At least a million dollars

We’ve gone between Haines and Haines Junction three times, and always been intrigued by Million Dollar Falls. On the way back home, we enjoyed a stop at Haines Junction (it was Canada Day, so we got cake and flags at the Yukon/National Park visitor center). We ate and (of course) biked, then went down to find more biking paths. We tried Mush Lake Road (a creek had recently washed out and put lots of rocks on the 4WD road so it wasn’t very bikable), then hiked a bit of the St. Elias Lake trail (very nice!).

We went on and camped at Million Dollar Falls–we loved it!! We couldn’t believe we hadn’t stopped here before. It was better than we imagined, and, being a Yukon Park, free firewood from the wood hut! There weren’t many people at all camping, a fantastic series of falls–and it was great biking, along with a good playground.

The top of the falls:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

The campground:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

The campers:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

And some wood chopping (for the smores!). For the best effect, go between these two pictures really quickly.

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Pick your rut..

I still remember the words from Nettie’s Phd thesis acknowledgements/introduction. “Pick your rut carefully, you’ll be in it the next 5+ years” (she said it was from a road sign in northern Maine that said `pick your rut carefully, you’ll be in it the next 5+ miles…’) Anyway (paraphrasing from the Don Johnson flick `The Hot Spot.’ “one of the top ten under appreciated movies of all time”), “I found my level and I’m living it.”

We found our level, and we’re living it! We love this camping lifestyle. After spending the night in Tok (thanks again, Peter and Sara!) we went back to the Cottonwood RV Park on Kluane Lake. We love that place!!!

Living the dream:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

The dogs know it:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Lake Kluane, and midnight, Yukon time:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Matanuska Glacier

After Chuvena, we had pizza at Trapper Creek (yum!) then drove through Wassila and up the Glen Highway. We stopped at the Matanuska Glacier campground for the night, and enjoyed it–there was good scootering, nice hiking, good camping, and more smores!

First, the glacier:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Scootering + glacier:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Nice hiking with the dogs

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

To some nice views and interpretive signs

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Hangin at Chuvena

Chuvena is a fantastic and relaxing place to be! Thanks Dave, Gina, Harlow, Eli, and Rowan! What do we do there? Best of all, reconnect with friends:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

We like to hang on the dock (and have the dogs around..)

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Canoe around the lake

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Lots and lots of sauna, and running between the sauna and the lake to jump in the lake:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Inside the cabin, the food is great, it is perfect to practice rope work:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

There is a great reading library there:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

and staring out the window at the mountain is a perfect thing to do!!

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

We love Chuvena!

Faster than…

Well… Faster than the camera on my phone! Hangin at the skatepark on a (finally!!) drizzly Juneau Saturday, after helping out Missy, Chip, and Adelie with their garage sale.

From Skate Park