Fall in Fairbanks

How quickly one forgets about scraping frost off the windshield.....

This is Fall ? 

We had our first substantial snowfall on September 22nd, the autumnal equinox.  It seems a little early for the beginning of winter.  The northern lights shows on September 15th and 16th were spectacular -- clear skies, bright stars, and swirling curtains of fluorescent green. Unfortunately, I cannot capture these with my camera.  I have been thinking for awhile that it might be time to upgrade to something a little more sophisticated ...

Toward the end of August the birds began amassing at Creamer's getting ready for the long flight home.

It looked a lot like it did in Spring but there were many more birds.

August 24th was the Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival.  I missed the celebration as we had just returned from the Brooks Range late on the 24th.  The field staff at Creamer's counted over a thousand cranes on site.  I learned that these Sandhills are different from those in Florida.  These Lesser Sandhills are a little smaller and have more reddish-brown feathers.

A walk near our cabins -- Ann and the dogs.

The fall colors in the Goldstream Valley area (very near my cabin) were extraordinary.

Ballaine Lake on the edge of the UAF campus -- looking very fall-like.

A moose just off Willow Run Road ...

The Alaska Range appears most frequently (and clearly) in Spring and Fall.

Willow Run Road decked-out in yellows and oranges.

The hills beyond Ballaine Road where it crosses Goldstream Creek

... Goldstream Creek and surroundings on a sunnier day.

Willow Run Road after the first snowfall

Fairyland just beyond the cabin

Actually, fall has been more beautiful and lasted longer than I expected.  We now have nearly 8 months of winter in front of us.  People say I will get tired of it.  We'll have to see ...  Next stop Unalaska and Dutch Harbor.

Arctic tundra

The plants and lichens found on the tundra were very colorful at this time of year.  These mountains were once on the ocean floor as evidenced by the fossil corals and marine life easily found in the river drainages.  Strangely, many of the plants reminded me of a marine environment -- looking very much like they would be at home on coral reefs.  

I did not find a good reference to aid in identifying these plants so, for the most part, you will just have to enjoy the photos.

There was a lot of this yellow lichen on the rocks.

The red berries are "bear berries" and the bears really like them.

Dwarf fireweed

No idea what this is but it is one of the plants reminiscent of marine coral

Another of these plants growing in a more rocky environment -- hence it is more scraggly. 

White lichen on rocks

A lovely golden color

More red leaves

An arctic poppy

More poppies (although they also remind me of aquatic plants)

A bright patch of leaves

Moss

Again, a coral-like plant

More very dense white lichen 

This will be the last post on the Brooks Range trip.  Stay tuned for Fall in Fairbanks and then ... the Aleutian Islands if I survive the ferry (or if the ferry actually goes on its last scheduled trip).

Carter Pass to the Marsh Fork of the Canning

This was the beginning of the last phase of the trip.  The weather was much improved and our packs were somewhat lighter given that we had eaten much of the food.

Heading out from Carter Pass

We followed the river from high on a tundra bench above it.

A caribou trail continued for about 2 miles along the slate/shale mountain side.

Cyn, our intrepid guide, at the head of the trail.  Her pack was nearly as big as she was -- an incredible woman.

This was a very nice, three-tiered campsite at the side of a wide drainage.  My tent is on the lowest tier -- more sheltered from the wind.

At this campsite we suffered the wrath of the arctic ground squirrels.  They entered our tents and wrecked havoc -- crapping, peeing, and chewing small holes in my (Ann's) sleeping bag, the shirt I wore every day, and a pair of gloves.   It was Theo's theory that they were avenging the voles we disturbed earlier in the trip.  We heard about what you guys did at Vole City....

The view from my tent was lovely -- especially the fall colors.

Colors across the drainage from our campsite

The creek that was the source of our water at this campsite was reminiscent of a Japanese garden

Another aufeis we crossed

Close-up

Rotting ice ...

The autumn colors enhanced every view

Ivor and I hiked to this waterfall (about 100 ft high) near one of our campsites.  

... the pool at the bottom

The "upper" airstrip at the Marsh Fork of the Canning River  -- where we were picked up for the "take out".

A splendid geologic formation near the airstrip

The Marsh Fork of the Canning River -- the end of our journey on foot.

The plane ride back to Arctic Village was incredible -- the mountains were covered in autumn colors and the ground looked like an elaborate tapestry.  Unfortunately, although I had taken 3 batteries for my camera, the cold weather had completely exhausted them and I was unable to take a single photo from the plane.  I am sure when my fellow travelers get around to posting theirs  I will be able to include one.  I will do a final post including plants found on the tundra later this week.  

I am currently in the process of getting ready for my next adventure -- 10 days on the last ferry to the Aleutian Islands before it shuts down for the winter.  It leaves Homer on October 6th, arrives in Dutch Harbor/Unalaska on the 10th --  then retraces the route.  Bering Sea, here I come ....

Up Spring Creek to Carter Pass

After being dropped at the Spring Creek airstrip and resupplied with food we were prepared for another week.  We camped close to the airstrip the first night.

There was a small group of stunted spruce near the campsite -- the first trees we had seen on the entire trip.

The fall colors were getting brighter each day.

The weather was just about perfect on this late afternoon -- we could spread out all of our gear on the tundra to dry (just in time for it to get totally wet again the next day).

Then we had our first up-close-and-personal encounter with a young grizzley.  In my tent in the morning I heard George yell "Cyn, there's a bear behind you!"  I actually thought it was a joke -- until I learned that you don't joke about bears in the Brooks Range.  That is Cyn standing with a can of bear spray in her hand.

Our bear friend was about as cute as a bear could be.  Cyn estimated him (or her) to be a 3-year-old cub just thrown out by his mother to fend for himself.  He seemed to want to hang out with us -- sitting down and eventually rolling over.

After shouting at him for awhile (with all due respect, of course) he finally moved off into the willows and went on his way.

Later that day the weather deteriorated seriously.  Here we are crossing another aufeis.  It was raining and bitterly cold.

In an attempt to get out of the wind Cyn led us into the willows.  This was much worse than any ascent or descent.  They really are as thick as they look (and the wind and rain didn't make it any easier).

The vegetation was so thick it was easy to lose sight of the person in front of you.

Finally, as some of us began to get hypothermic, we stopped to have lunch (sitting on the bank of this stream) and make camp.  The photo doesn't really capture it but the sleet is blowing sideways and was accompanied by hail, snow, and rain (what Cyn called "winter mix").  My hands were so cold I couldn't clip my tent to the poles -- thank god for George (master Eagle Scout and all around great guy).  He helped me put up my tent while his son, Spencer, helped Theo.  Cyn always laughed when I referred to this day as a "nightmare".

... and guess what?  Next morning our erstwhile friend was back!

Luckily, the next day the weather was much improved.  This was our campsite in the willows.

The ascent to Carter Pass was much gentler than to Gilbeau.

There were very interesting formations on many of the mountains.  Some resembled medieval castles or monasteries.

Close to the summit of Carter Pass

... and here we are, another summit conquered.

The lake at the top of the pass was magnificent.  We saw a couple of loons at the far end. 

The trek down from the summit to the lake was reminiscent of photos I have seen from the Canadian arctic.

We had a layover day here so Jeff could take photos.

We would be heading off down the North Slope the next day.

A view of our campsite at Carter Lake

Ivor, Jeff, Theo and I went exploring this creek while George, Spencer and Cyn were climbing some of the peaks around the lake.

... as always the scenery was spectacular.

Ivor at the foot of this wall provides some perspective

There were many fascinating rocks (that were too big to carry away).

Many actually looked like cave paintings.

Looking up the creek bed.

The next day we would be heading for the last phase of our journey --  (mostly) downhill from here.