Anniversary Celebration Activities

Over the weekend Julia and I went wandering down the Richardson Highway to enjoy a relatively restful weekend. We spent some time at a wonderful cabin near the Delta River and Black Rapids Glacier. It was very beautiful there.

Michael Creek

Near where our cabin was located.
































The view from the cabin.














Rainbow Ridge

On Saturday we slept in to the sound of a light rain. It was pleasant. Then the rain passed and we went hiking. We made an attempt at Rainbow Ridge and Canwell Peak. Canwell Peak is the high point off to the left in the picture below.



















We stopped right about where the above picture was taken. It was a pretty challenging slope to maneuver. Julia lost her footing on some rocks and took a tumble. We patched her up and headed back down to the car.

Though we didn't make it to the top, we did have some glorious views as we wandered around the slope leading up to Rainbow Ridge.














After eating a healthy amount of potatoes, chicken, carrots, onions, and cheese we slept quite well Saturday evening in preparation for another exciting adventure on Sunday.

Castner Glacier

Julia was healthy enough to attempt another exciting hike into the Alaska Range. This was a much kinder trip. We followed Castner Creek along the south bank and made our way towards the glacier. It was a beautiful hike. Here are some pictures of a few of the things we saw.

As we walked up the valley, we saw a lot of rolling "hills." It looked like this:















Eventually we determined that we were, in fact, walking on the glacier. It was covered by debris and vegetation.
















Looking back toward the road down the valley.
















We encountered a few ice caves and stuck our heads in them briefly.
















The same cave from a different angle. A glacier is big. This is just the lateral edge of the glacier. There were many other caves throughout the glacier. The Castner Glacier is a mile wide in most places and about 15 miles long.
















Another ice cave.
















We only experienced a small portion of the glacier as we made our way about two miles onto actual debris covered ice. Here was a place where a bit of melt water was collecting in a pool carved in the ice. In previous periods of melting the rushing water must have been pretty spectacular.

















Eventually we decided to turn back. We followed a mostly dry creek bed that hugged the south edge of the glacier.

The creek we followed.
















Following the creek.




















I would like to go back. I think Julia would like to as well. Come to Alaska and we will take you with us.

Isaiah 6
¹ In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³
And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."

I agree.