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Wednesday, June 28, 2017

ALASKA TRIP


We headed out of the heat in Las Vegas for 11 days in Alaska. First day in anchorage we took a walk around the paths in Anchorage.

Wild Rose



                                                                     Long-billed Dowitcher



                                                                Canada Geese



                                                                       Lupine and Daisys



                                                                Alpine Forget-me-not



Route around Anchorage





                                                Visitors center in Anchorage


First hike in Anchorage, Flattop Mountain, and the first view of Denali. Flattop is Alaska’s most visited peak. Ascend the 1.5 - mile, 1,350 vertical foot trail to the rocky, football field-sized summit in about an hour and take in panoramic views from Denali (Mt. McKinley) to the Aleutian Islands.



                                                   View from part way up the trail


                                          Moss Campion on the trail to Flattop.


                                                                          Self Heal





                                                                     Alpine Azalea



                                                                       Kinnikinnick





                                                                 Willow Herbs



                                                               Anemone flower



                                                                    Brook Saxifrage


                                                                        Cinquefoil


                                         The final portion of the trail to the top of Flattop Mountain



                                                 View back down toward Anchorage.



Flag on top and view over the bay to the Alaska range. Denali is at the north end of the range not visible in this photo.


                                               Getting ready to photograph some flowers



              Three on top. Photosphere Denali is visible in the background on the right.


                                                           Mountain Avens.



                                             The last section of trail was scrambling



                                                               Top of Flattop.



                                                                       Alp Lilly


                                                                      Parasailer



                                                               Lapland Diapensia



                                                     


                                              

Beautiful Jacob's Ladder







                                                            




                                                       

Wild Geranium

                                                            




                                                          
Grove Sandwort



                                                             




                                                  
Tall Jacob's Ladder





                                                   




                                                  
Ferns, alders, and corn lilly


                  




                        
We didn't see this sign till we got down. We missed the "easier" trail


                                 On the drive to Fairbanks we saw the Mantanuska Glacier




Young bull moose on the side of the road



Mother Moose eating water weeds





The flowers in front of our hotel in Fairbanks, the Bridgewater.








Northern Flicker



Moose antler arch




Best shot I got of an eagle. It was a dead stuffed one in a museum.



The only shot of a Griz. It was also dead and stuffed.


Catholic church in Fairbanks



American Wigeon in Pioneer park in Fairbanks



The group in Pioneer park


Riverboat trip













Susan Butcher kennels


Young sled dogs in training


Old sled dogs eager to go





Swimming after a mushing demonstration



Drying salmon at the native village.



How to slice the salmon for drying



Angled cuts to speed drying



Winter coat with beadwork













Bird refuge, swallow nest
Cliff Swallow


Bunch berry plants were everywhere



Sandhill crane at the bird refuge



Young Sand hill cranes


In Denali, a short walk to Horseshoe lake from the visitors center.

Wooly Lousewort



Capitate Lousewort



Monkshood



Low-bush Cranberry



Large Flowered Wintergreen




Nagoonberry




Route we took around Horseshoe lake where we saw the Beavers and the Ptarmagin


Beaver in Horseshoe lake



Moose by the side of the road while leaving Denali






on the way to Hatcher pass We got our best view of Denali




Mount Foraker



Panning for gold at Hatcher pass



Old mine remains



The top of the pass



Tundra at the top of the pass


Arctic Ground squirrel






Marmot



Frozen summit lake







On the train ride to Seward we had clear weather and great scenery.






























Dall Sheep outside of Anchorage by the highway







View from the train








Seward Aquarium



Seward aviary, Tufted Puffin



King Eider duck



Murials on buildings in Seward








Harbor in Seward



Back in Anchorage we rode a tram above a ski resort and hiked around a little.










White Heather







Anemone flowers and reindeer moss



Glacier visible from the top of the Gondola



Dall Sheep in the restaurant


Hotel we will stay at next time.


Hiking at the top of the gondola


Art shot of the restaurant at the top of the gondola and us hiking back to it. While some of us hiked, others sat in the restaurant and saw two bears out the window.



Alternate trail to the top


Mountain man






Dinner at Mary's house on the last night. Had Salmon, Halibut, Cod, Reindeer sausage, Chocolate Moose, and Moose sliders.
























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