lost lake #2

 we came to the split in the trail that directs us to our cabin.  some other folks were there and they were kind enough to take another group shot and to show us this mama and 3 cubs that were in the direction we were heading.  i didn't get my big camera out quite quick enough.  had i known my primal call would cause such a stir i would have been more prepared.  all 4 bears stood up on their back legs to check out what was making that racket.  i usually only use that yell at hockey games or when one of the malemutes goes awol.  they soon scampered off.

 we had enough bells in the group to alert the bears in anchorage of our presence.  the swedes wore the bells in their shoelaces.  actually a great idea.  the one boy sang jingle bells a few times i think.  his mom was laughing as initially when they arrived he would use his english when speaking to us and after a few days he was speaking english with his folks as well.

 we are coming up out of the rain forest and up into the beautiful green mountains above the tree line.  the scenery was simply amazing.

 there were quite a few biting flies out there.  maddie must have broken down and had her dad get her a net.  those guys carried much more gear than i did and my pack was not light in the least.  i never weighed it though.  i do have some nice bruises today and some aches around the hip attachments.

 blossom kept trying to keep track of everyone.  it was suggested a few times that i probably could let her off leash.  i didn't until we hit some tarns close to the cabin.  it's not that blossom isn't great off leash, she is.  for her being on a leash isn't a punishment.  the trail was pretty well traveled and it's summer so always a bear threat.  she would bolt if she got scared, even those llama's would have potentially made her book.  better safe than sorry i say.  another thing was that off leash she would have been running back and forth between all 9 of us and she would have worn herself out.  dogs often don't have an off button.  she isn't used to hiking with a pack so i worried she'd do some harm to herself trying to keep us all in check.

 she really is a great dog, i must say.  she was a perfect canine companion for all out there.  pela just beamed everytime he was around her.  maddie curled up with her in the morning.  we wanted to get her out of her bed so we put dog treats on her face and in her bag to get blossom to nuzzle up.  blossom's hair got braided a few times, flowers put in there, nails done...she's pretty easy going.

 today i took both dogs out campbell airstrip and then back through the main trail.  the sun came out and it was a bit hot.  rio managed okay with a stop at the little creek at one end and a wade at the big creek by the bridge.  there were some salmon coming up the creek.  when the dogs first popped into the water 2 salmon booked it back downstream.  felt bad as those buggers really do work hard to come up.  the life of a salmon is a tough gig.

 the dogs lay on the bridge while i stood and watched the salmon today.  we will try for another fishing trip next week.  not excited for the early wake up but i think it will be worth it once i'm on the water.  not sure what the salmon limit will be for us or what salmon will be on the menu.  hoping for silvers myself, but we shall see.

 will be nice to have a stocked freezer.  sorry, no plans to spend that much money for fishing and then send the fish all south.  you will have to fly up here and get your own.  i suppose that is rude of me, but the limit will probably be just 1-2 fish.  fishing will cost over $300 for the charter and to send a fish south would probably be upwards of $100 for overnight and packing and all that.  i'm not that generous i guess.  so apologies in advance.

 had to restock the fridge today with regular food items.  have had a good appetite today.  cooking a roast as it was cheap at the store.  still love a crockpot roast cooked like my mama used to cook it.

 need to check on kaktovik...not sure why i delay these things.  hopefully, i haven't missed an opportunity.  figure i'll call the hotel first and see what is available.  then see if a plane ticket exists with my name on it.  excited to see polar bears again and even more excited to see them in my own state.
was watching the web cam for brooks range for the brown bears.  i have been to mcneil and a few other bear viewing locations. not brooks yet.  anan creek in southeast though, which was cool as well.  they have both black and brown bears there.  we saw both.  i went there before i moved up here from ketchikan.

 blossom cooled off every chance she got.  i had packed her bag with this possibility in mind.  when we hit the tarns near the end though i did take her pack and leash off and let her have a little swim time.  sadly i tossed her tennis ball, a cheap one from petsmart, and it sunk immediately.  it must have had a hole in it.  luckily for her sake, i had a spare.

 tons of lupine and other wildflowers up there above the tree line.

 those wildflowers are always amazing to me.  so many of them.

 here is the signage for the dale clemens cabin.  the walk from this point is about 1 1/4 mile i think.  bob thought it was more like a few hundred feet but we kept walking.  it loops back around and the view from the cabin looks back down on seward and resurrection bay.  it's spectacular.  the walk was worth it and in that altitude was stunning all the way.  the sun had lifted and we had panoramic views of mountain tops.  i had brought my canon rebel but not the extra lenses, just the zoom for the possible bear.  i was missing my wide angle.  might have been worth the added poundage.

 another hike another day.  above the group, perhaps a bit more weary, but everyone is happy and smiling!

 selfie.

 for weather that started out looking like rain we really lucked out.  of course, this is what several of us who are more positive thinking were planning for.  we kept calling maddie a "debbie downer" as she kept predicting rain.  i guess they had hiked this with other relatives last summer and it absolutely poured the entire way.  they were just planning on tenting it so not a fun trip. that is how maddie remembers it anyway.  i'm sure she will have better memories of this years trip.

 just some general scenes

 blossom adds to any photograph.

 caught up on a few of my nieces blogs today.  great to see how happy they are in their lives.  fun to have watched them grow up and become happy adults!

 another selfie.

 kept wanting to sing music from the sound of music.  scenery like this always reminds me of the scenes from that movie.

 back to work in a few days,  will have a 4 day stretch.  love that my management has been so accomadating to me and my play time this summer.  they rock!!

 tarns and blossom chills in the water....such a happy dog!

 ernie ended up carrying pela's back.  not that it slowed her down much i must say.  hulkim carried a spare tent that sandra had brought.  we never used it, but always good to have that option.  none of us had been to the cabin so no real idea how comfy it was or how many it could hold. bob slept outside on the deck just because he wanted to since it was so beautiful. the loft can fit loads of folks. the log book said they prefer the max to be 8 people.  we had 3 little people though so that gives us some wiggle room.  there was no lip on the loft or the upper bunk, which would probably be a good safety thing to have, but nobody fell so all is well.

 sandra and ernie with a tarn in the background.

 we didn't see our spectacular cabin view until we were right there.  it was impressive.

 we also never made the trek to lost lake.  so still on my list. like i said yesterday though, we will have to rent cabin for a few more days and then do a day hike out there and back to the cozy cabin.

 i hear it's pretty windy out there.  lots of people camp out there.  this is by many folks views one of the most beautiful hikes in alaska.

 above tanya enjoys the views from the deck. below hulkim and martin relax post hike in.

 blossom is rewarded for her labour with a meal and drink of water.

 a lovely family!!  again, i know i'm messing up the spelling of their names, but hulkim, pela, martin and ernie.

 the kids in the loft.  pela loves a rope so bob hiked one in for him.  i had carried in playdoh and nail polish so we let them fish for their goodies with the rope.

 a bit blurry, but i loved all the happy smiles and giggles these past few days.  nothing better than giggling children!!  we got to enjoy that sound for hours that day.

 packs strewn about the cabin.

 view from one of the cabin windows.

 the nail polish spa day begins.

 made a deal with bob that if he got the water i would filter it.  when he got back with the water i was busy getting my nails done.  martin was happy to lend a hand.  was fun i think for them to check out the different gear we have available to us and compare that with what they use in sweden.

 tanya and ernie met years ago when ernie was in maine i think as an exchange student.  they have maintained their friendship ever since.  i am so happy tanya included me in her friends vacation.  they are just great people and i am so thrilled to have met them and been given a chance to get to know them.  tanya has always spoken very highly of them and she was not exaggerating!!

 the cabin gets a lived in look and pela is up in the loft with the rope.

 we stayed on the deck as the sun moved across and after the shade took over we moved to the hill near the cabin for a taste of wine.  it was total relaxation.  we chilled out there for a few hours.

 the official sign.

 not bad for $45 bucks a night for all of us.

 not sure why it is up on stilts, some bear protection perhaps?

 bob entertains the kids by getting himself tangled up in the rope ladder on this tree.  hulkim and martin has already climbed up.  my nails were wet so no photo's.

 the outhouse wasn't bad either.

guess i'll end todays' post on the outhouse. enjoy, will be a summer of catch up posts.  wonder if my dinner is ready yet.