Stop #4: AK - Week 5

July 22-26, 2012

With our time coming to a close, the final touches were finished on the cabin roof. 

With limited supplies, not all of the roofing came in the same color. The blue and silver design made our work easily identifiable. 

The trades of the local people were taught to all who were willing to learn.

Including the fantastic art of birch bark basket making. 

We even got to go and fetch our own supplies.

Our first glimpse of an Alaskan sunset, at 10:52pm.

The Tetlin Wildlife Refuge took us out on Moon Lake in an amazing voyager canoe.

The canoe could hold up to 16 people

Just before we left, a moose decided to jump in the lake for a swim. That put my moose total up to 14.

Stop #4: AK - Week 4

July 17-19, 2012

The highlight of this week was our backpacking trip. Three days we spent out in the great wilderness of Wrangell- St Elias National Park. As the largest national park in North America, Wrangell - St. Elias boasts 13.2 million acres. That is 20% more than the country of Switzerland. The town of McCarthy, which we went to during week 2, is housed in the Park along with the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark. Our drive this time took us down the Nebesna Road to the Caribou Creek trail head. 

The snow covered peak on the far right of the Wrangell-St. Elias mountain
range reaches over 16,000 ft in elevation.

On day two, we took a day hike up one of the peaks of the Mentasta Mountain Range

At one point I turned around to see the last glimpse of our tents at basecamp.

After 2.5 hours, we made it to the top.

A view from the top.

A patched panoramic view because one photo couldn't capture it all.

As we hiked out the last day, the we looked back to see another view of our summit. 

Stop #4: AK- Week 3

July 8-14, 2012

The road to Tetlin was about 20 miles long. With so many bumps and curves we never went over 35 miles per hour.

When the village came into view, we knew we were only about 5 minutes away.

Dorothy's Smoke House - At one point she had almost 300 white fish hanging from the beams to dry and save for the winter months. 

The Tetlin school provided housing for all 26 of us.

Our main project was putting a new roof on one of the oldest cabins in the village.

Everyday, a group would stay back on home base to clean-up after breakfast and bake some goodies for our new friends in the village.

Stop #4: AK - Special Notice

Yes, that is right. I can not let another moment pass without celebrating this milestone in my life. 2 years ago, I hoped to visited all the lower 48 continental states before the age of 30. Two months after my 29th birthday that goal was achieved. With Hawaii already checked off the list, little did I know that 17 days before my 31st birthday I would set foot on the soil of my final state.

Here is a recap of the last time that I was in each glorious state of the U. S. of A:

Alabama*! 2011
Alaska*! 2012
Arizona* 2005
Arkansas*^! 2011
California*! 2012
Colorado*! 2012
Connecticut* 2003
Delaware 2011
Florida*! 2010
Georgia*! 2011
Hawaii*! 2005
Idaho 2005
Illinois* 2010
Indiana*^! 2009
Iowa 2005
Kansas* 2005
Kentucky* 2010
Louisiana 2002
Maine* 2003
Maryland*! 2012
Massachusetts* 2007
Michigan*^! 2011
Minnesota* 2010
Mississippi 2002
Missouri 2008
Montana*! 2012
Nebraska* 2003
Nevada 2005
New Hampshire*! 2003
New Jersey* 2006
New Mexico 2005
New York* 2006
North Carolina*^! 2012
North Dakota* 2005
Ohio*! 2011
Oklahoma*! 2008
Oregon*! 2008
Pennsylvania* 2012
Rhode Island 2003
South Carolina*! 2010
South Dakota 2005
Tennessee*^! 2011
Texas*! 2009
Utah* 2005
Vermont 2003
Virginia*! 2011
Washington*! 2008
West Virginia*! 2011
Wisconsin* 2010
Wyoming* 2005

*Stayed at least one night      ^Been issued a state driver's license   !At some point got paid to be there

Stop #4: AK - Week 2

July 1- 7, 2012

After three days in Tetlin, we hit the road again headed toward McCarthy.

60 miles of dirt road proved to be a challenge as one of our  vans got stuck along the way

One day was spent exploring the ghost town of Kennicott

That, in its day, made millions from mining copper

The mounds of dirt may look like a gravel yard; however, that is actually part of the Kennecott Glacier.
As the glacier has melted away, it left behind the bits of earth that it gathered as it slowly moved along.

We stopped to talk with the Park Ranger

and then grabbed some lunch

before heading back to camp

Before turning in for the night, I had to go and check out a local food joint called the Potato. 

Independence Day was a time of celebration in town

from a gallery exhibiting local artists 

to games for the family

and photos of Independence Day in McCarthy throughout the years

I was even inspired to create some art around our campfire

before the evening fireworks show started at midnight

The day to go ice climbing finally arrived

With crampons on

and ice tools in hand

I worked hard to climb to the top 

and was rewarded

with an amazing view to my right

and to my left - the root glacier 8 miles away

A wide angle of our glacier climb

Time for the mile and a half trek back  

Definitely one for my favorite days thus far!