More on Crust

         After this week, I just had to write another post about the crust skiing.  This time of year, as the mountain snowpack settles and endures multiple freeze/thaw cycles, clear, freezing nights bring about perfect conditions for a thick crust to form.  This crust is strong enough to support a running moose and allows you to ski wherever you want to in the mountains.   For a few weeks each year, depending on these specific conditions, travel in the mountains is basically unencumbered and fast!  A high mountain lake which may take you an hour to hike around in the summer is now a 10 minute ski across.  Miles of brush, impenetrable alder bushes, creeks and rivers, rocky moraines are all hidden beneath the snow and the crust allows you access to areas you wouldn't think of going other times of the year.
         This week the conditions were perfect and cold clear mornings became bright sunny days.  I cleared my schedule.

Middle Fork Campbell Cr. - Williwaw Lakes

South Fork Campbell Cr. - Powerline Pass - with Jess

South Fork Eagle River - Eagle Lake

        Much of my research for skiing in these great mountains has looked to former Vermonter Tim Kelley.  His website, Alaska Performance Backcountry Skiing, is a wealth of knowledge for skiing most anywhere in the state - off the beaten path.  Thanks, Tim!   These have been totally unique and rewarding outings and I'm still in awe of this opportunity I've been afforded!

Off Season

          I've been feeling lately that this is a hard time of year to figure out what to do in Alaska.  For the last 2 weeks, temperatures in town have been in the mid 50's and our snow is rapidly disappearing.  The ski and running trails that have been so wonderfully buff all winter season have now become pitted and rutty as they go through a daily melt/freeze cycle.  That quick mid day,in town ski is no longer a reality and running the trails involves punching through to your knees every few steps.
           Luckily, this time of year, our deep snowpack starts to develop a crust after a day of melting and then a hard nights freeze.  This crust can be difficult to time with other in town responsibilities, but when you've got the opportunity, you'd better go.

I've had a couple of incredible days of crust skiing south of Anchorage.  Portage glacier used to flow into a wide valley well within view of the Portage Glacier Visitors Center.  Now, the glacier has receded and is no longer visible.  But on the crust, one can ski 4 miles across the lake and directly up to its' face.  

20 Mile river valley is another ideal spot for crust skiing.  Perfectly flat swamp leads 10 or more miles back the valley to the 20 mile glacier.  Wide open flats, tons of moose, wolverine tracks, this is truly a ski you wait for all year!  My brother Brent and I on a 25 mile ski on a perfect day.

And the south facing slopes along the Turnagain Arm south of Anchorage are starting to melt down to bare ground.  Earth!  I've been taking advantage of this dirt to do some fun early season steep hikes and meeting some new friends along the way!

Our 1st visitor

          In the last weeks of March, we had our first visitor.  Lea Weissenfels, our good friend and former au pair, made the haul from Germany to see us and visit Alaska.  Lea was with us in Vermont for a year in 2010 - lived upstairs and watched the kids for us.  We chose to have an au pair because of the unique relationship that evolves between care giver and family.  Our experience has been that the au pair truly becomes one of the family and cements a life long relationship.  Needless to say, it was nice to have her "back home".  

We began by taking her around town - the Alaska zoo is a unique outdoor experience with interesting creatures.

And we were blessed with what was the beginning of our spring weather - sunny and warm (in the 40's) - but still full snowpack.

The kids were excited to be able to take off their heavy jackets for the first time in months!

Sunny trips to Seward, Portage Glacier, and the Wildlife Conservation Center include some of the most amazing scenery in Alaska.

In the week after their visit, a juvenile Grizzly escaped from its' enclosure at the Wildife Center and mosied off into the surrounding country.  This bear has no survival skills as it was born in captivity and will most likely struggle to survive in the wilderness.  

This bear, however, is doing quite well in a wilderness setting!

Next, we went up to Willow and spent some time at the cabin.  Things are beginning to warm up a bit and the snowpack has become isothermic.  Meaning it is a bottomless slushy mess and will no longer hold your body weight.  The lake ice is fine though and we spent some time playing in the slush.

...and a failed attempt to auger through the lake ice.  We got about 3+ feet down and the ice was so dense, the auger would no longer cut through it!

Easter weekend was unique as it was the first time we have hunted eggs in the snow! We all had a good time sinking up to out thighs!

The wonderful thing about our relationship with our au pairs is how easy it is to be together, even after not seeing each other for several years.  The difficult thing is saying goodbye and not knowing when the next visit will be.  But these relationships will last, and knowing that will bring us together again, and it will be easy and comfortable, and the time between will melt away.

Good Alaskan fun!

          This time of year, most dog mushers are gearing down from the long winter.  Dogs have been run hard all season and races are done for the year.  They are not run as much on these warmer spring days and begin to go stir crazy in the dog lot.  Occasionally, you've gotta just let 'em run!

         We had the good fortune to meet Lois and Eric Gnoble, who run Camai Kennel in Eagle River, Alaska and Tupper Lake, NY.  Lois is super friendly and invited us out to go mushing with them and their dogs.  The have 22 dogs in their lot and their daughter Alea runs a team through the winter at various races across Ak and the lower 48.  Wonderful family, and we took them up on their offer this last weekend.

         They pulled several sprint sleds out of the back of their truck and we began to harness and hook dogs to the sleds.   I figured the invitation had meant come along and ride in the sled, but as we got the dogs ready, it became apparent they intended to give us the opportunity to mush the dogs ourselves.  How exciting!  The kids were a bit nervous about steering the sleds, but once assured that the dogs knew where they were going, they relaxed.  And then, they were off!

          By the look on Jess's face, I think you'd be safe to say she enjoyed it.  Harriet was concentrating and encouraging the dogs.  "Come on boys, hike, hike"!  Griffin and I rode together on the sled with a few more dogs up front.

     There was also a smaller loop that the kids got to go on by themselves on a smaller sled with a single dog.  All the time talking to the dogs, encouraging them, and kicking a leg behind the sled (like a skateboard) to help them up the hills.  They were both naturals!

Often included in the bigger sled dog races around the state are smaller races for the younger folk and the Gnobles offered to let Harriet and Griffin run their dogs in a few of the events next winter - something to look forward to!