B is for bear

Nonresidents of Alaska make certain associations when thinking about this great state, cold, snow, polar bears, Eskimos, igloos, whales and fuel oil. Residents of Alaska make some of the same associations, cold, snow, and oil, but also snow machines, 4 wheelers, gold, moose, salmon and bears. Reference is often made to the gold of Alaska, be it the black gold of the Arctic or the yellow gold found throughout the state. But, our trip did not include gold panning or viewing the tankers being filled in Prince William Sound, instead we headed from Homer, Alaska by airplane to view Coastal Brown Bears at Chinitna Bay in Lake Clark National Park.  We were excited about seeing these huge bears, often much larger than the interior Grizzly. With milder temperatures near the ocean, these bears hibernate for a shorter period of time and have a year round food source allowing them to grow large.  A mature, Brown Bear can weigh as much as 1000 pounds. 
The city of Homer lies at the bottom of the Kenai Peninsula, a unique city loved by residents and nonresidents alike.  On July 2nd, we scooped up our friends, Bill and Judy, who had flown into Anchorage.  We then made our way south along the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet sheltered by the snow capped Chugach Mountains, our first destination being Seward, Alaska.  Many Alaskan roads are "in and out" roads.  Surprisingly, things often look different coming out than they did going in! The road to Seward is just that, 34 miles in and 34 miles out.  We debated as to if staying in Seward on the 4th of July was a good idea, knowing that it was the day of the Mt. Marathon Race and a possible party scene at the Exit Glacier.  But, on the other hand, what better place to celebrate!  So, down the Seward Highway we headed on July 3. The hike into Exit Glacier, in Kenai Fjords National Park gave us a chance to stretch our legs and view the cold, snow and ice that people associate with Alaska.  Exit Glacier is 2.4 miles long and descends some 3,500 feet.  As with most of the world's glaciers, the Exit Glacier is receding.  We noticed the viewing area had been moved further up the glacier since our last visit, an effort by the Park Service to give visitors a chance to be close before the Exit retreats forever, out of our reach.

      The glacial blue ice and dusty white snow surface of a glacier never ceases to amaze.

                       Some might say that we have our heads in the clouds.  If so, it feels great!

Trying to find camping in Seward for the night of July 3, on the eve of Mount Marathon was as difficult as we had anticipated.  However, the smell of reindeer sausage and kettle corn wafting from the tents downtown made it a priority to find a piece of pavement large enough to place the Hawk and to allow us to consume and explore.  After several failed attempts taking us further than we had ever been, beyond the city of Seward and wrapping around Resurrection Bay to Lowell Point, also the end of this dirt road.  Bill made one last futile, albeit brave, attempt to secure a parking place from a private homeowner, something untried by us in the past, but perhaps a new go to move in desperate times!  By the grace of God, or so it would seem, we were blessed upon our return to Seward to see a sign for parking in a small church yard.  $10 and we were saved, Praise the Lord!

                                                            

                                                                    All dressed up for the 4th

 Checking out the top of Mt. Marathon, thinking, "ya, sure, hey...  really, I'm not kidding,  I think I COULD make it!" 

This year's Mt. Marathon Race roster showed 482 men,468 women, 435 boys and 130 girls with numbers.  All were prepared to run, scramble and claw their way to the top, into the fog and clouds before turning around to slide and slip back down, finishing on Seward's main street to the cheers of envious admirers like us!

(to be continued)