Outdoors in and around Fairbanks

To live in Alaska ... you must enjoy the outdoors.  Or, pretend that you do.  Why?  Simple.  People have to justify moving this far north, somehow, and many do not want to admit the truth:  They're just here for the money.  So, love of the outdoors is a handy cover story, because what Alaska has the most of is outdoors.  If you believe people forced to go to the bathroom in the bushes are going to let you get away with staying in the city, think again. 

So, if you want to have any friends, you're going to have to go outdoors.   You're going to have to pack a bunch of gear, maybe load it into a Weasel or some other big piece of stuff (there is a funny chapter in the book on the difference between "gear" and "stuff"), and head for the boonies.  And you're not going to be able to just Weasel around for the weekend, either.  When you are outdoors, you actually have to do something.

What you have to do depends on where you are.  If you live in Rural or Road Alaska, you have to destroy something.  That something can be trees, cut down for logs or firewood, or a stream, bulldozed while mining.  But it's far better if the something has some chance, however remote, of eluding you.  That, after all, is why fishing and hunting are considered sports, even though the sport involved in four-wheeling up to an unarmed moose and shooting it with a large-caliber weapon is difficult for some people to see.  No other outdoor activity is considered as manly as killing something.  Besides, if you live far enough from a supermarket, you might need to eat it.

From:  Fashion Means Your Fur Hat is Dead:  A Guide to Good Manners and Social Survival in Alaska by Mike Doogan.

This book is really very funny, but I am not sure how much of the humor can be appreciated without the experience of living up here.  This post is a random assortment of photos from various hikes on trails in and around Fairbanks.

Ballaine Lake is on the UAF campus.

A number of pleasant trails start here.  

Birches on one of the many UAF trails

Northern Green Bog Orchid (Platanthera hyperborea)

This was the second wild orchid I found -- and amazingly there are patches of them along Willow Run Road.  They are very fragrant and bloom only in July.

Yellow Spotted Lady Slipper (Cypripedium passerinum)

This was the first orchid I encountered -- on the UAF Calypso Trail.  Seen in June, they have already quit blooming.  There is also a Calypso orchid but they bloomed (in May) before I discovered this trail

Alpine Arnica (Arnica alpina, ssp. angustifolia)

Butterfly

I should mention here that I have no intention of learning about butterflies.  Identifying birds and flowers is complicated and stressful enough.  (I know of a few mistakes I have made already and will eventually go back and correct them.)

Grass of Parnassus, or Bog Star (Parnassia palustris)

Sandhill cranes at Creamer's Field

Butter and Eggs, or Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

This is either Wild Sweet Pea or Eskimo Potato.  My book says they are easily confused -- which would seem to be quite a problem as the root of one is poisonous and the other is eaten raw or cooked by natives.

Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale)

Boreal owl seen on a true "slog" though a bog with water higher than our knee-high boots in places -- the only dry ground was the top of tall tussocks that were quite difficult to balance on.  The weather was hot and the mosquitoes out in force.  The dogs loved it, though.

Meadow of Fireweed and Wild Rhubarb

 

Squirreltail Grass (Hordeum jubatum)

Pretty but dangerous to pets.  The spiked seeds can lodge in their throats requiring medical attention.  Alaskan Wildflowers Commonly seen along the Highways and Byways (Verna E. Pratt)

Moose in Goldstream Creek

Close-up

Here I will share Mike Doogan's description of the 4th of July:

Holidays in Alaska aren't like holidays anywhere else.  Take the Fourth of July.  Most Alaska communities have fireworks displays, even though it never gets dark (not Fairbanks, however).  Imagine a crowd of people standing around a baseball field.  Something goes bang.  The crowd ooohs.  A few seconds later, up in the bright summer sky, something goes pop.  The crowd ahhhs.  After an hour or so of that, everybody goes home.

No matter how hard everyone tries, it just isn't the same as watching a fireworks display somewhere it's dark enough to see the fireworks.

(Same as previous Doogan reference)

Ya gotta luv it here!

Summer Solstice: "No darky, no sleepy..." (Fairbanks News-Miner)

Summer solstice is a BIG thing in Fairbanks -- the city's largest single-day event.  There is a wide range of activities from a baseball game to the celebration of Dragonfly Day at Creamer's Field.  There  is live music, crafts for sale, and really good food.  I would have to say the batter-fried halibut was the best I have had since the Madang Club in Papua New Guinea -- and RG will know what I mean!  

Today on Alaska Public Radio they suggested that Alaska is probably unique in the scale of summer solstice celebrations.  However, the announcer also pointed out that Fairbanksans, with their typical optimism, will now begin to say "OK, that's it, summer is over".

The celebration downtown goes from noon to midnight

The festivities are characterized by a lot of people, dogs (of course), bands, dancing exhibitions, crafts, and information booths.  I was impressed that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had a booth, demonstrating that they are concerned about more than hurricanes in Florida.

A small window on the crowd -- and the ominous sky.  Luckily, after rain in the morning,  it cleared up and the temperature remained around 65 F.

There are flowers all over downtown Fairbanks -- hanging in front of buildings

... and in barrels in front of Lavelle's Bistro

Kid's in Fairbanks are no wimps.  In addition to skateboarding there was an impressive climbing wall set up -- complete with safety ropes.

As a reminder that winter is never far from anyone's thoughts up here, there were hand-knitted wool hats for sale.

The variety of dogs was greater than generally seen in winter

These two were getting a lot of attention.

Then, again, huskies were present as well.  Note that these are panting and it is only 65 F.
Back at the cabin I decided to go for a walk at midnight.  This is Goldstream Road where it intersects Willow Run.

There were new wildflowers out.  This is Valerian

... and Arctic Lupine

... and some kind of Saxifrage (I think)

Common Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium, ssp. angustifolium)

Apparently it is called fireweed because it can revegitate quickly after a fire due to its deep roots that escape damage.

... close-up

This photo requires some explanation (I suggest you do not try to enlarge it).  I received an email from Ann the day before reminding me of the story of how she was chased by a moose last year on solstice.  As I was heading back to the cabin at about 1:00 in the morning, I was musing that I would not likely be lucky enough to see a moose on the walk.  About then my neighbor and landlord passed by on his way back to his cabin.  He subsequently backed-up to alert me that there was a moose ahead.  Having his truck behind me as back-up, I walked ahead and met this young moose face-to-face.  My flash wasn't adequate to capture him well -- he was very dark and a ways off in the bushes.  I still really like the photo of what I think of as my "magical moose".  It was all I needed to complete a truly memorable summer solstice.

The sky at midnight

A serene scene of spruce against the sky.

Well, I guess I will now fall into the habit of Fairbanksans -- lamenting the loss of daylight minutes from now until December 21st. 

Wildflowers on Willow Run Road ... and Snowhook

Before getting into wildflowers I feel I must say something about mosquitoes.  If Fairbanksans are obsessed about the temperature and weather forecasts in the winter, in the summer they are obsessed with mosquitoes -- and with good reason.  By the way, this is considered a bad year for mosquitoes according to the locals.  A walk requires a hooded sweatshirt even in 70 degree+ weather.  They bite through most clothing with ease -- a sweatshirt is some protection. 

Taking photos is a challenge as the minute you focus the camera hundreds (well, maybe not hundreds) cover your fingers and the back of your hands.  They also get in your eyes and nose. It is quite a contradiction as you try to capture the beauty of the landscape while simultaneously shouting expletives at the mosquitoes. 

Taken at sunset

Sunset is at 12:32 am (actually tomorrow) and sunrise at 3:08 am.  It will be civil twilight for the rest of the night.  We have not seen the moon or stars for a long time.  There is a big midnight-sun celebration in Fairbanks on June 21st -- after which we will begin losing daylight and Fairbanksans will again become obsessed by how many minutes are lost each day.

Tall Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium acuteflorum)

... the plant 

I couldn't resist including another moose encountered on Willow Run the other morning.  They appear and vanish almost like magic.

Dwarf Dogwood (Cornus canadensis)

A Willow Ptarmigan by the side of the road --

in the winter they are white

Alaska cotton (Eriophorum scheuchzeri)

Couldn't find a match for this in my Alaskan Wildflowers Commonly seen along the Highways and Byways (by Verna E. Pratt) but I thought they were attractive.

Bluebells (Mertensia paniculata)

Next to wild roses, bluebells are the most prevalent wildflower in our area.  They are all over, including around the cabin.

... close-up

Prickly roses (Rosa acicularis) are everywhere.  The petals of these wild roses are used to make jelly and tea and the fruit is also used for jellies, jams and tea.

... close-up

They are found throughout Alaska except on the North Slope and in Southeast.

A wildflower landscape in the mist.

Alaska Spiraea (Spiraea Beauverdiana)

These are also found everywhere.  Apparently the leaves may be brewed into tea, but not being 100% sure that I have correctly identified the plant, I don't think I would try it.

This may be Low-Bush Cranberry. (Well, I never claimed to be a botanist.)

Grove Sandwort (Moehringia lateriflora)

 Irises on the UAF campus.

It is hard to give the impression (at least with the limitations of my camera) of how these wildflowers dominate the landscape along the dirt roads around Fairbanks.  In town flowers are planted all over -- it is very festive.  If it weren't for the mosquitoes, this place would be paradise in the Summer.  The lilacs are just beginning to bloom.