We Didn’t Come To the Tundra for the Coffee

 

Earlier this week we did some exploring of the areas around Cantwell.  Tuesday we drove along the Denali Highway about 30 miles and back.  The Denali Highway runs from Cantwell east 135 miles to Paxson Alaska. The road is mostly gravel, some has a lot of washboard and potholes, some is pretty smoothly maintained. The road runs through the heart of the Alaska Range and the views are spectacular 

We returned to the campground briefly then headed north to Denali National Park again   We hoped to see a grizzly (from the truck) but no luck   We did see harlequin ducks (on my wishlist!) and a caribou   

The harlequin ducks are so beautiful!   They like to swim in fast-rushing and rocky rivers   Look them up to see how beautiful they are!

Added bonus:  Denali was Out!   It’s so rare and wonderful to see!

The next day we drove more of the Denali Highway, to Maclaren Pass which is the second highest pass in Alaska at just over 4000 feet   We saw many beautiful ducks, an eagle flying low and nearby, several porcupines, swans, and a few of these big guys:

We had lunch at the Maclaren Lodge where the burgers were great but the coffee… well…I wouldn’t drive 97 miles across the tundra for it.  

Yesterday we hiked about 3 1/2 miles on the Triple Lakes Trail in the national park   We made it to the first lake (again more great birds—Barrows Goldeneye, Horned Grebes, Mergansers, and American Wigeons)  We met some nice young hikers from Croatia who come to Alaska in the summers to work and explore  We meant to go on to lake 2 but the temps dropped and it began to rain, so we took a “rain check” on that   (I know you see what I did there…)

Today we fished a bit along the Jack River where we once again caught no fish. No red fish, no blue fish, none with a little star, none with a little car…but what a lot of fish I’m sure there are!?!

Excellent or Ridiculous

 Tuesday morning we left Cantwell in search of our first 2026 Alaskan Adventure.  We planned to drive to Manley Hot Springs, about 6 hours away.  Just as we were leaving I thought of a question about the campground so I called the number of the Roadhouse where the campground is located.   No answer and no answering machine. Hmmm!   I pulled up their website which announced they would post a notice when they were open for the season.   Double Hmmm!   Change of plans

As we were laughing about our situation and feeling a little silly for not checking this out sooner, we saw some people who were WAY more foolish than we have ever been.  An older couple in a rental RV were standing on the side of the road while a bull moose crossed the road headed right near them.  Instead of getting back in their truck they stood there snapping pictures.  Luckily the moose decided they were too dumb to bother with and just ambled on, passing within about 5 feet of them  

I was going to call our outing our first Excellent Adventure but I decided to rename it our Ridiculous Adventure just in honor of those folks

We decided to go to the Chena Hot Springs State Recreation Area and camp , fish, and enjoy the hot springs at the Chena Hot Springs Resort   We explored lots of little gravel roads that took us to river banks or ponds where we fished (and caught nothing) and bird watched

We saw 4 new types of birds for us: solitary sandpiper, surf scoter, horned grebe and my personal favorite long-tailed ducks   

The hot springs were very nice, especially since the weather is still pretty cold   The resort has a small restaurant with good food and friendly staff  

Soooo relaxing!

And Now It Begins!

 The campground is open!

Today Cantwell RV Park is officially open!   We have only cabin guests right now, but it’s still darned cold out so no surprise 

This week to prep I learned the reservation system, cleaning priorities for the office, laundry room, showers and bathrooms. I learned how to drive the 4-wheelers, and how to use the wood splitter. How to turn over the bedding in the cabin and yurt 

Russ worked to put out picnic tables, built a wall for the tent sites, hauled trash, and did other handyman things.  We got the water lines flowing after nights of freezing temps  

We had some communal fires around the fire pit with our nice work family 

We learned the owners’ priorities:  no one parks on the water lines!

Tomorrow we have a day off and then we start our usual Sunday-Monday work schedule.  Next Tuesday we will start off on our first 5-day exploration of new parts of the great state of Alaska!

Oh and I learned finally, after a gazillion years, how to successfully fold a fitted sheet!!!!!

We Made It!

 

This is the view from our campground, Cantwell RV Park

We drove during a beautiful sunny day yesterday with views of the Alaska Range all day.  

It’s going to be an amazing summer!

Once the snow and ice melt, that is

We Should Have Eaten More Tangerines!

 We crossed into Alaska this afternoon wondering if maybe we had too much beer in our fridge for Customs to wave us through.  But they didn’t ask about beer or wine or dope…the question on CBP’s mind today was “any agricultural products.”

We ended up surrendering a bag of delicious tangerines from Morocco that we picked up in Canada.  We ate only 2 of them, we should have eaten more!  We surrendered a dozen eggs (which we could have kept if only we had already hardboiled them.).  We gave up packages of chicken thighs, frozen but not in their original packaging.  Sigh 

We did get to keep frozen pre-cooked chicken, an unopened bag if potatoes and part of an onion. So a few small wins! 

Some of this is to prevent the spread of bird flu.  I support that!

And we kept all our beer!

Are We Crazy?

 Probably.

But the real question is are we crazy to pull a travel trailer to Alaska in late April/early May.  

Exhibit A— the weather.  It’s cold at night and sometimes below freezing.  We have figured out how to manage that IF we have plenty of heat in the camper ( electric hookup and plenty of propane to keep the heater running and doors open where vulnerable water pipes live.). And plenty of water in the fresh water tank.

As we move further north we are finding campgrounds that are barely open at this time of year  Some have electric only.  Some can give you potable water to fill your tank.  Some have electric, water, and dumping at the site but no open showers.  Some have only a few sites open.  There has been a LOT of snow here in British Columbia until this week. So sure per exhibit A we are crazy

But exhibit B is also compelling.  I will produce photographic evidence to the jury —taken on the road today  First is folded mountain, an amazing exhibit of eons of geological change

Next is amazing wildlife we saw—

Caribou

Stone Sheep

and finally 

Bison!   Including a frolicking calf 

Also the scenery takes my breath away!

So maybe we are crazy but it’s worth that chance!

New birds today:  Say’s Phoebe and Violet-Green Swallow

Deja Vu All Over Again

Today we arrived in Dawson Creek, British Columbia where the Alaska Highway begins.  We are staying at the Mile 0 campground on the first day they have been open this season. That photo is from last years trip   But I’m wearing the same shirt today so I think we can let this one slide.

Until today our route to this point is completely different than last year   So we saw some different things:   The Canadian Rockies from a great distance (instead of up close.)   We have seen huge flocks of migrating snow geese and MAYBE some Ross’s Geese which I have never seen before. We saw an Elk Farm. We saw a herd of bison at the Elk Island National Park.  And we drove through Beaverlodge, Alberta.

That sure is one gigantic and angry-looking Beaver!