| Northern Lights log (2006-06-20 -> 2006-07-10)
Leaders: Colter Anderson, Mike Muldoon and Meg Casey
Students: Stuart Truslow, Olivia Ley, Jackson Hunter, George Cornelson, George Oswalt, Baxter Adams, Genevieve Irwin, Sophie Smith, Richard Hendley, Cristina Ceballos, Collier Williams, Emily Clarke, Anne McCarty, Hill Hamrick
June 20, 2006
All have arrived safe and sound. Preparations are under way for the 10 day backcountry trek through the Talkeetna Mountains to the Chickaloon River where we will raft back to the front country. Look for an update when this section is complete. Stay tuned!
July 4, 2006
These fourteen students need no excuse to shine, but we couldn't be happier to express our excitement for the amazing group that we compose. Timid hellos and shy smiles exchanged at the airport were quickly overrun by honest engagements and great humor. It was obvious from the get-go that this group was going to form a quick and effortless bond.
The trip's first adventure started off in the foothills of the Talkeetna Mountain Range on an anything but dry trail. Sophie and Hill acting as the trips first leaders of the day (LOD), led the group up into the high country for our first taste of the Alaskan tundra. We hiked mile after mile in shin-high mud and rocky terrain as we ascended into the heart of the mountains. The first day of our trip the Alaskan tundra was filled with hide and seek sunshine, our first moose sighting and plenty of fresh tracks heading toward and away from us.
We rolled into camp wet and sore from a challenging second day of with steep climbs and a technical river crossing. The crossing provided a great opportunity for everyone to lend a hand in the safety of crossing the current. Jackson and Baxter, who had been traveling at the head of the pack, made the crossing, dropped their packs and immediately returned to assist the rest of group. Once we reached Hick's Lake, our second chosen camp site, the groups spirits' soared after Meg treated everyone to her famous backcountry pepperoni, cheese and fresh vegetable pizzas. On incredibly full stomachs following dinner, the group was prompted by George C. Baxter and Jackson, who seemed to have endless reserves of energy, to follow them in an adventure to the top of a nearby mountain. The group was in total unison to take advantage of the viewing opportunity and endless sunlight. It was a great break to be able to hike up the steep moss covered terrain without the weight of our enormous packs. Once on top, the excitement of the group was free flowing. No one could resist absorbing the expansiveness and embracing the sense of accomplishment that lingered with our group. We sat on that mountain top overlooking our campsite 1000ft. below, with the low sun hanging just above the mountain tops and across the valley--the clock reading just after 12:00 midnight. Every night at Moondance we gather in a circle and pick a topic of discussion--a tradition called "moon-up". It provides an opportunity for open, honest discussion and a venue for everyone to share. That night, sitting on the top of the world, we sat playing games, making music beats, laughing and smiling until it hurt. The bonds that may of only been surface deep until then, definitely grew stronger that night.
The next couple of days, spirits stayed high despite the persisting rain and cool temperatures. We hiked deeper into the backcountry and into grizzly country. Although we never actually saw a grizzly, we felt their presence throughout the tell tail foot print and ever-present fresh scats.
On day 6, the group hiked up into an open meadow flanked by mountain peaks. A layover day was scheduled for the following day and we awoke to a beautiful blue bird sky. It was the first truly sunny day of the trip--which was well deserved after the challenging cold and rain everyone endured the previous week. The day was spent lounging around in the soft grass, day hiking in the nearby mountains and wading in the mountain lakes.
On day seven, we found ourselves deep into the Talkeetna Mountain range 10 miles from the Chickaloon River--our jumping off point for our rafting adventure and segue into civilization. We geared up and made our way through the valley toward a high mountain pass. The pass reigned in at 6,500 feet, about see level, and was just high enough to stay snow covered. Once on top, the group dropped packs and post-holed our way through the deep snow fields at the base of Mount Moondance-- a 7000 ft. peak, just to the east of the pass. The group energetically summitted this challenging climb and was surprised with an assortment of favorite king-sized candy bars to add to our celebration.
We spent the day after reflecting on our time spent in the high Alaskan tundra, knowing we would soon be hiking out of these hills, down through the Chickaloon River valley and into a new adventure. We began our final hike around 11:30 pm--a night hike which was supported by the 24 hours of Alaskan sunlight. It spanned only 3 miles, but lasted six and half hours along a very challenging, steep, and "bush-whacking" terrain. We prefaced the hike with particularly powerful moonup, sitting on a fog covered knoll above a giant waterfall. We circled our group and took turns sharing our journal entries, stories and poems that we had written throughout the previous eight days of the trip. The passages were full of honest, thoughtful writings describing how each of us has been impacted by the wilderness and our experiences together. Once the fog lifted enough to begin our final decent, we silently hiked down the river valley toward the river.
On the morning of July 1st, the sound unfamiliar sound of helicopter blades filled the air. The sight of a small red and black chopper was seen, approaching from beyond the mountain ridges. Four rafts, dry bags and our guides--Paul, Corey, Dan and Luke were delivered in the five copter trips. We packed our essentials into dry bags, sent our hiking boots and packs off and changed mindsets for a new adventure. The next two days were filled with navigating our way down set after set of class 3 and 4 whitewater--an incredibly different way to see the Talkeetna range. Our adrenaline and spirits were high. The raft guides brought us new food and a new pace of wilderness travel. We couldn't have asked for a better way to leave a range of mountains we've come to find such a sense of place and home in.
We now find ourselves at the small seaside fishing village of Whittier, population ~600 people in the summer, on Passage Canal of Prince William Sound. The community is completely isolated from the rest of Alaska by mountains, glaciers and the Gulf of Alaska. The only access to Whittier is through a mile and a half-long tunnel cut through the center of a huge mountain. People, yes, but far from any civilization we are accustomed to--the temperature is brisk, the halibut is plenty and the people are kind. Tonight (July 3rd), we will watch the fireworks explode above the snow-capped mountains and aqua-colored sound and make memories of a 4th of July we'll never forget. As we prepare for the next leg of our journey, sea kayaking the Prince William Sound to Harriman Fjord, we want to share our excitement for this majestic and wild place with all of our loved ones at home and we wish you all the best summers as well. Thank you for following along with our journey and expect more amazing stories in our next update.
Our love and energy,
Anne, Baxter, Olivia, George, Genevieve, George O, Sophie, Hill, Christina, Richard, Jackson, Emily, Stuart, Collier, Mike, Colter and Meg
JULY 10, 2006
WE SPENT THE 4TH OF JULY SUITING UP AND PREPARING FOR KAYAKING IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND. AFTER A LONG NIGHT OF FIREWORKS AND A COOKOUT, WE WERE GREETED BY OUR ALASKAN SEA KAYAKING GUIDES, RICH AND TIFFANY. SOME OF US HAD A LITTLE EXPERIENCE PADDLING BUT THE MAJORITY HAD NONE. NEVERTHELESS, THE FIRST DAY FLEW BY AS WE PADDLED BY GLEAMING GLACIERS AND REMOTE ISLANDS. AFTER A LONG DAY ON THE WATER, WE SETTLED AT OUR FIRST CAMPSITE--AN AWESOME BLACK-ROCKED BEACH. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, THE WEATHER CONTINUED TO BE UNUSUALLY SUNNY AND DRY WHICH WAS FANTASTIC BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THE NORMALLY CLOUDED-OVER MOUNTAIN PEAKS AROUND THE SOUND. IT WAS SO EXCITING TO SEE NEW WILDLIFE. WE SPOTTED SEVERAL BALD EAGLES EACH DAY, JUMPING SALMON AND A BLACK BEAR THAT SWAM UP OUT OF THE WATER ON TO THE SHORE NEAR OUR BOATS.
THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS SECTION HAPPENED AROUND THE 3RD DAY WHEN WE FOUND OURSELVES AMONGST ICE FIELDS AND TIDAL GLACIERS. WE WERE CAMPED SO CLOSE TO THE GLACIERS THAT WE COULD HEAR THEM CALVING DOWN INTO THE WATER WHICH BOOMED LIKE A THUNDERSTORM. WE TIMED OUR ENTRANCES AND EXITS OF OUR KAYAKS AROUND THE CALVING TO AVOID THE BIG WAVES CAUSED BY THE FALLING ICE. THE GLACIERS WERE MASSIVE, BLUE AND HAD A GREAT PRESENCE ABOUT THEM. SITTING IN FRONT OF SURPRISE GLACIER, WE WERE ENTERTAINED BY SEALS ADN SEA OTTERS THAT SAT ON ICE BERGS AND DOVE INTO THE SURROUNDING WATERS. THE NATURAL BEAUTY AROUND US CONFIRMED THAT OUR LAST CAMPSITE (BESIDE 3 TIDAL GLAICERS AND SEVERAL WATERFALLS) WAS DEFINITELY THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WHOLE TRIP. OUR FINAL MOONUP WAS SPENT ON TOP OF A BIG ROCK THAT OVERLOOKED THE ARENA-LIKE, GLACIER-FILLED BAY. WE RECALLED STORIES OF THE LAST 3 WEEKS AND WATCHED THE ICE CALVING BRING OUR TRIP TO A CLOSE.
ON OUR LAST BACKCOUNTRY MORNING, WE PADDLED A FAST 8 MILES TO MEET OUR FERRY RIDE BACK TO WHITTIER. OUR TIRED BODIES AND SPIRITS WERE LIFTED WHEN WE SAW A BREACHING WHALE FROM THE BOAT. THOUGHTS OF GOODBYES AND LEAVING THE BACKCOUNTRY SWARMED US ON OUR FINAL NIGHT. WE SHARED TERRIFIC MEMORIES, PACKED UP OUR GEAR ONE LAST TIME AND SAID OUR TOUGH "SEE YA LATERS". WE HAD AN ABSOLUTE BLAST OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS AND EVERYONE HAS GROWN IN DIFFERENT WAYS. THROUGH RAIN, MOUNTAINS, SALT WATER AND GLACIERS, WE HIKED, RAFTED, AND PADDLED INTO MEMORIES AND AN ADVENTURE THAT WE WILL NEVER FORGET.
A POEM TO SHARE BY JACKSON HUNTER:
IN THE BEGINNING I CAME
FOR REASONS I COULD NOT NAME
THE MOUNTAINS THEY DID LOOM
THROUGH TURMOIL AND RAIN
ALMOST GOING INSANE
THE MOUNTAINS THEY DID LOOM
THOUGH AT TIMES I WAS STRESSED
I NOW FEEL BLEESED
THE MOUNTAINS THEY DID LOOM
IN THE END I SEE
IT'S JUST MORE THAN ME
THE MOUNTAINS THEY DID LOOM
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