Road trips exploring the back roads of New Mexico has been a regular staple during Quarantine.
Thus far, NM Highway 4 has been one of my favorites, and one I look forward to going back to when Quarantine is over & I can actually exit my vehicle for more than just quick puppy potty breaks.
I think I sufficiently wore them out. Mission accomplished. Xoxo.
Our little family loaded up into two seperate cars we set our sights on the east coast. We took our time traveling across the country and did the trip in three days, taking time so show Brian some sights like Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, the Arch, & the Corn Palace. 
Only a week after arriving here it was time for Brian & I to say goodbye to each other while we each complete this next leg of our journey apart from one another. See you soon babe.
Load the car & write the note.
Grab your bag & grab your coat.
Tell the ones that need to know.
We are headed East.
The time has come to once again say my goodbyes to Montana. It’s always such a bittersweet moment when we part, but it’s time to step forward into the next adventure. We’ve yet again had some good times my old friend. I’m already looking forward to my next visit. Xoxo.
I knew this day would come eventually. It’s been pretty much written into our story since before we even got to Alaska. Eve as the years ticked by here the inevitable goodbyes always seemed so far away.
The day after New Years the movers came and packed up our host. The took most of our belongings to port and shipped them back to the lower 48. Three days ago we packed up the Jeep, hugged our friends goodbye, and set our sights on a place far, far away.
We managed to knock out the trip in less than 72 hours – a feat I would not again recommend – but I also wouldn’t recommend driving in -35 degree temps either.
A few snaps from our last few days in the house and our travels through Canada.
I’m going to miss you Alaska… but damn it feels good to be home.
At the base of Hatcher’s Pass, just at the bend in the road that takes you up, up, up the winding trail to the top of the pass, is a trail head to a valley known as Gold Mint Trail. Despite having spent numerous days exploring Hatcher’s Pass, this trail has eluded me up until now – on a perfect bluebird day.
While the tiny town of Whittier, Alaska is only 60ish miles from downtown Anchorage, it requires a paid pass through the longest highway tunnel in North America. The 2.5 mile tunnel is a one way tunnel and shares its time with the Alaska Railroad, meaning traffic only flows one way at a time and is occasionally paused for the train to use the space as well.
I’ve not spent much time in this town, only having really explored it once a few years ago, Brian & I set out with Kratos to complete a short hike through Portage Pass that we’d been hearing so much about.
After having trekked (and down and up and down again) this short trail, I can’t believe we haven’t spent more time on it’s dirt pathway to heaven. Hopefully we can make a trip up here again after the snow has fallen for another unique view, although I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the lake completely freezes over and we can walk straight up to Portage Glacier before we depart Alaska.
According to my calculations I’ve been a transient in Alaska for exactly 3 years and 25 days. It’s always been a known fact that my time here was (most likely) going to be cut off at some point or another, so I’ve tried my best to experience Alaska to the best of my ability. Despite all my adventures here it was this weekend that I firmly believe I became a tried and true Alaskan after dip netting the Copper River. (Don’t worry Montana, you’ll always have this girls heart) To fish this river one usually employs a boat to avoid having to navigate the steep cliffs and raging current, but wanting a true Alaskan experience, we chose a different route.
Brian’s Army buddy Scott flew in to town to visit his brother who was stationed at JBER just two days before. Brian is not known to be the most outright adventurous person, there is one person – other than myself – who can talk him into crazy adventures, it’s Scott. So when I learned that Scott was coming into town I knew to expect an adventure and got excited for his arrival.
The four of us took off for the little town of Chitina (pronounced Chit·na by Alaskans) where we parked our vehicles, loaded up our gear onto our backs and took off down an old mining trail for our destination. About 5 rough and tumble miles down river Scott took us down an even gnarlier path through the tree to the cliffs directly above the river. Here we set up shop for the night and got to fishing.
The boys made quick work of it and by morning we were already packing up and heading back down the trail; except this time we have about 70 lbs of fresh salmon fillets to add to the weight on our backs.
We had strategically taken two vehicles so that the boys could return to Anchorage and I could set out to explore one of the few unexplored (to me) , drive-able sections of Alaska. I made a quick trek into Wrangell – St. Elias National Park as well as explored the town of Valdez. 
After the loss of the Packers and my beloved Steelers two weeks before *my* dreams of another Super Bowl ring were dashed and I no longer cared about the outcome of the Super Bowl. When the local meteorologists began promising bluebird days for that weekend it became clear to me that a drive north was a better option than staying in to watch a football game I had nothing vested in. So when the rest of the country was settling down in front of the tv with a cold beer and a plate of hot wings I was standing on a cliff and heating up a JetBoil full of Ivar’s clam chowder, staring across a frozen river to see the alpenglow of sunset to hit North America’s tallest mountain just right.
Movements below would periodically caught my eye. A lone wolf crossing the frozen river took his time a he meandered across. Some time later a solitary moose appeared out of the brush. He seemed to check out the area then disappeared back the way he came. Hours later two bull moose appeared from the same brush, but these two slowly made their way across the same way the wolf had earlier.
I kept warm and passed the hours by breaking trail in the thigh deep snow in the nearby woods and throwing snow for Kratos to attack mid air. The hours ticked by with few visitors other than my occasional furry friends crossing the frozen river below.
Finally the golden hour arrived and although it was not the alpenglow I had planned and hoped for, I would never complain about watching the sun set over Denali in all her glory.
I have been jonesing to get to the Byron Glacier ice caves at the bottom of the glacier since I learned of their existence. However, a massive boulder field stands between the end of the definitive trail and the caves themselves, which makes for very slow progress during the thawed months. I’ve set out twice for the caves in warmer weather but was turned around each time by inclement weather / lack of preparedness for such conditions. Each time I was traveling solo and after some situational awareness retreated for my vehicle.
Winter conditions create a vastly different playing field. Avalanches in the valley smooth out the boulder field and create the ability to walk on top of and over much of the difficulties presented at other points of the year. This does however present its own set of unique problems like deep pitfalls, slick conditions, and the danger of avalanches themselves crashing down on you from above with no real place to escape to. But what’s the fun in adventures if not for a little bit of a risk factor? Especially when the reward is so great…
Just a few weekends ago I woke to an ice fishing hut engulfing my living room. It was a sight to be seen. That weekend I was out on the ice for my first time and (up until I got violently sick) having a blast.
Every spare moment since we got our new hut Brian could be found on various lakes within a 100 mile radius of our home. He has provided dinner on many nights and has quickly filled the spots in the freezer we have created from consuming some of our stock of salmon & halibut caught over the summer.
Kratos is also reaping the benefits of his various outings and has taken to ice fishing quickly. He has learned that occasionally a fish that makes its’ way out of the frigid waters lands at his feet and disappears behind a flash of teeth and beard.
So for Black Friday we decided to #OptOutside and spend the day at a secluded lake near Anchorage topping off the freezer.
