Sometimes messages are loud and clear and easy to read. We especially try to do this with warnings.
Getting to McCarthy is not always easy.
Sometimes they need a little interpretation.
Residents of the Wrangells really like their guns.But are generally kind, loving people.
Sometimes we read messages from the past, but can no longer understand them.
These petroglyphs are nearly a thousand years old.What does this mean?
Sometimes what might seem like a message is just a coincidence.
Truth in advertising?
But sometimes we think a clear message is just a coincidence.
Melting permafrost due to climate change is trouble for Alaska roads.
Nature sends us lots of messages. Some are easy to read.
A Kangaroo Rat came by here last night.Termination dust (snow) means it’s time for snowbirds to fly.
This message I read loud and clear every autumn.
Leaves are falling all around It’s time I was on my way
Sometimes Nature’s messages need a little interpretation. For instance, when an animal turns its back to you like this, they’re saying, “I’m pretending you’re not there. Now go away and leave me alone!”
Leave me alone!
Or when the fireweed reaches the top of its stem, it means summer is over.
Summer is ending!
We ignore some of nature’s messages at our own peril.
Be bear aware!
Here’s another one we are ignoring at our own peril. Global climate change is real. Sea levels are rising. I awoke one day last month to find that the sea had invaded the yard and the ocean was throwing logs onto the lawn. The homeowners say this has never happened before, but I’m willing to bet it won’t be long before it happens again. Mother Nature is sending us clear messages. You might even call them warnings. We need to pay attention.
Sea levels are rising.
Thanks to Wind Kisses for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Messages.
When Patti announced “Last Chance”, our unpublished favorites from 2022 as last week’s Lens- Artist’s Photo Challenge, I knew I had an embarrassment of riches. Since I took a long hiatus from my blog this year, I had way too many favorites for one post. Since I spend about half the year down south housesitting and the other half home in Alaska, it seemed like an easy way to solve my dilemma would be to split my images into two installments. Last week’s post was “Below the 49th Parallel,” and I’m happy to share my Northland favorites this week.
Bog Bean flower
Any roundup of the Rambling Ranger’s favorites would have to include a flower pic or two. My favorites this year were all taken in ponds along the McCarthy Road. My very favorite flower pic of the year I shared a couple of weeks ago in my “Patterns” post, Bog Beans and their shadows. I mentioned in that post that the flowers were exquisite when viewed up close, so here’s a closer view. My other flower pic is a combination lily shot, both Pond Lilies and Water Lilies growing together. Technically it’s a little messy and maybe not one of my best, but this post is about favorites, not bestest, right? Although sometimes they’re one and the same…
I love the juxtaposition of big lily pads and little lily pads, with the bigger pond lily flower centered and surrounded by tiny water lilies.
I took a one-day photo workshop through the Wrangell Mountains Center with Paul Scannell and Anna Mikuskova. One of our exercises was to each pick a piece of paper out of a hat, with an intangible concept written on it, then go out and shoot that concept. We were given 15 or 20 minutes to complete the assignment. My concept was “rebirth.” I shared a different image with the group that better illustrated rebirth, but this image was my favorite from that exercise.
Think I might call this one “Green”.
Since I spend most of my spare time at home working on the homestead, that’s where a lot of my favorites come from. I thought I’d try a square format on this image.
The View From My Front Porch
This B&W image is my very favorite part of the view from my front porch. I don’t know of anyone who has the view of this ridgeline that I do, and in my opinion, it’s one of the most amazing views in the Wrangells. And get this – none of those white mountains even has a name, not even the real high one lost in the clouds. That’s how wild this place is! The dark mountain in front is Mt. Donaho, which blocks this ridgeline from most of my neighbors’ properties.
My favorite part of my amazing view
The last shot I’m including from the homestead is my favorite aspen tree, the one right outside my front door. The fall colors were fabulous this year.
The aspen in my front yard
I spent a little time this fall at the toe of the Kennicott Glacier, less than a mile from McCarthy. It’s an interesting place to be. With global climate change and the glacier melting, the lake at the toe gets bigger all the time. The Kennicott Glacier has a surface moraine and is covered with debris. That ice is moving a lot of rock! Any image you take here is ephemeral. It will definitely look different a year or two from now. Here’s the face of the glacier with some of the surrounding mountains.
None of these mountains have names, either!
I try to make a fall road trip on the Denali Highway every year if I can. This year I went for it, even though the weather was dismal when I left McCarthy. On my first night out, it poured buckets. The forecast called for more rain, but surprisingly, the morning dawned bluebird. I got the best views I have ever seen of Mt. Deborah and Mt. Hayes. Meanwhile, back in McCarthy, it dumped inches. It rained so hard it washed everyone in Kennecott’s water systems out of National Creek, including the Park Service’s! So glad I made the road trip! The feature shot is of the Susitna River with Deborah and Hayes dominating the view.
One of my Northland favorites from that trip became a favorite during post-processing, when I noticed a grizzly bear in the photo. I didn’t see it when I took the picture! It’s over a quarter mile away, in the center of the photo, before the line of trees. Look for the light spot. Fall can be a scary time for a bear encounter in Alaska. They match the fall colors and can be hard to spot.
Can you spot the bear hiding in this photo?
My last Northland favorite is from Canada’s Cassiar Highway. I camped at a remote lake, where I witnessed possibly the most colorful sunset/sunrise cycle I’ve ever seen. Both sunrise and sunset morphed through every color imaginable, from gold to orange to red to purple to pink. And it was completely still. Incredible reflections and color combos. I couldn’t pick a favorite shot, but this is one of them.
Sunset on the Cassiar
What fabulous images will the New Year bring? I can’t wait to find out!
Happy New Year! Patti of Pilotfish has presented us with a delightful yet difficult challenge this week -Favorite Photos of 2019. How do you choose? It isn’t easy.
I got distracted a lot as I browsed through thousands of photos, with an image catching my eye and sending me into a memory. Focus, Di, focus! Don’t go down that rabbit hole! Is it really one of your 10 best of the year?
In the end, I couldn’t do it. I could narrow it down to 40 or so, but 10? Impossible!
So I took a page from NatGeo’s book. I COULD narrow it down to my favorite 10 unpublished photos of the year, ones that for one reason or another had not made it onto a blog post.
I’ll do this directionally. I’ll start in the northwest and make my way down towards the southeast.
Matanuska Sunrise
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
I had an early morning doctor’s appointment. However, it was a 7-hour drive from my home in remote rural Alaska to the doctor’s office. So I left after work, drove part way, slept in the back of my truck, and continued on my way just before the crack of dawn. My reward was a beautiful sunrise over the Matanuska River, one of the most spectacular sunrises I’ve ever seen. My photos don’t do it justice, but here’s my best shot at it.
Life in the Wrangells
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
We have some really big mountains in the Wrangells. In fact, Wrangell-St. Elias has more mountains over 14,500 feet than anywhere else in North America. Furthermore, unlike Colorado’s 14-ers, Alaska’s mountains start from a lot closer to sea level! They are REALLY big mountains. I like this image because you get an impression of just how big they really are.
Stone Sheep
Stone Mountain Provincial Park, British Columbia
My favorite day when I drive the Al-Can Highway is the day I drive through Stone Mountain and Muncho Lake Provincial Parks. They are both home to the somewhat rare and beautiful Stone Sheep, and if I’m lucky I might see one. This year I was able to shoot this environmental portrait of a ram doing what Stone Sheep do best, climbing cliffs.
Swallowtail
Electra Road near Jackson, CA
Although I’m usually raving about the wildflowers in the desert, by the time April rolls around you’ll find fantastic wildflowers in the Sierra foothills, too. That’s where I captured this image of a swallowtail butterfly sipping nectar from a flower.
The Mighty Ocean
Point Pinos, California
I think this is my new favorite photo of 2019. I don’t know why I never noticed it before. I was trying to capture the power and fury of a winter storm on the Pacific coast. Big waves. I can watch them all day.
Lovers
Piedras Blancas, California
One of my favorite photographic experiences of 2019 was watching the elephant seals at Piedras Blancas. It was a true wildlife drama, with hundreds of seals birthing, mating and fighting just yards away from their human voyeurs. As I watched, the seals struck me as some of the most ill-tempered animals I’d ever seen, always fighting and arguing – all of them, not just the bulls. Mating, in most cases, seemed exceptionally harsh and brutal. This couple was the exception. They seemed, dare I say it, actually content and peaceful with each other! I tried to capture that feeling.
Pink-Flower Hedgehog Cactus
Joshua Tree National Park
If you follow my blog at all, you know that no roundup of my favorite photos of 2019Â would be complete without at least one closeup of a desert wildflower. I love getting up all close and personal with cactus blossoms. They’re exquisite. I found this one in Joshua Tree National Park.
Sunrise in Coachwhip Canyon
Anza Borrego State Park, California
Because my little Toyota truck is only 2 wheel drive, sometimes my dispersed camping options are somewhat limited. I find myself returning to one particular campsite in Anza Borrego again and again. But even though flowers are going crazy in the rest of the park, there are usually very few or no flowers in my favorite canyon. This year was different. This year, my camping canyon was one of the park’s wildflower hotspots. I took this photo from the hill behind my camp.
Arizona Sunset
Tucson, Arizona
There’s a reason Arizona is famous for its sunsets. Just sayin’.
Well, I had a hard time picking my favorite. And I find it hard to be objective. Each image is colored by the experience that accompanied it.
How about you? Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments.
Two different sides to the same sculptureLife and Death?
Chetwynd is in the heart of British Columbia logging country. It’s no surprise that working with a chainsaw transcends utility to become an art here.
In Chetwynd, chainsaw sculpture is more than just the ubiquitous bears you see everywhere. Every June a dozen chainsaw sculptors from places as far away as Australia and Japan converge here to strut their stuff, displaying their talent and creativity.
Incredible detail in some of these sculptures!
After 15 years of competition, nearly 200 sculptures decorate the town, and they are surely something to behold.
I made a few observations as I strolled the streets viewing the sculptures. Like heavy metal music, chainsaw carving seems to be a guy thing. I didn’t see any women’s names on the pieces. It’s hard to know if part of this is a bias on the organizer’s part, as only a dozen of the world’s best are invited to the competition each year. I suspect, though, that it’s not an art form many women think about turning their hand to. Any women artists out there ready to give this a try?
This one, titled “The Monster Within Us”, was one of my favorites.
Like heavy metal music, certain themes dominate. Death and fantasy are popular subjects. Ocean themes seem to be very popular, too. I found this rather odd, as Chetwynd is about 1,000 miles from the sea.
There is lots of variety, though, and it’s a kick to wander around and check out the originality and creativity showcased in these works of art.
It’s not all death and fantasy. Some sculptures are just silly and fun!
So if you are ever traveling up the Al-Can Highway by the western route, leave a little extra time in your schedule for Chetwynd and check out the carvings. It’s a fun way to spend a day!
The Chetwynd International Chainsaw Championships are held the second weekend of June every year.
Well, I guess it wouldn’t be chainsaw carving without SOME bear sculptures!
It’s not your typical tourist must-see list, but here are a few of my personal favorites, from north to south.
Dall’s Sheep in Kluane
Kluane National Park
Kluane National Park is a big park, a sister park to Wrangell St. Elias in the U.S. The tallest mountain in Canada , Mt. Logan, is here, along with an awful lot of other REALLY tall mountains. There are glaciers, lakes, rivers, Dall’s Sheep, grizzly bears, etc., etc., etc. You’re driving by it for about 75 miles as you drive down the AlCan, you may as well make a stop and take a few pictures even if you don’t take the time to hike. But take a hike if you can.
Highway near Haines Junction
Village Bakery & Deli in Haines Junction.
Really good coffee can be a little hard to come by on the AlCan. This place has great coffee – as well as fantastic breads, yummee sweet treats, savory snacks, and delicious meals. And then there’s the vibe. Such a happy welcoming place. They also have free wifi if you’ve been out of touch for a few days and need to check your e-mail.
The Village Bakery is a seasonal business, usually opening in late April and closing in mid-September. At one time or another I’ve hit both their first day and last day of the season, and I’m always sad if I’m too early or too late in my travels to catch them open. Best coffee shop on the AlCan – a don’t miss if you’re traveling through during the warmer months of the year.
Keep an eye open for bears!
Whitehorse
The only real city on the highway, it’s got everything you need. Time for an oil change or need some car repair? You can get it here and not have to wait til sometime next week for your appointment. Need to buy a few things to get you through? There are grocery stores as well as big box stores like Canadian Tire and Walmart. There are specialty businesses. For instance, my computer bit the dust and there was an Apple dealer in town so I could get it looked at.
There’s culture and nightlife – some, at least. There’s a lot of history, being an epicenter of Klondike Gold Rush activity. There’s a good library. All the things a city is good for, but not a lot of the bad things about cities.
I don’t like cities, but Whitehorse is small enough to not stress me out. Traffic ain’t bad, there are beautiful places to go quite close to town. You can camp in the center of town, or stay at a youth hostel or a B&B. It’s a good place to land for a night.
Watch for buffalo near Contact Creek.
Contact Creek
Cheapest place to buy gas for hundreds of miles in either direction. ‘Nuff said.
Liard Hot Springs
Liard Hot Springs
I love it, and not just cuz my name is Mil-liard! Everyone’s #1 favorite stop along the AlCan, these semi-developed, but not overly developed hot springs are just a short walk along a boardwalk trail away. You can camp at the nearby campground and visit the hot springs at any time of the day or night. It’s just a sweet spot in the middle of nowhere.
There’s lots of wildlife nearby. You’ll often see Wood Bison on the road and it’s not unusual to run into a moose near the boardwalk. Once when I was there, some folks even saw otters playing at the lower pool! Be very aware of bears, though.
Stone’s Sheep
Muncho Lake
Beautiful turquoise lake with very cool mountains and glacial rivers surrounding it. Great place to see caribou and Stone’s Sheep. Maybe one day I’ll actually go through when a campground is open and spend a little more time. I sure would like to!
Toad River
Toad River Lodge
A beautiful setting with very nice and relatively inexpensive cabins if you’re looking for a bed for the night. Toad River Lodge has a restaurant, too, with typical diner food.
Caribou on the road
Stone Mountain Provincial Park
The day you see both Stone Mountain and Muncho Lake is by far the most beautiful day on the AlCan. Another great place for Stone’s Sheep and caribou sightings.
near Tetsa River
Tetsa River
See Ben at Tetsa River Lodge (tetsariverlodge@gmail.com) for the best cinnamon rolls on the AlCan – Ben’s boast about the best cinnamon rolls in the galactic cluster is true – they may very well be the best cinnamon rolls you’ve ever had! They are humongous and delicious – a full meal, maybe two! Ben also has a bed for the night if you need one, makes and sells homemade sausages, and has a nice gift shop with lots of books and local crafts.
Just past Tetsa River Lodge is Tetsa River Campground. This is a great place to camp, especially as the next few hundred miles take you through the oil patch between Fort Nelson and Fort St. Johns – definitely NOT my favorite part of the AlCan!
Ruffed Grouse
Kiskatinaw Provincial Park
A surprisingly nice little area tucked away off the beaten track between Dawson Creek and Fort St. Johns, It’s very peaceful and quiet here. Look for ruffed grouse and black bears in the spring.
