The adventure continues; Denali does Radar and The Kid...
Mon, 6/11, con't... We also arranged for a back country permit for a 4 day trip to Anderson Pass. This is about 26 miles round trip from the Eilson Visitor, Center, along the Muldrow Glacier and across Thoroughfare Bar, a major animal trail. Jeff told us that he had an incredible high at the pass, which overlooks several glaciers and the Alaska Range.
It proved to be a really interesting evening. A couple (the guy with a baby on his back) about 30 yards ahead of us was charged by a mama moose, who was feeding with the kids along the path to the hotel. Apparently, they didn't do anything to provoke her- they just must have inadvertently come too close and upset her. Anyway, it was our big excitement for the day- they came at us a-whoopin' and a hollerin', and we all bailed out into the bushes. She did exactly what she wanted to do-scare the shit out of those poor folks.
After the campfire (ungulates), we headed back to camp for dinner, and to get ready for the big hike. After dinner,Steve got loaded with Andy, a kid just in from Virginia, who turned us on to a cheap place to stay in Anchorage, while I went towards Mt. Healy to get some walking sticks, necessary to cross the Thoroughfare (there are no trees along the trail). The mountains surrounding the camp were all covered with fresh snow, so, at 1 AM, the Kid grabbed his camera and spent an hour running back and forth,shooting pictures like crazy. I even forgot to refocus, and probably didn't get too many good shots. Also it is really difficult to shoot a dusk ...I was open all the way, and at about 1/8 second- at least the mountains don't move.
Tues, 6/12 Dawn broke,( or we awoke) on a grey,gloomy, windy, and rainy morning. Do we, or don't we? We do!! On to Tongari.
We had overslept,and camp was broken in a mad rush. Sometimes Steve is a real pain in the ass. He was sooooo slow, and I had to wait about 15' B4 we could take down the tent. Then, I hustled my little bod over to the train station to work on the food, and told Steve to get it in gear. I expected him to be about 5'. Instead, it took him about 20', and then, instead of helping with the food, he commenced to washing his clothes. Anyway, we did make the bus. My anger passed during the trip to Eilson, while I looked out the window at the gloom, and contemplated not only my mortality, but my fate and imminent demise. I really don't know why I am so apprehensive- I've been out on hikes to passes twice as high as this one in bad weather, with heavy packs. I just don't know- maybe it was crossing the river, or the wind, or what, but I was getting worried.
The trip out was interesting. We saw lots more wildlife than B4- moose, sheep on the crags, marmot, marsh hawk, and...enter stage right, the caribou have started coming thru. We saw scattered groups (2-3), on the way out, and a herd of 20-30 running across the crags above the visitor center. The ranger said there were 55 or so around the center.
It was so cold up there, as cold as the proverbial toilet seat on the shady side of an iceberg- we went in and talked to the ranger, who, despite my efforts, neither told us we were crazy, nor advised us not to go. Au contraire, he told us where to cross the river, and gave us some rubber bands to help batten down the britches and hitch up the rain pants to keep our legs dry when crossing. He also said that the route from the campsite to the pass would probably be knee deep in snow.
We talked about it some more, and still decided to go, altho I was leery. After walking out and putting our packs on, we again talked about what we were doing and then...in a fit of inspired desperation, I remembered ol' Fred . (Fred was the head guide on our Touloumne trip. While he contemplated taking us down the river, he opted out, taking us down the Stan instead). One of the other guides, probably Michelle, said, "Well, Fred, if it's not going to be any fun, let's not do it.". I laid that line on Steve, who looked at me while I looked at him, and, in unison, we both said "Yep", shouldered our packs, grabbed our staffs, and headed resolutely up the road, not to Tongari, but to the bus.
It was a hard decision to make, and I feel the need to rationalize it, for some unknown reason. It possibly has to do with the macho trip, but, again, it wasn't going to be any fun, just a cold bitter struggle against the forces of Mother Nature. I think I learned enuf about myself [didn't know how to spel in dosz daze] and rain camping and respect for Ma, not to push fate. I feel certain that we, and also I, by myself, could survive if the weather had soured like this while we were on the trail, and I just can't see pushing it. We did talk about it on the way back, and when snow hit us at Thoroughfare Pass, we slapped hands and congratulated ourselves on our mutual good sense. (We did the same the next morning, when we heard that not only was the road closed from Toklat to Eilson, but that Eilson had 2-3" of snow). Yea, brains.
On the way home, we stopped at C Camp, trying to find Jeff or Christine for a jam. No luck, so back to Morino and camp.
A mother moose, with either 2 or 2 calves, munched on the willows about 30' from the tent, and then crashed about 5' from another tent. In the interests of peace, harmony, and ? mutual (well,at least on my part), respect, I decided not to get any closer to shoot a picture. Besides, it would have been a hard shot, even at ASA 200."
2B con't.
Rat |
