Chena Dome

Headed out early toward Chena Hot Springs with the plan to run the 30 mile Chena Dome trail. It starts up through old fire burns climbing about 800 m in the first 6 miles.



Once out of the trees, the views are impressive. You can see the ridge all the way to Chena Dome, the high point in the distance. There's not really a trail along the ridge, making for fun tundra running. I saw a moose and calf just past this spot right on top of the ridge.



Even though we left early, it was oppressively hot for the ascent and there was no water at all on the trail until a tiny little pool at mile 7. Turtle forgot to bring water for herself so we shared. She's pretty good at drinking from the camel back.



We were making pretty good time, but just before we got to Chena Dome, thunder heads started to form, sounding their presence in long barrages. There were a long line of dark storm clouds drifting in, so decided to make this an out-and-back and headed back along the ridge hoping to beat the storm.



Thought we were home and dry but right before heading down off the ridge we were hit with a blitzkrieg of pea-sized hail. Poor old Turtle didn't know what to do, put her ears back, scrunched her eyes mostly closed, and stayed close to the ground. Anyway, it was altogether a fun little run ending up at around 16 miles.

40!

Tawna came back from Vancouver for my 40th and to head out on a road trip to McCarthy and Kennicott. Although a long drive (10 hours), it was wonderful to get out into the mountains. We started with a hike along the Root Glacier, which is where I taught ice climbing when I first came to Alaska.



The weather was hot and sunny making the glacier really slick, although that didn't stop a little bit of exploring on the ice...Tawna's first time. Turtle seemed to do fine with her claws although the sharp ice was hard on her pads.



We ran for much of the trail alongside the glacier, the 3000 meter "Stairway Icefall" as a backdrop.



On the way back into Kennicott, the trail drops back into willow and alder. It was soon after this picture was taken that Turtle found a black bear although Tawna called her in before trouble ensued! The bear headed up into the brush, not to be seen again.



Small waterfalls were a welcome place to cool off in the heat.



After a few days in Kennicott, our friends Justine and Stacia joined us for some dipnetting in Chitina. Here's Stac at 5 a.m. (having already driven 2 hours to get here) showing how it's done at the confluence of the Chitina and Copper Rivers.



The scenery at Chitina is spectacular. That is Mount Wrangell behind.



Unfortunately, the fishing was a little slow, although Tawna managed to catch this 20 kilo King Salmon. It was a little unclear for a while if the King would take Tawna into the river before Tawna got the King onto land. Luckily, Stac and Justine were close at hand!



Turtle was ready for dipnetting with all the running and hiking she had been doing. She's tuckered out but should get some rest until my comprehensive exams are done in the next few weeks!

The Dalton

Ben and I had long been planning to head up the Dalton Highway to take pictures, and this weekend worked out well on timing. So, at 5 a.m on Saturday, we jumped in the car, and headed north on a mini-adventure. Here's the crew, Ben, Turtle, and Pella (keeping a low profile).



The trip was a chance to get out of town, and for Ben to work more on his photo project of the Dalton Highway. Turtle was wound up the whole trip with plentiful wildlife to keep her excited. This was fine until she decided to chase a rabbit before the car had stopped! So...at a little over 10 mph, Turtle leaps through the half opened window (about where it is in this picture), hits the ground, and without missing a beat heads into the forest at full tilt. Ben and I ...hmmm...well, we just didn't know what to say! Confronted, Turtle just told us in her nonchalant manner that "I do my own stunts."



Much of the drive is through the boreal forest on dirt. There had been some heavy rain, leading to muddy conditions!



But, by the time we got through Atigun Pass onto the North side of the Brooks Range, the weather and scenery were just perfect! We camped at Galbraith Lake, where after 12 hours driving, we enjoyed a beautiful hike on the tundra. It was a perfect moment - good company, happy dogs, wildlife, and that intoxicating feeling of adventure in all directions.



Unfortunately, we had a stove mishap...like a "where's the stove?" mishap. That led to a coffee emergency this morning. It was 4 hours driving to Coldfoot where we enjoyed a great breakfast and coffee. It was good...real good!



We stopped for a break at Finger Rock, about half way back to Fairbanks. A breeze to keep the bugs down, and sun on your face sent us both to sleep. Turtle slept as well while Pella looked on in her dastardly way. For those of you that remember Mutley from Wacky Races, you have to admit that there's a resemblance! See the Sappy Birthday episode if you have a few minutes to take a trip down childhood memory lane and get reacquainted with Mutley!

The Turtle Dog

Tawna is in Vancouver, leaving Turtle, Tupac, and me to look after the house. It's been quite the adventure, so here's a blog of some of our adventures, starting with Chena Lakes where we clocked Turtle at just over 20 miles an hour - thank goodness for fast bikes!



Had a fun road trip to Juneau a few weeks ago. It's a 10 hour drive to Haines and then a few hours on the ferry. Got to see humpback whales, sea lions, a grizzly bear wondering along side the road, caribou, and moose. It was wonderful to run the trails in the forests, all the giant skunk cabbage was sprouting.



Unfortunately, Turtle decided to go for a late night snack of porcupine, which landed us in the emergency room at midnight. I think it was more traumatic for my friend Chanda and I; Turtle recovered from the anesthetic, and was ready to chase porcupines again by lunchtime the next day. Fortunately, she didn't catch another one!



Judging by the blogs, it seemed that all and sundry went to Granite Tors this weekend. I went with my friend Ed to run the 15 mile trail through some amazing scenery. Thunderstorms pounded the hills a few miles away, but we were treated with gentle breezes - keeping the bugs away, some clouds - keeping the temperatures cool, and views as far as to Fairbanks 40 miles to the west.



Turtle and I have been working on who is boss. Here I am trying to pose her for a picture. Turtle is ok with Tawna being boss, but she (in her mind) ranks above me, which leads to a variety of obedience problems...such as her not chasing porcupines and thinking it's ok to cruise for ice cream at Hot Licks! Luckily Tawna is coming home on the 18th to remind her that there are rules in the world and that her mum still loves her.



Nevertheless, Turtle will humor me with a picture once in a while. It was a great day out with Ed and Turtle...although we're both a little tuckered now!

Smiles in Sivuqaq

Just back into Nome from Sivuqaq (Gambell) on St. Lawrence Island. What a great experience, some good friends, good weather, and a successful spring hunt for the community. Even the Russian mainland was clearly in view most days. Click on this picture to see Chukotka, only 40 miles away.



Subsistence, a mix of the old and the new...



My memories, will as usual be filled with smiles...

Catching Up

It's been a whirlwind month, traveling to Portland for a conference on salmon, which was wonderful; including a surprise chance to see John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry speak at the old Baghdad Theater. Teresa was inspiring with her passion for environmental issues and particularly as they impact women. The guy in the front row is the Lieutenant that John Kerry pulled out of the water in Vietnam, saving his life.



After Portland, I had a week with my girls, warm enough for tevas already...



I'm not sure which one is goofiest, but I love them both!


Tupac doesn't get to go on the big walks but he comes out on a leash at home.

A Day at the Races...Chatanika Style

We woke up to blue skies today and headed out with friends to watch the races at Chatanika - an old mining town about 30 miles N.E. of Fairbanks. The races are unconventional as you'll see, but we had fun hiking, playing, watching, and even participating in the human bowling contest.

The view out from the Steese Highway was spectacular today



Tawna is hoping to audition for the next Mutant Ninja Turtle Movie soon...



Chatanika is famous for its outhouse race - 0.8 miles run flat out while pushing a loaded outhouse



Costumes are essential, but let's just say you shouldn't fall behind in this kind of race --- We're putting it down to a rapid transition out of the outhouse at the start!



Tawna allowed me to use her as a bowling ball in the human bowling -- check out Ben and Deas blog for a picture of that!

Iditarod -- The 1978 Finish

I couldn't leave the Iditarod buzz without sharing the story of the 1978 Iditarod. Some of you will know it, but for those that don't, it was the closest finish in history. One that went both ways before a final decission was made. Here's the story courtesy of the Anchorage Daily News. Clearly Dick Mackey (Lance's father) still gets a smile out of this one!


For 800 miles, Dick Mackey and Rick Swenson rarely lost sight of each other. With a few others, they jockeyed for position along the length of Alaska. At the end, they found themselves out in front of everyone else and proceeded to stage the darnedest finish the race has ever seen.


"By the time the two men reached the streets of Nome, they were virtually running side by side," Daily News reporter Doug O'Harra wrote. "One hundred yards out, they were even. By the time they entered the 50-yard chute, Mackey had a slight edge. Both men were running.

"Then Mackey's dogs trotted under the burled arch, the finish line." The dogs tangled. "His sled stopped just short of the finish line. Mackey collapsed.

"Swenson ... kept going and dragged his sled under the finish line. Though his leaders crossed second, Swenson himself crossed under the arch ahead of Mackey.

"Bedlam erupted."

The decision about who won the 1978 Iditarod is debated today whenever race fans gather. But the rules and race officials said it was the lead dog's nose, not the musher's behind, that determined the winner. They awarded Mackey the victory by one second.

Iditarod

I was lucky enough to be in Anchorage for the start and Nome for the finish of this year's Iditarod Sled Dog Race. It's the first time that a musher has won both the Yukon Quest - regarded as the hardest long distance race, and two weeks later won the Iditarod - another 1000 miles with the same dogs. I take my hat off to Lance Mackey who accomplished this, winning his first Iditarod on his sixth attempt wearing the number 13, as did his brother and his father when they were racing...what are the chances of that!

Here is Lance about 6 miles out of Nome wearing a huge smile and enjoying the sun in his face. Remember that the pictures blow up nicely if you click on them.



The trail cuts across some low tundra before heading back out on the sea ice for the final run into Nome. Anvil mountain and the Dew line radars above Nome can be seen on the horizon


It was hard to get a picture on Front Street, but here's Lance punching the air, as he comes down past the infamous Board of Trade. It's a little unclear as to what species of animal is right in front of the lead dogs...seems like they were struck by the outfit as well!


Here's second place finisher Paul Gebhardt acknowledging his lead dog right after finishing about 3 hours after Mackey. I can't imagine how overwhelming all the attention must be after a week and a half on the trail. I'm not sure I'll be up to watch the next mushers come in at 4 a.m, but will try to catch a few before getting on the plane home tomorrow lunch time.

Sivuqaq

Back to St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea. The ice is thin this year. We are here to talk with hunters about the upcoming season and the health project I'm trying to start as a collaboration between hunters, the Eskimo Walrus Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the University.

When I think of remote communities, I think of pictures like this of Savoonga; at the edge of the sea ice, America, and of most of what is familiar



Gambell had icy cold windchill as the wind came in off the ice. The -45 degree temperatures had us walking backwards most of the 400 m into town to avoid frostbite. I made the rookie mistake of packing my windpants and not wearing them...that wont happen again! This is a picture of us leaving Gambell in the early morning sun as the wind blows the ice around town in front of Sivuqaq mountain.



For all the cold and wind, it was the kids that again stole my heart. Here's Vera's nephew...they call him "Little Buddha"

The Mighty Tupac

A short story by Tupac

The wily predator Tupac stalks close to his prey, the beautiful Turtle, whose mind is on other things...maybe food.



But then the feeling of fear...oh my god, did that cat's eyes go green again?...



but it was too late, and Tupac chuckles in victory, in that way that Devon Rex's do