Showing posts with label Scenic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scenic. Show all posts

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Experience - Low Tide at the Homer Ferry Dock and the Lee Shore of the Spit

Sea stars under the ferry dock

Summary

Low tide is one of my favorite times to visit the beach and the area around the base of the ferry dock is one of my favorite places.  Although I also really enjoy Bishop’s Beach and Mariner Park.  At low tide, you can get a glimpse of sea life you would

Saturday, August 13, 2016

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

Thursday, August 11, 2016

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.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Adventure - Sightseeing on the 26 Glacier Cruise

Blackstone Glacier

Stats

Difficulty: Easy                                                                                               Time:  5+ hours

Summary


If you want a day packed with glaciers, wildlife, and flat seas, Phillips Cruises 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier on the M/V Klondike Express is right up your alley.  The cruise includes the 26 glaciers including a nice close-up view of 2 of them; a good chance (but no guarantee) of seals, sea lions, otters, dolphins, and whales; and a kittiwake nesting area.

Opinion

This trip is good for tourists or locals, photographers, sightseers, kids and adults.  Over the course of the five-hour, we took over 3,000 pictures!  We were actually beginning to worry about maxing out our 64 GB camera memory cards.  The company does a good job of 

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Adventure - Tutka Bay Cooking Class

Tutka Bay Lodge


Stats

Difficulty: Easy                                                                                                   Time:  Half-day


Summary

There is no shortage of activities available on the Kenai Peninsula.  One of the more unexpected is a cooking lesson at the Tutka Bay Cooking School.  This half-day trip starts with a ride from the Homer docks (unless you are already staying at the Tutka Bay Lodge).  For there you take a water taxi to Tutka Bay Lodge where you are met and escorted to the long house where the cooking lessons are taught.


Opinion

This was a blast.  Not only do you learn to cook a dish on the style for the weekend (Italian, French, Alaskan), you get a full multi-course meal and the all the recipes for the meal.  Not only that,

Friday, June 13, 2014

Hiking - Skilak Lookout Trail

View from the top of the trail



Stats

Distance:  4 miles                              Difficulty: Moderate                                     Time:  4 hrs

Summary

The Skilak Lookout Trail ends at a truly spectacular view of the mountains and Skilak lake.  Best of all, it has beautiful views all along the trail and, at least in June, there were wildflowers everywhere.  The hike itself wasn't too bad most of the time.  We considered it moderate because of occasional steep spots and muddy patches.  It also has a steady low incline to the top of the mountain for a total elevation change of 790 feet.

Opinion

This is is very pleasant hike with truly spectacular views.  The high angle view of Skilak Lake is beautiful; Skilak Lake has that beautiful milky blue color unique to glacier lakes.  In addition, there was a wide variety of spring flowers all along the trail.


Trail Advice

Sweat resistant mosquito repellent is a must.  The bugs were out in force.

If the temperature is acceptable before you start, a jacket is probably not necessary.  You will produce enough heat on the trail to keep you warm.  

In the spring (June in Alaska) the trail can be muddy in spots.  Wear hiking shoes you don't mind getting muddy.


Suitability

This trail is suitable for adults and children.  But the trail is a total of 4 miles with some climbing so be sure you and your kids are up for it.


Trailhead


Trailhead from the road

Warnings
To find the Skilak Lookout Trail take Skilak Lake Rd from the Sterling Hwy.  Skilak Lake Rd is a loop of sorts that starts and ends at Sterling Hwy.  There is an East entrance just outside Cooper Landing and a West entrance a few miles outside Sterling.  You can take either entrance.  The trailhead is a mile 5.4 on Skilak Lake Rd.  The parking area is on the north side of the road and the trail is on the south side.  It is well labeled.


The Hike

This trail is one of many in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.  The maps for these trails can be found on the Kenai Refuge Map website.  We chose this trail because the 2014 Funny River Wildfire was still burning and we wanted to see of we could see the fire or fire damage from the overlook.  


Boardwalk near the trailhead
The trail starts through a dense spruce forest along side a creak, but quickly opens into meadows filled with alpine wildflowers.  Many of the trails in this section of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge are in an area that burned in 1996 and this is one of those trails.  At first it can be difficult to tell the area burned, but then you realize the large open meadows along the trail were once spruce forest.  The area is quickly being reclaimed by birch, cottonwood, and alder.  In a few more years the trees will be tall enough to overtake the meadows and the character of the walk will change again.  


Early view of Skilak Lake
You can also still see some dead, burned standing trees and more fallen spruce can be seen on either side of the trail.  The fallen trees have opened up the view and as a result you get frequent terrific views of Skilak Lake and the surrounding mountains.  


Eidelweiss
June is early spring on the Kenai Peninsula and the trail was lined with a huge variety of wildflowers.  Most common on the lower trail was Edelweiss, but there was also Lupine, wild Rose, wild Geranium and many more.  The flowers made the trail a delight to walk.
Wild Rose

The trail is pretty much a shallow constant grade with occasional steep spots and some muddy area.  The steep spots all have good switchbacks making the trail easy to walk most of the time.  We listed it as moderate because of the few steep areas and the muddy patches.  This trail has been hiked a lot and, as a result, the trail has sunk 2 or 3 inches into the peat that makes up the soil of the area and is rather narrow, so the footing can be tricky sometimes.


A view from the top
When you get to the top the view makes this hike very much worth it.  There is a 270 degree of the Wildlife Refuge.  Interestingly, there was no view of either the Funny River fire or the areas it had burned.  The good news is the way down is just a beautiful as the way up and is easier going.
Another view from the top