Sun Screen My Ass!

September 2, 2010

I spent a lot of hours researching the technical aspects of this adventure. Out of all the personal accounts and related websites that listed necessary items to bring along I have to say they ALL included sun screen. After the last three days above 6,000 feet for the better part of 8 hours each day… I’m toast. Really I mean it toast! My forearms and legs are a nice fire burnt red, my neck and face are about the same!
Needless to say I did NOT bring any sun screen, nor did I bring a ball cap.

This burn is about the same as my last trip to Hawaii or better yet my trip to Bonaire, oh this is going to hurt!

I’m in Linthal Switzerland now and I am going to take few days to “cool off” and see about finding some lotion for sun burns and a nice cap to keep the sun off of my face!

Not the best serial killer photo I could take but after ascending and descending 12,000 feet on a cloudless hot day in the Alps, it’s the best you get for now.

D.

“Must Ride” ~ A Close One!

August 23, 2010

it’s 11:00pm, I’m just back to my hotel room after spending almost all day at the airport trying to locate my one and only bag, my expedition pack that has all my gear for the Alps trek.  I left Unalaska / Dutch Harbor on time at 8:30pm  I had a dog going to the vets, a harbor seal going to the Sealife Center and I had a backpack coming with  me to Seattle.  At check-in ‘Must Ride’ stickers were placed on my pack because my connecting flight was an international flight.

When we got to Anchorage, I noticed that Blue (the dog) was there, Antigua (the seal) was there and I figured that my pack was checked all the way through to Seattle.

Imagine my surprise, anger, shock, disbelief and pre panic feeling when at 4:40am no bags were left on the baggage carousel and I was left standing there wondering… and wondering.
I went to the baggage help and asked if they knew where it was.  They looked it up and said no, it’s not in the system yet.  I figured that our turn around in Anchorage was too quick for the bag to get on the other plane.

However not in the system started to make me worry.  I spent the morning downtown checking on a few things, hoping that in the few hours my bag would show up on a flight from Anchorage.  I went back to the airport to check.  Nothing.  I got there at 5:00 and started get upset.  Changing my flight to Geneva was too costly, buying all new gear was just as costly, and I can’t figure out what is so hard to understand about MUST RIDE.

But come to find out, the bag didn’t even leave Unalaska.  Aaaarrrrgh!  What happened to Must Ride?  the stickers didn’t say Should Ride, Can I ride, Maybe Ride, Dont Ride, they said MUST RIDE!

Well I do have my bag now, my trekking poles were taken out though.  I’ll be claiming them when I get back.  yep you guessed it too – the must ride stickers are still on the bag.

See you in September.

Meet Antigua

August 23, 2010

A few days ago I got a call from Reid saying we had a mission and time was of the essence. A small harbor seal pup had come ashore and was suffering from several wounds and appeared to be abandoned. We met up at the the Horizon Lines crane facility in gear ready to capture the seal, put it in a modified dog kennel and get it to cargo where the little critter was going to be flown to Anchorage and the Alaska Sealife Center was going to pick her up from there and take her back for evaluation and possibly rehabilitation.

When we arrived on scene the seal was gone, we searched the shore and under debris but he was no where to be found and we scrapped the plan. A day or so later, he was spotted again on the beach near Magone Marine, this time everyone and everything was in place and Reid was able to capture the seal and get her in the kennel.

The problem now is the air cargo was closed and Penair would not ship the animal by itself. Enter me and my flight out later that night. Reid called and asked if I’d take the seal as checked baggage. I said if you were paying for it I’d be happy to take her along.

Everything was in place, I’d take the seal as a ‘pet’ via checked luggage, the good folks on the animal rescue team from the Alaska Sealife Center would drive up from Seward that night and meet us at the airport and take her back.

As an added bonus, the folks at the Alaska Sealife Center told Reid that I could name her. This years theme for rescued animals is ‘Coffee’.  First thing in my head was Antigua. I passed it on the staff of the Sealife Center when we met in Anchorage and they said they would check it out.

I’m happy to say that officially her name is Antigua, after the coffee from Guatemala Antigua. You can check up on Antigua at the Sealife Centers official website.

Too Busy

August 15, 2010

I’ve been really busy these past few weeks. Work has been very steady, my boat trailer is broke down on the side of the road, I’m headed for vacation next week, late night Fire & EMS calls, then trying to keep sane by squeezing in hiking, kite boarding and music is leaving me with not much time left.

I did manage to get a few photos the past few days that I like. The Salmon Berries are starting to get ripe and ready for picking. I’m going to miss berry season this year. I usually make a few jellies and syrups from the salmon and blue berries.  if you click the image, it should open a larger version.  Then depending on your browser you may be able to see it in an even larger version by clicking on it again.

The image below is of the sun rise this morning.  Whats that saying… Red skies at night, sailors delight, red skies in the morning, heed the warning… or something like that.

I have a few things left to do before I go on vacation, but I think I’m about ready.  I’ m surprised that this adventure came together as quick and easily (and by easily I mean affordable) for such a short planning time.

Summer has been pretty good so far this year.  I have not had a chance to go camping but I have got a lot of fishing and hiking in.  Were having a fair number of tourists and visitors this year, lots of folks coming in on the ferry to tour the island.  Several hikers and campers have come out to explore the island as well.  The weather has been exceptionally well as far as I’m concerned.  Plenty of was blue skies and calm winds.  (there is always room for more though).

Even though posts have been sparse here lately, this week I’ll try and get a few more.  After the weekend it could be a month before I get a change to post again.

Via Alpina.. and then some

August 14, 2010

After reviewing the endless route choices and trail systems in the Alps I became so overwhelmed with options that I would plan to follow the traditional well published Via Alpina route and if alternate routes seemed better, I would just deviate on the fly.  So sticking with my original start in Feldkirch Austria, passing through Vaduz and connecting with the start of the Via Alpina in Sargans Switzerland.  Following the Via Alpina through to Rochers de Naye and from there altering the route, heading south so that I end up in Saint Gingolph France instead of  Montreux Switzerland.

Although not really excited that each day takes me through a town or village, I am happy that it will allow me to carry less since I can resupply daily.  It seems most people who hike this route don’t take camping gear (camping in the Alps is frowned upon) but instead make arrangements at each town for lodging.  I suppose that is an option but for now, I’m still planning on camping either in the mountains or by making arrangements with local farmers.  It’s said that often approaching the farmers and asking to buy food items from them, that they will usually let you camp on the edge of their property.  I’ll let you know how that goes…

I will be taking my SPOT again this year, so live satellite tracking will be available for you to follow along.  I’ll be posting a new page just before I leave for your to bookmark and to follow along.  The only time during the trek I think I might post an update is if I take rest days in a town.  Other than that, there wont be any action on the site.

Here are the sections of the route.

• Feldkirch, Austria ~ Vaduz, Liechtenstein
• Vaduz ~ Sargans, Switzerland
• Sargans ~ Weisstannen
• Weisstannen ~ Elm
• Elm ~ Linthal
• Linthal ~ Urner Boden
• Urner Boden ~ Altdorf
• Altdorf ~ Engleberg
• Engleberg ~ Engstlenalp
• Engstlenalp ~ Meiringen
• Meiringen ~ Grindewald
• Grindewalk ~ Laurterbrunnen
• Laurterbrunnen ~ Griesalp
• Griesalp ~ Kandersteg
• Kandersteg ~ Adelboden
• Adelboden ~ Lenk
• Lenk ~ Gstaad
• Gstaad ~ L’etivaz
• L’etivaz ~ Rochers de Naye
• Rochers de Naye ~ Villeneuve
• Villeneuve ~ Saint Gingolph, France

Upper Summers Bay Trail

August 9, 2010

Yesterday Dakota wanted to get out and play, we decided to go check on a possible cave we had spotted the week earlier while hike around on some of the local trails and ridges above Unalaska.   The official name of the trail we were going to explore is called Upper Summers Bay.  It’s two miles round trip and is classified as difficult.  I agree that it is difficult but not a strenuous kind of difficult.  Actually I think it’s dangerous.  This trail is

seldom used.  In fact crossing several winter run-off mud slides I didn’t see one track , leading me to believe that Dakota and I are the only ones who have been there this year.

For this hike we started at the pass of Overland Drive again and followed the Upper Mount Newhall Trail about 2/3 of the way around towards Ski Bowl.  From there we left the trail and headed in the direction of where the cave might be.  It took a little while and added another mile or so to the hike, but we finally found and confirmed a cave hidden on the SW face of a small gully.  I find it interesting because there are no trails or paths around it, although about a quarter mile away there is debris from some old structures that have long been blown over.

I’m not showing the location of the cave here, I’m saving it and will be posting a Geo Cache.  I’m not sure yet what to  place in it, but I want to make it fun and adventurous for people who decide to get out and find it.

From here we made our way back to the trail.  It took about thirty minutes or so to get back on track and from there we headed to the end of the trail.  The weather was good although windy but we had some great views of Summers Bay, Illuliak Bay and the Bering Sea.

This next part might confuse people.  I’m going to start the trail report in the normal manner from start to finish, however the images were all taken as you come BACK FROM the end of the trail, that is why they look towards Ski Bowl.

From the pass at Ski Bowl, looking NE I’ve hammered a post in to where the trail starts and placed some rocks around it.  I don’t expect that to last very long with the winds that roll over the pass but, it should last the summer.  The trail takes off and remains fairly level.  Almost immediately your going to pass a small man made cave on your left.  I’m sure it was used for something when the military was around.   There used to be several shacks at the pass for when there was an old tow rope system for skiing there.

The first part of the trail is in pretty good shape, after a few minutes your going to cross some scree and washed out areas of the trail.  These areas are very dangerous.  The trail is not used often and what would normally be packed down and secure is exactly opposite.  The trail across mud and scree is very loose and unstable.  I warn you of this because if you lose your footing you could slide and fall a few hundred feet.

There are several sections of the trail that are not together.  What I mean by this is that the trail might end and then you have to climb up or down several feet over and around cliff faces to get back on the trail.  It’s at this point I’d like to suggest that you do not attempt this trail unless your really good

on your feet.  There were three sections of trail that bothered me enough to make sure I wrote that they actually bothered me.
Another suggestive point I’d like to pass on is that if it is really windy, rainy (or the ground is wet) or if it’s foggy please don’t try this section of trail unless your familiar with it.  It is difficult enough in good weather.

Keep your head up and look forward along the sections of the trail that are visible, this will keep you at the right elevation.  There are several sections of the trail that are over grown with grass flowers

and ferns.  I’ve said this before if you see a track of ferns – that is probably the trail so if you do loose your way, see if the ferns can help (I have a photo of this in the gallery)

Although this trail is short by itself, you can connect the Ski Bowl Trail or the Upper Mount Newhall Trail with it to make a nice half day trip.  As I’ve said the trail isn’t used much and because of this there are several sections where the trail is no wider than your foot – so again, be careful and keep steady footing.

The end of the trail just kind of fades away near the end of the mountain ridge.  From there you can make your way on fairly flat ground again with great views of Summers Bay & Lake, Split Top Mountain, Mt. Coxcomb, Overland Drive, Ugadaga Bay, Peace of Mind, Beaver Inlet and the entire valley Summers Bay rests in.

There is no protection from the elements there, so even if it’s nice out, pack for the other just in case.  If your taking a dog you might want to consider packing some water as there isn’t any water from the pass out.  Dakota never stays on the trail long, she is always chasing after ground squirrels, birds and rocks.  This makes her very hot and thirsty.  Also if you feel like camping, there are several spots at the end of the trail that are flat and grassy and would offer some great tenting.  Just remember to tie everything down well.

For the rest of the Upper Summers Bay Trail photographs, check out the gallery. (still uploading them)

Agamgic Bay Trail

August 4, 2010

The weather has been pretty good the past week or so, and by good I mean it’s not raining, foggy or windy at the same time.  I took the afternoon to make a quick trip down the Agamgic Bay Trail.  This is noted as being easy and four miles in length (one way).  I agree with that.  This is a good trail to take your mind away from the world and just kind of go.

Getting to this trail however requires getting to the unmarked trail head out of town on Summers Bay Road.  Make your way to Summers Bay Lake and continue NE past the turn off of Overland Drive that boarders Summers Bay Lake.  The road will wind upwards past some old gun mounts and ammunition depots, eventually coming back down to the turn off to Humpy Cover on the left.  Stay to the right and continue for a few more minutes.  You will reach a little turnout just as you approach a small wooden bridge.  Park here and out of the way – it is time to start hiking!

The trail start on the old road to the right of the bridge.  Follow that down and around, you will come to an old steel bridge that is rusting away.  At the time of this writing the bridge was still solid enough to walk on, but cross it at your own risk.  Just past the bridge the trail is going to fork, take the left fork following the creek.

Your first opportunity to get off the trail is just ahead, the trail is going to spur off again to the left to continue

following the creek.  I have placed a block of wood to get your attention, but if it’s removed or falls over you could walk right past it and end up climbing to a dead end in the foot hills of the mountains ahead.  You should be able to see the trail taking off to the left, and again it follows the creek so keep your head up.

The trail is visible most of the time, so don’t concern yourself with getting lost or off track too much.

After a few minutes of hiking your going to come to a valley creek crossing.  Someone has graciously added stakes with knotted rope to make your descent and ascent easier.  Otherwise using your trekking poles will work just as well.  If the grass and mud are wet, I can assure you that it will be very slippery – so be careful when crossing this gully.

Climbing out of the gully the trail continues at an even plane and wanders around hills, fields of flowers  and little streams.  I’ll take this moment to say the views headed out to the bay are not as eventful as the views coming back.  Everything seems to be smooth and blurs together.
There is another creek crossing you have to navigate.

Yesterday the water was low enough to walk on the rocks on the creek without getting wet.  I’ve been there at other times when the creek is raging.  If you encounter that, I’d say throw on the flip flops if you have them or wade bare feet.  If that is not an option, then head SE following the creek up towards the mountains, about 100 feet or so you will find that the creek narrows and can be jumped across, then make your way down the creek back to he trail.

Continuing, the trail is good and straight forward, your next opportunity to get off the trail, is just a head at the next creek crossing.  Years ago the trail was obvious and led you to the creek for a one step crossing.  The wild horses recently have tracked along

the creek so much up towards the mountain that it looks like that is the trail now.  I have placed a large rock on the left side of the trail that leads you to the crossing.  Someone else has placed a rock near the creek crossing adjacent to the trail continuing on.  So if you go from a single track trail to a major horse track along the creek heading up, your going the wrong way.  Just look to your left across the creek and you will see the trail on the other side.

The next section of trail is pretty easy with a slight decent through a gully.  Easy going down and might take a few minutes to get back up, but again the trail is really obvious.   Your going to round a hill and get your first glimpse of Agamgic Bay, Beaver Inlet, and Sedanka Island.  The trail continues on

from here almost down to the waters edge.  The blue Berries and Salmon Berries here are fantastic!  You just need to get there before I do to get them.

Just before you start your way down to the water, your going to pass a bog on your right.  Just as the bog starts to narrow and create a valley with run off making a creek, there is another trail that breaks off to the right.  It’s not used much any more though so it can be difficult to find.  It used to lead to Drakes Inn which was a great Quonset cabin that had been built up and maintained by the locals.  Tragically it burned down about four years ago.  If you can find the trail, head on over, climb up above the debris for some more great views of the bay.

From the end of the trail, you can follow the coast line almost due north.  The large valley your facing leads over to English bay.  I spent four days camping there over Christmas few years ago.  I’ll post the link to that hike here when I find it.  Although the hike was in the middle of winter I think you might enjoy reading about it and looking at the pictures.

For more pictures of the Agamgic Bay hike, check out the gallery.

Good Fishing

August 1, 2010

I set off today to catch some halibut.  The summer has been slow in the usual spots so I headed out someplace new.  I wasn’t sure which way I’d go though, the local charter boats won’t give up where they take their clients and the few people I know who fish say they haven’t been having much luck.

Halibut come shallow in the summer time, I figured I try in the 150 to 170 depth range and see what happens.  I spent a few hours checking out different random spots before

finally coming upon a nice spot on the other side of the island that produced two nice fish in short order.

Once I got back I cut the fish into single size servings ready for the vacuum sealer.  I went to the store to pickup some vacuum bags only to find out they were out.  I had to settle for some seal-able freezer bags instead.  I got home and started to package the fish before I realized I’m out of space in the freezer.

Uuuugh, well I managed to get most of it in there, the rest I put in the refrigerator or cooked.  I need to find more space.

I have plenty of fish for the year, I might go after halibut again and I could use some crab, but I’m running out of space to hold all if.  The Silver salmon are on the way and they are my favorite of all the salmon to fish for.  Of the silvers I get this year, some will be cut into steaks, some will be cut, smoked and jarred.

Illuliak Bay Overlook

July 30, 2010

This trail officially is documented as being 1/2 mile and of moderate difficulty.  The trail starts on Summers Bay road just past the land fill and is a serious of switchbacks that climb in elevation about 300 feet.  The trial ends in a chute that you would follow to the top of the ridge.  That is where it officially stops.  Form there however you can follow the ridge north continuing to climb in elevation eventually reaching the summit of Mt. Newhall.  You could make your way down the Mt. Newhall trail or continue on the Upper Mount Newhall trail to Ski Bow and beyond to Overland Drive.

The pictures I have included here are a continuation from the Upper Mount Newhall trail coming FROM Overland Drive.

Either direction will bring you to several steep inclines both ascending and descending throughout the trail.  Getting to the summit from the Overland Drive side will require you navigate over a steep and narrow knife edge.  Alternatively crossing behind it on the east side gives you something of a climb but on relative flat grass and flower covered ground.

Making your way from Mount Newhall towards the Illuliak Bay Overlook is easy with some minor up hill climbs and a quite a few descents.

There is one climb of about 8 feet or so that will require hand and foot climbing,  There is no safe ground around it.  You could try going around the back side which would be on the SE side.  I say this because of the two sides to try and go around the NW side has a near vertical fall of several hundred feet, the other is just as steep but on about thirty feet or so.  Again, I suggest cinching your pack and making your way up over it.

Continuing on, you will be following the ridge just above the landfill and parallel to Summers Bay road.  At this point the rest of the hike is all gradual descent.  If you enjoy taking panoramic photographs, this entire section gives you great views of Captains Bay, Downtown Unalaska, Amaknak Island, Hog Island, Mount Ballyhoo, Ulakta Head, and the areas of Nateekin Bay, Broad Bay, Wide Bay and Eider Point.  You can also get some great shots of Split Top Mountain and Constantine Point.

The descent start from the remains of the small structures that used to be up there.  You may not see the wood and debris left under the grass, but you can definitely see the dug out shells and foundations.  From them locate the chute on the NW side of the ridge.  If you get to the edge you can look straight down and see Summers Bay road.  GO TO THE LEFT of the chute to a small channel that is not as steep as the chute and provides good traction.  Make your way down about 120 feet to a small outcropping point.  This is a good place to rest your feet and ankles if your footwear doesn’t fit well.

From the outcropping look SW parallel to the mountain your descending.  Look down another 80 feet

or so and you should see an obvious trail that just appears out of the grass and make way for it.  This is the top of the switchbacks that will take you all the way down to the road.  If your in a hurry, you can just make your own way down to the road, your out of danger in regards to cliffs and scree as long as you head towards town.

For a few more pictures check out the Illuliak Bay Overlook trail gallery.

Mount Newhall Trail

July 29, 2010

Another good hiking trail (once you get to it) is the Mount Newhall Trail.  I guess technically it starts (or) ends at the Overland Drive summit and the same could be said for the cemetery along Summers Bay Road.  This brief description is a continuation from the Overland Drive side.
The trail is documented as being 21/2 miles in length and of moderate difficulty.  Again, in my opinion there are only a few things that makes this hike a little difficult.  The big thing is that the trail disappears for a while, this forces you descend and side hill at the same time to pick up the trail just above the cemetery.  This can be difficult if it is raining or foggy.

I started from the summit of Overland Drive.  The trail is obvious and takes off almost due west along another mountain ridge.  This part of the hike is fairly straight forward.  The only other reasons I would think to call it moderate is because of another scree / talus field after the ski bowl summit.

As you take off,  there is one minor ascent of about 30 feet and a small steep cliff that you need to round, but after that your going to experience pretty easy hiking crossing below Gateway Peak and eventually

reaching to saddle at Ski Bowl.

At Ski Bowl your going to see the remains of several shacks that used to house the tow rope ski lift system from when the military developed and used the area for instructional and recreational ski purposes (thus the name Ski Bowl)

When you make your approach to the saddle you will be heading due north and have a pretty good view of ‘the valley’ of Unalaska, also called the ‘other side’ if you live on Amaknak Island (also referred to as Dutch Harbor).

From here the trail is washed away, but from the saddle if you look down and to your right, you will see it below you about 60 feet.  It’s an easy transition to make your way down to the trail.

Again the trail is straight forward until you reach the scree and small boulder field.  Keep your direction and watch your footing.   The trail ends just a few minutes after that in a small alpine grass field near where the three ridges around you meet up.

The trail map shows the trail continuing along the ridge line to your left then spuring off.  You can follow the ridge to the summit of Mt. Newhall or you can start your descent to where the trail proper picks up.

Since your there, I’d take another few minutes and follow the ridge up to the summit, then if you feel like calling it a day, back track down and make your way to the cemetery.

However, for something a little extra and some more good views,

read my next post where I continue from the summit of Mount Newhall along the ridge and connect to the Illuliak Bay Overlook trail.

For more pictures taken on the Mount Newhall Trail, check out the photo gallery.

You can also check out other hikes from around the island by clicking on the Hobbies menu at the top of the page and then choose Hiking.

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