Hiking - Hidden Creek Trail

Hidden Creek

Stats

Distance:  2.6 miles                     Difficulty: Easy to Moderate                            Time:  2 hrs

Summary

The best part of the Hidden Creek Trail is when it meets up with the marshlands

Hiking - Cottonwood Trail

View From the Cottonwood Trail

Stats

Distance:  0.25 miles                        Difficulty: Easy                                 Time:  20 minutes

Summary

The Cottonwood Trail is a short hike to a fabulous view of the Grewingk Glacier, Homer Spit and the Kachemak Bay.

Experience - Homer Farmer's Market

Alaskan Grown Veggies

Dahlias and Bells of Ireland

Don’t miss the Homer Farmer’s Market!  You can find everything from fresh produce and fabulous flowers to

Experience - Flowers of Alaska

Fields of Fireweed

As we wander into the Alaskan wilderness (or even just around our back yard) we see flowers everywhere.  Many are small and hard to spot.  This post is a collection of photos of the wildflowers we have found

Adventure - 4-Wheeling with Alaska Wilderness 4-Wheeler Tours in the Kenai Backcountry

Kachemak Bay Glaciers Seen from Kenai Backcountry

Stats

Difficulty: Easy - Moderate                          Distance: 15 mi                                 Time:  6 hrs+

Summary

Dan Eidem runs Alaska Wilderness 4-Wheeler Tours, a tour on ATVs, for small to medium groups.  An earlier post described our trip with him in May down the beach from Bishop’s Beach in Homer (AW4WT - On the Beach).  This time we took his more usual route, into the Kenai Peninsula backcountry.  This area includes meadows filled with Fireweed, spruce forests, sweeping vistas and views of glaciers and volcanoes.

Opinion

This trip was a blast!  We went several miles

Adventure - Blueberry Picking at the Peterson Research Station

Sunset at Peterson Research Station

Stats

When: Early – Mid August                         Where: Peterson Research Station

Summary

Alaska seems to be the US capitol for berries.  More berries grow in this state than I’ve ever heard of anywhere else.  We’ve got blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, salmon berries, watermelon berries, elderberries, currant, marionberries, cranberries, lingonberries (low bush cranberry), nagoonberries, crow berries, serviceberries, and strawberries.  Most of these grow wild, but several cultivars are grown in home yards and farms as well.  Truly, I didn’t know half these berries existed until I moved here.

On 11 Aug 2013 our neighbors asked if we wanted to take a boat ride across Kachemak Bay to go blueberry picking at the Peterson Research Station.  The Peterson Research Station belongs to the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies based out of Homer.  The station is situated on 5 acres of wild land and coastline and their lower trails go through extensive blueberry fields, with a mix of currant and salmonberry randomly distributed throughout.  The berries are fair game to visitors, although they ask that you leave a few for the bears.

Opinion

This was a blast.  We picked berries for about 2 hours and came home with 7.5 lbs (22.5 cups)