...girls trip to the cabin

Mrs. Hufford is ready to ride.

One passenger fell asleep on the way.

Mrs. Hufford is lifting the house built on a chasm between the beach and a giant boulder.

The girls went for a canoe ride on Bill Besser Lake on Saturday morning.

Playing a game of dominoes in the cabin.

The cabin is 14 miles from the end of the road at Captain Cook State Park. The girls left on Friday afternoon to spend the night. They had fun and brought these photos back. The adventure involved four-wheelers, the cabin, a canoe, and a house built on the beach which spanned a chasm between the shore and a giant boulder. All in all it was reportedly a great...girls trip to the cabin.

...salmon frenzy

Local welding shops build and sell dip nets.

This is the dream vehicle of dip netters. Everything is here including: dip nets on the roof, coolers, wagon with pneumatic tires for the sandy beach, and firewood.

The view of dip netters from the bluff above the beach at the mouth of the Kenai River.

Getting ready to put a dip net in the water near Bridge Access Road.

The prize--a salmon in the net.

The mouth of the Kenai River has been besieged by dip netters for the past couple of weeks. Since this is the final weekend of the dip netting season (unless there is an emergency opening extending it), I decided to drive around Kenai this morning and take a few photos of what was happening. As you can see, the dip netters were out early and I expect the growth in their numbers will crescendo until sometime late this evening. Then it will start all over again tomorrow.

It used to be that I would join the crowds and fill our freezer to overflowing with packages of salmon. Every time we would open the freezer door frozen solid packets of sockeye would fall out and nearly break our toes. I'm beyond that now, but I did go dip netting yesterday morning and spent six hours standing in the water for a meager amount of fish. There is no danger of broken toes this year. I do have to say that I enjoyed my time dip netting in spite of the lack of fish. I was able to visit with some very interesting people and got a first hand view of a guy who put on a wet suit and swam out into the middle of the river with his dip net. Then, he floated downstream toward Cook Inlet. He must really like salmon.

I may go back and try dip netting again after the crowds thin, but for now I'm just going to watch and enjoy the...salmon frenzy

...of fireweed and bees

Back lit bee and fireweed.
Hovering bee.

Moving in for a landing.

A lone stalk of fireweed.

The bees were very busy in the fireweed this afternoon! They were everywhere but I still had to be fast with my shutter finger to catch them as they buzzed from one stalk of fireweed to the next. It was kind of fun and I kept at it for about 30 minutes. Of course, I tried not think of the bittersweet beauty of the fireweed as it is a harbinger of the end of summer. Once it reaches the top the first snowfall is only six weeks away. Ouch. But, for now I will bask in summer and think only...of fireweed and bees.

...Denali 2009 (cont 2)

July 15, 2009
Teklanika Campground
Denali National Park (cont 2)
Emily reads on a rainy morning at Teklanika Campground in Denali National Park.

It had been raining heavily since 3:00 AM. We decided to put the Igloo Canyon hike we had planned on hold unless it stopped. Even then the brush was so wet we would get soaked just hiking through it. So, we spent the morning reading, playing card games, coloring, and catching up on our camping journal. Rainy day activities to be certain. After lunch the rain quit briefly and we tinkered with the idea of hopping on a bus and going for a hike. Then it started to rain again. Just as heavily as before. We stayed put and ate Jiffy Pop popcorn with M&M's in it as a special rainy day treat. Later in the evening the rain stopped and the clouds thinned and lifted. We walked around the campground knowing that we would have to depart the next morning. None of us were ready to leave.

Then she played a game--or two--of Solitaire.

Cribbage was next on the list.

A view of a rainy day in Denali National Park. It was almost 80 degrees just two days earlier.

July 16, 2009

We took our time packing up and driving from Teklanika Campground to the Visitor Center. We looked for wildlife along the way and took in the sweeping vistas. Eventually we arrived at the park entrance and it was like an immediate culture shock. After six days of the laid back and quiet of Teklanika Campground we were suddenly surrounded by cars, trucks, RV's, buses, and tourists. At the Visitor Center we did our best to wait in line without wincing when fellow park goers cut in front of us to speak with the rangers. When we finally made it to the desk Emily showed Ranger Quentin all the work she had done in her Junior Ranger book and he happily swore her in as a Junior Ranger of Denali National Park. She got to wear the ranger hat and received a badge which she was very proud of as her parents snapped an inordinate amount of photos. It was fun. Afterward we wandered around the displays which were very nice representations and explanations of the real thing. Laura took a good long time reading everything she could about them. When we left the Visitor Center we all knew it was time to leave the park. We stopped in Cantwell for fuel and then it was on to Palmer where we spent the night. We already missed the caribou, lynx, Dall sheep, wolves, and bears of...Denali 2009 (cont 2).

Emily is sworn in as a Junior Ranger at the Visitor Center. She proudly completed all the activities in the Junior Ranger activity book.

...Denali 2009 (cont)

July 14, 2009
Teklanika Campground #18
Denali National Park (cont)

Laura tries out the caribou headgear. These antlers at the Toklat rest stop have to be the most photographed antlers in the world. Everyone has their picture taken with them above their heads.

I woke up early this morning (like 4:00 AM early) and couldn't go back to sleep. I decided to take an early morning hike so I took off determined to make it as far as I could before the first bus of the day passed me. I was almost at Igloo Campground before I heard rumbling behind me and the first bus drove by in a cloud of dust. I turned around and by the time I got back to Teklanika I had walked over eight miles. The winds had also changed direction during the night and the air smelled of smoke. It was extremely hazy due to the wildfires burning throughout Interior Alaska. I told Liz and Laura about my little adventure and they decided to ride their bikes to Igloo where they once again soaked their feet in the cold water of Igloo Creek.
Later in the afternoon we caught the bus to Toklat. By this time the smoke/haze was so dense that visibility was extremely reduced. But, the bus was full of friendly people and the driver had lots of anecdotes and stories about Denali, so we sat back and enjoyed the ride. We didn't see any animals on our way out so we had plenty of time at the Toklat rest stop to take photos of the caribou and moose antlers they have there and to visit the small bookstore which is operated by the Alaska Natural History Association.
On the way back to Teklanika we made the only wildlife sighting of the afternoon trip. A lone Dall sheep was spotted very high on Cathedral Mountain. If you had powerful binoculars you could see him, but many passengers were certain it was nothing more than a "patch of snow."
It was late when we got back and everyone was tired from all the walking, biking, and bus riding we had done so it was off to bed. Then, at about 3:00 AM it began to rain--heavily.
When we took a photo at this same location on Polychrome Pass yesterday. At that time we could see the mountains on the other side of the valley (see previous blog entry). Smoke from nearby wildfires reduced visibility significantly.

This semi-permanent structure is located at the Toklat rest stop. If you look closely you can see the silhouette of Divide Mountain in the background. It was a very hazy day.

Laura and Liz pose in front of the bus we rode to Toklat.

...Denali 2009

July 11, 2009
Teklanika Campground #18
Denali National Park

It was hot when we arrived. At the park entrance the temperature was 79 degrees. At Teklanika Campground it was 73. We had never experienced this kind of weather on our annual Denali trips. The temperatures are usually cool and it is often rainy. We really wanted to make use of every minute so we ate a quick dinner of Tuna Helper and headed to the campground amphitheater to attend a ranger talk about the "Trials and Tribulations of Denali's Caribou." It was interesting and the girls enjoyed looking at the caribou antlers.

The Hufford girls in front of the sign at the entrance to Teklanika Campground which is 29 miles inside the park.

A park ranger displays caribou antlers and describes what life is like for a Denali caribou.

The Hufford girls pose for the camera while hiking on Tattler Creek.

July 12, 2009

The next morning we awoke to what was certainly going to be another warm day. We put on our hiking boots and hopped a bus to Tattler Creek. We walked about a mile up the valley and climbed a hill where we spent about two hours enjoying the spectacular views and watching golden eagles float effortlessly on the canyon thermals. We also, believe-it-or-not, complained about the heat. It was sweltering.

After hiking back to the road Liz, Laura, and Emily soaked their feet in Tattler Creek near the bridge. Several buses passed but we weren't ready to leave so we didn't flag them down. After a while everyone had their socks and boots back on and we were waiting for the next bus to pass when Liz said, "There's a wolf!" Sure enough, on the other side of the road from us was a black and white wolf. We caught just the most brief glimpse of it as it made its way down Igloo Creek. It was a great sighting even though there was no time to get a photo.

We stopped the next bus and rode back to the campground where we ate hamburgers and went to a ranger talk about Barbara Washburn. Emily got to play the part of the bear during the safety announcements.

A park ranger shows the crowd how to "act big" when you see a bear in the park. Emily was a very ferocious bear during the demonstration.

July 13, 2009

Today's hike was a bust. We rode a very crowded bus to Little Stony Creek where, upon our arrival, the driver spotted a sow and two cubs in the distance. The bus driver couldn't let us off within 1/2 mile of the bears so we disembarked a little earlier than we had planned. We had intended to hike Stony Dome but it didn't look particularly kid friendly so we decided to follow Little Stony Creek for a while. We saw a small ridge in the distance that looked like it would be fun to climb so we headed for it only to find that a stream ran along its base. And, it was too deep to cross. We tromped around for a bit before everyone got a little, well, testy (I think it was due to the heat). There was a brief mutiny and we decided it would be best to hike back to the road and catch a bus back to the campground. We waited for nearly an hour before one came along, which was okay because nerves calmed and we were able to view Denali in its full glory for the entire time.

On the bus ride back we saw a sow with a cub just before arriving at Toklat and a lone grizzly walking on the East Fork of the Toklat below Polychrome Pass. They were too far away to get a good photo but we enjoyed watching them through the binoculars. We also stopped for a photo op on Polychrome Pass.

The Hufford girls on Polychrome Pass. It was beautifully clear on this day. The next day the view was obscured by smoke from some of the 70 wildfires burning in Alaska.

We ate burritos when we got back and decided to take a short hike to the top of the hill near the campground. As we were walking down the road a lynx stepped out into the open and crossed in front of us! Once again, there was no time for a photo but we considered ourselves extremely lucky to have seen the wild cat as it walked within 30 feet of us.

We marched on to the top of the hill and enjoyed the views for about 30 minutes in the wind before heading back to the campground where Emily rode her bike around the loops. Then it was time to go to sleep and get rested for the next day which I will write about later. So, stay tuned for more of the Hufford's trip to...Denali 2009.

...hazy morning skies

There are presently 62 wildfires burning in Alaska. The nearest is just a few miles away near the Funny River. All the smoke makes for some dramatically hazy sunrises. These photos were taken near Captain Cook State Park this morning. Good examples of...hazy morning skies.

...4th of July Angel Food cake

Laura woke up early on July 4th and said she had a good idea for an Independence Day dessert. It involved some of the blueberries we picked last summer, which have been frozen solid since then, and, oh, "we'll have to go to the store for a couple of other ingredients that represent the red and the white." The blueberries represented the blue. So, to the store we went. We got strawberries for the red and Angel Food cake for the white...and two containers of whipping cream. The spray kind. They were on sale. Two for one. Who could resist? Besides, we needed more white.

For the remainder of the afternoon the talk and anticipation of Laura's dessert escalated. We went for a walk on the beach and when we got back we all knew it was time. Laura put all the ingredients on the counter while the rest of us stood and watched. She cut the pieces of cake, sliced the strawberries, and sprinkled blueberries around. Then she sprayed on the whipped cream. The end result was a something to behold. It was red, white, and blue, with some extra white whipped cream for a few of us. And--when you took the first bite, you knew you would have to have two servings. It was delicious. Really delicious, and a great way to top off the day, with a...4th of July Angel Food cake.

...we went to Girdwood

Canadian fries are served with vinegar and sea salt--and a little Canadian flag. Very delicious.

The Whipsaws are a great band. Here is the lead singer.

The artist, the pavilion, and the band.

Emily joined the crowd and moved to the music.

This artist completed this painting right next to the pavilion as the band played. It took him about 45 minutes.

We should be camping right now. That was the plan when we woke up this morning. We even packed our gear in the truck. Then we drove to Trail River Campground. But, when we arrived there was a sign that said the campground was full. It was the beginning of the Fourth of July weekend, so we hoped we would have better luck at Granite Creek Campground. It, too, was full. Bertha Creek Campground. Full. Williwaw Campground. Maxed out. So we changed our plans.

We knew the Girdwood Forest Faire was in full swing (after a one year hiatus), and since we were in the area, we drove to Girdwood. We got there just in time to take a leisurely stroll through the booths, buy some really greasy food, and find a spot to sit and listen to one of the best bands in Alaska (in my opinion), the Whipsaws! The crowd really grew when they started to play and Emily jumped up and moved to the music. An artist created a plein air painting next to the pavilion as the band played in perfect weather conditions.

It turned out to be a pretty good day even though it wasn't what we had planned. Now we're back at home and everything is put away until the next camping trip. Because, instead of spending the night in the tent...we went to Girdwood.

...a few random photos

Boats of the drift fleet near the mouth of the Kenai River with Mt. Redoubt in the background.

Lots of lupine.

A young bull moose surveys the scene.

Over the past few days I've been driving early in the morning and taking photos every so often. It's been a great way to start the day, but things may change for a while. It seems the digital sensor on my camera has some dust particles cemented to it. I can't seem to remove them. If you are reading this and happen to know how to clean digital sensors, let me know. I've tried everything short of a vacuum cleaner. Otherwise, I may have to take it to a camera service center for repairs. In the meantime I will use my point-and-shoot camera to take more shots like the ones above. Just...a few random photos.

...Martha Moose

For the past two mornings I have not seen a single moose. Today I saw 11 of them including this cow I named Martha near the Swanson River in Captain Cook State Park. I watched as she ate mouthfuls of grass and eventually disappeared in the dense brush. The weather was beautiful again and things were quiet. All that will change this weekend as Fourth of July revelers fill the campgrounds and celebrate the holiday. This morning it was just the moose and me. One of them was named...Martha Moose.

...signs of the season

Accidentally get snagged by an errant fish hook? You can get it removed in Sterling.

Don't forget to take off your waders before entering this restaurant in Cooper Landing.

The annual summer fishing frenzy is clearly underway here on the Kenai Peninsula. It seems every other vehicle you pass on the highway is towing a boat or has dipnets strapped to the top of it. Fishing rods stick out of car windows and the daily newspaper prints the sonar count of salmon entering the Kenai River. And, you can get fishing reports updated every few hours on the local radio station. There are plenty of indications that the salmon are here alright. Even the notifications found on local businesses (above) are most assuredly...signs of the season.