Train Ride, Sidewalks, and Floating the Placer River

When we woke up we had no idea what to do with the beautiful day. A few minutes on the great internet secured us seats on the AK railroad to get a drop off at the Spencer Glacier whistlestop. We had a 1/2 hr to pack and head out the door!

Getting off the train

 

Hiking Around the Lake

 

 

We decided to walk around the lake to the toe of the glacier, I was just as psyched to walk back, but we decided to float across the lake, all I can say is that I'm glad that there wasn't a head wind, and the views were incredible.

Blowing up the Boats

 

 

The Placer river is a pretty boring float. If it didn't involve a glacier and a train ride it would be much less appealing. A wonderful day out with great company, no complaints!

 

An Almost Attempt and Float out Eagle River

Ryan and I woke up to low clouds and our dreams of ascending Yukla started to wither. We gave it a good go, but the bush schwack and dreary weather defeated us. There were amazing beaver trails up the hillside near Twin Falls, we could have been more persistent.

 

 

We decided to stay another night after our futile bush schwack.

 

 

A quick paddle navigating trees brought us to Echo bend where we took out and hiked back to the nature center.

 

Crow Pass to the Eagle River

It was a glorious morning on top of the pass,and no need to hurry.

 

 

 

A lingering snow patch below the pass

 

We hiked all the way up to the lake, neither of us had been up there before. The toe of the glacier still looked far away. We paddled to the start of the river and were treated to a fantastic ride down. It was cranking, there were some super fun wave trains, then it of course mellows out farther down. We took out below Twin falls, and camped with dreams of Mt. Yukla above us.

 

Glacier Creek and Up to Crow Pass

Ryan came into town for a week, and I was a bit surprised he was ready to head back outside for a float, hike,and camp trip, but I ran with it! He got a new alpacka raft, it looks like an inflatable kayak, its pretty sweet.

Glacier Creek was Cranking

 

Glacier creek was significantly higher than the last time I was there, but it almost made it easier because there weren't as many rocks to avoid. Ryan definitely was in love with his new boat after the first corner. Having a spray deck is pretty nice, he's been roughing it in the old alpacka!

The Put In

 

The float was fast, we were out within the hour. Ryan biked back up to the car while I dried gear in the sun. We still had a good amount of daylight so we headed up to Crow Pass for the night.