On the way to Chena Hot Springs

 Took a pit stop and found a boat and flowers to rest in!

Stopped for some Thai Food!

 Soaking in the heat at Chena Hot Springs!

Camping in Cantwell

With our weekend off, we decided to go car camping in Cantwell! We hit the road with Felicia!

The Denali Highway eventually turned into a dirt road where we turned off into a hidden camp spot only known by word of mouth. The mile marker told us where to enter, and two hair pin turns later, we pulled up to our spot. Katie was there to greet us!

And Scout too!

 

Spencer and I were silly with camping excitement :P

We camped right out of the back of our cars and enjoyed the view!

The sun set (at 11 p.m.)

 In the morning we took in the nature around us and I felt very humble.

This is a camp spot so beautiful, we may return again!

Mail Call

How lucky am I to get a care package from my parents? Snacks and goodies! (And of course mosquito repellent!) Feeling so grateful, thank you!

Moose on the loose

Although I have seen some wildlife from a far during my Alaska trip, this past week I had the opportunity to see moose up close. One morning early, around 7, I was in the van for work on the way to our other office. We only made it a few feet when the car stopped and everyone whispered, "look." A mother moose with her two cafes were feeding just a few car lengths to the right of us.

Then only a few days later I stepped outside my trailer to be greeted by an elder female moose walking around our campsite. She posed for a few pictures, but when she came close and decided to rest outside my trailer, I took pictures through the safety of my window.

Even Gnomie wants to see the moose!

Trailer Life

Spencer and I are adjusted to life at the Healy campsite. We are enjoying our trailer, take a look...

We also have a communal area to cook, watch movies, and hang out.

Weather in Healy

The weather in Healy is changing constantly and quite unpredictable. It may be clear and sunny one moment and you could be caught in a down pour the next! Being so close to the mountain range, the weather system here is different than the surrounding areas. The past week had three days that got up to 87 degrees, now it is back to a drizzly, cloudy 61, and it will even get down to 45 at night. You should carry a rain jacket with you at all times, just in case...

Here is a cloud up ahead, with a rain storm we will soon drive through.

After rain, comes a rainbow!

The sky at dusk is so bright, it paints the lake pink.

Whether the weather, it is still beautiful here.

Road Trip to Homer

Spencer, Felicia, Matt, and I took a road trip from Healy, south to Homer. We stopped in many towns along the way. The views were breathtaking…

The DOC

The last two days I have been training at the DOC, Denali Outdoor Center. They are a really cool company that specializes in white water rafting, but also offer many other rentals for guests including cabins, campsites, bikes, kayaks, and canoes. http://www.denalioutdoorcenter.com/

Gnome is enjoying working here too ;)

Spencer has been training me as a photographer, where I will be taking pictures of rafters along side the river. It is a fun, exciting, and challenging job for me!

The Bus

One of the interesting sights near Healy is the Stampede Trail. You may have read the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer or have seen the movie, or maybe you know of Christopher McCandless’ story.  His final trip into the wild was following the Stampede Trail in Denali and then off into the wilderness not to return again. If you know the story, you might recognize the ‘magic bus' in the pictures below.

While this is not the actual bus Christopher McCandless camped out in, it is an exact replica located in town. It is however, the bus they filmed the movie in. Still, I was excited to see it in person.