GLOBAL FAT BIKE DAY 2023, EXIT GLACIER, KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, DECEMBER 2-4

GLOBAL FAT BIKE DAY 2023, WILLOW PUBLIC USE CABIN, EXIT GLACIER, KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, DECEMBER 2-4, 2023

The Kenai Fjords National Park sign near the Exit Glacier Cabin.

For the second year in a row we celebrated Global Fat Bike Day by pedaling our fat bikes to the Willow Public Use Cabin at Exit Glacier.  This year we stayed for two nights.  The posse included myself, Jim Bennett, and Doug Armstrong.

Jim and Doug ready to ride fat bikes to the cabin.

Doug and I met Jim at the gate crossing Exit Glacier Road.  After loading the bikes and sleds with gear we began pedaling toward the cabin.  The ground was barren of snow, but the road had a glaze of ice on it so our sleds could glide along.  Once we got closer to the cabin there was more snow on the ground.  Although it wasn't very deep, it was frozen solid as concrete and we were able to easily pedal over the surface without sinking.

Jim riding his fat bike and pulling a sled toward the cabin.

It took us about an hour-and-a-half to pedal the seven miles to the cabin.  That included several rest stops along the way where we took many photos and enjoyed the views of the mountains.

Willow Public Use Cabin at Exit Glacier with fat bikes on the porch.

Upon our arrival we took our gear inside and parked our bikes on the porch.  The cabin has a propane heating system that keeps everything toasty.  The lights are powered by a solar panel (look closely just

below the peak of the roof and you can see it) which kept things nice and bright.

Jim had a small stereo speaker and a playlist of really good music that we listened to for most of the afternoon and evening.  We also held an Andy Griffith Trivia challenge and chose topics of conversation which kept us awake until 10:00 PM.  Which is way past old man bedtime.

Early morning in the cabin meant puzzle time on the cell phones.

In the morning we got up and made breakfast while working  daily puzzles which had been downloaded on our phones.  There isn't any cell service at the cabin so Doug was bummed that his Wordle streak was broken. 

Filling water containers.

Even though the cabin has heat and lights, there isn't any running water.  Instead, we took several containers to a nearby stream where we filled them with ice cold water and took them back to the cabin.

Pulling a sled of full water containers back to the cabin.

A good supply of water.

The stove/oven in the cabin.

After procuring water we decided to spend the remainder of the day hiking to the Exit Glacier Overlook and the then back down the road to the bridge over the Resurrection River.  The weather was gorgeous and although the sun never hit the lower parts of the valley it lit up the peaks and ridges almost making them glow.  It was really beautiful.

Sunlit mountain.

Another sunlit mountain.

We woke up early on Monday morning and ate breakfast.  Then we packed our gear for the ride back to the vehicles.  The conditions were the same as when we rode in so it was a fast trip due to the downhill gradient of the road.  We arrived at the vehicles, loaded our bikes and gear, then drove back home.  It was a great adventure and we're already making plans to return for Global Fat Bike Day 2024!

DENALI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, SEPTEMBER 6-10, 2023

Denali didn't make an appearance until the morning we left.  Then it was strikingly majestic.

DENALI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, SEPTEMBER 6-10, 2023

ATHABASCAN (DENE') LAND

LOGISTICS:

     We left Nikiski and drove to Eagle River where we spent the night.  The next morning we stopped at the Eagle River Fred Meyer store on the way out of town and shopped for the supplies we would need for the trip.  Then we made the drive to Grizzly Bear Cabins which is where we stay during our annual foray to Denali National Park.

The scenery was so beautiful Mrs. Huffy couldn't take her eyes off it.  

Day 1:  (9/6/23)

     The week after Labor Day is traditionally the time we go to Denali National Park.  We've made this little trip enough times now that it's routine when we head out the door and up the road.  It has become customary to drive from our house in Nikiski to Eagle River where we spend the night before driving to the park.  We did just that.  

    And, while we were in Eagle River we decided to visit a restaurant called Jalapeños Mexican Restaurant and Cantina because we had seen its many ads on TV.  We also knew it was a spot where we could get a margarita in remembrance of Jimmy Buffet's passing.  Margaritaville was a good place to be on a rainy evening in Eagle River, Alaska.

    The next morning we stopped at Fred Meyer on our way out of town to pick up some supplies for the trip. It was the typical fare of convenient breakfast foods and some sandwich makings for our lunches.  I honestly think we could keep the same shopping list from year-to-year because we always get the same thing.  Actually we probably don't even need a shopping list.  We've done it so often we have the items we need memorized.

    After shopping we got in the car and poured some juice in the carburetor.  We were bound for Denali National Park.  Listening to Elton John and The Tragically Hip we cruised down the road making the typical stops for fuel and rest breaks.  

    In no time we were turning onto the park road and headed for Savage River.  Motoring along we gained elevation as the remnants of the previous night's snowstorm crept down the mountainsides, closer and closer to the edge of the road.  Near the Vista Parking area the snow was on the road.  The bushes were weighed down and bent over with the weight of the snow.  We walked down Vista trail a short way and had to turn back due to a deep puddle covering the trail.

    We made the drive back toward Grizzly Bear Cabins and checked in at the front desk.  It only took a few minutes to stow our gear in the Cheechako cabin (our favorite) and that was when we realized we'd forgotten to pack the cribbage board.  Which was kind of embarrassing.  Because we had never left it behind.  These trips are known for the cribbage tournaments we play.  

    Mrs. Huffy immediately commented she had the New York Times crossword puzzle downloaded on her phone and we could use them in lieu of playing cribbage.  It was all we could do.  The string of traditional Denali National Park cribbage tournaments was broken.

    Once we got over the disappointment of the missing cribbage board and had eaten dinner it was time for the evening moose patrol.  We put binoculars, cameras, and some warm clothing in the car and drove toward Savage River once again.  

    Moose patrol is the primary reason we go to Denali at this time of year.  The moose are rutting and they are often very close to the road.  So we drive back and forth waiting and hoping for a moose or two to make themselves visible.  None did on this evening.  But it was just the first moose patrol of several evenings.  We knew things could only get better.

The scenery is vibrant this time of the year.

Bright colors with a snowy background.

Day 2:  (9/7/23)

    We ate breakfast while working on the New York Times crossword puzzle.  As we heated up some water for coffee, tea, and oatmeal, we tried to figure what words would fit in the puzzle spaces.  Following breakfast we drove out to Savage River once again hoping to spot some moose along the road.  But, we didn't expect much because it was a little late in the day.  We didn't see any moose, but we appreciated the spectacular scenery and returned to our cabin for lunch.

    That afternoon we took a hike along the Triple Lakes trail.  Conveniently it's just across the bridge over the Nenana River from Grizzly Bear Cabins.  We hiked along as the clouds were breaking up and the sun began to appear.  About a quarter mile from the trailhead we looked up to see a person standing stationary in the middle of the trail.  He didn't move out of the path and it was obvious he wanted to to talk.  We soon found out that his name was Micheal and he was from Bulgaria.  He had spent the summer working at one of the local hotels but hadn't gotten out hiking very much.  He said he had difficulty finding people to hike with and was terrified of having an encounter with a bear.  So, safety in numbers, so to speak, we took off down the trail as a group of three.  It was fun and our conversation covered topics ranging from Lambourghinis to Bulgarian politics.

    Liz and I had decided that our destination would be a lake where we would turn around and go back to our cabin.  Micheal was unsure about going further by himself, but we assured him that it would be just fine and he took off down the trail on his own.  After parting ways we walked back to the cabin under big puffy clouds and sunshine that actually felt warm.

Mrs. Huffy and the New York Times crossword puzzle on her phone.

    Once back at the cabin we straightened everything up because we were having company.  Things had to look presentable because our dear friends Dave and Sharon were joining us for dinner and moose patrol. They were visiting from Virginia and on a commercial hiking tour of Alaska.  We were extremely happy they had a free evening and we could get together.  We ordered some Red Curry and Drunken Noodles from a Thai food truck in the Grizzly Bear Cabins parking lot which we complimented with Yellow Eye IPA's.  All this happened while sitting around the tiny table in the Cheechako Cabin sharing conversation, laughs, and memories.  It really was nice.

    After we finished eating we prepped for the nightly moose patrol.  I think it was the first one Dave and Sharon had ever been on.  Loading our binoculars and cameras in the car we were all set for the evening ritual of driving back and forth on the Park road hoping a moose would show up and make it all worth the effort.  

    As we drove along we had just passed the rutting moose sign when a cow moose appeared at the side of the road.  Looking up the road further a young, gangly, bull crossed the pavement and walked into the bushes.  We pulled up and got a good look at him even though he was partially hidden by vegetation.  It was a good start to the evening, but we knew there could be more ahead so we drove onward.

    The road was noticeably quiet and we began to speculate there must be a moose somewhere that had all the vehicles stopped.  This turned out to be true, because it wasn't long before we found a cluster of cars, trucks, and busses, in what could only be a moose jam.  We got closer and parked on the edge of the road.  Ahead we saw a crowd of people so we walked toward them.  They had huge camera lenses, spotting scopes, binoculars, and other moose watching paraphernalia all pointing out into the taiga.  Suddenly, there he was...and he had some very large antlers.

    Looking out a couple hundred yards we saw a large bull moose just standing there.  It seemed like he was just appreciatively lingering in the cool evening air.  Every once in a while he would take a couple steps and alter the direction of his interest.  Although we couldn't see them it was obvious there were some cows around and he was monitoring their movements.  We took a good long while watching that moose through our binoculars and taking photos with our phones.  

    It was just as fun to watch all the people with their expensive optic gear maneuver and adjust for the best viewing/photographing positions.  Everyone's attention was riveted to that moose and every move it made.  It was quite the phenomenon.  After a half hour or so we decided to get back in the car and see what else we could find.  We drove out to Vista before turning around and passing through the moose jam again on the return trip.  

    We kept driving and before long we spotted the young bull moose we had seen earlier.  He was unabashedly attempting to gain the attention of a cow, although she was pretty much ignoring him.  He chased all round the area making a big scene.  He would run back and forth, then suddenly stop and stand at attention.  The cow, on the other hand, was singularly focused on eating

    Best of all, though, when we rolled down the car windows we could hear all the moose sounds that were being made.  We could even hear the sound of the cow as she ate the vegetation along the edge of the road.  It was dang awesome.  The bull eventually disappeared and we decided it was time to head back to the cabins.  I think we all agreed it was a very successful evening moose patrol.

We encountered a young bull moose trying to impress a cow just a few hundred yards beyond this sign.

This is the young guy right here.

A short while later we saw this fellow.

Day 3 (9/8/23):

    This was the day we had reservations to ride the bus to East Fork in hopes of spotting some wildlife and appreciating the fall colors.  We also planned to hike in Igloo Canyon.  The ride was excellent and we made it to the East Fork, which is as far as the busses go these days due to the construction at Pretty Rocks. This is where we turned around and headed back to Igloo Canyon.  That's where we got off at Tattler Creek.  

    We basically spent a couple hours walking down the road and had a picnic while sitting along the edge of Igloo Creek.  Looking around at the colorful sides of the canyon, the clouds, and the sky, I felt like I could've stayed there forever.  Every thing was perfect.  I know these kinds of places are permanent, but our time in them is temporary.  So, grudgingly we flagged down a bus that had room for us and hopped on.  In a couple hours we were back at the bus depot.  The only wildlife we saw were two caribou on a hillside near the Sanctuary River.  They were so far away I didn't even bother to take pictures of them.

    Upon returning to our cabin we found a bag of gifts from the Reisling Family, owners of Grizzly Bear Cabins.  We were totally surprised and appreciative of the card with kind words and the hats they gave us. They said they appreciated the fact that we had stayed with them for so many years.  Liz and I both thought it was a very charming gesture and we appreciated it very much.

    That evening we went on moose patrol again and were we ever in for a whopping good show!  Just like the evening before the road was very quiet which meant there was a moose jam somewhere. We drove along and found it in the same general area it had been in the night before.  We pulled our car off the road and parked before walking toward the crowd of people gathered along the edge of the road.  

    As we got closer a huge bull moose stepped out of the bushes and nearly straight into some people.  It crossed the road passing within inches of vehicles and made its way to the other side. Taking a few steps into the brush it stopped and put its antlers into a rather large bush.  Then it shredded that bush into nothingness in 28 seconds.  It was honestly one of those times when you are so focused that you're kind of transfixed with astonishment and unaware of anything else.  

    A few seconds later the bull began walking away from the bush and disappeared into the landscape.  Our timing couldn't have been better.

This moose came out of nowhere and was suddenly right on the road near a group of people.

After shredding a bush to smithereens he took a look around to survey the scene.

Then he swaggered into the brush.

This person had built moose viewing platform on the top of his rig.

Mrs. Huffy poses aside the bus we rode into the park.

At the East Fork where the busses turn around and go back to the park entrance.

The water, rocks, and snow of the East Fork.

Mrs. Huffy and the fall colors in Igloo Canyon.

The Grizzly Bear Cabins sign.  We have stayed here for many years when we visit Denali National Park.

Day 4:  (9/8/23)

    The morning started with breakfast and a drive to Healy for fuel and a stop at the Three Bears store where we picked up some bananas.  Returning to the cabin we packed a lunch and got things ready for a trip on the Savage River Shuttle bus.  We planned to ride it to Savage River and hike the Savage River Trail which would be a new experience for us.  Just as we were about to board the bus Liz got a call on her cell phone.  Her mom was in the Emergency Room.  After a flurry of phone calls and several hours later everything was fine and we were back at the cabin.

    We made a trip to a local restaurant where we had some delicious meatloaf and key lime pie for dinner before heading out for the final evening of moose patrol.  We drove back and forth on the road several times before it got too dark to see.  We didn't find any moose, but that was alright because we had already had several very successful evenings.

    We woke up early the next morning and called Liz's mom to check in.  Everything had returned to normal so we packed up and hit the road.  The drive home was straightforward and along the way we stopped in Anchorage to take Emily grocery shopping before completing the trip to Nikiski.

    That was it.  Our post-Labor Day trip to Denali was complete and another summer was history.  But, of course, we'll be back after Labor Day next year.  Of course we will.

The many colors of fall in Denali National Park.

A rainbow over Denali country.

ENGINEER LAKE CABIN TRIP, KENAI NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ALASKA, MARCH 2-3, 2023

ENGINEER LAKE CABIN TRIP, KENAI NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ALASKA, MARCH 2-3, 2023

THE TEAM:

Austin Baumeister

Elizabeth Hufford

Wally Hufford

LOGISTICS:

We met Austin at the West Entrance of Skilak Loop Road just before noon.  The road hadn't been plowed and the snow was deep so it was an adventurous drive to the Engineer Lake parking area.  Once we were there we loaded our backpacks and sleds before snowshoeing across the lake to the cabin.

Approaching Engineer Lake cabin with food and gear.  (photo courtesy of Austin Baumeister).

 

We have visited the Engineer Lake Public Use cabin on a number of occasions.  Mostly just stopping in to check the cabin and read the journal entries that have been made by various occupants.  Each time we are there we comment on how it would be such a nice place to stay and promise ourselves that we will make reservations for a visit very soon.  

Well, after umpteen years of saying that we finally did it.  Early March would be a good time to go as the daylight has extended itself by then and the mid-winter temperatures should have moderated enough for us to stay thawed out.  Besides, our friend Austin was keenly interested in making the trip and he had that week off, so reservations were made and preparations began.

A very warm and hospitable cabin.

It didn't take long for us to snowshoe across the lake and arrive at the cabin.  We immediately got a fire going in the wood stove to get the structure warmed up as quickly as possible.  Then we unloaded our excessive amount of gear and food.  Even though we were spending just one night the counter was piled high with enough food for a week.  

With everything stowed away we decided to do some ice fishing.  Austin and I marched out on the lake and found a place where it looked like someone had fished before.  We briefly discussed how this must be a good spot and Austin used his ice auger to drill two holes. He made it look easy, but the ice was thick.  It was a massive effort.

Austin used an ice auger to drill a couple of holes through the ice so we could try our luck at catching a fish.

We stood around for a couple hours, or longer, waiting for a fish to bite.  We were about to give up when suddenly out of nowhere Austin hooked into a substantial fish!  He reeled it to the top of the ice, we took a couple photos, and released back through the hole into Engineer Lake.  Of course, we couldn't stop while the fish were biting and about 10 minutes later Austin caught another one.  We must've been happy with two fish because not long after we decided it was time to return to the cabin for dinner.

Austin and an Engineer Lake fish.

We had some prepared some taco meat at home using some Sitka Black Tail deer meat a friend had given me.  So, we warmed it up in a pan on the flat surface of the wood stove.  Once it was ready we piled it and all the taco fixings on our plates and dug in.  All of that was followed up with cookies for dessert and then the games began.

Dinner consisted of Sitka Black Tail deer tacos.  They were delicious.

Austin had the youngest eyes in the group so he ultimately had to read the finely printed directions for a game called Bananagrams.  We all tried to follow the rules as best we could while sitting under the light of a headlamp hanging from a hook in the rafter.  We also played several games of cribbage, although we never crowned a tournament champion because the brackets were too difficult to figure out.

Of course there was a cribbage tournament.

Once the games were over it was time for an evening stroll on Engineer Lake.  We put on our boots and headlamps before stepping outside. Looking up we gazed at one of the most gorgeous winter skies you could ever imagine.  It was crystal clear and the constellations were in perfect position.  We could even identify and name many of them.   After marvelling at all of it we began walking.  Every once in a while we would stop to re-stare up at the stars and planets.  

It was one of those moments when you felt like everything was the way it has always been.  We could have been standing on that frozen lake thousands of years ago looking up to see the exact same thing.  It ties a person to time and the cosmos.

Star gazing at Engineer Lake.

After walking on the lake we returned to the cabin and got everything ready for a night of slumber.  We filled the wood stove with wood and let it work up to a good blaze.  Then right before getting into our sleeping bags we turned the damper down so it would burn as slowly as possible, hopefully providing heat long into the night.  All of that worked because the cabin stayed warm the entire night and I didn't even turn the Buddy heater on until 5:30 AM, and that was just for fun because we really didn't need the extra warmth.

When we got up I checked the outdoor thermometer located outside the back window of the cabin.  It read -4 degrees Fahrenheit.  A chilly morning by most standards.  But, all was good inside the cabin where we prepared for the admittedly unimaginative breakfast of oatmeal, banana chips, and coffee (next time I'm bringing bacon and eggs). 

By the time we were done eating the sun was shining full force on the lake and we decided to go out for another round of ice fishing.  The holes Austin drilled the day before had frozen over and we had to use an axe to open them up enough to make them fishable.  After an hour or so with no luck we decided to pack it in.  We headed back to the cabin and began the process of loading up and getting ready to leave.

A last look at the cabin before we left.  We made certain the fire in the wood stove was out before we departed.

This trip was flawless (the exception being not having any bacon and eggs).  From the moment we met Austin at the West Entrance of Skilak Loop Road we fell into an easygoing rhythm that led from one activity and topic of discussion to the next.  

Of course, the cabin and the setting had something to do with it.  Staying in a basic structure heated by wood brings the most important and elemental aspects of life into clear focus.  Then walking out onto the frozen lake in the dark and looking up at all creation can be profound and humbling.  It's quite the juxtaposition if you think about it.  I can't explain it any better than that.

But I do know this--I have a feeling we will be returning to the cabin at Engineer Lake very soon.