ran beside, behind, and, most often, in front of us. Eventually we figured out how to make a continuous, sinuous run down the trail. The best and most fun method was head first.



Jackson was in heaven. He had seven people to run around with. He played his version of fetch: you throw the stick, he runs and get it and then doesn't give it back. You then throw another stick and he gets that stick while also trying to hold onto the original stick.

The only downside to Jackson's running around was that he kept losing booties. Eventually we were down to only one.

Eventually we headed back to the cabin for dinner. Lea had remembered to pack some salmon she had caught and smoked the year before. We had that, couscous, vegetables and wine. Desert was s'mores around the fire. Jackson chased his stick.

While Andy and Hillel took a nap, the rest of us crowded around the fire to toast marshmallows and make s'mores.

After a beautiful sunset we retired to the cabin for a game of cards. The cabin was warm and inviting with seven people, one dog and a roaring wood fire.

The next morning dawned with clouds obscuring the sun. I took Jackson for a morning walk along the frozen lake.

Unfortunately, our group was going to have to split up. Vivian had to fly out the next morning and so she and Callie were headed to Girdwood for the evening to attend "Telepalooza". Lila and Hillel also left to go to Homer for the next night.

The group that was leaving headed out after breakfast for a quick snowshoe around the lake. We said our goodbyes and took some pictures.

Andy, Lea and I decided to spend the day climbing the peak to the west of the cabin. It was 3295 feet high and the cabin was at about 1300 feet. We strapped on our snowshoes, hoisted our packs and headed out across country to try our luck.

The snow was deep. Jackson had a blast plowing through the powder and sniffing moose and rabbit tracks. We hiked through the trees around to the north-east side of the hill.

Walking through fresh, untracked snow along a path of your own choosing on snowshoes is truly fantastic. The day stayed partly cloudy, but we caught patches of sunlight.


As we slowly traversed north, we gained elevation. We slowly rose above the valley floor and were rewarded with views across the pass to other glacially carved valleys. Juneau lake came into view. Several planes fitted with skis flew down the pass, circled and landed on Juneau lake. Two cabins are on the lake and it looked like a large group had flown in for the weekend.

We continued our climb after a brief lunch stop. Our goal was to hit a ridge free of snow on the north-east side of the mountain and finish our climb by hiking up over the tundra and rock. We eventually rose above the snow onto the wind-scoured and sun warmed slopes. The weather continued to threaten to cloud up, but stayed sunny. The last assault on the top was over fields of berries left over from the previous fall that had been frozen in the snow all winter.

As we reached the top the clouds finally covered the sun. We had a brief glimpse of Cook Inlet off to the west before clouds and mist obscured the view. The top was worth it, however we didn't linger long as a wind had been whipped up. We named the peak "One Booty Mountain" in honor of Jackson's lost booties.

Our descent was made on the south-east corner of the mountain. We tromped down a steep ridge over berries and shale. Eventually we reached the snow again. We glissaded when we could, but the snow was a bit too soft and deep to make that a fast method of descent. Also, thickets of alder stood in our way. We had to push through the underbrush and bushwack a trail.

Eventually the slope leveled enough to allow us to put on snowshoes. We made our way to the lake. Once out of the Alder and onto the lake, the last mile was quickly covered and we were back at the cabin.

The cabin seemed quiet and roomy with only three of us (and one VERY tired dog).

We immediately set upon the snacks and wine. Andy then got started with making some instant soup while I started the fire and fetched snow to melt into water. Once our immediate hunger was sated we relaxed for a bit. Lea read. Andy and I split some wood, which is play for us city-kids unless you have to do it for a long time.

Dinner was pasta. We thought we'd have too much food, but our hike had left us ravenous. We polished off every last bit.

Our evening was finished drinking wine and hot chocolate. We talked and played cards. Jackson continued to sleep curled up by the wood stove. He was one tired but happy pooch.

Sunday morning we awoke to softly falling snow. I stoked the fire and once again ran Jackson around on the lake. After breakfast we packed up, swept out the cabin and enjoyed the morning.

Lea was able to get cell phone reception and found out that Vivian had slipped on the ice at the top of a hill and had cut her lip. She turned out to be fine, but we appreciated the warning.

Our trip out was considerably faster than our trip to the cabin. Normally you can hike downhill faster than you hike uphill, so that was to be expected. However, we were all equipped with sleds! We converted Lea's sled to a rope pull and we rode our sleds whenever we could. Andy preferred to just sit down. I started off riding the sled on one knee facing forwards and using my other leg for balance and to push. The sitting down method proved better for the longer descents.



For portions of the ride down we were able to sit and fly along for periods of almost a minute. That really reduced our time. We passed hikers headed up.

Before we knew it, we were back at the top of the large, icy hill where Vivian had slipped. One by one we carefully maneuvered around the ice and then rode down the straight part of the hill.

Once back at the car, we loaded up and headed out. We ate dinner that night in Girdwood at Maxine's. It was fantastic.

PICTURES: http://picasaweb.google.com/jack.r.mckenna/TroutLakeBackpacking

Aurora Borealis

Liz noticed on the 26th that the Aurora Forecast was moderate. So a bunch of us gathered at my house and drove out to Point Woronzof to get a look at the aurora. It's usually hard to spot the aurora from downtown or midtown Anchorage (where most of my friends live) because of the light pollution. However, we decided to try out luck. We were rewarded with some great views.

Ski Train

The Anchorage Nordic Ski Association runs a train each year out to Curry, Alaska. Curry is north of Talkeetna just east of Denali. The old town is in the valley to the east of Kesugi Ridge (see post from back in September).

Our group of friends has a long history of Ski Train shenanigans. Each year, Alex and Justin (among others) come up with a theme. Last year it was "space on a train." Everyone came as aliens, etc. This year, the theme was "Yo Ho Ho - Pirates v. Pimps." I went as a pirate.

The train boarded from 6-7am. We loaded our gear into the baggage car and jumped on our car. We spent the time decorating our car with lights, pirate posters, streamers and table covers. A large cardboard cut-out of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow loomed from one side of the car.

As the train got rolling we started serving coffee and mimosas. The dawn-lit ride out of Anchorage, along the Chugach and across the Palmer Flats was magnificent. People talked and admired each others' costumes. Highlights were Alex as a rather comely (homely?) wench and Vik as a giant parrot.

As we pulled into Wasilla, more people jumped on the train.

The rest of the ride north was spent playing cards, listening to the roving polka band and enjoying the scenery. We spotted two canids from a distance as we neared Talkeetna that everyone hoped were wolves but were more likely coyotes. Denali poked its head out every once in a while to give us spectacular views.

Once we got to Curry we changed into skiing clothes. Our gear had been unloaded by a bonfire and we sorted through the piles of skis, poles and snowshoes.

We divided up into people who wanted to head up the ridge and those that wanted to poke around in the valley. I headed up the hill with Callie, Megan, Paul, Tommy, Kate and Joe. We kept heading up and people turned back in twos and threes. Eventually it was just Tommy (Kate's brother who was visiting from MN) and I headed up the hill. The sun eventually poked out and Denali reared up above the ridge that had blocked views of it from the valley floor.

Tommy and I reached the top and were rewarded with 360 degree views with Cook Inlet to the South, the Talkeetnas to the north and east and Denali to the west. We poked around on the ridge and bagged some fresh powder for half our descent by avoiding the trail and sticking to the trees.

Once on the trail, things got a bit dicey. My skis didn't have metal edges and so the ice on the way down was a bit treacherous. But I made it with only a few wipe-outs.

We reboarded the train and helped ourselves to a huge meal. Our groups' organizers had outdone themselves with their budget (20 buck a person) and we had a huge meal. It was lovely.

After the train got moving the dance party started up. Our car was a bit crowded and the conductors watched us to make sure people could get through the aisle. But things were fun and everyone was happy.

We made a quick trip up to the polka car to dance. Although it was ridiculously crowded and more resembled a good natured mosh pit than a polka dance.

The rest of the trip back was a dance party that slowed down only about half an hour from Anchorage. We threw ourselves into cleaning up our car in order to keep the NSAA's good will for next year.

Once back in Anchorage we stashed our gear in our cars and then headed up the hill to the Woodshed to continue the party. We sang karaoke and danced. I joined in on Mr. Jones with some friends and got roped into filling in for a friend who had left on Shot Through the Heart.

It was quite a day.

The ADN did an audio slideshow on the event. Our group features prominently in the second half of the presentation. You can see our car as well as when we took over the polka car. I think the back of my head (bandanna wrapped) shows up in a polka car photo.

The Story is here: http://www.adn.com/excursions/v-swf/story/365957.html

My pictures are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jack.r.mckenna/SkiTrain

Flattop Glissade

The first Friday that Andy was up here, March 21, He, Mike, Lea and I headed to Flattop for a hike. It was after work, but with our copious amounts of daylight (over 13 hours now) we had plenty of time.

The weather was gorgeous. It was sunny and surprisingly warm. You know, high 30s to low 40s. That's warm. Really.

We picked up Mike and then headed for the hills. The trail was snow covered by hard packed. It made for easy walking.

We saw snowboarders heading down as we hiked up. We had a bit of trouble with footing and had to watch our step. Without a bit of care it was easy to slip. A fall would have led to a bit of a slide down a snow-covered slope, but nothing drastic.

The last part of the climb involved a bit of care. We kicked out mini-toeholds in the snow and eventually made it to the top.

The view was fantastic. Denali and the whole of the Alaska Range was visible across Cook Inlet. Anchorage was laid out below us with lights starting to wink at us as the sun began to set. The mountains of the Kenai Peninsula stretched off to the South. Behind us, to the East, the peaks of the Chugach marched into the clouds.

The sun began to set and we decided to take the quick way down. I went first and glissaded (slid on my butt) about 1/3rd of a mile down a snow filled gully. It was fantastic, although I arrived at the bottom of the gully covered in powder. Lea, Andy and Mike followed. Both Andy and Mike shouted that they couldn't feel their faces because of the snow and cold. It was exhilerating.

The sun continued to set as we hiked back to our car. It was a gorgeous night.

We topped it off with Mexican food at Taco King.





PICTURES: http://picasaweb.google.com/jack.r.mckenna/FlattopGlissade

Wildlife in the Front Yard

On March 16, we got back from the Oosik in Talkeetna and were getting settled in at home. I looked out the front and notice two moose calves across the street.

I stepped outside to get a look and noticed two bald eagles perched in a tree down the street. The eagles were fighting with the local ravens. The ravens were not happy to have the eagles in the area and were ganging up on the interlopers. They would dive bomb the eagles in pairs.

Over the next half hour I watched the young moose wander around and the eagles and ravens chase each other around the treetops.



PICTURES: http://picasaweb.google.com/jack.r.mckenna/FrontYardWildlife

Oosik Classic Ski Race

Saturday was the Oosik Classic Ski Race, a 25k or 50k classic cross country ski race that is put on each year out of Talkeetna. The race began at Fish Lake. The trail linked snow covered lakes with stretches that went over small hills on narrow trails through the trees. It was beautiful.

Thomas Oyberg of Skjak, Norway, won the men's 50k race. That's right, Skjak, Norway.

We left Anchorage on Friday night and drove up to Talkeetna, which is a bit over a two hour drive. We arrived at the cabins we had rented. They turned out to be large and quite nice. They looked out over the river. From the river you could see Foraker and Denali.

Dinner was at the West Rib Pub. The West Rib is a climber hangout with climbing holds on the wall, a ping-pong table and a fixation with their cat, Stubbs. We piled in around a couple of tables and enjoyed some burgers and beer, perfect pre-race food. Just ask any expert. Really.

The next morning we got up early to get ourselves a seat at the Roadhouse for breakfast. The Roadhouse has some fantastic breakfasts, although their proportions are a bit gargantuan. Two normal people can easily split one of their half portions. But with a 15 mile ski coming up, we needed to have plenty of fuel.

The start of the race was out at Fish Lake, which is a few miles back up the road towards Anchorage. Lea, MK, Brendan, Megan and Ashley got off to an early start. Callie, Kate and I decided to do the race together. Kate got her skis waxed one more time by the professionals on hand while Callie and I warmed up and jumped around. Then we headed out.

The race started out on a path that followed fish lake out and then headed into the trees. The narrow portions over the hills between lakes were my favorite. It was like a combination of trail running and skiing. We would get minor downhills whenever we came back to a lake. They were fun, but a bit scary because our skis don't have metal edges and so snow plowing only does so much good.

Soon we were getting passed by the truly good skiers. Here's a video of them shooting past us. They were easily going double our pace.



The race had aid stations with water, but the first one wasn't until the halfway point. We were parched and downed multiple cups of gatorade and some cookies. Then it was back on the trail.

The second half of the course went quickly. Soon we were rounding the bend onto Fish Lake with the finish line in sight. Callie, Kate and I came in together, happy to be done. The race turned out to be the perfect length. It was still fun when we finished, but we were tired.

We stuck around and watched our friends finish. Liz took off for a short ski while we photographed people coming in. Once everyone was in, we headed back to the cabin to change, shower and warm up.

Dinner that night was in Talkeetna's Community Arts Hangar, an old hangar in town that has been converted to a playhouse/banquet facility. Food and beer were plentiful. Conversation was lively. Once all the awards were given and door prizes handed out the band started up and the tables were cleared to make way for dancers.

We skipped out on the start of the dancing to get a drink at the Fairview. It was nice to get somewhere a bit quieter for a while to talk. Then we headed back for the dancing. Eventually we got tired and headed back to the cabins to get some much needed sleep.

Sunday we returned for another Roadhouse breakfast before heading back to Anchorage.

PICTURES:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jack.r.mckenna/Oosik

Other Thoughts on Winter in Alaska

We received the following email a few weeks ago while at work:

The Tok Court Will be closed until further notice due to cold weather (we will open again when the temperature reaches above -55F). In case of emergency, please contact Magistrate Ward on his cell phone.