Alaska - 3 day hikes

Hike #1) Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjourd National Park

Harding Icefield trail to Marmot Meadows

Stats: 8.35 km / 467m gain / 2 hours up & 1 hour down

Because it was raining and we were short on time, we decided not to do the whole trail. This side hike was on the Glacier Overlook trail.

Me, Case, Anne & Ingrid.

When we were ascending in the forest, my husband, Case started yelling at me. As I turned around to look I was thinking, "Oh what does he want now?" I stopped short when I saw an adolscent black bear following about 8' behind me!!! Thankfully he was more interested in the berry bushes than in me. Bear spray in hand, we proceeded carefully once he'd settled on a bush not too far off of the trail.

Back on the Harding Icefield trail.

Views from Marmot Meadows.

The Exit Glacier represents just 2% of the Harding Icefield that feeds almost 40 different glaciers.

About 70' of snow falls on the icefield annually. Notice the people by the seracs.

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Hike #2) Mt. Healy Overlook trail in Denali National Park

Stats: 8.6 km / 614m gain / 1 1/2 hours up & 1 hour down

This was another nice leg-stretcher to start the day with. The trailhead was right by the visitor centre.

Bear markings.

The ptarmigan is the official state bird of Alaska.

At the Mt. Healy lookout, looking southeast at Hwy 3.

The valley we drove east on in the afternoon on the Denali bus tour -- east to south.

Views from the lookout with a trail that could take you farther up along the ridge.

south

A small tourist town at the junction of Hwy 3 & McKinley Park Road in Denali NP.

Orange Birch Bolete Scaley Sawgill

An interested visitor. Brown Birch Bolete

Alder Scalycap Orange-capped Bolete

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Hike #3) Angel Rocks by Chena Hotsprings, Fairbanks

Stats: 14.5 km / 850m gain / 790m high / 4 1/2 hours MT

This was a very diverse trail, that went from a climb through lush spruce and birch forest to volcanic rock that included tors & caves to easy rambling on an open ridge to descending through a burnt black forest from the previous year and finally to a boggy bright green horsetail section before coming out at the hotsprings.

We did this hike as a crossover that started at the Angel Rocks trailhead (mile 48.9) and ended in Chena Hotsprings, where we spent two nights.

Tors are a result of molten rock being pushed upward and cooled before it reached the earth's surface. The surrounding earth slowly eroded, exposing the less erodible rock pinnacles.

A cave.

Approaching the ridge.

Crinkled Snow lichen Harebell

At the first summit. There were three mellow saddles and two cairns marking the summits.

Anne, Irene & Simon.

The second summit.

Felt lichen Fireweed

The Angel Rocks shelter is located in the third saddle. This is also where the trail began to descend.

Many of the burnt trees had these pinecone tips. New growth.

The bright pink Fireweed stood out in the black surroundings.

Rock Harlequin. I'd never seen this flowering plant before. Apparently it only grows after a fire.

A small piece of turf that escaped the fire.

Horsetail and several small detours due to the bog.

Arrived at the Chena Hotsprings and eager to get our bathing suites on for a relaxing unwinding dip.