Hey Everyone!
I'm back from the Yukon trip and had an absolutely fabulous time! We spent the first 6 days of the trip on the Blanchard River doing Swift Water Rescue and Raft Guide training with the students and then headed up to Kluane National Park in the Yukon to do some backpacking. After the hiking section we went back to the Tatshenshini River to do some overnight river trips before heading back to Haines.
It's been great to be back in Haines for the last 24 hours, but thats only about how much longer I'm going to be in Haines before I head to Gustavus, AK to start prepping the next trip. I have some day trips this week out of Gustavus that I'm going to be helping out with and then on Saturday I'm headed back into Glacier Bay for a 24 day trip with two students.
Such a crazy busy summer. More later!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
The First Day in the Front Country
Already this has been quite the first day back, and in a rather stressful way. Honestly its probably more stressful because of what happened on the last two days of this last trip. The trip was great, I had these three fabulous clients, that were so much fun to be out with. They were really relaxed, went with the flow and we all had a great time and had great weather, again.
The day before our pick-up however turned out to be slightly epic. We woke up and winds were building out of the south and so we hurried to get on the water to get across to the east side of the bay before the water got so big it wouldn't be safe to paddle. The crossing was a bit on the rowdy side, but we got across, and just in time, because by the time we landed the surf was building t0 3' waves. Thankfully there was a passing boat that I could call on the VHF for a weather report and the very friendly captain of the Kastine let me know that the winds would be dieing down in the evening. So we hunkered down just off the beach out of the wind and drank hot drinks and ate snacks and waited for the wind to die. Right around 4p we looked out at the water and didn't see any white caps so we jumped in the boats and headed south. We still had about 10 miles to go to our campsite, so we knew we were in for a late night. We would need to be on the beach for our pick- up at 7:30 the next morning, and we decided it would be better to paddle later into the night and sleep as close to the pickup as possible, just in case the winds picked back up again in the morning. Winds were on and off as we paddled south toward camp, and we arrived on Garforth Island at 10p, ate some oatmeal and went to bed. The next morning we had to be up at 6a to get to the Mt. Wright pick up. So by the time I got back to town after the trip I was excited about the great trip, but exhausted.
This morning, I got up to start cleaning gear and was checking my voicemail when I dropped my cell phone in the bleach water. It's totally dead and it took me 2 hours on the phone with Verizon to get a new phone. And just when I had that all figured out, I knocked tea onto my laptop and it shut down. Luckily a few hours later and some serious attention to drying it out and the laptop is back in service, but the phone is long gone.
As my dear friend Matt Allard said today: Rachel, You silly girl. You can handle an 16' 'yak in sea swell amongst floating chunks of glacier while humpback whales try to scratch their backs on your rudder, but you cant control a cell phone on flat pavement. What are we going to do with you?"
So true, what are they going to do with me? Turns out I'm a way more competent guide than I am technology owner. Such is life.
The day before our pick-up however turned out to be slightly epic. We woke up and winds were building out of the south and so we hurried to get on the water to get across to the east side of the bay before the water got so big it wouldn't be safe to paddle. The crossing was a bit on the rowdy side, but we got across, and just in time, because by the time we landed the surf was building t0 3' waves. Thankfully there was a passing boat that I could call on the VHF for a weather report and the very friendly captain of the Kastine let me know that the winds would be dieing down in the evening. So we hunkered down just off the beach out of the wind and drank hot drinks and ate snacks and waited for the wind to die. Right around 4p we looked out at the water and didn't see any white caps so we jumped in the boats and headed south. We still had about 10 miles to go to our campsite, so we knew we were in for a late night. We would need to be on the beach for our pick- up at 7:30 the next morning, and we decided it would be better to paddle later into the night and sleep as close to the pickup as possible, just in case the winds picked back up again in the morning. Winds were on and off as we paddled south toward camp, and we arrived on Garforth Island at 10p, ate some oatmeal and went to bed. The next morning we had to be up at 6a to get to the Mt. Wright pick up. So by the time I got back to town after the trip I was excited about the great trip, but exhausted.
This morning, I got up to start cleaning gear and was checking my voicemail when I dropped my cell phone in the bleach water. It's totally dead and it took me 2 hours on the phone with Verizon to get a new phone. And just when I had that all figured out, I knocked tea onto my laptop and it shut down. Luckily a few hours later and some serious attention to drying it out and the laptop is back in service, but the phone is long gone.
As my dear friend Matt Allard said today: Rachel, You silly girl. You can handle an 16' 'yak in sea swell amongst floating chunks of glacier while humpback whales try to scratch their backs on your rudder, but you cant control a cell phone on flat pavement. What are we going to do with you?"
So true, what are they going to do with me? Turns out I'm a way more competent guide than I am technology owner. Such is life.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Back from Glacier Bay!
Hey Everyone! I’m back from Glacier Bay and what a fabulous trip it was! This last group was one of the best groups of student’s I’ve had and were so much fun to work with. Plus we had beautiful weather and saw lots of great wildlife! Here’s a sampling of what we did from the trip report:
May 25th and 26th- Intro to paddling skills all day in Bartlett Cove with Brian McGorry. Continued paddling skills introduction as well as introduction to rescues.
First day of paddling up toward the Beardslee Islands. Caught the 6:30 am high tide through the Lester Island cut into the Beardslees. Paddled north through the islands to the northern most island just west of BearTrack Cove. First backcountry camp, talked with students about all info pertaining to campsite selection in this environment. Also introduced TECs and Trip reports to add to the student journals.
Got up early to arrive at the Mt. Wright pick up by 7:30 am and had breakfast on the beach there. The Fairweather picked up Kaylyn at 9:30 am and the rest of the group packed up and continued north along the east coast of the bay. Group stopped at Maquina Cove for lunch and then paddled north to Goose Cove. Rachel spotted a brown bear between camp and the water source just south of camp and alerted expedition members. Bear wandered back into the alder. Students spend some time in the evening preparing the itinerary for the next 5 days of the course.
Rode the am rising tide from Goose Cove up to McBride Bay and set up camp. The arctic turns are nesting significantly closer to the terminal moraine this year and made finding camping that would accommodate the turns difficult but doable. (If you get too close to their nests they will scream and start dive bombing at peoples’ heads) At 2:30p a lone wolf wandered in near camp and spent about half an hour around the camp, but was more interested in the turn eggs that on getting close to camp. Then at 3:15p nine members of the group went on a hike up the shore to check out the glacier closer. Rachel and Staci stayed behind to work on repairing the kayaks that were needing patching. After the Rachel and Staci finished patching the boats they got up and found that there was a brown bear that had wandered into camp. Rachel instructed Staci stay with her as she moved toward the bear spray and after some whistle blowing the bear moved away from camp after ripping a dry bag. Meanwhile the rest of the group heard the noise back and camp and started working their way back. The bear momentarily was between the two groups but both groups of people moved toward the water and the bear toward the alder and then wandered out away from camp. Group debriefed the experience over dinner.
Another short paddle day. Arrived at Garforth Island by noon. Students spent the early afternoon doing peer midcourse evals. After evals were complete, Brian and Rachel had one-on-one meetings with each of the students to check in with them about how their course was going and giving feedback to them to take into their next section. Students worked on preparing for departure and resupply while they were not in their interview. After dinner the group sat down together and had a midcourse debrief regarding the first 12 days of the course.
June 4th- Garforth Island to Mt. Wright Drop Off to Tidal Inlet (15.5 n. miles)
Group got up early to pack boats and be at the Mt. Wright drop off by 7:30a. Group cooked breakfast on the beach at Mt. Wright and waited for the Fairweather. Boat arrived and the 12 day participants departed. Remaining group members received re-supply and packed boats to head to the West Arm. Smooth crossing to Tlingit Point and then paddled up the shoreline to campsite in the bay just north of Tidal Inlet.
Started the morning with a crossing to the west side of the Rendu Inlet from Composite Island. Throughout the crossing wave conditions continued to increase from the south and by the time we were finishing the crossing waves were consistently at 2-3 feet swelling to 4 feet. Ricky and Rachel started looking for a beach to exit onto, but the shoreline was too rocky to be landed on, and the one beach that would have been suitable for landing was tested by Ricky and turned out to be too steep to surf land without soaking everyone. (Ricky got wet to his waist while testing the landing.) It was determined that it would just be safer to stay on the water than try and land and the group paddled north with caution. Winds subsided as the group neared Russell Island and due to the tailwind and rising tide it was decided by Ricky to continue into the Tarr Inlet and take advantage of the conditions rather than stopping at Russell as planned. Group camped on the east side of the Tarr Inlet just north of the prominent alluvial fan. (LOD: Ricky)
Had a late and long breakfast and paddled south to catch the high tide at the cut into Skidmore Bay. Arrived at the cut at 4:00p with a high tide that wasn’t going to be in until 7:00p. Group stopped and made hot drinks at the cut and waited for the water to rise. Water never rose high enough to paddle all the way through. (13.5ft high tide on the Bartlett Cove tide chart). Group decided that they had already invested enough time there that they should finish the cut and lift the boats over the sections that weren’t floatable. Finished paddling/floating/lifting boats through the cut by 7:30p and started paddling up Skidmore Bay. Arrived at a campsite on the eastern side of Skidmore Bay around 9:00p.
Crossing of Sitakaday Narrows. Left the morning open for students to work on final projects and assessments and then prepared for the crossing in the afternoon. Caught the 5:15p low tide slack for the crossing. Started crossing from Rush Point at 4:30p. Crossed to the channel marker. Tide was still pushing at about 1knot through the 1st half on the 6th hour going toward low tide. About the middle of the crossing the tide mellowed out and crossing was completed without complications. Camped on the west side of Young Island.
Spent the morning doing peer feedback for students and working on rescues with students who wanted more time on the water. In the afternoon the instructors worked on final paperwork as well as final interviews with each of the students. After an early dinner the group paddled into Bartlett Cove and spent the night in the Bartlett Cove campground. Had the group final debrief on the beach at Bartlett Cove.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Leaving Town
Remember that time I said I was going to be in town a bunch more and therefore updating this a bunch more? Turns out that might not happen for a while. I'm headed to Gustavus, AK tomorrow where one of our main kayaking branches is, and from there will start a 24 Day Sea Kayak trip for IWLS in Glacier Bay National Park. Then, what I found out yesterday, is that after that trip I'll be staying in Gustavus to do another 8 day trip in Glacier Bay starting on June 22nd. So I won't be back in Haines until June 30th! Kind of crazy logistics, but that's life in the guiding world!
Life here in Haines is good, the last two days have been pretty crazy busy with day trips and with the cruise ship season getting started in southeast AK. I had some great guests with me out on the water and we chatted all about the types of trees in this area, and the wild life, as well as the native people that live in the area. Yesterday we even saw a whale breach, which something you always see pictures of but rarely get to see in person. It was awesome!
I'm off to bed, early morning tomorrow running errands and getting ready for a 3pm flight over to Gustavus!
Life here in Haines is good, the last two days have been pretty crazy busy with day trips and with the cruise ship season getting started in southeast AK. I had some great guests with me out on the water and we chatted all about the types of trees in this area, and the wild life, as well as the native people that live in the area. Yesterday we even saw a whale breach, which something you always see pictures of but rarely get to see in person. It was awesome!
I'm off to bed, early morning tomorrow running errands and getting ready for a 3pm flight over to Gustavus!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Life in Haines
First full day in Haines! As per usual, it rained all day and never got warmer than around 45 degrees, but I still love being here. In stark contrast to last season, things are ramping up slowly around here for me. I don’t leave to go out on trip until the 24th, which gives me about a week in town to get my feet underneath me and move into my place.
Speaking of my home, I’m all moved in, and finally got this place clean. After sitting for the winter the trailer had gotten pretty dirty, and so I spent a good part of my morning with a bottle of bleach in one hand and a sponge in the other. I finally got the place clean and got everything out of the car and into the trailer. Living in a camper trailer I am constantly amazed by the people who design these things. There is no shred of space that goes unused in these things. As I kept cleaning I kept finding all sorts of places around the trailer to store things and different amazingly smart ways to use this space. It’s starting to feel like home, which is good seeing as that’s what it’s going to be for the next few months before I head down to Utah.
All is fabulous here on the far northern front! But if someone has some sunshine in their part of the world and wants to send some this way we’d all really appreciate it up here!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Oh Canada
Ah! Finally some time to write! We’re in Calgary right now, and Andy is driving and so I get to chill out in the front seat, check out the sights and catch up with you all.
One of the things I love about this drive is the ability to have 1/3 of the mileage done on the first day, so that for the rest of the drive through Canada you can slow down and a bit and enjoy the scenery. Honestly, the southern part of Alberta after you cross over from Montana is less than exciting. Andy commented that it looks like “SimCanada” where you just have these huge stretches of open, flat and empty land and then out of no where someone just dropped this small village somewhat randomly on the plains.
Calgary, as always, was a pain in the ass to navigate. I suppose part of the problem might be that we went a little bit further into town than we wanted to to try and find lunch, but still, the highway systems are not the easiest things to figure out in that city. There are however two very nice things about leaving Calgary, one: is that the roads open up and all the cars disappear, and two: is that it means you are headed toward Banff!
We stopped and did lots of fun stuff in the park today, all of which I have pictures for. But with all the stopping to see things and dinner with a friend in Jasper, I'm totally zonked and need to get some sleep before we keep driving up to Laird Hot Springs tomorrow.Pictures of the drive when I get to Haines on Friday, I promise!!
Playing Catch Up
Sorry, this is left over from yesterday:
Today was eventful and uneventful all at the same time. We got up and left Mankato early, (around 5) and drove through western Minnesota and North Dakota. The real fun started somewhere around central North Dakota when the car top box suddenly flung itself open and tossed two bags and two jackets into the road (honestly, I’m surprised more didn’t come flying out). Andy ran back and picked up everything that had fallen out and I climbed up on the car to fix the box. It seems to be working fine now, but there is a crack in it along the side. No major damage, but I’m really glad that REI has such a great return policy. I don’t care what they say, car boxes should not open by themselves.
Other than that we got to Great Falls without incident and went out for some awesome greek food before settling in at the hotel for the night. As I was falling asleep I was thinking about how this would be the first of a series of new places that I would be sleeping in the next 6 months. I’ve taken a new job, in a new state, and having to start a life that is very different from what I have been doing for the last two years. It felt like my heart was breaking to have to say good bye to so many people who have become so dear to me over the last two years, and knowing that some of them I might not see again for a very long time. I guess the best way to put it is that I love to go, but I hate to leave.
I’m so excited for tomorrow though, driving up through Banff to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway is beyond beautiful. Rumor has it that there has been lots of snow still falling in the mountains up here, so we should have some great views of the snow capped Canadian Rockies.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Great Falls and Tumbles
Great Falls, MT
Miles: 1,108
Drive Time: 16.5 hours
What a long day, thankfully this will be the longest day of driving that we will have as we head up north. It was pretty windy and rainy most of the day, which didn't seem to put too much of a damper on the drive.
We're totally zonked and need to get some sleep. I'll try to write a better update in the car tomorrow and post it when we get to Jasper!
Side Note: calls to/from canada on the cell phones are expensive! So if I don't answer the cell for the next few days, please leave a message and I'll call you back when I get to AK on Friday.
Miles: 1,108
Drive Time: 16.5 hours
What a long day, thankfully this will be the longest day of driving that we will have as we head up north. It was pretty windy and rainy most of the day, which didn't seem to put too much of a damper on the drive.
We're totally zonked and need to get some sleep. I'll try to write a better update in the car tomorrow and post it when we get to Jasper!
Side Note: calls to/from canada on the cell phones are expensive! So if I don't answer the cell for the next few days, please leave a message and I'll call you back when I get to AK on Friday.
Driving North
I had every intention of posting the itinerary for the trip before we actually left, but its been a crazy week here trying to get everything ready to take off. Andy and I are leaving in a few minutes to start the drive, so I'll have to wait and update y'all from the road.
We'll be driving from Today, May 12 til Thursday, May 15! Catch us on our cell phones on the road!
We'll be driving from Today, May 12 til Thursday, May 15! Catch us on our cell phones on the road!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Packing
I always find it interesting that your last few days in any place where you have lived seem to be the busiest. You need more time at home and to yourself to be getting organized and getting packed and reconciling yourself to the fact that you're leaving. Yet at the same time all the people you love and care about want to spend as much time with you as possible before, in my case, you disappear into the woods. I think I've managed to work out a pretty good balance between these two things, but it still means that the last week here is going to be fairly crazy. A great crazy though.
The apartment here in Mankato is about half packed up. I'm making piles of stuff that are getting stored in MN for the summer and early fall, and then other piles of things that are going to be making the trek up to AK with me. Knowing that I could be in AK until as late as October and probably spending more time in town than I did last season means that I'm taking more stuff than I did last year, so I think the car is going to be pretty full. I'm trying to pack carefully and strategically.
It's definitely a tearing situation I find myself in these days. Mankato has become my home, and I love my community here and it breaks my heart to have to leave it. But at the same time I love being in Haines and what I do up there. I'm getting really excited for the first trip (24 day Sea Kayaking course in Glacier Bay that goes out on May 24th!) and just to be back in ALASKA!
I'm working on finalizing the itinerary for the trip north and should have it posted soon. As of right now I'm leaving Mankato on May 12th, which should land me in Haines on May 16th!
The apartment here in Mankato is about half packed up. I'm making piles of stuff that are getting stored in MN for the summer and early fall, and then other piles of things that are going to be making the trek up to AK with me. Knowing that I could be in AK until as late as October and probably spending more time in town than I did last season means that I'm taking more stuff than I did last year, so I think the car is going to be pretty full. I'm trying to pack carefully and strategically.
It's definitely a tearing situation I find myself in these days. Mankato has become my home, and I love my community here and it breaks my heart to have to leave it. But at the same time I love being in Haines and what I do up there. I'm getting really excited for the first trip (24 day Sea Kayaking course in Glacier Bay that goes out on May 24th!) and just to be back in ALASKA!
I'm working on finalizing the itinerary for the trip north and should have it posted soon. As of right now I'm leaving Mankato on May 12th, which should land me in Haines on May 16th!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Haines Community Website
This is one of the many reasons that I love living in Haines, AK.
Oberhalsie goat
Posted: 2008-04-19
Contact: 766-XXXX
Price: $100
Description: Prime breeding age Oberhalsie goat. This goat has a great personality, and is for sale to a very good home.
so classic.
Oberhalsie goat
Posted: 2008-04-19
Contact: 766-XXXX
Price: $100
Description: Prime breeding age Oberhalsie goat. This goat has a great personality, and is for sale to a very good home.
so classic.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Home Sweet Home
For the last few weeks I have been totally consumed with working on getting the thesis ready and getting ready for my last conference here at Minnesota State. The thesis is over and approved (yay!) and the conference is next week, and everything is going to plan. So now that things have settled down my mind is starting to have some free space to think about a moving to AK.
I talked to the boys out in UT and it sounds like housing options are pretty slim in Haines this year. I'm still looking around for something a little more stable but for now, it looks like this is going to be home base for the summer.
It's going to be tight, but at least its cheap! Something else might come up, but if it doesn't at least I have something that is relatively warm and dry to spend the time in when I'm not in a tent in the backcountry.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
5 Weeks Out
Sorry the posts are a bit sparse, there isn't that much exciting going on with relevance to AK just yet.
I'm heading north in 5 weeks, which is really exciting. Andy (a friend of mine from grad school) is going to work for a youth wilderness program in Wrangell, AK, so he is going to drive with me to Haines, and then head down to Wrangell from there. It's going to be really nice to have someone to split the driving with. Plus, it's just going to be nice to have someone else with me along the Alcan. There were times last year where I realized that I was a female traveling alone along really isolated roads and I wondered if that should potentially concern me.
Andy and I plan on leaving Mankato on May 11th and we should hit the Alcan on the 13th and be in Haines by the 15th.
I'm still trying to figure out housing for the summer since it sounds like I'm going to be in town a little bit more than I was last season, which means more time to experience Haines and more time to update the blog! (Which means you have more opportunities to procrastinate reading it instead of doing more productive things on the internet..... like checking facebook.....)
In other news: I passed my thesis defense! So the two years of hard work wasn't for nothing and I get to graduate! I'm really ready to be done with studying for a while and to be back in the field working with students.
Thats all for now, stay tuned!
I'm heading north in 5 weeks, which is really exciting. Andy (a friend of mine from grad school) is going to work for a youth wilderness program in Wrangell, AK, so he is going to drive with me to Haines, and then head down to Wrangell from there. It's going to be really nice to have someone to split the driving with. Plus, it's just going to be nice to have someone else with me along the Alcan. There were times last year where I realized that I was a female traveling alone along really isolated roads and I wondered if that should potentially concern me.
Andy and I plan on leaving Mankato on May 11th and we should hit the Alcan on the 13th and be in Haines by the 15th.
I'm still trying to figure out housing for the summer since it sounds like I'm going to be in town a little bit more than I was last season, which means more time to experience Haines and more time to update the blog! (Which means you have more opportunities to procrastinate reading it instead of doing more productive things on the internet..... like checking facebook.....)
In other news: I passed my thesis defense! So the two years of hard work wasn't for nothing and I get to graduate! I'm really ready to be done with studying for a while and to be back in the field working with students.
Thats all for now, stay tuned!
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Return North
Remember that time I was going to keep this going over the winter? Yea, that was wishful thinking. Turns out there isn't much to say about life in Alaska when you are actually living in Minnesota and spending all your free time in the library.
But now seems as good a time as any to re-start the blog... because yesterday I got my trip schedule for Alaska this summer!
For those of you who tuned in last summer, you'll be glad to know that at the moment I am only scheduled for 2 maybe 3 long trips, which means a little bit of a slower pace this summer, and some time to really enjoy being in Haines. (Also, for all of you compulsive blog checkers this is going to mean more updates and more ways for you to procrastinate!)
So for now I have somethings to finish up in Minnesota (like graduating, hosting a conference, etc) and then I'm due in Haines by may 15th!
Tune in for more updates as the departure date approaches!
But now seems as good a time as any to re-start the blog... because yesterday I got my trip schedule for Alaska this summer!
For those of you who tuned in last summer, you'll be glad to know that at the moment I am only scheduled for 2 maybe 3 long trips, which means a little bit of a slower pace this summer, and some time to really enjoy being in Haines. (Also, for all of you compulsive blog checkers this is going to mean more updates and more ways for you to procrastinate!)
So for now I have somethings to finish up in Minnesota (like graduating, hosting a conference, etc) and then I'm due in Haines by may 15th!
Tune in for more updates as the departure date approaches!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.JPG)
Posts
