Kenai Peninsula Fun

More summer fun!

Camping on the Homer Spit

Before spending a week in Girdwood, AK, Julia and I first headed down towards Homer, AK to try to see some beautiful places. Along the way we where able to see some sights that Midwesterners don't often have a chance to see. 

Apparently there are often beluga whales spotted in the Turnagain Arm. We stopped at Beluga Point to make an attempt to spot some. Julia said she did. I think they were whitecaps from a seriously powerful tide. Either way it was a great place for a stretch of the legs.

"I think I see a whale!" "I think it's a wave." "Whale."
"Wave." "It's a whale!"

Towards Homer, the mountains were peeking out on the west side of the Cook Inlet. Very large volcanoes are fun to look at. 

Mt. Augestine

After making arrangements with a water taxi for a trip across Kachemak Bay the next morning, we set up camp on a beach on the Homer Spit. This was a good decision. 

Sunset on the Homer Spit.

Preparing dinner.

The next morning we woke up to a bit of wind. There were plenty of waves and our tent and rainfly were making attempts to free themselves from the rocks we had attached them to. But the day was spectacular. 

Preparing breakfast.

After adjusting our adventure plans with the water taxi due to a stiff wind from the southwest, we headed across the bay to a place called Halibut Cove. We brought along packrafts so we could see the glacier from a bit closer up and give ourselves a few more options when it came to trails we could wander. From Halibut Cove, we hiked up over a little saddle and headed towards Grewingk Lake. 

Halibut Cove

On the trail to Grewingk Lake.

We paddled out to a rocky peninsula that endured the advance of Grewingk Glacier and was left as the glacier has retreated. 

Putting in.

The view of Grewingk Glacier from the little peninsula.

We had a breezy lunch.

How excited is Julia to be outdoors on glacier smoothed peninsula?
 Not very excited.

We paddled back along the east shore of the lake and found another trail that wraps around back to west side of the lake and Halibut Cove. There was at least two piles of bear skat on the trail but it appears that Julia has adjusted to Alaska hiking quite well. We continued on without incident.

A creek to cross (float?).

We need to cross the creek that flowed out of Grewingk Lake and into Kachemak Bay on our way back to the trailhead. Thankfully there was a convenient tram to use. I have since read about a few folks who have packrafted this creek down to the ocean and Glacier Spit to meet up with another trail. That sounds like a lot of fun. Hope to try it soon. 

Useful.

On the way back up to Girdwood, we camped in a pleasant campsite with a nice gurgling creek nearby. That evening we had one of the more satisfying campfires and several of the tastiest s'mores ever. 

We also took a detour to Whittier, AK. This was uninspiring due to significant amounts of rain. But it's easy to see how Whittier could offer some great views. It was very exciting to drive through a mountain via a long and narrow tunnel. 

Windy and rainy but kind of nice.

"Hey! I like trees too!"

 And then on to Girdwood for more fun...