Lower Grapefruit Rocks October 2012

After the first snow fall of this year we enjoyed a quiet Sunday hike at Lower Grapefruit Rocks that sits just north of Fairbanks.

Following Nanooks tracks that ran out and back on the trail.

Sad abandoned car

In the summer this is a great campsite.

Through the trees is one of the rocks to climb.

Same rock face different angle.

Following the trail...

Old Mans Face

on the saddle

Nic and Nat on the rigde.

view coming on top the saddle

View from the mountain top.

Nanook with his head in the snow.

Nic and Nat on the ridge enjoying the sun rays.

Nanook walking the ridge.

 We walked along the ridge and watched the sun melt the snow that had attempted to cover.

Nanook in the snow

Our foot tracks in the snow..



Gulkana Glacier Trek September 2012

Sideways!

This is The alaska range, I didnt actually go read the sign :P

This is the beginning of the avalanche area on the Richardson highway , We liked how the rock patterns looked, when the snow comes down in the winter it drags all the little rocks with it leaving these trails like paintings

Nat hiking into Gulkana Glacier

Going up the screepy swing bridge

Poor Nanook was so scared to cross the creepy bridge Nic had to practically carry him across...At one point in the middle he stopped moving completely and hung onto my leg and was crying like a little kid, was funny as hell

The trail from the bridge to the flats... This is about 2 miles from the car at this point and was a bit sketchy as we only had bear mace no gun and couldn't really see anything past the bushes

We did have Nanook though so he was on bear alert :)

As close as 10 years ago the Gulkana glacier came all the way into this valley here, now all that remains is the little runoff stream and the scar that marks its passage

Coming up on the Gulkana Glacier, At this point we are still a good 2 miles or more from the toe of the glacier, again this all used to be covered in glacier Ice, its amazing how much our world is changing

This little pond was the clearest water I have ever come across was pretty amazing to see, and I'm glad  we still have clean water in the world around us

Nic n Nat on the Glacier run off

Anyone who has ever hiked or climbed with Nat knows that she hauls ass! lol, every time I would stop to take a picture I would look up and she was gone!

Mud n silt, Someone threw a rock in this mud making an awesome splatter pattern, we walked over a couple area of mudslide from the rocky hills of the glaciers receding trail and there was serious sink holes, Nat's shoes got soaked and muddy!

The toe of the glacier, quite a bit of melting happening

This is where the runoff river/creek came out from under the glacier a chunk had fallen off 

Same chunk, we went over to check it out, was kinda creepy in there, the sound of running water and dripping off the ice  in the darkness left us with an eerie feeling

The glacier crossing..This is where we walked across, we couldn't get over  the river because it was to wide to jump and freezing cold so we climbed up the side of the rock avalanche that is on either side of the glacier to this point above the errie river, walking across was just as creepy, hearing the open water under our feet and knowing that not to long ago a healthy chunk had busted off was a bit sketch 

Yay we made it baby! I don't know if you can from the picture but those are arctic rated  icewater and mud , glacier walking converse  chucks ;)

Looking down into the valley from the glacier...

huh whats this?

Nic and Nat on Gulkana Glacier, yes we made it all the way up onto the glacier in Skate shoes, it was freezing balls up there, the temp difference once you got on the ice was remarkable, and the wind was blowing down from the upper glacier, we hung out a bit and ate a sammie, and then we walked all the way up to where the rock cover ended before we decided it wasn't to safe to be walking on melting ice with no crampons and turned back

Here is a stream running down the glacier, we filled out water bottle from it and omg! it was the best damn water in our lives, soo cold, if you have seen Water Boy then you know what I'm talking about "Still cold"

Walking on the rock slide avalanche zone

strange rock wall

and more...maybe aliens?lol!

Nic n Nat and the Goonies bridge of doom lmao

We had Nanook swim this way back instead of retaking the bridge. We  thought for a min we might lose him down stream as the water was so fast! lol but he was a trooper and made it just fine

We named thisVagina Beaver rock 

At camp sunset...

At camp watching the sunset....

Outside the avalanche area on our way back to Fairbanks. Was a really nice trip and we  are heading back soon with appropriate attire and will head to the upper glacier! Stay tuned!