Thursday, March 25, 2021

Vernal Migration

Alaska is playing the long game to win me as a resident (at least part-time).  Happy summer of 2016 memories stayed fresh until enthusiastically renewed in the summer of 2019; now winter has nearly sealed the deal.  ENDLESS skiing, muted slant-light, Ice people sprinkled all over, a variety of weird remote places with high pay to explore...I'll be back again.

After leaving the cocoon of Coldfoot and grouchily (me) reentering society, Abby and I skied our hearts out with the help of two lovely ladies in Denali.  We also enjoyed the benevolence of local skiers in Homer, who maintain miles of trails atop the hills overlooking the Cook Inlet and peaks all around.  After lots of sightseeing and driving, I felt gratitude beyond expression to relax in Seward with (Shuttle) Josh and (Baker) Karen.  We hiked in the sun and had a bonfire in the not-sun and talked and ate good things.

So why would I leave such paradise?  What could possibly draw me back to moderate latitudes?  There is a tired person currently muddling through a layover in L.A. after flying from that other paradise, New Zealand, making his way eventually to western Colorado.  And I need to pile some of my stuff in a car and meet him there for an incredibly long and long-awaited hug.


The Caines Head trail is mostly ice, so there was a lot of butt-scooting to get down to the beach.


Whittier is accessible through a tunnel shared by the train and cars; the train couldn't make it through all the snow and we thought we might be trapped, which would've been ok if everything weren't closed.


Abby + old concrete + Seward sunset


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