Early August in Alaska - Fun field work opportunities on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Salmonfest, and a visitor from afar. Big post of pics and vids showcasing some highlights of the summer.
Home Base Adventures: Part 3
Denali Trip (End of July) - A group of 8 of us traveled to the interior of Alaska in search of the highest mountain peak in North America, Denali! Good times and great oldies with a solid group of adventurers.
The Next Change
Ramblings about my opinions and personal action goals related to climate change and living more in-tune with the natural world. Some times I get inspired to write about different themes going on in my life and this is one such time 🙂
The Warm Lagoon (Cold Bay): Highlights
The Highlights (Cold Bay, AK): Crabbing, beach combing, wildlife viewing, fishing, earthquakes, outreach to some ferry visitors... tales of our three week stay in the warm lagoon.
Warm Lagoon Days 2-3 (Cold Bay)
Days 2&3 (Cold Bay, AK): We got things rolling by calibrating our equipment and starting on spraying some weeds. Even got out on Izembeck National Wildlife Refuge for a hike and bear watching.
Warm Lagoon: Travel Day
Day 1 - Soldotna, Anchorage, and Cold Bay: Kicking off the second work trip for the 2023 SE Alaska regional invasive species strike team. A day of traveling and first impressions of Izembeck National Wildlife Refuge.
Home Base Adventures: Part 2
"Early July" - Kenai Peninsula: I've got three mini-adventures to share that give insight into what it's like up here. Working seasonal jobs, your coworkers can develop into a family of sorts and it's a lot more fun to hang together than to go at it solo 🙂
Home Base Adventures: Part 1
"Late June/Early July" - Kenai Peninsula: When not on my projects, I was based out of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge headquarters and got some chances to explore the area. Here's one of my excursions following my first work trip...
Queen Trout Days: Days 12-17
Queen Trout Trip Log Days 12-17 - "Surveys Upon Surveys": To wrap up all the goals and objectives for the trip, the crew got out flying again to some lakes to check for aquatic invasive plants. And, we kept on the road system surveys, which wasn't always super exciting, but we made as much fun of it as we could.
Queen Trout Trip Log: Days 10-11
Queen Trout Trip Log Days 10-11 - "To Katmai" & "And Back": We got the chance to visit the land of bears. Found a few, and got to explore some of Brooks Camp. Fun experience that I feel super lucky to have gotten to do.
Queen Trout Trip Log: Days 8&9
Queen Trout Trip Log - Days 8 & 9: The project continues in King Salmon. Following the field working Ugashik, we transitioned our focus to King Salmon and Nakek.
Queen Trout Trip Log: Days 4-7
Queen Trout Trip Log: Days 4-7 - "The Ugilash": The best part of our trip to King Salmon and Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge was our time spent in Ugashik battling Orange Hawkweed. This spot is special and one I felt super fortunate to have the opportunity to visit.
Queen Trout Trip Log: Day 3
Queen Trout Trip Log: Day 3, "The Bush Hawk and the Cabin" - All the preparing and training, we were finally getting the chance to fly into remote Alaskan wilderness and start our project!
Queen Trout Trip Log: Days 1&2
Queen Trout Trip Log: Part 1 - After preparing for weeks, the time has finally come for team strike force to go forth into the Alaska wilds and flank the opponents (invasive plants) soundly... may the force be with us!
Road Tripping – Phase 5 (UT to AK): Days 7-9
Road Tripping - Phase 5 (UT to AK) Days 7-9: The last few days of my drive getting to the Kenai Peninsula for my summer position with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Road Tripping – Phase 5 (UT to AK): Days 5 & 6
Road Tripping - Phase 5 (UT to AK) Days 5 & 6: From this point onward, the rest of the way to Alaska I followed one road.... The Alaska Highway. I was on the road bright and early and welcomed by a nice sunrise.
Road Tripping – Phase 5 (Utah to Alaska): Days 3 & 4
Road Tripping - Phase 5 (UT to AK): Days 3 & 4... Kootenay, Banff, and Jasper National Parks. Quick wintery visit, but these areas left a mark.
Road Tripping – Phase 5 (Utah to Alaska): Days 1 & 2
Road Tripping - Phase 5 (UT to AK) Days 1 & 2: At a turning point in my journey to Alaska, I now reach the next phase of solo traveling. Day 1 brought me through Utah and the Idaho/Montana border. The next day, I crossed into Canada and set myself up to visit the mountain parks the next day...
Road Tripping – Phase 4 (California to Utah)
Road Tripping - Phase 4 (CA to UT): My westerly trajectory across the country had to change at some point. Leaving SoCal, I turned around and headed to Utah with a few fun stops on the way.
Road Tripping – Phase 3 (Californa)
Road Tripping - Phase 3 (CA): "Trans-Catalina Trail Chapters 4 - 6," The second half of the thru-r team hike on Catalina Island... more bougie hiking complete with fancy buffalo milk cocktails and supplied campfire wood... could get used to this style of hiking!
Road Tripping – Phase 3 (Arizona to California)
Road Tripping - Phase 3 (AZ to CA): "Trans-Catalina Trail Chapters 1-3," The first ever Thru-r organization group hike. A successful outing in every way: amazing times with good people, spectacular views, and many a fond memory made.
Road Tripping – Phase 2 (Colorado to Arizona)
Road Tripping - Phase 2 (CO to AZ): The next leg included an 8-day stint working for Flagline Trails and a whirlwind of meeting up with friends and fam. Arizona is becoming one of my fav spots, such a diverse landscape!.
Road Tripping – Phase 1 (Michigan to Colorado)
Road Tripping - Phase 1 (MI to CO): Figured I'd back up and write about my trip up to Alaska. The beginning phase of my journey kicked off with a trip to see cousins Scott and Kirsten. I convinced my brother to tag along too and it was a quality time hanging together for a bit.
Illusions of Separateness
Illusions of Separateness: "Just Starting Out in Alaska" - Over the past few weeks, I've had some profound moments that seem to be sticking with me. It feels as if this calm before the chaotic and busy events of summer, these moments of pondering, are setting the stage for this next chapter of my life. And it's exciting!
CDT Post-Trail Days: Reflection and New Adventures
CDT Post-Trail Days: Reflection and New Adventures: "I still don't have many answers about the CDT, other than the understanding that it's part of what led me to here and now in this moment. Unlike before, it's not as much the start of a new path, but more so a continuing on along the same one... maybe a new chapter so to speak."
CDT Post-Trail Days 1-3: Heading Home
CDT Post-Trail Days 1-3 (New Mexico to Michigan) - "4 Buses, 2 Trains, a Van, and Yara the Yaris": Quite the trip getting from trail back home.
CDT Days 158-159 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Days 158-159 (Colorado and New Mexico) - "The Sendoff ": after connecting my footpath from Mexico to Canada, I still had to get out of the wild lands to civilization. Had a wonderful last day in town hanging with other hikers, relaxing, and getting ready to travel home.
CDT Day 157 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Day 157 (Colorado) - "The Day I Completed the Continental Divide Trail": I stopped at the high point and had a snack. I had about 2 miles to go til unreached mile 798.2! I didn't know how I'd react once I saw it. If I'd cry or laugh or yell in triumph?
CDT Day 156 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Day 156 (Colorado) - "South San Juan Majesty": I was still up around 12,500 feet elevation. I hoped to get down lower to camp, but it was still a few miles to go before the trail started down. Did I make it to this point on the CDT only to get myself caught in a scary cold night situation?
CDT Day 155 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Day 155 (Colorado) - "Elk, Dogs, a Biologist, Back On The CDT ": Quite a full day of events and a wide variety of scenes seeing as once again ranging from 9,000 feet to above 12,500 feet. CDT, you're crazy!
CDT Day 154 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Day 154 (Colorado) - "Last Time Setting Out and School": I felt out of it mentally and my body felt out of it too. I wondered if my decisions and changes to not do the red line San Juans, if that in a way psyched myself out... that I'd lost the momentum and desire/drive to keep pushing ahead.
CDT Day 153 (CO – Mon. Pass to L. City/Creede)
CDT Day 153 (Colorado) - "To Creede Or Not To Creede?": At the junction of the red and brown lines, I decide which to take. Go up high and freeze or stay lower with shorter miles?
CDT Day 152 (CO – Mon. Pass to L. City/Creede)
CDT Day 152 (Colorado) - "San Luis and The Unexpectedness": A nice cold morning and then a detour to tackle another 14,000 feet peak. Awesome views. The end of the day got some excitement with an unexpected encounter along the trail!
CDT Day 151 (CO – Mon. Pass to L. City/Creede)
CDT Day 151 (Colorado) - "A Different Side of the 'Rado": Big miles today. Left some of the high elevation stuff for a bit and cruised once down lower. The end of the day had a unique feel to it, all open as things got cold and shadowy.
CDT Day 150 (CO – Mon. Pass to L. City/Creede)
CDT Day 150 (Colorado) - "Swiftly on Day One Fifty": A day filled with nice sunrise colors, a snowy peak, some green and yellow tunnel, big meadows, and the old Baldy Lake side hike conundrum.
CDT Day 149 (CO – Leadville to Mon. Pass)
CDT Day 149 (Colorado) - "Momentum Past Monarch": Finishing the western half of the Collegiates, I made my way to Monarch Pass. Rather than head into Salida, pulled an audible and did a quick resupply at the Pass and headed forward!
CDT Day 148 (CO – Leadville to Mon. Pass)
CDT Day 148 (Colorado) - "The Collegiate West High Route": Another top-notch day on trail. Not sure if a saw any humans today as I trudged up and down mostly about 12,000 feet, but great snowy views.
CDT Day 147 (CO – Leadville to Mon. Pass)
CDT Day 147 (Colorado) - "Hope, Light, Shadow... and Ann": Wow! A top 147 day on trail today. The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness lived up to its reputation and I was loving it. Always tough stuff when you get up high though.
CDT Day 146 (CO – Leadville to Mon. Pass)
CDT Day 146 (Colorado) - "Around The Twins": A very nice day with nice weather getting going again on trail. I had a relaxed morning in Leadville and then hiking around Twin Lakes before starting up the Collegiate West route.
CDT Day 145 (CO – Frisco to Leadville)
CDT Day 145 (Colorado) - "Golden Leaves and Golden Burro's": I had come into town thinking I've got to make a call about continuing our not and already I was regaining my motivation thanks to this stranger (and maybe the coffee and the warmth and the wonderful food)...
CDT Day 144 (CO – Frisco to Leadville)
CDT Day 144 (Colorado) - "Octubre... The Start of Winter?": I had three climbs that took me up above 11,000 feet today. Starting off in the morning for the first one, everything was snowy and it was truly beautiful...
CDT Day 143 (CO – Frisco to Leadville)
CDT Day 143 (Colorado) - "One Day At A Time": Even on such a beautiful day, the weather can get me down. An image of Eeyore came to mind... of him slumped and downtrodden by a tree in the rain. But, even sad Eeyore says, “The nicest thing about the rain is that it always stops. Eventually.”
CDT Day 142 (CO – Frisco to Leadville)
CDT Day 142 (Colorado) - "Ridge and Resort Hopping": Taking my time, I hung out in Breckenridge before starting my hike over the fridge to Copper Mountain. Once going, it was beautiful stuff and it was fun going by the ski resort stuff with all the Fall colors.
CDT Day 141 (CO – W. Park to Frisco)
CDT Day 141 (Colorado) - "By Your Powers Combined": I finally connected up with the Colorado Trail and what a joy this trail is. Beautiful stuff on the way down to Breckenridge/Frisco where I decided to stay a night at Fireside Inn.
CDT Day 140 (CO – W. Park to Frisco)
CDT Day 140 (Colorado) - "Such Great Heights": Wow! I think this will stand as the gnarliest day of elevation hiking on the CDT. Took on Grays Peaks, the highest point on the CDT afterall. Plus, the Argentine Spine and a rollercoaster of other mountains.
CDT Day 139 (CO – W. Park to Frisco)
CDT Day 139 (Colorado) - "To I-70 And Beyond!": Some awesome morning ridge walking up to another 13'er, the crossing of the monstrous Interstate 70, and setting up camp for an early climb up the high point of the CDT the next day.
CDT Day 138 (CO – W. Park to Frisco)
CDT Day 138 (Colorado) - "Flora, Fraser, and Fury": Beautiful weather makes for beautiful hiking. I got to get atop another 13'er today, resupply in Fraser/Winter Park, and then jump back up to beauty stuff around 12,000 feet. Did come across some ugly mining though, that's the fury!
CDT Day 137 (CO – G. Lake to W. Park)
CDT Day 137 (Colorado) - "James and the Giant Thumb": lot of activity today climbing up to Devil's Thumb, cruising around up high around 12,000 feet in the openness, summiting James Peak, and then go down and back up to a sweet tent site.
CDT Day 136 (CO – G. Lake to W. Park)
CDT Day 136 (Colorado) - "Colorful Colorado Lake Views": A very pleasant day leaving Grand Lake. Some nice flat-ish stuff along the lake shores compared to what I've been doing. Even some reminiscing of familiar places.
CDT Day 135 (CO – G. Lake)
CDT Day 135 (Colorado) - "Shadowcliff": A bit NM of reflection and pause in the action staying at Shadowcliff Mountain Lodge in Grand Lake. Wonderful stay here and can't say enough good things about the staff and volunteers.
Wandering Stevie 