*F*A*L*L*

...has arrived! In the last couple of weeks I have found myself saying, "I really like the sound of the rain." And Quent's reply is, "It's a good thing!" Before fall last year one of the locals told us that with fall comes POURing rain and wind. And sure enough...that's what came! The wind and rain has come...and so has fall. Welcome fall!

Fall here isn't like the midwest Fall. Oh how much I miss the bright fall colors! There are colors here, but nothing like the midwest. And I sure do miss the cider mills, picking apples, and homemade donuts!

No need to sing the "Rain, rain, go away" song for me. At least for now. I'm enjoying the pitter-patter on the roof.

I think this is why they call it a RAINforest. Ha!

Goat Hunt Part IX

A little bit more that Nate's feet are getting a rest here. Marsha Peak and the ridge we hunted are in the background.

At last, the feet get a rest. A welcome experience.

Porterfield Creek. Spotted two 12" cutthroat trout near here.

Even the brightest sunlight couldn't shed much light on this North facing slope.

 

Goat Hunt Part VIII

The ridge extending from Berg mountain often appears to have fresh snow even on the warmest days. We were able to confirm that rather than snow, it is simply rock.

A couple blue jewels in a mountain setting glistening in the morning light.

The sunset wore increasingly vibrant colors as the sun sank deeper below the horizon.

I was treated to a beautiful sunset.

 

Goat Hunt Part VII

On guard at goat camp.

On the ridge overlooking camp (behind my head) and Virginia Lake in the background.

We both enjoyed walking on the pillowed (apparent) granite made smooth by glacial action. We could see recent glacial scuffing on some bedrock off the side of the ridge.

Over the snow.

 

Goat Hunt Part VI

The snow was rather deep. This particular goat was buried up to its horns in the white stuff.

Nate is enjoying the view of the timber in the valley and wishing that pack would lose some weight.

Having a little bit of fun with the horns here.

In the clouds.

 

Goat Hunt Part V

Nate is looking over the bowl on the North side of the ridge.

Breather. I'm packing the rifle and horns, Nate is packing everything else. I offered to carry the pack but he insisted. I wasn't about to argue.

Now about 1.5 miles back to camp.

The valley above the falls was very picturesque. Looked very fertile and green and full of muskegs.

 

Goat Hunt Part IV

Looking at the valley below the falls.

On the right, Glacier creek leaving glacier basin. On the left a creek flowing from behind Berg mountain. These are amazing falls. They can be easily heard from the top of Marsha Peak on a breezy day in the rain. The entire hillside echoes with the sound of the powerful water.

Mountain goat after a 30 or so yard shot.

The stalk with glacier basin in the background

Goat Hunt Part III

As we were stalking the billy goat I looked up at the ridge above us and the group of five goats I had seen earlier in the day and the day before were standing on the ridge watching us, framed in a cloud. I would give a lot to have had a picture of that. It will probably be the most lasting memory of the trip. One goat obliged and stayed on top of the ridge long enough for Nate to dig the camera out of his pack and get this picture.

Spotted five goats to the left the day before. Found them shortly after taking this picture on the small ridge to the right. The billy goat was next to them on another ridge farther right.
We would have to climb up that ridge behind us with much heavier gear. Little did we know at the time, but directly below us was our prey.
A glimpse of the top of the mountain about a mile away.

 

Goat Hunt Part II

What a difference a little bit of sunshine makes! Spectacular!

The first glimpse of sunshine occured in the evening of day two.

Goat camp. The smartest move we made was bring a tarp. Besides always having blue skies, we were able to stay relatively dry.

A pocket in the clouds at higher elevation. Hunting in the clouds was a new experience for me. My brother and I quickly discovered that depth perception is nonexistent in the thicker clounds. From sighting on two flowers that looked like horns (that one was Nate's idea). To stalking a marmot from about 75 yards away thinking it was something MUCH larger (I would have had him if he was a goat). To the very common mistake of sneaking up on a chunk of quartz, many times the chunk would turn out to be about the size of a softball. At least we were seeing things, just makes it that much more exciting.

Goat Hunt Part I

Nathan is a picture of misery. This was during a rain squall that decided to persist through lunch. Not exactly a warm and fuzzy feeling. The warm food helped.

So this is what it is like to be on top of the world...
... make that Marsha Peak. (a little bit below 5000')
Couldn't see much more than a few hundred feet if that.

Taking a break at the Porterfield Creek crossing.

Where to go?

 

Name-less flower

Honestly, I have no idea what kind of flower this is, but it's beautiful! They are alongside our driveway. They help brighten up those gray, cloudy, dreary days.

 

Here kitty-kitty!

There is so much beauty in the state of Alaska. This blog is packed full of beautiful scenery that we have captured with our camera, but I want to take a moment to say a little more about two very special "friends" in our lives. They have captured our hearts and not a day goes by that we don't find ourselves laughing hysterically over something they have done.

Awww....They can be the best of friends and the worst of friends...but this is a moment of the "best."


Tigger. He's the most friendly, out-going cat I know. Most cats keep to themselves and are well, rather "stuck-up," but Tig will greet everyone at the door! I caught him during one of his nap times with this photo.


Shadow. We named her that because she's just that, our shadow. This picture was taken right before she found and tore into a bag of catnip. All she had to do was take one giant leap from the bike seat to the top of the bookshelf. The rest is history. She was pretty crazy the rest of the evening...as you can imagine! She's very friendly too, but definitely more timid. She's incredibly sweet and affectionate.