Kenai Peninsula

Our trip actually started the end of March when we began to do some deep research about where to go, what to do, how to get there, etc. We were so excited this whole summer planning and getting ready. We decided to take 3 backpacking trips with in this one trip; hit three different area's: Russian River, Wrangell, and Denali. There was alot to plan and get ready. We needed maps, backpacking gear, fishing gear, rain gear, all the food bought- divyed up-packed- and stored, plus how, when, and how long we were to stay in each place. Eventually we put it all together and had a trip that we had both dreamed of going on ready to go.

We flew into Anchorage at 1030 pm, went straight to a local car rental place and got a little Ford Ranger pick-up truck with a closed top. This worked out great for us, for one we had a truck to go on all the dirt roads, and for two, we had the back of the truck to sleep in at night while driving from one place to the other. Which is actually how we spent our first night... drove till about 2 am then pulled off and slept a few hours then got on the road again. Crazy I know, but it worked, was cheap, and was actually kinda fun ;-)

From here on I'll let the pictures tell the story!!!

This is all we brought: 2 backpacks and two other carry on bags. We had all our food for two weeks, clothes, toiletries, fishing gear, and then our back packing gear... tent, sleeping bags, stove, pot, plates, utensils, headlights, and rain gear. It was alot, but somehow it all fit.

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This was probably the longest flight of my life! We were both so excited and anxious to get there that the 5 hour flight seemed like 10. We made it though, and Greg was able to get a shot of the snow capped mountains on the way in.

Our first camping spot! We landed around 1030 at night, went and got our truck from the rental guys, drove a couple hours towards the Kenai Peninsula, and eventually found this pull out off the highway and slept in the back of the truck. We actually did this a few times ;-)

The Russian River

Our first bear sighting!!! This black bear came out of no-where and just about made me have an accident ;-) This was the fist bear I had seen in the wild, I was pretty excited.

Crowded for the Salmon Run

K, so we fished with the crowds for a couple hours then decided to start our backpacking trip. We were to hike up 12 miles to Upper Russian Lake (the head waters for the russian river). There we would find a small, quaint forest service cabin to stay for the next couple nights. So we threw on the packs and headed out for our first adventure!

The Hike was beautiful the whole way in. We hit the wild flowers in full bloom.

So this little bridge has a fun story. This is the first of the two close bear encounters. We were hiking in and talking loud, just about to come around a corner. We turned this corner and there was this stream, a bridge, and a black bear about 10-15 ft from me and Greg. We froze and I think my heart stopped for a few moments, and the bear jumped a tree and started climbing. We had bear spray (It's like pepper spray but a lot more concentrated) out and slowly backed up, never turning our backs. The bear came down the tree, then took off through the woods. Nothing happened but it sure was a reminder to watch out!

Preparing for a close up bear encounter ;-)

Bear scat...poop. The pic didn't show up to good, but it's in the upper half. The way you can tell if it's bear scat is: it looks like human #2 for the most part and there are usually a lot of berries in it. This poop has a ton of berry seeds in it and it was everywhere we went and all over the trail, by the cabin... we were constantly on the look out!!!

The cabin

The out house

The bunk beds! Ply wood is a great cushion

This is the Upper Russian Lake we stayed at. It was huge! I was thinking of a lake in the uinta mtns, but it turned out to be almost as big as Utah Lake!!!

Looking across the lake

Breakfast!!! We ate like royalty this particular morning with dehydrated hashbrowns, dried eggs, and an orange flavored drink! Later on the trip we added some baconbits to the mix, yummy.

K, so one of the coolest parts of the whole trip was that it didn't get dark till 12am and then started to light up again at 4am. Only 4 hours of darkness. Crazy!

Greg's beautiful Alaskan rainbow

There were places where the flowers and plants were taller then Greg. It was beautiful, but a pain to walk through when they were wet.

There was a row boat at the waters edge for people to use. It was windy the whole time out there so we didn't get much use out of it. Although, the wind did slow down enough once for a 15min ride out, then blew us right back in!

Fighting a salmon for 10 min then broke my line! Boo- I was so mad.

We totally saw a Porcupine!!! I later found out that porcupine's used to be a main food source for the natives here.

Russian River Water Fall

This is were you see the salmon jumping up the waterfalls to spawn upstream. We were hoping to see some grizzles out there catchin' em but wasn't fortunate enough. In this pic I was able to catch a fish trying to jump up a 5 ft. drop;-)

We had just spent 3 days and were 12 miles back in the woods, saw 5 black bears but no grizzlies. We hike out and right by the trailhead and campground we saw this big 'ol grizz wandering around. How ironic, huh!

The Drive Toward Wrangell-St. Elias Nat. Park

On the way back to Anchorage we stopped next to this glacier and ice fields and played around till it started to rain hard. Great fun and, ofcourse, amazing!

CONSTRUCTION!!!!! On every road, wether paved or dirt, we were held up by the orange cons and yellow pants... frusterating but funny at the same time :-)

Glaciers galore and huge mtns everywhere!!!

Before I met Greg I had heard of glaciers, but ever since I was married I have been BRAIN WASHED into thinking they are amazing. Really though, I have a new understanding of glaciers that only a geologist could give ya. The idea of moving ice shaping and moving the earth, carving valleys and canyons... it's pretty amazing, wow I remind myself of Greg... not good ;-)

Whoa, where are we again????? That's kinda what we felt like at times. This particular place was neat... to the left takes you north to the artic circle or to the right takes you south to the ocean. We took a right and helded to Wrangell Nat. Park AKA: the Himalya's of North America