If you’re in Homer and
have 20 minutes to spare or can afford a short detour on the way out of town,
the scenic overlook on Skyline is a great choice.
A quick five-minute drive
from town and three steps out of the car will bring you to one the best views
in Homer. Head up either East Hill or West Hill road until they merge
with Skyline. If you chose West Hill Rd,
turn right; if you chose East Hill Rd turn left. About a quarter mile
from the intersection of Skyline Dr and East Hill Rd you'll find a pull off on
the south side of the road (next a small antenna farm). That pullout
gives the best high-altitude view in Homer. From this spot you have a
fabulous 180-degree view of Kachemak Bay, the Homer Spit, and the Chugach
Range.
We especially like the
days where Homer is socked in with low clouds and the pullout is clear.
The entire valley and bay are covered in white cotton balls--often with
peekaboo views of the spit, the coast, or the ocean--and the mountains across
the bay stick up pass the clouds. They have the feel of untouched
wildness.
If you’re leaving town, you
can follow Skyline Dr west along several miles until it intersects with Diamond
Ridge Rd. Diamond Ridge Rd intersects
with Sterling Highway and it's a right turn to Soldotna, Seward, and Anchorage. This route bypasses Homer proper and follows
the ridgeline for several miles.
One of the cutest things
in Alaska is a baby moose. But standing very close-by is the most
dangerous animal in Alaska; its mom.
Moose moms can weigh-in at as much as 1200 lbs. Moose in Alaska
usually give birth to twins and, at least in Homer, they are usually born from
mid-May to early June. Moose moms have babies every two years. A few weeks before they give birth, the mother moose chases off her two year old(s); usually by then she only has one calf left. So in April and May there are often a lot of confused and unhappy teenaged moose running around.
