Wilderness Forays

Solo forays into the wilderness have become my medicine for a somewhat mundane 9 to 5 job routine. None the less the trade off to this is finding some of the most radical trips deep into the Alaska wilderness that I can come up with. Earlier in the summer I managed a 14 hour traverse from Bear Mountain deep into the Chugach, crossed two mountain passes and back to civilization. Certainly a long day out, but an amazing experience.

This weekend found me chasing down a trip I've been wanting to do for several years. With several friends quite interested but canceling at the last minuted I decided to head out alone into the pouring rain. A three hour hike up the Winner Creek trail. Two hours across the pass and down into the next valley. (much of that was a bushwhack from hell!) Soaked to the bone I pumped up the packraft and floated out the feeder stream, then into the 20 mile river and back to the Parks Highway. Then, onto my bike for an hour ride back to retrieve my truck.

These long forays into the wilderness really allows one to see some amazing Alaska backcountry and not only tests ones endurance but fortitude. As most people around here know.....Alaska can be a pretty unforgiving place.