Spring Breakup in and around Fairbanks

Between pristine, and often brutal, winter and the seemingly endless days of summer comes "spring breakup". It has been a challenge to find enough of interest to share here given the relatively monochromatic tones the world around us takes on. Browns and grays dominate the landscape, the snow that stays around is dirty, and mud reigns.

Perhaps the most notable event, and the official designation of spring breakup, is the Nenana Ice Classic (www.nenanaakiceclassic.com). The ice on the Tanana River at Nenana officially moved at 9:06 am on April 29th. My guess (April 30 at 2:15 am) was off by 17 hours and 9 minutes). This event makes headlines in the Fairbanks News Miner. After that we just wait for a spring that is rather slow in coming to the Interior of Alaska. Light, however, is returning rapidly after the long dark winter. There will be 16 hours and 57 minutes of daylight today -- the sun rose at 5:22 am and will set at 10:19 pm.

Azaleas in my front yard in Florida.

After leaving the lush spring on the west coast of Florida, the contrast was sobering.

Rotting ice on the pond off Willow Run.

The melting ice is often as transparent as fine crystal.

Squirrels have reinvaded the yard, occupied the bird feeder, and create a racket running all over the cabin.

A darkeyed junco on the last patch of snow around the cabin.

Willow Run Road.

When it gets like this one becomes nostalgic for the snow road of winter.

Close-up of puddle on Willow Run.

(Experimenting with my new camera here.)

A well-camouflaged spruce grouse just outside my door.

Rotting ice on Goldstream Creek.

The only evidence of spring so far is the budding of willows.

More disappearing ice on the pond off Willow Run.

... and more ice.

One of two trumpeter swans that have arrived at Creamer's Field.

El Dorado Creek lies just northeast of our cabins.

... and more ice

(well this blog is called "Ice and Snow" after all).

Ballaine Lake is also beginning to thaw.

The two regal trumpeters at Creamer's Field.

The last of the ice on the Chena River that runs through downtown Fairbanks.

And... the Alaska Range viewed from Ballaine Hill.

(Even though it is not a very clear day my new camera does a much better job at capturing detail at a distance.)

I hope these random photos capture some of the subtle changes going on in nature here during spring breakup. Soon there will be fields full of wildflowers, a greater variety of birds, moose with their babies, and the ubiquitous mosquito -- oh well, I guess you can't have everything.

And now for something completely different... The Western Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp

The Western Everglades is about as far from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as you can get -- in distance and in character. Each is, however, unique as an example of a wilderness ecosystem. For those of you interested there is an excellent documentary DVD, Big Cypress Swamp: the Western Everglades, by filmmaker Elam Stoltzfus, produced in 2009.

Sunrise from our room at River Wilderness was mystical as morning sounds emerged from the surrounding landscape.

The Rod and Gun Club is the upper end of accommodations in Everglades City and has an excellent restaurant on a waterway. It is an historical landmark where Teddy Roosevelt among other dignitaries has stayed. At the River Wilderness, where we always stay, the units have screened porches right over the water.

Sunset from the porch of the Rod and Gun Club

Road kill on the way to Everglades City. These are Black Vultures tearing up an alligator.

The City Hall, Library, and most other government offices in Everglades City

February and March are great months for migrating birds.

Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, and an assortment of egrets (probably).

A Snowy Egret. You can see his yellow feet in the water.

A pair of Roseate Spoonbills

There are huge numbers of alligators in the Everglades.

A Little Green Heron. I had never seen one before.

A rarely seen Purple Gallinule

A Great Blue Heron on her nest with two chicks. You may be able to see one of the chicks if you enlarge the photo.

Little Blue Heron

Anhinga

Entering Big Cypress Swamp

Completely different from the vast expanses of the "River of Grass".

A Snowy Egret in the swamp

Close-up

A pile of alligators

From the car window on the way out.

For me the Everglades are the most beautiful part of Florida. As with the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge they are always under threat. Although they are likely to remain during my lifetime, I am not so sure about future generations....

I will be back in Fairbanks April 14th and looking forward to spring and summer.

By the way, for those of you who do not know, Lance Mackey won the Iditarod for the 4th time in a row. Go Lance!!!

2010 Yukon Quest: pairs and portraits of dogs (mostly)

The 2010 Yukon Quest, a 1,000 mile sled dog race run between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Canada, began this year in Fairbanks on February 6th.  It is not over yet but the top ten mushers have arrived in Dawson City, Canada, the mid-point of the race.  Given the mandatory 36-hour rest period in Dawson, I thought this would be a good time to post some photos from the race start.  (Besides, there will be nothing much going on on-line until the first musher can leave tomorrow morning.)

The dogs are anticipating a great race...  

It will also be a highly competitive race.  Of the 24 mushers, 2 have won the Quest a total of 7 times since 2002 (Lance Mackey 4x and Hans Gatt 3x), and Sonny Lindner won the first Yukon Quest in 1984.  Three others have come in 2nd (Hugh Neff, Ken Anderson, and Zack Steer with Hans Gatt placing 2nd 2x).  There are also mushers from Switzerland and Belgium participating.

... as are good Fairbanks friends Jess and Ann.

A classic set-up for moving dogs around.  

The dogs here are pretty calm, but it is still a couple of hours before the race.  There was a pancake breakfast for mushers and fans adjacent to the staging area for the race.  By the time we arrived, they were out of everything but the pancakes -- they were good, though.

Here Lance Mackey, everyone's favorite musher, is getting gear together for the race.  These mushers have to have incredible focus -- a thousand miles is a long distance.

An example of a dog sled.

Here a team is being led from the staging area to the race start -- about a quarter of a mile.

The teams are hooked to an ATV to hold them back.  Handlers could never restrain a dog team for this distance at the start of a race.  The dogs are unstoppable...  We stayed back from the starting line to be able to get closer to the teams.  This was a good opportunity for photos, and I hope these give you an idea of the variation that exists in the "Alaskan husky".

I have some tricks up my sleeve!

Is it time yet???

Reflecting on races past...

We are excited!!!

Uh, patience is a virtue!

Well, we've done a lot of training so we think we're ready.

This is serious -- no fooling around!

We are clearly the most elegant dogs here ... and look at our outfits!

... but I'm adorable.

Two "lead dogs" waiting for their turn to go.

They are still pretty calm...

Lance Mackey at the start surrounded by adoring fans 

(myself included, of course).

Lance (number 11) and his dogs are ready to go...

The dogs are the real athletes of these races.  When not racing, they are calm and friendly.  Who wouldn't love these dogs?

I will report the results as soon as they are available.  I know you all can't wait!!!!