First Snowshoeing Experience

I got my snowshoe too late for the November dump, but we finally got some snow again this week so I took my dad up Salmon Creek trail today.  The trail is a nice wide one, with good fluffy snow, and  snow covered trees all around us.  We even had a bit of blue skies and a view of one of the mountains along the way.  It was a much needed reminder of why I came to Alaska.  Snowshoeing wasn't as hard as I expected.  It's definitely easier to walk on snow than without, and mine were light enough that I hardly felt like anything was on my feet.  I did trip over one foot or another a few times though.  Being the trailblazer might have made it more difficult, but luckily couple people  have been up on the trail before us and had somewhat of a path started.  I think we had cleared it even more for the people behind us.  Dad wasn't up for going the whole 2 miles one-way to the power house, but we did most of it.  He'll probably take it easy tomorrow so I'll grab a fitter friend and try another trail hopefully. 

Add caption

Removing 'Win 7 Antivirus 2012' Virus

Ho ho ho.  I got a merry f***ing Christmas present from the internet - the 'Win 7 Antivirus 2012' virus.  I have no idea hwo I got it or why my Anti-virus software didn't block it.  I wasn't on any kind of a dodgy site, so my best guess is I accidentally clicked on an ad on Facebook that dropped this bomb on me.  Regardless, the damage was done and I couldn't do squat on my computer.  All of my shortcuts (e.g. Windows Explorer, Task Manager, Windows Firewall, Internet Explorer, etc.) only took me to the a pop-up from the stupid virus who kept telling me my computer is infected and I should purchase the full version of 'Win 7 Antivirus 2012.'  Gotta hand it to them, as it looks almost official.  If it weren't for that fact that I hadn't downloaded any Windows updates and that it broke everything on my computer, I may have almost believed it was a real Microsoft product. 

Since I had difficulty openning anything, I had to open Task Manager by the menu item from Ctrl-Alt-Del.  As I looked at the things that were running, sorted by either CPU or memory usage, I noticed one program, ihv.exe, that looked suspicious.  Looking at its properties, it was described as a Profiler Script, created right about the time all this shit started happenned.  It was located under C:/Users/Diana/AppData/Local.  I killed the two instances of ihv.exe running in Task Manager, removed the file, and emptied the Recycle bin.  This stopped the virus pop-up but all of my shortcuts were hosed.  Instead of repointing everything, I restored my system to yesterday's configuration through Control Panel -> Recovery.  This fixed all of the short cut problems and now everything seems to be working fine.  I'm running the McAfee virus scan now as a check, but hopefully that took care of it.

Btw, Microsoft has a forum answer here on how to remove it also: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-security/how-do-i-remove-win-7-anti-virus-2012/5957f0ae-a956-43d8-821b-2e2ea226859f.  I didn't read it all, but there's a lot of info there that may help you too.

A Trip to the ER

On November 29th I removed a Mirena IUD that I've had in for almost a year.  Two days later, I started my period, and few days later, it started getting really heavy.  So heavy I could barely keep up with the flow.  I worked from home for couple of days because of this.  I called the doctor on the 8th day after the removal and they said heavy bleeding was normal.  Two days later, I called again and got the same response, but was told I could come in to get blood pressure checked if I would like.  This was Friday.  By end of the day, I could barely vaccuum a whole room without having to sit back down again.  I was told the bleeding would last 7-10 days.  It was the 9th day of bleeding so I thought I'd give it another day to see how it goes, so I didn't go in.

On the 10th day, a Saturday, I could barely stay standing for a minute.  I couldn't possibly fathom how it was 'normal' to lose so much blood.  I got hold of the on-call doctor at my practice who urged me to go to the ER given how much blood I had lost, and the fact that I feel faint.  My dad is still here with me, so he took me to the ER at Bartlett Regional Hospital, the only ER in Juneau.  He drove me to the doors, got a wheelchair and wheeled me in.  I thought I'd be there a while so I grabbed couple of books before going... but I couldn't be bothered to change so I went in my PJ's.  I could also barely manage to brush my teeth.  I had to sit while brushing. 

By the time the nurses wheeled me into the ER I was scared and emotional.  I started crying, but sent my dad home since Millie needed to be walked and looked after.  Once in ER, the docs checked my heart rate, which was high.  Apparently this is the first sign of significant blood loss since your heart has to pump harder to get the blood around.  The next sign is low blood pressure, but mine was still normal.  Then death... yikes.

The ER nurses hooked me up to an IV to thicken my blood and lower my heart rate.  They then took my blood to measure my hematocrit, or percentage of actual red blood cells in my blood.  This number generally hovers around 40% for women, and mine was 18!  I lost over half of my red blood cells.  I was then told by the ER doctor that a transfusion was absolutely necessary.  If I don't, it would take months to recover that much red blood cells naturally, and I would remain ill until then and remain at risk of dying.  I initialy resisted the idea based of fears of complications with transfusions that existed in the past.  However, after some reassurance of the improved screening process these days, I consented to the treatment. 

Although the doctor was able to treat the symptom, no one knew why I bled out so abnormally.  An x-ray and pelvic exam showed everything was normal.  I am also relatively healthy.  Their best guess was that somehow my hormones got seriously out of whack so they gave me a small dose of progesterone, the same hormones that were in the Mirena IUD.

I got my first pack of blood in the ER.  As I sat in the ER getting treated, all I could do was cry.  I blame it on the whacked hormones, but I could not stop.  The slightest thing, such as worrying about whether my dog was happy, would set me into tears.  I did not want my dad to see me this way so I asked the nurse to let him know how I was doing.  However, my boss at work did come to visit me, and she was very supportive and understanding.  She stayed until I was admitted to the hospital, where I got a proper room with a comfy bed, window, TV, and private bath. 

By the time I was admitted, I'd finished receiving my first pack of blood and felt slightly better.  It was dinner time by now so I got a nice meal of fried chicken and mash.  Then two more packets of blood, which took until 1am or so to go through.  Dad stopped by a bit later on, and I spent the evening watching TV or reading.  I tried to sleep, but the nurses kept coming in every hour to check my vitals.  I finally got uninterrupted sleep at 2, but was woken around 5. 

It seems the progersterone I received finally kicked in and slowed the bleeding on the second day.  Another set of blood tests showed I was still anemic, so the doc ordered another round of transfusion.  I spent the morning watching men's figure skating, and rest of the day watching Law & Order reruns.  Despite the circumstances, it was kind of nice being in the hospital.  There was no way I could relax at home with Millie running around.  The nurses were also at my beck and call at the push of a button.  Since I was hooked up to the IV and needed help with every little thing, I kept pushng the button.  They would come on the speaker and ask what they could do for me.  Often it was one of, "I need to go to the bathroom", "my IV is beeping", "can you close the door please?" 

I was released from the hospital about 4:30 on Sunday.  I felt pretty good, as I was told I would be.  The effect of a transfusion is immediate.  I was given a prescription of progesterone to stop the bleeding, but by Monday the bleeding had nearly stopped so I never took any of it.

That night I took a much needed shower.  Once out though, my lips started itching and swelling.  I called the doc, who suggested taking benadryl.  The itching subsided by swelling didn't.  I slept fine that night, but soon as I woke up the next day I broke out into hives all over and my mouth area swelled.  I felt a bit of swelling in my throat that scared me.  A dose of benadryl helped.  I went in to see my usual doc later that day and found out a reaction to transfusion can happen up to 48 hours after.  They were naturally concerned about the swelling I experienced in my throat, so they prescribed some steroids to keep handy just in case.  They urged me to take one that day, and to take the rest as needed.  I took couple more benadryls before going to bed.

By Tuesday my bleeding had stopped and I was no longer reacting to anything.  I felt fine.  Fortunately I was working from home this week to do an online training course.  I got out a little early this week, and by Wednesday, I was out taking Millie for a walk.  Today I did my usual four mile walk with her and dad, and did just fine.  I feel as fine as ever. 

It's hard to believe just a week ago I was nearly on my death bed.  If it weren't for all of those people who donate blood, I may not be here right now.  To all of you who donate, thank you for saving my life and of others like me who may not have survived without it.

Snow Plow Nightmare

I was so excited about all the beauty and fun the snow brings I had almost forgotten about the downside of so much snow.  My back has been aching from shoveling so much snow.  If you have a home, the best thing to do is invest in a snow blower, or if you have a large area to clear, a quad with a plow.  If you rent, rent a place that includes snow removal and garage if you can.  I have neither though.  If you live in a small home like me and park on the street, you could be pretty screwed.  I had been shoveling snow every day, and I managed to get my car dug out only couple days ago.  Well, this morning I found out that the stupid public works had plowed all the snow up against my car and buried it in!!!  I was furious and upset.  I literally cried because I was so upset.  The pile of snow was also wet and heavy.  It took me and my dad nearly 2.5 hours to dig the car out again.  I was not happy.  But much thanks to my dad who was very patient and helpful.  I'm really glad he's fit for a 61 yr old.

The Juneau Empire ran this article on snow removal and other winter things.  They say don't put the snow back in the streets. Well, I already have a huge mound in front and back of my car.  Just where exactly do they expect people to put the snow?  If they don't have a better place to put the snow than up against people's cars, they shouldn't plow.  People were getting through just fine.  What they should've done with this much snow is just remove it.  There is no where else to put it.  At some point they will put up notices to get people to move their cars so they can remove it.  However, if they keep burying people's cars in, they won't be able to move their cars!!!  I'm still not sure where they expect people to move their cars to.  All the streets around the neighborhood will be full of snow. 

Mr. Duncan from public works kindly put his e-mail address in the above article.  I made sure he got a piece of my mind.  So far I got a quick apology from him and an offer to look into what went on in my street.  I'm glad that he seems to care, unlike the moron who actually plowed the street.  I wrote back with my street address and am now waiting to hear back.  I heard from my neighbor that it's not uncommon for the city to plow the snow right back onto the cars, but I hope they will rethink what they will doing in the future.  In the meantime, I will be looking for a new place to live.  If I don't find a place with off street parking and snow removal service by next fall, I'm outta here.

Winter Activities

Mendenhall Recreation Area Trails

Before coming to Juneau, I knew they had a ski resort .  What I didn't know was there's plenty of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing opportunities here too.  I was doing a bit of research on trails and found the following sites to be very helpful:

Eagle Crest - Downhill and cross-country ski trails

List of Cross-country Ski Trails

Equipment Rentals at Foggy Mountain Shop

Juneau Nordic Ski Club - Information on trails, gears, etc.

Avalanche Safety

Avalanche Advisory

I don't have my snowshoes yet, so I took my Dad to Mendenhall Glacier Recreational Area today. (I usually park at the Forest Service off of Back Loop Rd.)  He really enjoyed it.  It was really beautiful there today with all of the snowfall we've been getting.  We had to walk on ski tracks, but snowshoe would have helped us stay off the tracks. 

As soon as I get snowshoes, I'd like to try to head up Spaulding Meadows or Auke Nu trail.  I don't think my dad is quite fit enough to make it to the top (I may struggle as well since I'm not used to snowshoeing), so I'll have to break him in little by little. 

The Basin Road is also a nice place to walk or ski in the winter.  It is convenient to folks who are downtown and do not want to drive anywhere.  We went there yesterday and enjoyed it, but when we went today, they had closed off the bridge to the road.  There were many construction equipment lying around, so I think they are planning to do something.  I hope it is not going to be closed all winter.

I also would like to get up on Eagle Crest.  I really miss snowboarding.  Kinda tough to get out there these days though because Millie can't go snowboarding with me.  If I'm out there all day she can't get a walk.

Winter & Dad are Here!

Mendenhall Glacier

The fall was quite tough with the never ending rain.  I wasn't sure how I was going to make it through another few months until the dryer season arrives in March.  However, this past Monday, we got 16" of snow and Juneau is now a winter wonderland.  The scenery has drastically improved with snow everywhere.  All of sudden everything is looking up.  This means trails will soon be snow covered and not muddy from the rain.  I can try out the snowshoe that I just ordered!  The slopes will also open in a week's time so that is also something to look forward to.  The downside of all of this snow though, is having to dig your car out from under the snow if you don't have a garage.  Oh, and driving in icy conditions isn't too fun either.  However, the main roads have been pretty clear the last few days so it's not a huge deal if I don't have to drive often.  Perhaps if I lived up one of the mountains like many people do, I might have difficulty with my Corolla.

Another bit of news I have is a bit of a switcheroo in the household.  My husband is now back in England for the forseeable future, so my dad decided he is going to come here for the winter to keep me company.  He is retired and seems to have nothing better to do for the winter, so might as well I guess.  He's agreed to take Millie for walks on days I work, and I am really glad for that because I hated walking Millie in the dark.  Ever since day light savings time ended, it has been dark by the time I got off work, and I expect it will be that way until March or so. 

My dad and I haven't been all that close since he was away most of my life.  We get along alright, but we've never spent more than a few days together.  I do know we're both pretty set in our ways.  It'll be a challenge, but I think we'll be ok.  It'll be a good opportunity for us to spend some quality time together.  I plan to drag him out on my days off for walks, snowshoeing, and skiing.  He's looking forward to it all too - the opportunity to be outdoors and get fit.  Today is day 1 of 134 days together.

Martial Arts in Juneau

When I knew the rainy season was approaching, I looked into possibly getting back into martial arts.  Although I have yet to do so, I have found the following options for training in town:

Juneau Aiki Dojo
Aikido taught by Sensei Chris Keller.  Offers class 7-8:30 pm most nights in downtown. $80/month.

Tang Soo Do
Korean style karate taught by Micheal Ban.  They do not have a website, but they offer classes Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7-9pm in the Mendenhall Mall in the valley.  They also have an informal session on Saturdays.  One of Micheal's blackbelt also teaches in downtown on Tuesday and Thursdays from 4:45-6:30.  Show up at the Mendenhall Mall when class is in session to find out more. $35/month.

Juneau Shotokan Karate
Traditional Japanese style karate.  Classes offered couple times a week in dojo near the airport.  $52.50/month.

Jade Dragon Alaska
Kung Fu and Taichi.  They only offer private lessons though.

Fall in Juneau

Well, it's that time of year that I have been dreading - Juneau's rainy season.  It already rained more than I would have liked during Spring and Summer.  Now into it's most wettest season, it rains every day.  There is about a 10 minutes window most days where the sun peeks out from under the clouds and a hint of blue sky can be seen.  I look out the window with hopes of a clear sky for my evening walk with Millie.  It's a teaser though, so I go home, put on my rain gear, and head out to Sandy Beach for about an hour in the rain.  On the weekends, I've stuck to well known trails that are likely to be least muddy - Salmon Creek (up to the power house) or Brotherhood Bridge Trail.  Both are about 4 miles, long enough for a rainy day.  There are many trails I have yet to hit in Juneau, but I'm not too keen to explore in this kind of weather.  Besides, many of the ones that gain elevation are probably muddy and not too safe or fun right now. 

I'll be honest, this whole rain thing is a bit difficult for me.  I had enjoyed my time here until now because I had been able to explore new trails.  Now that excitement of exploration is gone, for now, there is little else to keep me entertained.  To make matters worse, I managed to get a business trip back home end of September, and I took a week off to spend time with friends and family.  This only made me miss them more once I got back. 

Porcupines

My poor Millie has been stung by Porcupines twice :(  First time it happenned, I was near the end of Perseverence Trail and she came out of playing in the bush with two quills.  She wouldn't let me near her to get it out, so I gave up and hiked 3 miles back with needles stuck in her nose.  Once home, I had my husband pin her down and I managed to pull them out.  I was not there the second time.  My husband was couple miles up Salmon Creek Trail when she got stung.  She didn't learn from the first instance.  This time, she was practically crippled with 12 quills stuck in her paws.  She was lying on her side, probably from pain, and could not move.  Brad had to carry all 62 lbs of her down the trail and rushed her to the vet.  They had to sedate her to ease her pain while pulling them out.  She was quite loopy afterwards and took couple of days before she was moving around like her old self.  I was away on a business trip during that time and was really sad I could not look after my baby.  For future reference though, here is what my husband says about how to pull out porcupine quills:

Let's start out with some facts and fiction...

FICTION:

1.) Porcupine Quills contain Poison. False! The American Porcupine does not. The Indian Porcupine does. Guess which country the Indian Porcupine comes from?

2.) Porcupines shoot Quills at enemies in Projectile fashion. False! They wave their tail and back when in distress and must physically touch an enemy for the Quill to stick in it. Likewise, if a dog touches a Porcupine, the Quill will stick in it. Quills do not "shoot out".

3.) Porcupine Quills are pressurized and must be snipped at the end before they are pulled out. False! This is utter bullshit. They are very slightly barbed, but not pressurized by any means.

FACT:

1.) Getting a Quill in you is very painful. True. Even one hurts like hell. Like a little dagger sticking into your skin.

2.) If your dog looks like she is in pain, take her to the Vet. Don't try to remove Quills yourself unless there is only 3 or 4 of them. Your dog may need sedating to kill the pain.

3.) If your dog has less than 5 Quills, you can avoid Vet fees by trying to remove them yourself. Read below for directions.

REMOVING QUILLS YOURSELF, WITHOUT A VET... (if there is more than 5, see a bloody vet!)

You will need:

1.) a strong grip.

2.) disinfectant (hydrogen peroxide etc)

3.) a set of balls

4.) a second person would help to keep Millie still.

First, have your disinfectant handy.

Now grip the quill as far down as you can, closest to the skin of the dog for best grip. What you want to do is very slightly turn the Quill at a very slight angle as you pull it. Don't pull it straight. The barb is not very big, but to avoid excess damage to Millie, pull it out quickly at a slight angle. As soon as the Quill is out, place it away to one side and do the next one.

Once all of them are out, dab the affected areas with disinfectant on a tissue to stop infection

That's it! All done. She'll be hurting for the rest of the day. Just let her rest.

-----

Hope this helped.

Granite Creek Trail

If it feels like it's been a while since I've posted, it's because it's been a while since I've done anything worth blogging about.  Since early May, it has been raining practically non-stop.  I knew it was coming, but I didn't realize it would be so soon.  I was quite disappointed at how short the summer was, and I expected to not see sun again until March.  I started off being quite bummed about the weather, but I decided to try to deal with it by looking for new ways to entertain myself besides hiking.  I joined the gym at work, went swimming couple times at the city pool, and let my husband talk me into going halves on an Xbox.  Just as I had finally found ways to cope with the bad weather here, I get a weekend full of blue skies.  I spent the Saturday checking the Eagle Crest Ski area and found that to be a great place to hike also.  I didn't hike all the way to the top though because I knew I had a long hike the next day on Granite Creek Trail.  I had heard it was a nice trail, but I didn't realize what an understatement that was.  It was an absolutely gorgeous hike.



The trailhead to 3.5 mile Granite Creek begins about 2 miles into Perseverence Trail.  Once turning onto the trail, you go up some narrow switch backs until you get to a snow bridge (pile of unmelted snow over the creek).  The trail from here gets a bit muddy in places, like most Juneau trails, but it's not too long before you gain elevation and start getting some nice views of the mountains.  Your first wow factor comes at the large water fall.  After admiring the falls a bit, you continue on until you reach what looks like your destination - an open view of lakes, creeks, and mountains.  Then you realize you've only travelled about a mile in so you know you're not there yet and keep going.  However, the view is just so amazing I kept taking photos. 



A little more ways in, I turn around and am amazed at the view again.  We stopped for lunch, but had to keep going afterwards since we weren't at the end.  We weren't quite sure how far to go, but we saw another big waterfall ahead and went closer.  There was a steep trail that went up to the top of the falls, and once there, it was just wow again.  Maybe because we just had so much rainfall, there were waterfalls everywhere and a large stream flowing.  I would rank this hike up there with those I've done in Banff, New Zealand, or Nepal.  I don't think my pictures do it much justice, but I thought it was just beautiful. 



I think we reached about 2300 feet (from 83 feet at start of Perseverence Trail), but we still had maybe a mile to go and another 200 feet to climb.  Unforunately, we spent too much time enjoying the scenery and had to turn around because my friend had to get back by a certain time.  I'm not sure what's up there at the end, but I'm looking forward to finding out next time I go.  I'd also like to try to get out there a bit earlier to see more wild flowers.

For those of you who are quite fit, there is an option to hike up Mount Juneau (trail up also starts from Perseverence), hike along the ridge, and come down the Granite Creek basin to the trail.  I bet that would be an awesome hike.

Dan Moller Trail

Today Matt and I did a 3-mile (one way) hike with 1600 ft elevation gain.  It's an out and back through Muskeg meadows to the Dan Moller Cabin and back.  The hike is quite easy despite the elevation gain since it is a steady gain over the 3 miles.  The entire trail is also planked since the meadows are quite muddy with soft footing.  The planks can get slippery though, so becareful and watch your footing while you walk.  If you're dog loves water like mine, there are also many mud pits that she can jump in.  Your dog will definitely require cleansing afterwards.

At the end of the trail is one of Forest Service's newer cabins.  It sleeps 4-8 on the second floor and 2-3 people on the bottom floor.  (Requires reservation - $35/night.)  There is a furnace, wood stove, and an outdoor fire pit for heating options.  There is also an outhouse, although it was near full today... eww.  The cabin has great views of the mountains all around.  There's not a whole lot else up there, but if you felt adventurous, there is probably a way up to some of the surrounding ridges. 

Point Bridget State Park

Field of Fireweeds

This is my second time in the park this summer but it was a completely different scenery this time.  The trail that was all wet and muddy last time from the melting snow has now dried up, making the walk a lot more pleasant.  There were also many flowers and berries to see along the way.  About a mile or so in though, we veered off course to head to Cowee Creek where my friend, Matt, whipped out his fishing pole for a quick catch.  This time of year all the salmon are back in the creeks to spawn so a lot of people go to the creeks to fish for sport.  I'd only been fishing once or twice before with my brother and remember catching a tree back then.  My friend had to show me how to fly-fish, and although I had no luck hooking a fish, he let me reel in one of the ones he hooked. 

Once we had enough of that, we tried to find our way back towards the trail without back-tracking.  This turned into a long detour and couple of stream crossings.  Salmon are everywhere, and it was fun watching the dogs run around amongst them.  Matt's dog, Charlie, even caught his own fish!



It took a while, but we managed to bushwhack are way back to a cabin in the park where we relaxed a bit.  I took my shoes off in hopes of letting my socks dry in the sun, but wool doesn't dry so easily.  Oh well.  By then it was already getting late in the day so we headed back, but it was a great day out in the park with lots of wildflowers, berries, and fish!

Wild Blueberries & Worms

Wild blueberries

Alaska has a treasure trove of wild berries, many of which you can pick and eat.  One of the most common berries that I've seen around on Juneau trails are the blueberries.  I've seen them on trails to Crow Point, Outer Point, Point Bridget, and probably many other places.  When I first started seeing the berries I was so excited I picked a few that looked ripe, even though it was a little early in the season.  I had heard from someone though that there are worms in these blueberries.  You have to soak the blueberries in salt water overnight, and in the morning you will see the worms that have crawled out of the berries floating in the water.  I did just that, and saw a few little white worms that almost look like mini-maggots.  It was kinda disgusting.  I really wanted to have a blueberry pancake though, so I took the berries and made a pancake. Well, they weren't quite ripe enough yet and it didn't taste good.  Fail.  I decided it just wasn't worth the effort of trying to pick them at the right time and then deworming them, only to eat them with a slight fear that a worm or two might still be left in the berries.  I'm sure the worms won't stop the berry picking enthusiasts, but I went out and bought a tub of blueberries from the grocery store the next day for my pancakes. 

Pancake made with blueberries from the store - yum.

Hike to Gastineau Peak (3672ft)

Today's hike to Gastineau Peak was probably the hardest I've done since hiking in Switzerland back in '07.  It's also about three times higher than the highest I've done in Juneau.  The trail started on Basin Road at an elevation of about 300 ft.  The first hour and half of the trail is actually quite boring.  It's a steady hike up a muddy trail through the rainforest.  If I didn't have Millie with me, I could've avoided it by taking the Mt. Roberts Tram up from downtown to about 1800 ft.   That would've made my hike a lot easier.  There are couple of view points along the trail to the tram, but none are worth stopping for if you plan to hike past the tram stop. 

Once at the tram station, I stopped there only to let Millie have a drink at the water bowl they keep out for dogs.  The trail below had only a few places for her to get a drink, and it was a pretty warm day out for Juneau.  After the brief stop for water and a view, we continued on up the trail.  You get a view of Gastineau Channel most of the way up, and the view just gets better and better as you get higher.  The terrain also changes from rainforest to sub-alpine, and many wildflowers are in bloom.  The trail seems to be a widely used one, by locals and tourists.  The few we saw going up that morning were locals.  It was comforting knowing others were and will be on the trail since it was just me and Millie today.

A bit further up the trail we started seeing piles of snow leftover from the winter.  Good thing because that was Millie's water source.  She would either eat the snow or drink from the stream or puddle made from melting snow.  She also liked to roll around in it to cool off.



The climb was long and a little difficult since it involved narrow and rocky terrain in places.  It wasn't as muddy as the trail below the tram though.  There were also walks through thick vegetation and I worried that a bear might be around the corner where I couldn't see.  I jingled my bear bell occasionally & luckily I didn't see one.  I got to a place that looked like it could be Gastineau Peak, but I was disappointed to find out it was only the Gold Ridge.

The dreaded ridge

There was little more ways to go before hitting Gastineau Peak, but that little way required crossing what looked like to me as a trecherous snow covered knife edge ridge crossing.  I couldn't really see what would be on the otherside a little ways and I wasn't entirely sure if it was good idea to cross with only my sturdy hiking boots and an unpredictable puppy.  After consulting another hiker that came up behind me I decided I might as well give it a shot since it was just a little more ways to go to the top.  I tried to keep my eyes focused on the ground while crossing it though since I felt a bit of vertigo coming on looking down the sides.

Once at the peak, which my GPS said was 3672 feet, I had my lunch and got a few snaps.  I could see the trail that continues on to the peak of Mount Roberts.  It was only supposed to be another mile and 200 feet elevation gain (maybe a bit more in actual since you had to go down first to go up the peak).  Perhaps it was another 45 min or so to get there, according to another woman who was on Gastineau Peak with me.  I didn't plan on going all the way today, and decided to stick with my plan because I still had to get down and I wasn't sure how I'd fare.  I felt fine at the moment, but I figured I'd save that for another time. 

I always take it slow going down.  Given the steepness and rockiness of trail in places, I wished I had a stick or poles.  It's tough on your knees without them.  Then again, it didn't seem to do another hiker much good.  On the way down I ran into the guy who had convinced me to go across the dreaded ridge.  He had slipped and broken his leg!!  There were many other people already there attending to him.  They had put a splinter on his leg with his hiking poles, and called the tram station to get a gurney sent up for him.  After making sure my help wasn't needed, I kept on heading down.  I passed a medic on the way up, followed slowly by 2 not-so-fit looking guys struggling to get a wheeled gurney up top.  I wondered to myself how the hell they are going to get that thing up, and then down, but I quietly hoped they were trained and knew what they were doing. 

My legs were getting quite tired and stiff, but there's not much to do but keep going.  Another stop for water at the tram and we continued on down the lower half of the mountain.  Seemed like such a long way down.  It almost feels harder getting down than going up since your legs are tired.  It's a shame that going down isn't as enjoyable as going up. Regardless, we made it, and I'm glad to have done it since I had been looking forward to doing for so long.  It was a beautiful hike but I doubt I'll be doing that one again this year though.  There's plenty other difficult ones to try first.  Next year I'll shoot for Mount Roberts. 

The trail continues on to Mount Roberts

The Fish Ladder at the Hatchery

Final step in the ladder before being sorted and stripped of eggs

The Fish Ladder

It's salmon spawning season!  In the next couple weeks we are expecting salmons to start running up the creeks to return to their spawning grounds to lay eggs and die.  For an easy view of running salmons in Juneau, you can check out The Fish Ladder at the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery off of Salmon Creek Road.  The 450 ft "ladder" helps the salmon swim up to an area where they are later sorted for egg harvesting.  It's pretty amazing to see these fish swim up against current and through these tiny openings between each step in the ladder.  You can also learn here a little bit about the types of Salmon that can be found: Chum, Coho, Pink, Sockeye, and King.  Inside the hatchery you will find a small aquarium and gift shop full of salmon products - from smoked salmon to caviar. 

Seeing all of these salmons made me want to go fishing like some people were from a dock a short distance from the hatchery.  I'm not sure I'll get out there this year since I still need to get all the necessary equipment (poles, tackle box, etc.), but it's definitely on our must do list for next year.  We'll also be able to get the local rates for fishing licenses by then too.  (You have to be a resident of Alaska for a year before you are eligible for the discounted rates.)   All we have to do is probably catch one salmon and we have our dinner for the week.  I wonder if we can catch Sushi grade salmon.  I'm dreamin' of all-you-can-eat fresh salmon, salmon sushi, and smoked salmon... yum!

Eagles & Crow Point Trail

Alaska is a great place to see the Bald Eagles., the national bird and symbol of USA.  You can often see them flying around or perched on a tree top while on a hike.  If you want to see many eagles, or increase your chances of seeing one, then head out on the Boy Scout/Crow Point Trail.  You can reach the trailhead by turning left just before Herbert River, and then turning right at the end of that road.  About a mile walk on flat trails with Eagle River to the right, through the forest and meadow, will get you to a beach across the river from Eagle beach.  I suppose it might be easier to just go to Eagle beach, but I think you will see a lot more from the other side of the river. 

I have seen countless Eagles on this trail, but there are also many other types of birds all over the beach.  Some are in flocks, and others are hanging out on their own as a one of a kind.  The trail also is a nice one to do even on a rainy or cloudy day.  It's an easy stroll through the rainforest, and once out by the meadow, you can also see berries and wildflowers.  You can also walk along the beach for perhaps another mile or so to the point. Unlike most beaches on mainland USA, there's a pretty good chance you will have this one all to yourself.

Salmon Creek Trail

Salmon Lake

Although there are many trails in Juneau, I'm somewhat of a fair weather hiker so it is taking me a little while to get around to some of the longer hikes.  Many of the hikes that actually gain any significant elevation are a bit difficult to do if it is wet because it can be steep and slippery.  I suppose I'm still in the mid-range hikes, looking at something about 6-7 miles in length with 1000-1500ft of elevation gain.  Today's hike was 3.5 (o/w) up Salmon Creek Trail to the Salmon Creek Lake and dam at 1100ft.

Power house about 2 miles in

The trailhead is at mile 2.5 on your right off of Egan when coming from downtown.  The first couple miles of trail is pretty wide and easy (once you get past first little bit up hill).  You can see Salmon Creek off to the side in places, and a pond of sorts which is a good place to stop for the doggies.  The wide trail ends at a power house next to the creek, but you can continue off to the left side of the power house to head up to the Salmon Creek Dam.  The trail now takes you through the forest to the dam.  Once you get to a point where you can view the dam from below, you can continue up to the left a set of stairs and steeper trails.  The terrain gets a little challenging here, as the trails become narrow and more steep with some slippery places.  Millie got pushed off a trail by Charlie at one point and went sliding down hill about 7 feet.  Poor girl.  She managed to climb her way back up though. 

The dam

Your efforts on this trail are rewarded at the top with a fantastic view of the dam and Salmon Lake.  Supposedly this is where Juneau's drinking water comes from so it's not a place you can hang out and go for a swim or anything.  There's a bench up there to sit on and enjoy the view though.  If you're lucky, you might see some mountain goats up there but we didn't see any.

The Chocolate Lily

Chocolate Lily

One thing I did not expect to see in Alaska were so many beautiful wildflowers.  I didn't expect to not see any, but when you think of Alaska, you think of snow, mountains, bears, fishing, etc.  You don't say, "let's go to Alaska to see the pretty flowers."  Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find flowers everywhere here since the weather started getting warmer.  The trails are dotted with wildflowers, and many of the houses in my neighborhood have beautiful flowers growing in their yards.  I've seen so many types of flowers that I can't even begin to name them all. 

My favorite one so far though is probably the Chocolate Lily.  On a first glance, it looks like it's a flower that is withering away.  On a closer inspection though, it's a brown colored Lily!  Well, I thought it was cool anyways.  After all, what other brown flowers are there?

Bears

Alaska is bear country.  You have your black bears, brown bears (e.g. grizzlies), and polar bears.  Luckily for those of us who live in Juneau, most of the bears here are black bears, the least dangerous out of them all.  Still, bears are wild animals and can pose a danger to people.  Although I love that Juneau has many trails to offer, I often hike with a pinch of fear that I may encounter a bear.  I also worry about how Millie will react to bears.  Will she stand her ground and scare the bear away for me?  Or will she run up to it with a wagging tail like she does with most people and dogs?  I could leash her, but what's the fun in that?  I am out on trails two to four times a week, and I have seen a bear only once - in an area specifically designated for wildlife viewing (Steep Creek Trail at the Mendenhall Glacier).  However, my husband has had at least 7 bear encounters - some of them just outside our home!  I worry that my luck will run out and I will have a bear encounter that will make my heart skip a beat... but life must go on.  There's no point in living in Alaska if I'm not going to enjoy the outdoors.  So I continue to hike, at times armed with a bear spray and a bear bell on Millie. 

View from Steep Creek Trail

For anyone who is new to Alaska or is planning to visit, I would recommend you first educate yourself on bear facts.  It will help you alleviate irrational fears or pure ignorance.  The best thing you can do is to know how to react should you have a bear encounter.  My husband, who works as a Security Officer, has told me on several occasions how he's had to keep tourists away from bears that have wandered into town.  These tourists often don't realize that bears can be dangerous and try to approach them for better photos, or out of sheer curiosity.  If you come to Alaska and see a bear, remember this is no Disneyland - the bears are real.

Family Trip to Orlando

Last week I went to Orlando to see my two brothers and their family, who went there as a family vacation.  I initially didn't plan to go, but couples weeks beforehand I got a little home sick and changed my mind.  Despite dreading the airfare, long trip, and walking around theme parks in 90 degrees heat, I actually had a good time. 

The trip out of Alaska to East coast is mostly a two day ordeal.  I have to first fly to Seattle on Alaska Air (only airline in & out of Juneau), stay overnight, and then catch a morning flight out to Orlando via Chicago on United.  On the way out I used miles from Delta and United so that portion was free.  The fare back on Alaska cost me about $600 but I also paid $150 for a last minute upgrade to 1st for the Orlando-Seattle leg.  The non-stop flight to Seattle from Orlando is a whopping 6 hours.  I hate flying already (see article Boycott Flying).  Since there's no fast lane for 1st class or an Alaska Air lounge at Orlando, all I really got was free check-in bag, nice dinner, and lots of leg room.  But it was oh so worth it.  It's not my first time flying business/first class, but I sure do appreciate it a lot more these days.  I'm not sure I can do a long haul in coach anymore.

In Orlando, I only had 4 full days to spend with my family.  I've already been to Universal and Disney a few times already, so I didn't really care to go, but one of my brothers hadn't been, so we all took the hit hoping to show him a good time.  Just as expected, it was hot and muggy in Florida this time of year.  I'm not too keen on Universal, but I had a good time in Disney.  I think I enjoyed Disney more this time around because the kids were enjoying themselves.  Our dad also joined us for Disney, so it was a nice family outing.

The other two days were spent relaxing at a small waterpark in our resort.  Since coordinating a day out in our household is like a huge military production, two days at the theme parks were enough.  We did hit Downtown Disney one night though.  I could've used a few more days outside of Alaska though.

One thing that took me by surprise was how much I enjoyed being out of Alaska.  (I also spent few hours in Seattle.) All of the things I took for granted in the past - shops, restaurants, people - now bring me so much more joy then before.  After being in a quiet place for 3 months, the hustle bustle of the cities were nice.  I know that the grass isn't greener, but I think I just enjoy variety in my life.  In many ways being in Juneau suits my lifestyle, but I can't help but want to try living everywhere.  So far I've managed a move every 2-3 years.  Will I ever settle down somewhere?

Perseverence Trail

The Perseverence Trail seems to be high on Juneau's list of recommended hikes.  I bet it would be one that is recommended at a vistor's center, and you can also find information on this trail if you search for Juneau hiking information online.  I've been wanting to see what this trail was all about for a while now.  I tried to hike it back in early May with some friends, but we ended up turning around after getting two-thirds of the way because of all of the snow.  I think we were also too busy trying to make our way through the thigh high snow to actually enjoy it.  Well, now that it's mid-June, the time seems to be right.

The trail head is at the end of basin road, about a mile or 2's walk from downtown up the hill.  The hike itself is not difficult so if you don't have a car you could make an all day trip of it.  If you start at the trailhead, the hike is about 6-7 miles round trip with about 700 feet of elevation gain.  Most of that elevation gain is at the beginning of the trail.  You walk mostly along a cliff edge and if you are with a dog, you might be slightly nervous if he/she gets near the edge.  Also, I wouldn't recommend this hike before early May when the trail is cleared of rock slides.  If a rock slide blocks your path and you try climbing over it, you could very well slide off the trail to your death.  Don't worry in the summer though.  The trail is plenty wide so unless you're walking on the edge of the trail, you should be fine.

The trail becomes more safer and more beautiful after about three quarters of a mile in.  You are no longer near the cliff edge, and the scenery becomes more green with vegetation.  Since it rains a lot in Juneau, it's all very lush.  Add some wildflowers, a few butterflies fluttering about, and birds chirping in the background, and you almost imagine this must be what heaven is like.  Or perhaps someone's garden.  Only when you look in the distance and see the snow capped mountain do you remember that you are in the wilderness of Alaska.

It's possible to see bears, and perhaps other wild animals.  I did not see any, but Millie had a close encounter with a porcupine.  She got so close that she got stung by one of its needles.  I did not see this, but after some moments of playing in the bushes, she came out with a needle stuck in her nose.  I think she was a bit excited or scared because she wouldn't let me near her.  These needles are hard to pull out even when she is still, but nearly impossible when she's not.  Since this happenned just as we turned around at the end, she had to walk all 3 miles back with the needle stuck on her.  One trick I learned today from various passerby's is that if you cut the end of it off, it will let the air out of the needle and make it easier to take out.  Once home, I had to get Brad to hold her firm while I snipped the needle and pulled it out.  I think she bled a little from it, but was otherwise alright.  This is actually her second time being stung by a porcupine so I hope now she has learned her lesson.

Looking down top of a
waterfall (requires side hike)

Aside from the porcupine incident, the hike was very nice.  The end of the trail was a little anti-climatic though, since it ended at a pile of landslide.  The trail itself is in the valley between Mt Juneau and Mt Roberts, so there are also parts where sun doesn't shine as much.  We found an area towards the end where there was a pile of snow. 

In addition to the main trail, there's a few shoot offs.  About a mile into the trail is the trailhead up to Mt Juneau.  There's also the Red Mill trail that serves as an alternate route for part of the way.  Near the end of the trail is another short trail to the Mining Camp.  Since I was a bit concerned about Millie's well-being with the needle stuck in her nose, I ended up just taking the most direct route back.  I'll have to do this trail again so I can check some of these other routes.

East & West Glacier Trails

View of Mendenhall Glacier from behind the Visitor's Center

There are several hiking trails near the Mendenhall Glacier.  Last week we did the East Glacier Trail and today we did the West Glacier Trail.  Both are really nice trails worth doing.

The East Glacier Trail starts behind the visitors center and starts on the Trail of Times.  It's about a 3.5 mile loop trail, with moderate elevation gain.  The trail is mostly in the forest, but there are occasional clearings to give you a glimpse of the glacier from higher up.  A small waterfall, the AJ waterfall, is also a short walk from the trail.

The West Glacier Trail starts at the end of the road just past the campground.  This is about 3.5 miles one way (7 miles r/t) with 1500 feet elevation gain.  The trail is through forest also, with some creeks and small waterfalls along the way.  There are many viewing spots along the way, and the views get better and better as you get higher up.  Toward the end of the trail there's quite a bit of rock scrambling though, and it can be a bit of a challenge.  We had couple of pups with us that kept wrestling with each other the whole way up.  There were several times they got close to the edge of a steep drop off and had me a bit nervous.  You really don't want your dogs to be playing tug of war with a stick on these rocks.... 

Once at the top there's a rock outcrop with a fantastic view of the Juneau icefields - definitely worth the hike.  From there, you can see people trekking on the icefields.  We also saw a few helicopters who touched down on the glacier for about 20 minutes while their passengers walked around a bit.  They probably paid few hundred bucks for their tour.  Our hike was free.  There was also a yellow igloo like structure towards the left hand side of the icefield.  That may have been the dog camp where people can go dog sledding as part of a tour. 

The rock outcrop made for a great place to have lunch.  It's definitely the best view of the glaciers I've had so far here.  Unfortunately, the sky looked a bit ominous and we decided to turn around to avoid rock scrambling in the rain.  I think if we kept going a bit further though, we could actually touch the glacier.  It's not really wise to go near the face of a glacier since it could break off, but it would be cool to get a bit closer.  Perhaps next time.  Even as it stands though, this ranks high up there on my favorite hikes in Juneau.

View of Juneau Icefields from the West Glacier Trail

Why Take A Cruise?

Majority of the people I know who have visited Alaska came on a cruise.  A popular route is one that takes you through all the towns in the Inside Passage - Ketchikan, Petersburg, Juneau, Haines, etc.  Another route probably takes you all the way up to Anchorage.  What I really don't understand though, is why it is so popular.  I get that Alaska is a hard place to get to, and you can't exactly drive from town to town in the Inside Passage since there aren't roads connecting them.  However, I hear that you only get a few hours to maybe 12 hours max in a port.  How much can you really do in that timeframe? 

In Juneau alone there is so much to do - hiking, kayaking, boat tours, heli tours, glacier tours, wildlife watching, and fishing.  There's no way a 12 hour day lets you explore all the greatness Juneau has to offer.  Why not just fly here and hang out out.  Or, if you really want to port hop, take the ferry.  It won't have all the entertainment you get on a cruise ship, but why do you have to go gambling, dancing, bowling, movie watching, swimming, on a cruise ship?  If you want to gamble or party, go to Las Vegas.  If you want to swim, go to a beach resort.  If you want to watch a movie or bowl, you can do that back home on a weekend. 

Maybe people think they are getting the best of both worlds - entertainment on the boats, and sightseeing in the ports.  What I hope people aren't doing though, is getting on a cruise ship because that's what they hear is the "thing to do".  The cruise ship industry is huge in Alaska, and it creates a lot of job and businesses here.  I can't complain about that, but to be fair to people visiting Alaska, I think they're getting a bum deal. 

For those people planning a trip to Alaska, I suggest skipping the cruise ships and the mad rush of getting on & off the boat at each port.  It might be nice to see all the ports, but to be honest, they're all kind of the same.  You can do just about all the same activity in each one.  So, just stick with Juneau where you have the most choices.  Fly in for about a week, and then spend a few days hiking.  After all, the whole idea of visiting Alaska is to get out in the wild.  Depending on the hike you do, you may even see some wildlife - mountain goats and bears.  Some trails take you by the beach so you may even see whales and seals.  There are many places to go birdwatching, too. 

In addition to hiking, spend a day (or more) fishing.  If you're going to fish anywhere, Alaska, home of America's largest fisheries, is it.  Then spend a day at Mendenhall Glacier.  Then take a day tour of Tracy Arms Fjords.  You can spend another day on a kayak tour, or another day on a glacier trek tour. 

If you have more then a week, you could spend a week getting from Anchorage to Fairbanks, while stopping in Denali along the way.  Or you can visit some of the other near by towns, like Haines or Sitka, on the ferry.  You can also drive from Skagway, which is a 6.5 hours ferry ride from Juneau, up to Whitehorse, YT.  From Juneau, you can also easily get to Glacier Bay National Park for a 2-3 day get away.

Coming to Alaska on a cruise is probably better than not coming at all, but if you haven't planned your Alaska trip yet, skip the party boat and enjoy your time in Alaska.

3 Months Later: My Thoughts on Alaska

It's been just over three months now since I first arrived in Alaska.  When I first got here I was excited about being in a new place.  I marvelled at the beauty of the snowcapped mountains and the sight of the Gastineau channel just outside of my office window.  I was also very elated to find out that many people here are dog tolerant and walk them off-leash on trails... and there are many trails here.  I also had nearly a month long sunshine spell that helped tremendously.  Since then, I've had a chance to settle down a bit and experience some of the downsides of Alaska.
Probably some of the most common gripes of living in Juneau, and perhaps everywhere else outside of Anchorage, is the lack of good shopping and restaurants.  Well, fortunately I do not enjoy shopping, and I am not big on eating out.  Much of what I need can be bought at Fred Meyer, Safeway, and Costco.  Other items can be bought on Amazon.com.  Clothes shopping might be difficult online though, so I may have to start dressing down like an Alaskan, or schedule shopping time when I travel to other States.  As for restaurants, I can count all of the ones I would go to on one hand.  Occasionally I wish for a good Japanese restaurant, but I am one of those so-called eat-to-live people and not the live-to-eat.

Juneau also lacks choices when it comes to other things, such as pet services, gym, martial-arts training, or doctors.  I am pretty much having to make do with whatever is available, and I find that ok.  What they do offer here for pet services, gym, and doctors are acceptable.  I only wish that I had my favorite karate school here, but I would have that problem no matter where I went except Virginia Beach where it is located. 

When it comes to hobbies, I have only gotten into hiking since I had my dog to walk often and there were so many trails to try.  However, I am now thinking of getting into fishing at some point.  I've only done it a few times but remember enjoying it.  I am sure it would be an even better experience here.  Plus, it has a practical aspect in it that you can eat the fish you catch.  Catching salmon yourself would be so much cheaper than buying it.  Oh, and in the winter, I have yet to check out the ski slopes here, but I will have to make sure I do so next season.

I still find the scenery in Alaska to be magnificent.  I was starting to take the beauty of it all for granted, but with the warmer weather arriving, the snow has melted, grasses turned green, and flowers started blooming.  It's a whole different scenery now and it's great.  Maybe in some years I will take it all for granted all year long.  Maybe when I visit family and other built up places I'll appreciate more of the place where I live.  One thing I wish Alaska did do though is build more charming homes and buildings.  It's such a beautiful place here but the somewhat dumpy homes, buildings, and industrial parks that dot the towns here and there kind of ruin it for me.  In this regard, I would have say that Europe has done a much better job of designing towns and villages that better fit in with the beautiful surroundings.

One of the biggest downsides here, which I do find to be an issue, is that Alaska is very far far away from the lower 48.  It is a long way just to visit family and friends on the East Coast.  In Juneau, the only flights going in and out are to & from Seattle or Anchorage.  It's at least a whole day getting East, if not two.  Coming back can be one day, but a very long one day.  It's also very expensive - more expensive than any flight I have taken overseas (mostly thanks to the rising cost of airfares).  I miss my family & friends a lot, which does suck.  I suppose though, that even when I lived 3.5 hours drive away, I only saw my family a few times a year.  I've also spent years living abroad so this really isn't much different.  It's just the price I pay for being a nomad.  What I may have to do here is try to find excuses for a business trip out East, or arrange some telecommuting option so that I can stay East a bit longer when I do go for a visit.  I'm sure something can be worked out where I will still see family & friends few times a year. 

While the remoteness of Alaska keeps people in, it also keeps people out.  The population of Alaska has remained relatively low.  So low you might struggle make new friends with someone who shares your same interest. There are benefits to being remote and sparsely populated.  There's no long lines anywhere, or traffic on the streets.   You can get trails and beaches all to yourself.  It's the ultimate getaway without having to get away.  Most people go to places like this to get away because they live a hectic life in a crowded place.  I suppose in my case I would have to get away when I feel like I need to go to a big city to be part of the crowd and go shopping. 

All in all I think Juneau is a wonderful place to live.  Then again, summer is the best time to be here.  The temperatures have been just how I like it (not too hot) and it has not been raining so much.  It's so perfect right now.  I suppose I'll have to write another post a year later though to see how I cope with the rainy fall and cold winters.  Stay tuned.

Sitka, AK

When Memorial Day weekend approached, I felt as though I had to take advantage of the long weekend and go somewhere.  I couldn't go far on three days, so I decided on Sitka.  You can get to Sitka from Juneau in 4.5 hours on the fast ferry.  It leaves at 0800 from Juneau, arrives at 1230 in Sitka, departs Sitka at 1330 and arrives in Juneau at 1800.  I left on a Saturday and came back Monday.

For this trip it was just me and Millie.  Brad got a job as a Security Officer and had to work every weekend in May.  I actually wanted to go sans doggie, but I couldn't leave her at home because Brad was working 10 hour days and she couldn't be left alone for that long.  Putting her in a kennel raised so many other issues that it seemed almost easier to just bring her with me.  Finding pet-friendly lodging in Sitka is pretty tough tho.  There's hardly any hotels there that allow dogs, and the ones that do charge an arm and a leg.  Super 8 wanted something in the area of $150 a night.  Ridiculous.  So I opted for camping. 

I didn't make this decision to camp lightly.  I had a few concerns.  First, there was no way I could get the 3 man tent we had up by myself (I practiced).  Second, Sitka has grizzlies.  Third, it could be cold and rainy (forecast called for rain).  Fourth, Millie could tear down my tent.  And the list goes on....  Once at the Starrigavan Campsite though, I did manage to get help from the site host to put up the tent.  The host also informed me that there had not been any bear sightings there yet, so that was a relief.  The weather was a tad gloomy, but not so bad that it was a problem.  However, it did get pretty cold at night and I didn't dress warmly enough thinking it wouldn't get that much colder.  Millie must have thought it was cold too because she ended up sleeping on me or on my airmattress.  I spent most of the night curled up in a fetal position to stay warm, and also because I only had about two-thirds of a 28"x72" mattress.  My butt cheeks were a bit cramped from holding that position for so long.  I must've gotten some sleep though, because I woke up fairly refreshed. 

I had roughly 2 full days, most of which was overcast.  It didn't give me a good impression of Sitka, but I could see that it was about as beautiful as Juneau, in my opinion.  Most think Sitka is the most beautiful of all the Alaska towns, but I'm not so sure.  It does not support as much tourism though, which helps.  I also expected to see more Russian culture and architecture since it was previously a Russian colony and the purchase of Alaska from Russia took place here.  The town does embrace it's history, however.  Castle Hill gives some history about the exchange of land between Russia and US.  I didn't make it to the Sitka Historical museum but no doubt it does too. 

Another part of Sitka's history are the native Alaskans.  Little of their culture is left today after the arrival of Russians and Americans, but some of it can be seen at the Sheldon Jackson museum.  It's a peak into the life of an Eskimo.  The Sitka National Historical Park is the oldest National Park in Alaska, and it commemorates the largest conflict held between the Europeans and Native Alaskans.  There are a few trails around the park, and many totem poles.   

Sitka also offers many wildlife viewing opportunities.  There is a whale park from where you can view whales in October, November, and March.  The campground I stayed in had the Estuary Trail from which you could do bird watching.  Then there is the Alaska Raptor Center where hurt Eagles are cared for and trained to re-enter the wild.

In addition to the cultural attractions, there are some nice trails around Sitka.  Most are not very long, but are of moderate difficulty.  Since I had Millie with me, I had to spend most of my time outdoors and on the trails.  I was pleasantly surprised to see how well maintained the trails were compared to Juneau's, which are often muddy and wet.  I went on several trails - Thimbleberry/Heart Lake Trail, Forest & Muskegs Trail, Mosquito Cove Trail, and Herring Cove Trail.  Herring Cove Trail was my favorite since there are couple of nice waterfalls along the way. 

Since I did so much walking the first and second day there, I was pretty beat by the time 5pm came around on the 2nd day.  It felt a bit chillier then too, or maybe I was just tired.  In any case, I had no idea what I would do myself back at the campsite for rest of the night but all I wanted to do was relax.  The thought of staying in a hotel crossed my mind again and I called a few places to see if I could find a decent rate.  Although Sitka Hotel doesn't normally allow dogs, they let me stay for $110.  It was the best I could do.  What I got for it was a dumpy smoking room (because of the dog) and somewhere in the hotel people started partying and woke me up in the middle of the night.  I had to call front desk to complain.  I was almost better off camping.  Definitely better value. 

On my last morning in Sitka I finally got some sunshine.  What a bit difference it makes on your mood.  As if the fresh and crisp air wasn't enough, the sun being just makes it that much better being outdoors.  I went around downtown again to retake some photos.  Then I took Millie for a walk, packed up my camping gear, had lunch, and headed over to the ferry.  I had a good nap on the ferry, and relaxed by reading a book.  It was a great way to end the weekend.