Recently, on a windless bluebird day, I had the chance to fly into Denali National Park. I flew in Carlisle’s airplane piloted by her friend. I took photo after photo, but when it came time to organize them, it was overwhelming. So, I let my iPhone do some of the work!
Denali
There are hundreds of glaciers, jagged snowy peaks and winding mountain passes within the Park. We flew in and out of these passes with our wing tips seeming mere inches from solid granite walls.
Emerging from each pass, I was presented with a new panorama more magnificent than the last.
Pools of blue glacial water dotted the valley floor like scattered sapphires, jewels deposited for the camera lens to capture.
Our flight ended in a casual search for gold. We landed on a dirt strip used by a mining claim in the Dutch Hills near Talkeetna. A cow moose sauntered off as the airplane touched down. I rolled up my pant legs and walked into the clear water of Dutch Creek without removing my running shoes. I focused on the white quartz which was highly visible despite the current. I hoped one stone might contain a streak of gold making it worth carrying home. My imagination fueled my search. For a few hundred dollars, I could buy what I was searching for in a local gift shop, minus the cold wet feet.
Enjoy your one minute flightsee ...... choosing music to accompany iPhone video is definitely something I need to work on!
The forecast showed a stretch of clear sunny days. August is often rainy in Alaska so we took advantage of the good weather to drive the Denali Highway. This 135 mile long road, primarily gravel, connects the towns of Cantwell on the Parks Highway and Paxson on the Richardson Highway. It was completed in 1957 providing access to Denali National Park which had previously only been accessible by train. The Parks Highway opened in 1972 providing a road between Anchorage and Fairbanks and new access to the Park.
In my opinion, the Denali Highway has some of the most undisturbed scenery accessible by road in Alaska. It's lightly traveled with many pull-offs for camping and picturesque overlooks.
August marks the start of hunting season in Alaska and the Highway is a popular destination for caribou and moose. It was our hope to see some caribou on the hoof and to find unoccupied camp sites.
a choice spot
We were definitely missing our RV as we packed up our trusty tent and sleeping bags. Bucky had already checked out the back of the Focus to see if he could sleep there if needed. It would be a stretch to think we both could fit comfortably in the car. We use an air mattress in our REI, Hobitat Tent which is quite comfortable. This tent has been with us for about 10 years, sheltering us from Arctic winds, Kodiak downpours and Talkeetna Mountain snow squalls. In the same bizarre way that people name and personify their vehicle, boat or other inanimate objects, I have strong affection for Hobi.
Carlisle's dog Pika tucked herself in, not wanting to be left behind.
We were finally packed and ready to leave by 3 pm. It is 100 miles from Talkeetna to Cantwell where we would start on the Denali Highway. My stomach rumbled. Lunch had taken a back seat to packing. Bucky and I could taste the BBQ we would take out from a food truck in Cantwell. Construction on the Parks highway hindered our progress making the desire to set up camp and eat BBQ even more immediate. The hours ticked by more quickly than the miles.
Bucky's reaction to finding the BBQ food truck closed was less volatile than expected. Our thoughts now turned to Polish sausage links, mustard and relish on buns. Not at all equivalent to ribs and pulled pork, but when eaten beside a campfire, just perfect.
Hobi went up with its usual ease and our site at the back of a spacious gravel pit was ideal. My head nestled into my soft pillow and I was surprised to see daylight when I first opened my eyes. Even in August, Alaskan nights have limited hours of darkness. I assumed it was 3 or 4 am, but was shocked that my phone said 8:00!
The new day presented itself as the previous, with blue sky and warm sun. Glaciers spilled from the snow topped mountains of the Alaska Range while the kettle ponds and green grasses at the base provided stark contrast. Trying to capture the enormity of this landscape was impossible. We searched the tundra for caribou and encountered numerous hunting parties with binoculars held high doing the same.
Alpine Creek Lodge is lovely in summer and a destination for mushers in winter when the road is closed to vehicles.
We scouted the roadside for blueberries and when it looked promising we stopped to pick. A brisk breeze kept the bugs from being too annoying.
I felt like a bear sitting among the berries, eating as I picked.
Bucky used the berry scoop which made his picking go much faster than mine.
Sunglasses would have helped.
At 4,000 plus feet in elevation, most of the Denali Highway is above timberline and the vistas go on forever.
caribou country
The clear water of Brushkana Creek looked fishy.
The Susitna River, of such importance in sustaining wild salmon, originates in these glaciers high in the Alaska Range.
Our treasured time on the Denali Highway came to an abrupt end on our final night of camping. While the temperature remained warm, the wind had steadily increased. Thinking that tenting might not be a good idea, we sought the comfort of a cabin. Tangle Lakes Lodge displayed a piece of plywood advertising, cabin + canoe for $50. Bucky masked up and went inside to ask the price without the canoe. Low and behold, cabin and canoe were not $50.......... but $150!
Bucky then asked, "It's really windy, how 'bout the cabin without the canoe?"
The owner quickly replied, "Right, I'm not allowing canoes out on the lake, but the price is still $150. There's a campground just down the road, you might want to head there."
Bucky was, however, successful in buying me a longed for cup of hot coffee and I enjoyed every drop as we drove to Tangle Lakes Campground. The wind buffeted the tents as we drove the numerous loops within the campground. It was late afternoon and no vacant sites remained. This caused me to once again question why a "full" sign hadn't been placed at the campground entrance, eliminating the need for folks like us to drive around in circles, casting dust on settled campers in a complete waste of time. You'll remember a similar situation occurred outside the entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
It wasn't long before we spotted a gravel pit that was off the road and looked perfect for the night. We wove through the willows and tucked ourselves as far out of the wind as possible. It was a bit of a struggle getting Hobi up, but soon she stood tall, defying the strong gusts of wind. Bucky lugged heavy boulders and placed them on the tent pegs. The plan was to move the car behind the tent to further block the wind and provide another point at which to attach support lines. However.......
This is not a tee-pee!
Once again, Bucky's composure surprised me. We laughed but also felt great sadness over the loss of Hobi. This marked the end of a long and memorable relationship. We were thankful we had this tent problem on the road system and not above the Arctic Circle. However, not wanting our time together to end, we called REI and looked into repair and the cost of replacement parts. They informed us that the Hobitat was no longer available, but had been replaced by the Grand Hut!
We hope this new comer can live up to its predecessor's strength and endurance. Time will tell.
We're impressed with the Grand Hut's coverall fly.
adjective. Migrating up rivers from the sea to breed in fresh water. Used of fish. Origin of anadromous. From Greek anadromos running up ana- ana- dromos a running.
July 23-August 1
I walked backward away from the river. My rod bent and it took both hands to hold it, tip up. Whenever the fish slowed its movement, I tried to reel. All the action was beneath the mud colored water. The fish hadn't shown itself, but there was no doubt it was a salmon. Finally, it rolled to the surface showing its silver back and sides while making one last attempt to rid itself of the hook.
Bucky asked, "Is it in the mouth?"
This question is repeatedly asked as a hooked salmon is drawn to shore. To legally keep a fish, it must be hooked from the gill plate forward. More often than not, as hooks are cast into the silty grey water and then retrieved through congregated fish, the hook misses the fish's mouth and attaches to the body or fin. Foul hooked fish must be released back into the river to continue their perilous journey.
Salmon must swim the gauntlet to reach their spawning water. The fish we target leave the ocean west of Anchorage. They travel up the glacial water of the Big Susitna River, with headwaters in the Alaska Range and mouth at Cook Inlet. After traveling 100 plus miles up this silty waterway, they veer northeast entering the equally silty Talkeetna River. Once here, they swim about 10 miles farther before encountering the clear water of Larson Creek as it spills into the Talkeetna River. Here the salmon can rest and clean their gills of accumulated silt before making a final push, sometimes with dorsal fins exposed, up the shallow water of Larson Creek. Swimming against the Creek's current they'll finally reach their destination, Larson Lake. It's here that the female (hen) salmon will build her nest (redd) in the gravel using her tail. The male salmon (buck) will then swim over the redd depositing his sperm and fertilizing the eggs. Unlike other salmon that also use the Talkeetna River for spawning, (Chinook, Coho, Pink and Chum) Sockeye seek a lake or a stream adjacent to a lake in which to spawn.
Having avoided capture by commercial fishing nets both at sea and at the mouth of the Big Su, these Sockeye now encounter the final obstacle of the gauntlet, the hooks and lines of sport fishermen like ourselves. I try not to think of the long journey each salmon has endured when I hook and drag one to shore almost within sight of its final destination. Knowing that fishing is not allowed between 11pm and 6am alleviates the sorrow I sometimes feel for these fish. During this space of time they migrate undisturbed by fishermen. Once the salmon are past the mouth of Larson Creek they’re safe! Much like playing red light green light as kids and making it to safety. However, bears don't abide by man made rules and salmon swimming in shallow streams are fair game.
Not all Sockeye fisheries are the same. Before we settled in Talkeetna, we fished for Sockeye on the Kenai River, south of Anchorage. This is "combat fishing". Fishermen stand shoulder to shoulder and the casting, drift and retrieval of hooks becomes a synchronized event. Good peripheral vision is a must along with glasses to protect one’s eyes! When a fish is hooked, those fishing nearby must make it possible for that fisherman to land his fish. Throw into the mixture rafts and boats with fishermen floating the river and the occasional bear accessing the riverbank for a meal and it's an amazing scene.
Most sockeye salmon are anadromous—they hatch in freshwater streams and rivers or lakes and generally rear in freshwater lakes for 1 to 3 years, after which they reach the smolt stage and migrate to the ocean to feed and grow.
They typically mature and return to fresh water after 2 to 3 years at sea, but some return earlier or stay at sea longer, between 4 and 5 years.
Sockeye salmon that return earlier are almost always males and are called "jacks."
They typically spawn in the summer or fall.
Females select spawning sites, dig nests (redds) with their tails, and deposit eggs (between 2,000 and 4,500) in the redds.
Males swim over the redds and fertilize the eggs.
Females cover their eggs with gravel using their tails.
The eggs hatch during the winter, and the newly hatched salmon (alevins) remain in the gravel, living off the material stored in their yolk sacs until early spring.
They then emerge as fry and spend 1 to 3 years in fresh water before reaching the smolt stage and migrating out to the ocean, usually in the spring.
All sockeye salmon die within a few weeks after spawning
Sockeye or Reds get their nickname from the bright color of red that they turn when spawning, and at times their numbers are so great in streams that the water looks red. The flesh of the Red salmon is a dark orange color and is prized for its flavor, color, and consistency.
combat fishing on the Kenai River
Bucky holds a male Sockeye (buck) on the Kenai River. Once a sleek silver missile, it's now evolved into a green and red prehistoric looking monster with long sharp teeth. Soon, it will die. The colors are to attract mates. The once silver head becomes green and red pigments from the fish's flesh invades the skin and the fish is now referred to as "blush". The teeth ward off competitors. Spawning fish do not eat and their flesh becomes soft and less desirable to humans. If this salmon survives its trip up the Kenai River, it will die close to Kenai Lake where it was born.
We rely on our daughter Carlisle and her boat to fish Larson Creek. It's a 40 minute trip in her small jet boat. On a warm sunny day, it's divine. When overcast with rain showers it can be miserable and LONG! The river is always changing. Channels change with water depth or can be blocked with debris. New braids and channels emerge. The first trip up river is always interesting.
Leaving the boat launch in Talkeetna
Lisle and I
Like the river, every visit to Larson Creek is different. Sometimes the water's edge is crowded with fishermen, but when least expected, we might be the only ones fishing. If this happens, we're all smiles! When fishing this short shoreline, some etiquette is needed and all goes well when the crowd behaves. If a fish is caught, foul hooked, or tackle broken, it's OK to ask to take a few casts from someone's spot as they step out briefly. However, most people try to hold their spot until they have their three fish. It's super handy if someone in your group gets their 3 fish quickly and becomes a runner. This person can now take fish off the hook, put them on the stringer and provide needed tackle, even a pole so those still fishing can keep their spot on the riverbank. Most people are considerate of others, but the desire to catch fish and get a line wet can transform the meek into the aggressive.
On this day, Carlisle finished and is now the runner.
The time I got two Sockeye on one hook!!
sometimes the beach looks like this........
and other times like this
there should be 12 fish
This Sockeye season we've stood on the riverbank at 6am hoping to be the only fishermen. We've also headed up to Larson at 8pm hoping for the same. There's no predicting how the beach will look when rounding the final bend in the river. We've gotten to know many of our fellow fishermen and enjoy their company. We're all there for the same purpose and generally support each other. However, there've been a few times when my normally polite nature was severely challenged!
Headed home at 11pm with an Alaskan sunset
The work isn't done after catching the fish. They must be gutted and filleted. We usually do this on a fillet board having a nail driven through it which Bucky puts through the fish's eye to prevent it from sliding. Some people cover the board with astro turf or carpet to hold the fish still while filleting. Salmon skin and scales are extremely slimy. The remaining carcass is thrown into the river to be carried downstream. The decomposition of this carcass and the salmon themselves after death, enriches not only the river, but also the surrounding land, birds, land animals, aquatic life, insects; all flora and fauna benefit from the decaying salmon.
These ingenious ironing board fillet tables save the back.
We have 7 cases of canned salmon, 84 pint jars. Bucky has smoked meat using different "flavors" of wood shavings, but seems to fall back on alder shavings. We also have frozen fillets.
