Social Distancing Trip Alaska Style

[AK hiker]

The snow and ice has arrived where I live in Alaska so need something to look forward to for next year. Will share a trip I had in April when the pandemic closed my office so did what was recommended with social distancing about as far as you can go in Alaska. I made arrangements for fuel and loaded up my home built aircraft called a Glastar with a friend and his son to accompany in another aircraft and headed down the Alaska Peninsula on an adventure. 

About half way down we came across a dead walrus and were able to salvage the tusks which is legal and will make nice cribbage boards some day.

 

Even though the Japanese are not still making and using glass float winter storms kick up old ones that have been buried and we picked up a few for the garden.

Camp set up in the brush to help protect from the horrendous winds that can occur along the Alaska Peninsula. I bring a nice camp with a screen tent for cooking and to protect from the bugs which on this trip had not come out yet due to it still being cold at night.

Frost in the morning.

We had a day of fishing for trout with the nice weather to enjoy without the normal winds. The fly is one of my own creations.

Back at camp with real food , moose tacos. 

With the weather still holding the following day decided to fly all the way to the end of the Alaska Peninsula beach combing and see what we could find from the air hoping for another walrus. It was not to be but we did check out Unga Island which is on the Pacific side by Sand Point where there is 5 miles of beach with petrified wood.

This exposure is where the fossil wood is.

Active volcanoes in the background.

 

On the return trip back up the peninsula stopped at Aniachak Bay to look at the dinosaur tracks exposed at low tide. After a mile and half walk started to find the trackways and a couple of big tracks in blocks.

Hope this picture assay give you something to look forward for when the snow melts.

Cheers;

Bob

 

[traveltip1]

Cool pet wood

[Tidgy's Dad]

Beautiful and interesting. 

But looks a tad chilly.

[jpc]

The hoar frost is amazing.  We rarely get it here. I spent a winter in Glasgow, Montana.  We had great hoar frost up there from the moisture on Fort Peck Reservoir.

[jcbshark]

Wow awesome pics, thanks for sharing 

[Ludwigia]

Great picture essay! Thanks for the virtual trip!

[minnbuckeye]

Lovely trip report!!! We are in the midst of a snow storm ourselves. I still have the option of slipping into "tropical" Iowa to get my fossil fix at least for awhile. I will look forward to next year's adventures.

  

Mike

[michele 1937]

Thanks Thanks wonderful photos

[BobC]

Love this post--I am riddled with petty jealously, however. I want to visit Alaska really bad.

[RJB]

  When I see AK Hiker with a new post, it must be opened.   Never a disapointment with your post.   and you really do go on some fabulous trips!   Was really neato to see the japanese fishing floats.  Use to find em in the winter along the beaches of Greyland in the state of Washington when I was in grade school.  Thanks for the memories.

 

RB

[Clint08]

Great pictures and looks like a fun trip!

[fossisle]

Wow , now that is a wilderness trip. Thanks for posting!!

[AK hiker]

For those interested;

Some information about the Unga Island petrified wood forest:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-sep-26-adna-petrified26-story.html

https://dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/sr/text/sr003.pdf

 

Information about the dinosaur trackways at Aniackchak Bay:

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0223471

https://www.nps.gov/articles/aps-17-1-3.htm

 

Thanks for your kind comments, I enjoy others posts so wanted to contribute to the forum.

[Top Trilo]

Beautiful trip, I'll visit Alaska some day, looks like a great place

[henpecked]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. You are very lucky to live where you do.

[Sjfriend]

Great report sir Tracks and petrified forest are beautiful sights. And I'm jealous about the floats. That is quite a haul!