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Young moose near the cabin on Rabbit Creek. May 12
Today we decided to take our first mountain hike. For 10 days we have been watching the snow on the hills surrounding Anchorage and trying to guess when the trails up Flat Top Mountain would be clear of snow. Despite the temperatures daily in the mid-50’s, the snow not only seems slow to recede, but every couple of days there are snow storms over the peaks depositing a fresh layer.
Gauging that it might be June before the snow is gone, and anxious to take our first hike with a little elevation change, we set out. At 7 p.m.
This mid-afternoon departure leaves about four hours of useable daylight to make the climb up and back. There were half a dozen cars at the trailhead and about two feet of snow at the beginning of the trail. The sight of this much snow was discouraging, but we were dressed for it and we were there, so up we went.
The snow at the beginning was well packed, with only occasional patches of ice. Some south facing areas are actually clear of snow, with rivulets of melted snow snaking down the slope. About halfway up, we could see people along the edge of the summit. One fellow and his dog looked as if they were considering going over the edge. And they did. Sliding on his butt, then tumbling, with the dog bounding along behind. I did something similar 6 years ago on O’Malley, which is the peak immediately north of this one. That slide was on granular ice in August and very nearly ended in me going over a cliff. The picture of that near-disaster is entitled “Stupidity,” and serves to remind me from time to time not to try anything TOO crazy.
I asked Maria if she knew what a snow angel is. Between Colombia and Florida, I don’t think she has had much opportunity to see one made She loved it, and after I had demonstrated one she flopped down in the snow and waved her hands and arms to make one of her own.
From the halfway point to the two thirds mark, the snow averaged two and a half feet and snowshoes would have helped. We were “post-holing,” which means each step sinks all the way through the snow and the foot has to be withdrawn vertically before taking the next step. It is an arduous process and the fact that the hill was getting steeper didn’t make it any easier. Maria suggested we leave the summit for next time and head back to the car. Her gloves were soaked and she was beginning to tire. So we sat and enjoyed the view of Anchorage and the Cook Inlet, then I gave her my gloves and we started downhill.
A girl of about 24 in jogging attire was heading up as we started down. Summer jogging attire - shorts, no hat or gloves. Moments later, the dark clouds which had been forming to the north and east started pelting us with ice pellets and big snow flakes and the wind picked up from almost calm to about 15 knots. The temperature felt as if it had dropped by 30 degrees. I was glad we were already headed back. Looking up the trail behind us, I saw that the jogger had turned back and was coming down toward us. As she approached I offered her one of my hats. I had a knit watch cap which covers the ears and neck, and also a baseball cap. She refused a hat, and said she would be back in her car in a matter of minutes.
She was an interesting young woman. She walked with us for a few minutes. After graduation - I assumed she meant from college - she had gone to Montgomery, Alabama and had just completed a year of helping lower-income people obtain affordable housing. Some of what she had done was similar to the work of Habitat for Humanity. She is a distance runner, just in the tenth week of recovery from a broken ankle. And out running on a mountain in the snow. Alaska people are an interesting collection. A young man looking for a self-reliant and adventurous young woman could do worse than coming to Alaska and looking around.
As the young lady jogged away, Maria looked for places to slide down the slope. For the next 30 minutes we alternated sledding on our behinds where it was steep and slogging through the snow where it was not. On the steep areas Maria squealed with joy just like a child as she slid down on her back. I’m still not sold on snow and winter as a fun time, but . . . .
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