Some More Alaska Photos

[wcgornto]

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/...hotos-_-Sharer

The high, above treeline hikes look similar to one another ... somewhat barren, otherworldly and lunar type landscape. I did this hike two Saturdays ago. It was a trip up to top of Pioneer peak and back. The trailhead is at around 200 feet elevation and the peak is about 6300 feet. It was a 12 mile, 10.5 hour hike. It was my favorite hike in Alaska so far. The weather was perfect and the hike offered a full variety of terrain, nice glacier views and a pretty good challenge. The last mile or so up (1000 feet vertical) was a tricky, potentially dangerous and extremely fun rock / boulder scramble. Some of us deviated from the best path (not intentionally) and had some rather vertical stretches with loose rock that had to be negotiated very carefully. We didn't make the same mistake on the way down. With wet conditions or limited visibility, I would have bailed, but conditions were ideal.

I hope to get out a few more times before winter conditions set in and then I will have to learn to use snowshoes and / or cross country skis.

[LIhikers]

Wow!
My wife and I were recently in the White Mtns. of New Hampshire, and I thought that was good. Your photos blow that away.
Who is it you're hiking with up there in Alaska?

[wcgornto]

Through a Google search for hiking clubs, hiking groups, etc., I found a meetup group called Anchorage Adventurers.

http://www.meetup.com/AnchorageAdventurers/

It is very active and as the name suggests, is based in Anchorage. There is something going on almost daily. With the long sunlight hours in the summer, there are a lot of after work meetups throughout August and September. I suspect that the number of activities will diminish as the dark, winter skies take over. I live about 40 miles outside of Anchorage, so I stick with the weekend outings for now.

I am very pleased to have found this group. 1) It allows me to meet like minded people with an affinity for the outdoors. 2) It keeps me safer vs. potential curious or aggressive bears. As rare as bear attacks are on individuals, they are almost unherard of with groups. 3) It keeps me safe if I were to have a debilitating injury, as many trails in Alaska are quite remote with little daily foot traffic. My pack and preparation would be quite different for solo hiking than it is in groups.

[7Sisters]

Spectacular pictures. What a beautiful place!

Be safe and enjoy.

[slowpace]

Makes hiking the AT look like a walk in the park.

[wcgornto]

Originally Posted by slowpace

Makes hiking the AT look like a walk in the park.

There are plenty of more gentle hikes here. I have just sought out some of the more aggressive ones to push my sedentary self back into proper shape more quickly. I lost a lot of weight on the AT between June and November of last year. I put every ounce of it back on and then some sitting around south Georgia and eating my mother's cooking between December and June. Now I am going back in the other direction just as aggressively ... lots of time in the gym ... hopefully to reach and maintain the proper fitness level going forward.

I can think of a few days on the AT that compare to these few hikes I've done in Alaska (from a SOBO perspective):

Up and down Katahdin

The stretch from Bemis Mountain to Hall Mountain up and over Moody Mountain in ME

The stretch from Full Goose to Gentian Pond shelter (ME to NH)

Pinkham Notch up to Mount Madison summit (NH)

Davenport Gap to Tri Corner Knob shelter (GSMNP)

[fath86]

Oh my! The pictures are breath-taking! I'm a photographer enthusiast and these are the kind of scenery I want to capture! Nice job! Hope I can hike there someday.

[Bashert]

Great photos, Alaska is one place I haven't been yet and after being blown away by the photos I think I might be setting up a trip for next year. Thanks for posting some of the hikes it gives me a good place to start my researching.

[faithshen]

I'm sure having an hiking on Alaska is a great experience for me, we will try to go there together with my dogs, I'm sure they will the place

[Snickers06]

those are some Damn nice photos! I'm jealous. Some day I wanna go to Alaska. Never been to the state before.


wish we had photos of Denali!


snickers06