Glacier Creek

Ryan and I headed down to Glacier creek in Girdwood for some quick and easy packrafting. A beautiful 1 mile trail took us to the hand tram.

 

I love how right off the bat its go time on this fast little creek. I think this is my favorite type of float, low volume and splashy.

 

Ryan's boat got swamped and he couldn't avoid hitting the corner which dumped him out of his boat. He got out in an eddy and I caught his boat and pulled into an eddy on the opposite side of the river. Sometimes I debate bringing a throw rope because its not something you can use in the boat, but it can be effective in getting someone else stuck on the opposite shore without their boat a more secure way back across the river.

 

With that excitement behind us we cruised down the rest of the river, such a pretty place to spend a few hours.

 

Wolverine Peak

Ughh the first trot up Wolverine peak this year! It was brutal, usually I've put in more uphill mileage at Arctic valley before this point, but not this year!

 

 

T.2:40:D.9.4:EG.3500

Falls Creek Trail

My good friend Kristen came to town, its been at least a couple years since I have seen her. We went for a mellow walk up Falls Creek trail. There was a a ton of snow still in the valley.

 

 

Three little people on the left against the snow on the mountains.

 

I think this is the hardest I've ever seen this little creek flow, it was cranking.

 

Near Point

Raina and I went for a hike up Near Point. It was the first time that I found the trail that hit the ridge, much nicer than walking up the boggy section in the middle.

 

Still some snow hanging out in the higher peaks.

 

The Lower Eagle River

Ryan, Raina and I floated the lower Eagle River from the Hiland Bridge onto base. The water was running low, but it was still fun.

Ryan at the Put In

 

 

Ryan went over something sharp on the left side of camp ground rapids and tore a 6 inch perfect slit in the floor of his boat. It quickly became apparent that the boat was flooding too fast, luckily Raina brought a repair kit.

Raina and Ryan

 

 

A super fun float and I look forward to doing it at higher water.

Snot Rocket Walks Continue

The trail back to Eagle and Symphony lakes is relatively snow free, but super muddy. My intentions were to go to the lakes, but I reevaluated that plan during a hailstorm and decided to take my snottiness out of there.

Triangle Peak

 

 

 

I Gotta Say..

Flat Top is becoming my new favorite hike. I used to never hike it out of self righteous ideals that it was below me, with all those switch backs and people...yuck. But now I can appreciate the gentle grade and stairs, I smile at the people as I walk by. Its easily the best view for the least amount of effort.

 

And then I got sick for two weeks...

Being sick has got to be one of the most frustrating wastes of time I can think of. I knew I was getting sick the morning I woke up. There was a dull ache in my lungs and yellow lugis, then it went to my nose and I spent a lot of time on the couch hacking and blowing snot rockets. Not pretty.

Turnagain Arm

 

Floating with Friends

My friends Matt and Krista are back in town and we decided to met up and go floating. I invited my friend Caitlin along, and she invited to of her buddies and thats how all 6 of us ended up floating part of the Matanuska river from Keiths Road to Hicks creek.

 

It didn't take us long to get to the take out so we decided to move the cars and float some more.

Photo by: Krista

 

The Chickaloon river was running low and the water was a beautiful semi translucent green. There were a couple of fun splashy sections, it would be fun to do at higher water.

Photo by Krista

 

Matt and Krista took one for the team and did the car shuttle and took pictures. It was a super fun day out.


Photo by: Krista

 

Slide Show of Krista and My Pics

The Kiliak Wall

Ryan and I decided it was time to try and do some rock climbing. He is partial to the Kiliak wall in Eagle River since he has put up a lot of the routes. I like it up there because the views are awesome. The mosquitoes were terrible, but we had mosquito coils and within a 1/2 hour we had smoked them out.

 

All the routes were dry and it was fun to be climbing outside again.

 

Training at Eklutna Lake

My good buddy Rapheal said he would ride his bike with me while I went for my run at Eklutna Lake. I'm trying to build up some mileage so I can be in shape for more interesting runs and trots through the mountains this summer.

 

Rapheal had fun encouraging me to go faster, jump over more obstacles, and work harder. He got into his imaginary role as my personal trainer and decided I should be a triathlete and when I ran he would bike, when I swam he would row a boat, and when it was my turn on the bike, he would ride a motorcycle. We had a good laugh over that one.

 

The lake is still frozen but the trail is mostly dry. The mountains are still full of snow and look beautiful.

 

Every spring I wish I would have maintained my running shape through the winter, and every winter wish I had spent more time climbing in the summer. Its hard to stay in shape for everything.

 

Icy Banks: Spring Float on the Matanuska

I'm craving summer. Even though the mountains are still full of snow I am just mentally over winter, maybe have been for a while! So Ryan, Rapheal, Bobbie Jo and I all decided to float part of the Matanuska river from close to King Mountain lodge to the King River.

There was still a lot of ice along the bank which influenced where Rapheal could launch his big raft.

 

The ice along the bank fractured into long spindly pieces and the tinkling sounds it made as it sheared it off the banks was musical.

 

The float was pretty mellow, low water but not butt boating, a perfect first float of the year.

 

Me, Rapheal, Bobbie Jo and Ryan

 

It took about 3-4 hrs with stops along the way, a great day out.