Van-Tramp adventures 2015

[Van-Tramp]

Denali National Park
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/denali-national-park/

Visiting Denali is not like the other National Parks I have been too. Most, if not all, other parks have roads that bring you to the historic sights or viewpoints, Denali is different. There is a single 90-mile road, but only the first 15 miles are accessible by the average visitor like myself. After that 15th mile, only tour buses are allowed. This conserves and protects the park, and it’s wildlife, so I have no real complaint about it. Sure I’d love to see more than 15 miles of the park, but the only option is to ride for hours on a bus filled with tourists… no thank you.

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So, Kerri and I made the 15 mile drive, and then we got out and hiked the entirety of the Savage Creek Trail (about two miles round trip). Now, with all my moaning above it may come off that I did not like it, but in fact I did. Kerri and I saw our first ever Caribou along the trail, complete with freshly grown antlers still covered in velvet. Later we spotted what seems like our 100th Moose since crossing into Canada from Montana. I suspect that one day I will tire of seeing these large animals, but this day was not the day. And the scenery was just as it should be – amazing.

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At the end of the day we drove only a few more dozen miles down the Parks Highway and have stayed the past few nights in a large gravel pullout, only 2 miles from the National Park boundary, with an amazing view into the park.

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Denali is my 67th National Park visited (not including the two Canadian National Parks visited) with two more coming while here in Alaska. However, with the visit only encompassing 15 miles of the 6 million acre park, I have not yet been able to see Mt McKinley (the highest mountain in North America) which to me, *is* what this park is all about. Hopefully that will change in the next day or two.

 

[Brian_and_Jesse]

Morning, Van Tramp!

The Canadian/Alaskan Highway, as you discovered, is in very good shape. Perhaps those horror stories you heard were from people who took the shorter route - the Cassier Highway, which is essentially a loooong logging road leading from just north of Stewart on up to Yukon Territory, and from there you can hop on over to Alaska. Brian and I have BTDT a couple of times, but we knew what we were in for, so we went prepared.

Loved your pictures, by the way. Thank you for posting them. (Brings back memories.)

Incidentally, the way the locals know you aren't from either Yukon Territory or Alaska is if you're sporting a windshield that's NOT cracked. Locals usually only bother to fix them when it's clear they can't take one more hit (or stone), LOL!

Shabbat shalom,

Jesse.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Ah yea, we got a rock into the windscreen within the first hour on the road. Big truck from the opposite direction kicking them up like a cloud and it hit hard. We knew it was going to happen, and wont bother replacing it until we get back through Canada again in Sept.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Nancy Lake State Rec Area
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/nancy-lake-state-rec-area/

Nancy Lake State Recreation Area … is one of the few flat, lake-studded landscapes in Alaska preserved for recreation purposes. The recreation area’s clear waters are ringed with unspoiled forests, and provide tranquil settings for canoeing, fishing, hiking and camping. – Alaska.gov

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As you can see, Google maps makes the Nancy Lake Rec Area look pretty darn inviting when you have a kayak in tow. Because of the number of lakes, it has been on my radar since Fairbanks. Unfortunately it was dropped from the plan to stay elsewhere for the weekend. What did not come to mind, at the time, was that the 4th of July weekend would fill most campgrounds with “weekenders” making it impossible to stay in the replacement campground. So, as luck would have it, we ended up at Nancy Lake Rec Area anyway (much to the joy of my inner-kayaker). Arriving on the 4th of July was risky, we knew that. Luckily there were 4 sites left in the campground and we found one that suited us. With families neighboring both sides of us, we figured the night would be rough; with loud music, hootin’ & hollerin’, and good old fashion fireworks. Oddly enough, I don’t recall it being an issue. I slept just fine, only hearing a few booms of fireworks at some point in the night. The only real complaint was that the previous camper decided it was a brilliant idea to leave raw chicken pieces in the trees nearby. Moose and Byron loved the treats, and I’m sure the local bears have would too. Which brings up…

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Way back in Montana, I decided not to kayak in Alaska without some form of protection against large animals. I would not hike without it, and I do not see the difference being in a kayak. Moose and Bear regular water and both can swim out and eat me while sitting in my plastic wrapper on the water. All around the campground were warning signs making it clear that I would be killed by bear (or worse) if I ventured into the wild. So the “assault kayak” was born, even under constant and rapid fire eye-rolling from Kerri. We would come out of this paddle alive… bears and moose be damned.

The morning of the 5th we woke and headed straight out to the park’s “canoe trail” which consisted of nearly 10 miles of lakes and portaging between them. The campground host informed us that “there is a little portaging, but it is not bad”. She lied. Only 10 minutes after getting in the water we were at the other end of one lake and we were stepping out onto somewhat dry land. We were to portage to another lake, but found that it was roughly 3/4 of a mile down the trail. Now, Kerri’s kayak weights nearly 50 pounds, empty. And my kayak is even heavier. Then add the kayak emergency kits (which has been growing), our packed lunch and water bottles, a finally a 12 gauge shotgun… well things got real heavy real fast. We got only a few hundred feet down the path before realizing the futility in the plan.

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We chose instead to head back into the water and go for the other end of the loop trail which required a much shorter portage to the next lake. There we explored around the small lake until we came to yet another small dock and trail used to portage to the next lake.
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We made the walk to the other lake, but our kayaks did not. We were already dreading having to make the return trip to the first lake, so we enjoyed the views, ate our hot soup lunch, then set off back towards the truck and camp.

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[Van-Tramp]

Knik River Public Use Area
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/knik-river-public-use-area/

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After leaving Nancy Lake Rec Area we rolled to Palmer where our first choice of boondocking location fell through. I mean, it was possible to camp there but it was cramped and nothing to do outside the trailer. The Knik River Public Use Area was down the highway a few miles, but we were unsure about a cell signal. We rolled on to see what the location offered.
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The Knik River area was much better, with a large enough area to roam about and the the view outside our widow, of the mountains across the river, was amazing. When we first arrived we there were still a few RVs left over from the holiday weekend, but within a few short hours they all cleared out, leaving us with an uninterrupted view of the river, bridge, and mountains.

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Our first night was peaceful enough, but a heavy gusts of wind made for a dust storm outside the trailer…

The second day we set out, with the dogs, for a morning walk across the old Knik River Bridge. The Old Knik River Bridge is long  abandoned for a new one built right beside the old. The roadway is essentially wood with a shallow layer of asphalt covering it and is bending and warping from age. Ironically, the local government seems to care about it as the graffiti is cleaned from the old bridge regularly. Not so much on the new one which is stained from many paint cans.


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The second night got much worse with OHV traffic running around our trailer until nearly 1am. Neither of us got much sleep that night. It was about now that the realization that “public use area” really meant “public trashed area”. I hate to say it, but the “public” sucks. While they come out for a weekend of fun and destruction on their four-wheelers, I *live* here in this land. With trash strewn about (some even responsibly bagged, then left behind anyway) and a bucket filled with human waste our collective heart sank at the stupidity of “the public”.

We left the following afternoon, after our work days were complete, to the Moose Lodge in Anchorage where we were meeting up with our fellow Airstream travelers once again.
PS – I keep forgetting to add the boondocking spots to my map of boondocking locations of the west, so I am going to catch up on that right now.

 

[Van-Tramp]

A few days in Anchorage


We met back up with the Malimish and UpInTheAirstream families at the Anchorage Moose Lodge for a few days of relaxing while we awaited the mail to be forwarded. As it turned out, this Moose Lodge was a very happenin’ place, with patrons at the bar from open to close each day, and the half-dozen RV spots overflowing after more people came out to meetup for a few days (enter the Zimmermans, PerkyMog, & Bodeswell families) making it four Airstream trailers, a vintage VW bus, and a Mog. What is a Mog?

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By Saturday we were feeling a little restless so Kerri, Moose, and I went out to Eagle River Nature Center for a quick 4 mile hike which included a short jaunt on the Iditarod Trail of past years. Moose failed to understand the significance of a dog on that trail, he just marched on without a second thought.

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Later that same evening, and the night before our departure, we accompanied Dave to the Tent City Bluegrass Festival which, by the way, did not feature a single tent.

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Sunday morning we parted ways with the Airstream train on our way to Hope, Alaska. Not a long drive by any standard, but for the first time since crossing into Alaska we were feeling like *this* is true Alaska. And to back that thought up, a Bald Eagle made an appearance…

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[Van-Tramp]

There is Hope
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/there-is-hope/

I was not sure what to expect from Hope when we left Anchorage. I knew it was a quaint town on the water of the Turnagain Arm, but nothing prepared me for just how cool it is. The entire town consists of a cafe, a bar, a gift shop, and a few cabins sprinkled about. Not much else exists here… but for very popular location to do some fishing.
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A small RV park – really just a parking lot – takes up the majority of the parking area beside the Cafe and Bar. Here we have been staying the past few days. We took the corner site with nothing blocking our view across a huge expanse of grassy marshland, over the Turnagain Arm, and to the mountains behind.
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I can’t help but feel that this is the Alaska I have been looking for; small town, big views, and ever changing weather – mostly in degrees of windiness. If I were a fishing type of guy, I would be in heaven for sure. We have walked the town each day and though it offers nothing new to the senses on the return walks, it still makes me breath easy each time.

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Moose has been loving the tall grass that is our front yard. He runs in it multiple times each day, jumping up high enough to clear the grass to see where his next jump will land, then sink below the waiving blades for a moment only to pop back up again. He really enjoys the grass more than he should. He must have some Jack Rabbit in him.

 

[akrvbob]

You're going to kayak the 6-Mile River aren't you???!!

THAT will be EXCITING!!!!
Bob

 

[akrvbob]

Also, I highly recommend the Palmer Creek Rd into the mountains. Beautiful drive. There's a free campground back there but you do NOT want to drag a Airstream to it!

Lots of bears back there so carry bear spray!

Also, great place to try gold panning. Nearly anywhere out there you can get a little dust. I had a friend with a claim on the Ressurection River and he told me to throw a rock and we'd do one pan there and he'g get some tiny flakes. I did and he did!!
Bob

 

[Brian_and_Jesse]

Nice pictures. Thank you!

Jesse and I have lived in bear, moose, and cougar country for a quarter of a century with no problems whatsoever. I wouldn't travel with dogs though; bears tend to feel threatened by even small ones in my experience.

We like to canoe and fish and Jess loves to take pictures. I'll post a few when I get a chance to retrieve them from her computer.

Thanks again for the visual tour. Nice.

Brian.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Thanks for the suggestions Bob, unfortunately we leave Hope this morning and we failed to find the time to venture up those dirt roads much. We really are not setup for any heavy duty river kayaking either. Kerri's kayak would sink pretty quickly in any rough water and mine is too long to navigate the twisty stuff.... like driving a limo down a slalom course

 

[Van-Tramp]

More Hope
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/more-hope/

Before we moved on from Hope, we had set out on a few minor adventures:
First was a hike along Gull Rock Trail which turned out to be an extremely pleasant hike along the Turnagain Arm. The ground cover was so lush, and so tall, that most of the views out to the water were blocked. Every once in a while a break in the foliage would give us a view.
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Lastly, we tried each night we tried to go see the Alaska Bore Tide come in, but to no avail. It really only shows itself in full-form in only the final few miles of the Turnagain Arm… which we were not in. So, while we could see the water rise – and rise it did, more than 30 feet in 2 hours time – we never saw the ‘wave’ of water that Dan got to ride on his SUP.

Not that the dogs minded the walk out to the water. They both had fun in their own ways as we waited for the tide to come in.
Moose ran, and ran, and ran, and ran…
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and Byron barked, and barked, and barked, and barked…
[img=474x474]http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_5341-1024x1024.jpg[/img]

 

[Van-Tramp]

The battle of Kelly Lake
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/the-battle-of-kelly-lake/

It was a possibility to drive all the way into Kenai after leaving Hope. The choice had not been made until just 30 miles shy of arriving in the Kenai area. Instead of going all the way into the city for the weekend, we would stop at one of the three free campgrounds inside the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.


Initially we looked at Peterson Lake, but three of the four sites (each campground consisted of a large gravel lot with 4 campsites and a boat ramp) were taken. We moved on to Kelly Lake. We lucked into a completely empty campground and pulled right into the prime water-front spot, right next to the boat ramp for an easy kayak launch.

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With the wind keeping us indoors the first night, we set out first thing Saturday morning for a few mile hike down the Seven Lakes Trail which started only a few feet from the Airstream. The hike ended at Hiker Lake just a few miles down, but not before both Kerri and I were nearly eaten alive by the mosquitoes. It was the first time since arriving in Alaska that they were really hitting us with any consolidated and organized effort. We refrained from using our tactical DEET, and with no treaties signed the option still exists for the future if needed.

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During the hike Kerri set out to stockpile images for her Instagram feed… and I did the same.

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After returning from the hike, a quick nap, then Moose and I unloaded Kerri’s kayak for a quick paddle around the lake. Kerri had been fighting a shoulder injury and was unable to paddle, so this made for a good time for Moose and I to try kayaking together again. I will likely be our last time as he is just too aggressive with the local wildlife; he was barking at everything and anything that moves. The quiet and serene lake was transformed into a battlefield with SS-Moose firing off a full volley after volley towards his enemy of the
minute…

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This duck allowed us within 10 feet before he could no longer tolerate the verbal abuse Moose was firing at him. He chose to flee to safer – and quieter – waters. SS-Moose continued barking at other birds, beavers, fish, and even a seaplane before I made the choice to turn around back to camp, where a Black Lab happened to be playing in the water. Moose barked at him too.

After peace was restored along the lake, with the sun setting and Kerri and I safely in bed, Alaska gave us a signal that all was A-OK.
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We left the next morning for Kenai.

 

[akrvbob]

The Fred Meyer in Soldotna and the Walmart in Kenai both welcome overnight stays.
Bob

 

[Van-Tramp]

Yea they do and they are PACKED full of RVs right now (dip-net fishing season).

We chose to go all the way past Kenai and up to Captain Cook Rec Area ($15 a night, beautiful campground, and no crowds) about 30 miles outside of Kenai. Good ATT&T for the work week and nice views, trails, etc to explore in the off hours.

 

[akrvbob]

Yeah, Anchorage empties out on the weekend and goes down to the kenai, plus the tourists are peaking right now.

Bad time of the year to be on Alaskan roads.
Bob

 

[Van-Tramp]

Captain Cook State Rec Area
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/captain-cook-state-rec-area/

Instead of staying in the hustle and bustle of the town of Kenai the past week, we spent it at Captain Cook State Recreation Area where we hung out on the beach, worked, saw our first sunset in months, and did a few short hikes. As you can see from the image below, the campground was overgrown with flowers and berries of all sorts.

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We moved on just as the weekender traffic was starting to take over the campground, on or way to Homer with a few nights camping along the route.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Going to Homer
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/going-to-homer/

After leaving the Kenai area, the plan was to spend a week somewhere between there at Homer where we would again spend a week. We had a few options, the first being Ninilchick where we stopped in to the Old Village to peak around…
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… and, even though I am far from a religious person, hiked up to the top of the hill to visit the Transfiguration Of Our Lord Russian Orthodox Church.

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We ended up staying the night at the Deep Creek Beach Campground, which is not much more than a gravel lot along the beach (and boat launch) lined with picnic tables and fire rings. But then again, what more do you need for camping on the beach?

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The decision to not stay here the week came after we gave the town a tour. There was not much to speak of and the beach was littered with dead fish. As it turns out, that is the advertised practice; to leave the carcasses to rot on the beach (natural way and all). So we moved on…

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… to Stariski State Recreation Area. This campground was high up on a bluff overlooking the ocean and beach, but with no access to the beach. The foliage was intense with the camp sites snuggled deep into the wild flowers and cow parsnip.

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We stayed only a single night here as well. Not due to dead fish, but the lack of anything to actually *do* here. Homer was only 30 miles down the road and a group was slated to gather there, so we moved on after a single night’s stay and met up with the group in Homer for some practice in socializing.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Homer Alaska
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/homer-alaska/

Upon arriving in Homer we drove straight to our designated campground at Mariner Park. It is not much more than a gravel lot at the beginning of the Spit but not only was the location great for an easy jump into town or the Spit itself, the view stretched across the Kachemak Bay and into the mountains that is this side of the Kenai Fjords National Park, complete with generous helping of glaciers and bald eagles. For the first time in who knows how long we were able to camp on the beach of actual ocean waters.

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It didn’t take long for company to show up. The MaliMish Airstream family took less than 20 minutes to find us (not that we were hiding) and park next door. The Bodeswell_VW family pulled in soon after. Later we met with Ariana and Caleb Babcock who parked directly on the sand and pitched tent right on top of their truck. The party was just beginning.

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The next day Kerri and I set out to the local farmer’s market where Kerri found a favorite treat (not for me, but her); Oysters. It quickly became a communal shucking experience for everyone but me. Oysters, or just about anything from the sea, just is not my thing. I don’t go there, plain and simple. Kerri also found out just how severe my phobia of seafood extended as I refused anything more then a peck on the cheek until the mouthwash came out.

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By the end of the second day we had even more additions; Dave and Ann Zimmerman (and two children) and even the PerkyMog reappeared. By dinner time we had half the campground occupied and one hell of an evening campfire group.

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Continued...

 

[Van-Tramp]

... continued]

The work-week was the standard monotony that comes with our lifestyle; work, happy-hour, campfire, sunset, yadda-yadda-yadda. I did break it up with a few trips in the choppy waters of the bay and got pretty well accustomed to my sea-kayak in a “nearly-sea” environment.

With the approach of the weekend little was planned for sight seeing or exploring. A quick hike in nearby Eveline State Rec Area, which was simply a large hill-side meadow filled with more wild flowers then you can imagine…

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… and a walk through the ever-so-touristy Homer Spit cured the exploration urges. A stop at the Salty Dawg Saloon for drinks made for a perfect cap on the week spent in Homer.

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We left Homer on Monday, on our way to spend a few days in Seward before beginning our exit-journey from Alaska.
A few more pictures from the week…
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