northern happenings

All these photos were taken while diving in Seward, AK. 

Eric Keller entering Hidden Treasure at 70′.

Derek Frohbieter enjoying Boulder City.

China Rock Fish

Brian Clem 

Clem at 80′

Myself at 60′ at Boulder City

I spent a long day and a half hiking Crow Pass a couple weeks ago. I drove to Girdwood Saturday evening after work and hit the trail about 8:30. 

There was a ton of ash all over the place. 

I reached the cabin and met a few people. I decided to spend the evening there since it was already 10:30 and was hailing.

Sunday morning I left around 8:30 reached the pass. Crow Pass it at 3,500′.

Raven Glacier.

As I said before, there was a good amount of ash everywhere.

Toe of the Eagle Glacier and Glacier Lake. (Headwaters of Eagle River.)

Crossing the river that ended up being thigh deep. Mmm glacial water. It was at this point I wish I had something besides gore-tex boots. My feet were soaked for the next 17 miles. 

Looking up valley to Saghala Point.

The “trail.”

 

 

 

I reached the Eagle River Nature Center at 6pm. From there I started hitch hiking for a few miles till a couple picked me up and brought me into town. 

Cheers

Rode down to Seward a few weeks ago. Absolutely awesome weather.

I went down to work on Scott’s boat. He has a 43′ Delta. He owns Dive Alaska.

Mt. Redoubt has been erupting for a while now and Anchorage just started getting ash this afternoon. At first I didn’t realize it, I was pushing bikes at work ad started getting this funky taste in my mouth and my nose was itching… then is dawned on me. 

Mt. Redoubt:

Bretwood Higman (don’t know him) took this photo. Mt Redoubt is 103 miles south of town. Pretty good shot I think.

The roads were pretty empty driving home from work. Notice how gray the sky is. That is looking East south east.

And that’s looking East north east. If you look closely you can see the line between ash and blue sky. 

My truck once I got home. 

I imagine clean up is going to be a pain.

 

Cheers

Ben and I spent a couple days of spring break in Hatcher Pass. We climbed and had a very relaxing time. The weather was blue-bird. 

Just getting to the top of the bluff to set camp.

Climbing after we dropped out skis.

A ways up. 

Ben kick-stepping all the way up.

Looking back down towards the valley. 

What we were climbing.

View from our camp. Amazing spot!!

Creek as we were skinning out.

My feet at the end of the trip. Ugh.

Cheers!

Let’s see, where did I leave off..

Tuesday Steve, Valerie and I drove up to Hatches Pass.

Gorgeous weather! It was clear and about 7 degrees and you could see all the way into the valley.

Once we had enough of walking around we drove to the Lodge and got some much needed hot drinks! 

That evening we went to the gym and started dry tooling with my new ice tools! Steve was doing a darn fine job and fell less than I did. I guess wrestling does get you in pretty good shape.

Ben (my roommate) and myself took Steve down to cold snowy beautiful Portage Valley and introduced him to one of the best past-times ever thunk up. Seriously, it’s an absolute blast.

Steve picked it up much quicker than either of us expected!! While the lower section of the climb was rather mellow the top section turned into a near vertical pillar of ice.

Steve pulled through it like it was another walk in the woods!! I personally think he found his new sport!

It was awesome climbing with him! 

 

Cheers!

Sunday was quite the day.. I picked Steve up at the airport at 1:20am and promptly went home and crashed. He didn’t wake up til 11am. (and that’s only because I woke him up.) Sunday afternoon we drove up to the hillside and climbed Flattop Mountain. 

                                                                   It was blowing like hell at the summit.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a blast glissading down the northern slope!

I think this is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Flying, heights, a reasonable amount of risk… Anyone know of any job openings?? 

“Thank you for your courage, thank you for your sacrifice, and thank you for standing up when your nation needed you most.”

Last Saturday I was very glad to be home for Skip’s bachelor party.

We started at Rob and Carrie’s, in Newark, playing poker, pool and bowling. We then took the train into NYC and made our way to the Village. Our first stop was the Russian and Turkish Baths. (I am certainly going to make another visit here.)  They have a sauna, stream room, ice cold pool, aroma therapy steam room and my favorite – the Russian room. The Russian room is a rock-walled room that has a hot, very steamy, stone furnaced offering plenty of radiant heat. When the heat starts to get unbearable, you take a bucket, fill it with ice cold water and dump it over your head. Sounds crazy, but feels amazing! I also got a Platza, which is basically where you lay down in the Russian room and get scrubbed (more like beat) with a broom of oak leaves soaked in olive oil soap. Post beating, all your pores and open and you feel totally cleansed – to finish it off, you walk out of the room and jump in the ice cold pool that slams your pores shut. And when you cant take the chilly water anymore you get out and are promptly wrapped in towels. What a great experience!

Once we were all clean the next stop was dinner. Also located in the Village, Prune, had an outstanding meal prepared for us. Appetizers included bone marrow, sweet breads and lobster claws. My entree was a sweet Langoustine Boil with sausage, potatoes and corn. The service was on par with the food - impeccable. Probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had. (Not counting mom’s cooking obviously.)

 

We rounded out the evening strolling the lower east side enjoying cigars and looking like tourists with our backpacks. 

Cheers!