The mountains are calling

I said goodbye to a lot of great people in Galena two weeks ago. Corrie and I are moving to Anchorage where she will start a new job in August. I started Alternate Solutions to provide engineering design services about 18 months ago now and have done pretty well with it part-time. Once we settle in I will work on expanding that to full-time. First we're spending a couple of months in the mountains and traveling. We've spent the first two weeks of summer hiking in Alaska and traveling around the state. The short time in the mountains has already provided photos and inspiration for a new post. I've always been drawn to mountains more than their mass alone explains, but I missed them more than I expected to in Galena.

I've been driving past this mountain thinking I should climb it for nearly 30 years, but I was always in a hurry. My niece decided she wanted to climb it too, so we made an attempt on the way to Tok. 

Taking a break with my sister, niece, and their new puppy. (Photo by Corrie)

We made good progress, but we'll have to make another attempt at the top later. None of our legs were ready for that much climbing. 

We spent several nights camping in Denali National Park riding the bus out to the end of the road that was open. We didn't see Denali, but there were lots of animals out. 

Sunset on the Teklanika River.

It's much easier to reach the tops of mountains this way!

Corrie and our friend Bizzy, who joined us for the Fairbanks to Anchorage leg of the drive instead of flying on her way home from Galena for the summer.  

Glacier Creek in Girdwood walking back from dinner.

Corrie had a conference in Girdwood and I have two perfect days of hiking in the Chugach. The is looking down along the Crow Creek valley. I got a decent sunburn with all the reflected light and fell through the snow into a creek soaking my feet. An all around fantastic hike. 

Looking towards Eagle River from the top of Crow Creek Pass.

The mountains march on to the edge of the sea behind the valley I hiked up. 

The hand operated tram across Glacier Creek on the Winner Trail.

Upper Winner Creek Trail. I didn't spend as much time above tree line the second day because of the sunburn.