beinak

In terms of "hard to get to" the outer coast of Yakobi Island is up there. Nearest road is way far, don't even think about it. The state ferry goes to the little town of Pelican. But then what? Rent a boat or kayak. Most kayakers and boaters opt for the calm and safer inside passage, so they never see the outer coast of Yakobi. "Too exposed". True enough, all the marine cruiser guidebooks are liberally sprinkled with 'dragons be-there' warnings including the lack of safe harbors and the need for 'local knowledge'. The existing harbors are exposed or the entrances are cluttered with poorly charted rocks. All of which is great as far as I'm concerned. It is a stunning coast and nearly empty of people. Designated wilderness next to breathtaking seascapes of exposed bedrock ... read more

We left the red inflatables head high in the shrubs next to shore. I've never had a bear mess with them but I always feel better if they are off the ground. It would be a long cold swim back to the boat if they got ripped up. I try to separate them in case a bear finds one they won't immediately get them both. Bears walk around with their noses to the ground and they seem to love chewing on the plastic buoys that wash up on beaches. After the narrow strip of spruce and hemlocks behind the beach we got into easy walking in open muskeg. But at the top of the muskeg we looked the sheer rock cliffs above us and couldn't decide which way to go. I'd loaded a GPS route, but ... read more

Down... We started from the rim at noon, in lots of snow. The South Kaibab Trail was partially packed, but the wind was blowing and mini-drifts covered sections compressed by earlier hikers. Down... It was well below freezing. As we crossed between ridges and valleys we went from calm and warm to bitter cold. "Are you cold?" "I'm good, on average. My back is wet and hot, my front is damp and cold, but over all just fine." Down... We passed lots of hikers coming up. My airy, jaunty cadence was in sharp contrast to their slow, focused steps. Down... We had mini-crampons but I never used them, the crunchy packed snow was mostly ice free, or the ice was at least partly dirty and not so slippery. Down... "How are you legs?" " What legs?" ... read more

Last night I watched several gray-haired grandmotherly types ride a donkey onto the dance floor of a packed bar. Flashing lights and music from the early 60´s pumping, folks dancing and whoopin. But I was wondering where they kept the defibrillators. It was a scene from an Annette Funicello beach party movie slow forwarded 50 years with all the actors in place, fresh out of their last retirement seminar and all the boys with jumbo prescriptions of Viagra in their pocket... Go Daddy Go!!! Down a couple blocks I passed the Canucks Bar... everyone staring at the big screen TV watching, yup, you guessed it, hockey. Over at the dock that afternoon I´d watched a local throw netter pull up a pelican, with terns and motor boats diving and weaving between bathers. Sunset time four guys ... read more

Freezing Fog? Ouch. Bottom line is the planes didn't take off or land. Little planes as well as the jets in Juneau. So day one of this Mexico vacation starts and ends, at home in Alaska. Which is OK, although I missed dinner with a friend. I was going over to Juneau a day early, just in case there were weather issues - a common strategy here this time of year. The jet south is tomorrow afternoon, maybe. What will it be in the morning... more freezing fog? On my way to the airport this morning I was struck by the clear roads and partially clear woods. In the last two weeks we've had torrents of rain, driving rain, followed by mountains of snow and now back to rain again. There are parts of town close ... read more