summer

Alaska

Posted on by J. R. Patee

“Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web he does to himself.”

Chief Seattle

My sister has not been to visit us since about 2021, although we have seen each other, numerous times during that time . This year they decided to come visit in Alaska. Yeah! Exciting! Hence we feel the need to show them Alaska, although they have been here several times.

For the first couple days just sit back and relax, just enjoying the company of each other. Somehow over time I have lost the urge to constantly be going going going. I gave up lists of things I want to do because the list never gets shorter. Each item checked off seems to add a minimum of two more items. And as the Spanish proverb says “there is nothing better than doing nothing, then nap after”. Fear of missing out (FOMO) does not apply. Just enjoy the company.

But that does last only so long, one must move about and explore. Hence we are in McCarthy Alaska. Drove here yesterday, a 310 mile (500 k) drive. 8 hours, with the last 60 miles (100 k) gravel. Always a question when last graded as the washboard can be extreme and 10 mph max. They had just graded the road a week or two ago which also means freshly cut gravel, which one piece managed to pierce our tire. Crazy that modern cars have either no spare or a “donut” tire. Ours has a donut but our history with either is tenuous.

Ok what a day. Took the shuttle van the 5 miles ( 8 k) up to town of Kennicott . This is the area of kennicot mine and was one of the largest copper mines in the world and the where the start of the Kennicott company began. Currently the area is within the Wrangell St Elias National Park and the mine area administered by the park service.

Jeanne first visited McCarthy in 1982 the first year she was here. I first visited probably about 1989. We have had a few visits since, always memorable. My friend Zak and I did an awesome hike in the backcountry in about 2018 or 2019 (goat trail). Jeanne and I coming here during covid time. Both trips involved spectacular back country mountain flying. The Wrangell mountains not only have some of the biggest mountains in North America but are spectacular and remote.

In December of 1983 Jeanne was working triage in the emergency room at night in Anchorage. A fellow came in with belly pain , having hitchhiked the 300 miles from McCarthy in December. It was a quiet night so she spent hours talking with him about life in remote alaska. 3 months later he was 1 of 6 people who survived a mass shooting. Just happenstance they had dropped their mail with a friend to send on the mail plane coming in on the once a week mail delivery. Someone else was also waiting and shot 8 people, of which only 2 survived, as they were to meet the weekly mail plane. 5 other people were gone on various trips and did not meet the mail plane. That was the entire winter population of McCarthy in 1983.

Ok back to today and we were talking with a seasonal park employee and Jeanne asked about a fellow she once knew who had survived the shootings. Turns out he owns one of 2 restaurants here. Tonite we had dinner with him. Small world. We have travelled in different worlds and circles, but been within convergences numerous times. He knows our friend Geoff in Utqiagvik having dog sledded across the top of North America. One never knows where one’s path will lie.

But back to today and the visit to Kennicott. Did a delightful hike to an overview of the root glacier. Then signed up for a Tour of the mill. The park service has gone in and partially restored the 100 year old 14 story wood building where the mine brought the ore from the hills above. Jeanne and I had in years past, before the park service, gone into the delapidated and falling apart building exploring, which was fascinating but we had no explanations of the processes of refining the ore for transport via train the 167 miles to Cordova on the coast where it was transported to Tacoma Washington for final refining.

MaJohnson hotel

The mine was discovered in basically 1901 and a railroad took 6 years to build. The land rights, as they were, were made and the mine began operation in 1911. In 1938 the sudden decision was made to close and with literally within hours the last train left and Kennicott became a ghost town. It was again “discovered” in the 1950’s and in about 1988 National Geographic did a story about the town.

Kennicott rail depot with copper refining mill behind
Down glacier view from Kennicott
Below the refining mill
Root glacier terminus
Lupine with water drop

We learned much of the history of the mine today from our tour guide. The park service has gone into the mill and created a “safe” walkway down the 14 story refining mill and our guide gave a wondrous dissertation of the refining process and history.

Refinery mill internals

After the dinner and during the walkabout town (5 minutes max end to end) we discovered our tire had been repaired (for a minor fortune) but recommend it serve as only an emergency for the emergency donut tire. We are in a bind. More to come!

Ok onward no reception, or very spotty. Yesterday we arose early expecting to take a long time on the drive to Glenallen. Somehow we managed to get a friend to go to our house and pull out the stored 4 stored winter tires, get them to the only shuttle bus from Anchorage to McCarthy, by 7:45 am. They would drop the tires off at the only tire auto shop in Glenallen, who we had not yet been able to contact. After 9 am we were able to contact them once we had cell service.

Again, cell service is very dicey. Turns out ATT does not cover the area of McCarthy hence we were using Verizon of my sister’s mobile phone. Big business kindergartners cannot learn to share. Irritating! and very little reception along the road back to Chitina.

We shuttled and hiked our bags to where car parked. (Road stops about a kilometer before town due to Kennicott River. Formerly, there was a hand tram for crossing but now a pedestrian bridge. Arrived at car and as the tire repair fellow said tire was repaired, but appeared even with repair to have a bit of a bubble. It looked as an emergency tire to the emergency donut tire. Had placed the donut on the rear in case of a blow out, and we began, the 59 miles (99k) of gravel road to chitina and the 70 miles( 115k) to Glenallen and the tire repair place. We did it in 6 hours due to did not want to speed on the donut tire which is rated for a max of 50 miles (80 k). But we did it.

Arrived at 2 pm and proceeded to wait until they could fit us in. Tires arrived from Anchorage a few minutes after we did, so all good. At 5 pm tires repaired, threw the bad tire away (after spending $325 to repair it to emergency standard). The tire shop said we could leave the 3 good tires out front to be picked up by friends, Zak and Natasha, who would be returning from a trip to Valdez in a few days. Placing three tires in our car would have cramped our driving quarters. The mechanic said the bad tire had an excellent repair but would not have lasted. We were lucky.

On to Valdez via beautiful Thompson pass. I believe someone spilled the green pigment and all the plants were in glory.

Arrive Valdez at 8. Zak and Natasha met us after a day of climbing and utilized the shower in our motel room, dinner, sleep and up early to catch ferry to Whittier at 5:30 am.

Departing Valdez
Port wells in prince william sound
Whittier alaska

Summer and that means visitor

Posted on by J. R. Patee

Failure seldom stops you. What stops you is the fear of failure.

Jack Lemmon

Interesting summer, but that is usual. In Alaska seems there is no such thing as a normal summer. At the beginning of the summer several of us were discussing the usual,quandary of what will the season be like. The choices were rainy, cool, cloudy, or hot, dry and smoky. Predicting the future is always a go to conversation and almost always a waste of time. It will be what it will be. But we continue with the predictions of the future.

After the boat trip in southeast, it seemed an auspicious beginning, but the weather forecasts often stated otherwise. Cloudy rain were the predictions, but often did not come true. 3 times this summer I arose in the morning, as usual and read the weather report, 3 times it said it was raining and going to rain all day. I looked outside and had to remember basic weather. Does not rain require clouds, as it was a blue sky, clear day. Sometimes you have to think for yourself and not depend on others. The summer turned out to be one of the best. And I am backed up by the energy output of our solar panels. 2nd best year in 8 years. 3700KW this year.

Summertime in Alaska for us these days means visitors. The story I tell, although short and to the point as well as a story is, we had visitors every day from June 4 until the 24 of July, with 7 days off of which we flew to Portland Oregon and picked up a car we had purchased and drove it home, a 2500 mile trip.

New used car from Portland Oregon enroute to Alaska

It occurs to me that when one is home one does not think of it as an adventure or a trip or such thing. It is just normal life. But why does everyone come to Alaska to visit on vacation. I live here, just normal existence, and do not write about it because it is just normal.

Summer ski jumping camp. Hike to portage glacier
Summer solstice sunset 23:41(11:41 pm)

Visitors bring out the spectacular in Alaska. We did the 26 glacier cruise day trip, viewing, yes, 26 glaciers although they are shrinking fast and are not as spectacular as in the past. ( But then what isn’t better in my memory) We did it twice. For me though, the Kenai Fjords tour is taking over, as the spectacular one. Both see wildlife and glaciers, and despite some people saying “If you have seen one glacier you have seen them all”, I never tire of glaciers. Always interesting always changing, always spectacular.

Pacific coastline covered in kittiwakes, gulls and a sea lion
Hiking Matanuska glacier

And the wildlife, stellar sea lions, puffins, (tufted and horned), salmon, a smack of jellyfish, bears, goats, sheep, moose, seals, herons, the list goes on and on.

Did some work building new stairs for jumps (250 steps)
Backyard moose
Backyard

And our freezer is full of fish. Fortunately or unfortunately I am not one who necessarily enjoys fishing for the sake of catching fish. Get a net and catch what you need and move on to something more fun. Different strokes for different folks.

Mt Huntington summit French ridge
Ruth glacier landing
McLaren river valley
Blueberry picking
One of the worlds largest Ukrainian flags

And so goes summer 2025, now into the fall season. One of main discussions is what will the winter bring, miserable warm no snow, or cold and good snow. ?? the questions of the future go on.

And it continues

Summertime

Posted on by J. R. Patee

The question is not what you look at, but what you see

Henry David Thoreau

Summertime in Alaska is always greatly anticipated. Warmth, green, life abounding. It is a treat to watch the season progression. Seems whenever someone asks me what is my favorite season, somehow it always seems to be the season we are currently in. I love the changes and advancement, although I might take an exception to springtime. It drags on and is often muddy and dirty, as the snow melts and the misled garbage and dirt from the winter makes its appearance. This past year was weird as we had very little snow, and when it melted the leaves and green were yet weeks away. We got an extra month of brown. But now we are in full summer. Someone once told me Alaska in the summertime is just various shades of green everywhere.

Years ago I had worked In Barrow, now Utqiagvik, at 71 degrees north. I returned to Fairbanks the first of June and had been in snow, ice, since October. I remember flying in and my eyeballs hurt from suddenly seeing green, and the smell. Oh the smell was incredible.

But now summer is in full swing, and there is an extra energy about. Hence the boat tour in Southeast Alaska, and trails opening up. And people begin coming out more. I am surprised every year by how much more activity there is in the summer. More people, more cars on the road, and of course what would Alaska be without visitors.

Jeanne’s family has not been here to visit in 25 years and it was time. This past week we have been hosting their visit. Jeanne’s sister, brother-in-law, niece, husband, 5 year old son, nephew, and Jeanne and I. Of course we want to show off our home, and I think we have been doing a fair job of doing that. Glen Alps hiking, Eklutna Lake viewing, the Amoosement Park in Palmer, Thunderbird Falls hike, Musk Ox farm, glacier and wildlife boat tour out of Whittier, Kincaid Park, and now in Seward.

Yesterday Jeanne and I dropped the family at the Anchorage train station at 6 am where they proceeded on the 5 hour trip via Grandview to Seward. Jeanne and I drove in the absolutely pouring rain arriving a few hours after they did. (We had some business to do, delaying our departure). A visit to the Sealife Center, where the aquarium is I feel a great experience for viewing wildlife, not exactly in the wild but one can see the puffins, guillemots, and murres swimming underwater, and the harbor seals, and sealions. I confess my favorite was the aquarium of seemingly empty sea water, but when you put a magnifying lens to it, the zooplankton were swimming about. Plus the intertidal touch ponds, and lots of information. Not like the real thing but certainly easier than reality to access.

Today we will walk the beach a bit, depending on rain, then we will go to Exit glacier, for annual check of how far back the glacier has receded. Amazing to think of the glacier face on the river plain and one could touch it (safely). Now it has melted back miles and lost hundreds of feet of depth. Amazing to see. We always tell people if you want to see glaciers do it now, because they won’t be here in the not so distant future. Absolutely amazing phenomenon, although I find most things in nature phenomenal.

Nobbe, Lakey, Molitor, and Patee clan
And looking to the Northwest with a view of Anchorage and Denali if you can see through the clouds.

Amoosement Park
Backyard moose real
Thunderbird falls
Sealife Center
Receding Glaciers Cascade, Barry, and Cox. When I first went there the three were connected.
Cascade and Barry Glacier in 1989.

It is a treat to show off our home. It falls into the category of it may not be perfect, but for me, this is a pretty amazing place to live.