Thursday, October 29, 2009
Jacob's Caribou Hunt
The morning after returning from Ana's 95 total mile sheep hunt, Jacob and Nala (our dog) walked 17 miles back into the mountains to meet up with Bob and Sondra and go after some caribou.
The very next moring, we spotted a herd of caribou right out of base camp. Bob and Jacob each were successful at shooting two caribou.
On opening day for motorized vechicles, look who shows up at camp to pack out the caribou! Grace in her first ride in the argo.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Our Summer at George Lake
We had the most beautiful summer ever. The weather was amazing, and we spent at least two days each week at our cabin on George Lake. To get to George Lake, you take the most spectacular boat ride ever. Pictures do not compare, you just have to visit and ask to go to George Lake!
The moose are our favorite part. I once counted 17 moose on one 10 minute stretch of George Creek.
The baby moose are especially cute.
We spent most of the time working on the cabin. We built stairs and walkways and a back deck. We had to build platforms to make the stairs work. When Dad builds, everyone builds.
We did so much work that even the girls (Grace and her cousin Hannah) were building!
We enjoy working together as a family. And we really enjoy the new stairs. The cabin is so much cleaner and more accessible now!
Of course, when the sun came out, we had to go enjoy the lake. Grace loved the beach, but there are lots of bees in the sand. I got stung 5 times! Owww!
The girls never caught anything, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort.
We really enjoyed the kayak the Stewarts let us borrow. I have to have one!
But most of all, we enjoy having company! Even Grammy made it out to the lake once! Thanks everyone for visiting us and making our summer spectactacular!
Ana’s 2009 Sheep Hunt
I drew a permit this year for a sheep in the Delta Controlled Use Area. This is a walk-in only permit, and very coveted, but also supposed to be challenging.
Jacob and I, and Bob Winchell, a family friend, started out on August 14, 2009 near Donnelly Dome. The wind was absolutely howling and it was raining. I could tell Jacob was nervous about the trip because of the weather. We had at least a 15 mile hike, and no one wants to do that in rain gear. We decided to take our chances and put our rain gear on and started walking.
About an hour into the hike, the sun came out and the wind subsided. We were very glad we choose to hike, despite the weather. Here we are about five miles in, stopping for some stashed water. A little wind, lots of sunshine!
On the way home, Jacob would carry me, the five pounds I gained, my pack, his pack, the sheep, and the sheep horns across every stream crossing (and there were alot of crossings). This was over 200 pounds for Jacob to carry.
Remember the good weather I was talking about? Well, it only lasted that day. It rained every day. I don’t remember how many times I took raingear on and off. And the tundra was wet, the brush, everything.
This was our accommodations. Cozy. I got so tired of candy bars and dried meals. Yuck! I just wanted a fresh apple.
Can you see the sheep? We missed a trophy ram that day, but for good reason. There was a wounded ram that other hunters had shot, and Jacob helped them retrieve the wounded sheep.
That night, we did not make it back to camp. We did not have any lights, and it was raining and we were soaked. We ended up sleeping on the mountain, freezing and wet. I was in a garbage bag, and very thankful for the garbage bag. This was a very miserable experience. I actually suggested a picture, but we were too cold to even take pictures. It took us a day to get back to base camp, dry out and rest, and then a whole extra day to get back to where the sheep were.
We spotted another legal ram, but we couldn’t get within range, and I wasn’t going to take a long shot and possibly wound a ram. So we decided to hike over the top of the mountain to the other side of the drainage to see if we could get another shot. It didn’t seem that far to the top. But we hiked for over two hours, climbing over icy rocks, crawling over loose shale. I was actually scared at certain times. This picture does not do justice to how high we were.
But the climb paid off. Not only was the view and the feeling of accomplishment spectacular, but we got an easy, close shot at this ram!
My ram wasn’t bad. We sure worked hard for it. I think this was day six, and I was very homesick for our 2 year old daughter Grace.
Looking back, that is the mountain that we were on top of, in the center of the photo. Even where we stand, we have a twenty mile hike back to the truck, this time with a sheep on our backs.
About an hour into the hike, the sun came out and the wind subsided. We were very glad we choose to hike, despite the weather. Here we are about five miles in, stopping for some stashed water. A little wind, lots of sunshine!
We had to cross several streams. Because I did not have spare boots (and Bob and Jacob did), Jacob carried me across the streams. Those rocks are slippery, and we are both carrying loaded packs, and the current is quite strong (and the water is right at freezing temperature), so you can imagine the challenge he took on. I like piggy back rides.
On the way home, Jacob would carry me, the five pounds I gained, my pack, his pack, the sheep, and the sheep horns across every stream crossing (and there were alot of crossings). This was over 200 pounds for Jacob to carry.
Remember the good weather I was talking about? Well, it only lasted that day. It rained every day. I don’t remember how many times I took raingear on and off. And the tundra was wet, the brush, everything.
This was our accommodations. Cozy. I got so tired of candy bars and dried meals. Yuck! I just wanted a fresh apple.
Can you see the sheep? We missed a trophy ram that day, but for good reason. There was a wounded ram that other hunters had shot, and Jacob helped them retrieve the wounded sheep.
That night, we did not make it back to camp. We did not have any lights, and it was raining and we were soaked. We ended up sleeping on the mountain, freezing and wet. I was in a garbage bag, and very thankful for the garbage bag. This was a very miserable experience. I actually suggested a picture, but we were too cold to even take pictures. It took us a day to get back to base camp, dry out and rest, and then a whole extra day to get back to where the sheep were.
We spotted another legal ram, but we couldn’t get within range, and I wasn’t going to take a long shot and possibly wound a ram. So we decided to hike over the top of the mountain to the other side of the drainage to see if we could get another shot. It didn’t seem that far to the top. But we hiked for over two hours, climbing over icy rocks, crawling over loose shale. I was actually scared at certain times. This picture does not do justice to how high we were.
But the climb paid off. Not only was the view and the feeling of accomplishment spectacular, but we got an easy, close shot at this ram!
My ram wasn’t bad. We sure worked hard for it. I think this was day six, and I was very homesick for our 2 year old daughter Grace.
Looking back, that is the mountain that we were on top of, in the center of the photo. Even where we stand, we have a twenty mile hike back to the truck, this time with a sheep on our backs.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Play Group at Quartz Lake
Every Friday, Grace and I get our socialization for the week in the form of playgroup. She has made friends with fellow two-and-a-half-year-olds Olivia Morley, Brookelynne Morley, Wyatt Mason, and Tanner Brant, and I have become friends with their respective mothers, Jen, Shannen, Ellie, and Jen.
This Friday, we went to Quartz Lake, about 10 miles north of Delta Junction. The campground is very clean and we didn't mind the $5 parking fee, knowing it was going toward maintenance of the facilities. Despite it being a Friday, there was no competition for the campground pavillion, and the bathrooms were very clean. There is a very nice horseshoe pit, volleyball nets, dock, boat launches, and even a swimming beach.
Our little ones fed the wild mallard ducks crackers from their hands, and a group of shy ducklings swam by, curious but too afraid to approach us. A young cow moose without a calf stepped our of the trees to take a swim in the lake. Grace took her shoes off and waded in the water, looking for fish.
Jen and I enjoyed chips with guacamole and homeade mango peach salsa. I finally figured out how to eat chips and salsa. First, you have to have good salsa, and for me, that means making the salsa from scratch with fresh ingredients. I cheat and use my food processor for the onions, tomatoes, peppers, mangos, peaches, cilantro, and garlic, but I do hand squeeze the limes. Then you take the chip and smear a spoonful of guacamole on it. Then scoop a layer of salsa on top. This way you can eat the chip slowly, savoring it, instead of trying to beat the salsa drip (for those of you who love salsa more than chips, like me).
When the rainclouds led to cold wind, we decided to go home.
Quartz Lake, we will be back!
This Friday, we went to Quartz Lake, about 10 miles north of Delta Junction. The campground is very clean and we didn't mind the $5 parking fee, knowing it was going toward maintenance of the facilities. Despite it being a Friday, there was no competition for the campground pavillion, and the bathrooms were very clean. There is a very nice horseshoe pit, volleyball nets, dock, boat launches, and even a swimming beach.
Our little ones fed the wild mallard ducks crackers from their hands, and a group of shy ducklings swam by, curious but too afraid to approach us. A young cow moose without a calf stepped our of the trees to take a swim in the lake. Grace took her shoes off and waded in the water, looking for fish.
Jen and I enjoyed chips with guacamole and homeade mango peach salsa. I finally figured out how to eat chips and salsa. First, you have to have good salsa, and for me, that means making the salsa from scratch with fresh ingredients. I cheat and use my food processor for the onions, tomatoes, peppers, mangos, peaches, cilantro, and garlic, but I do hand squeeze the limes. Then you take the chip and smear a spoonful of guacamole on it. Then scoop a layer of salsa on top. This way you can eat the chip slowly, savoring it, instead of trying to beat the salsa drip (for those of you who love salsa more than chips, like me).
When the rainclouds led to cold wind, we decided to go home.
Quartz Lake, we will be back!
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