Girls Weekend

When we moved to Alaska I vowed NEVER to go camping.  But when a group of friends invited me to go camping and hiking, I just couldn't say no.  I packed the bear spray one of our out of town visitors just bought, thinking it just might save my life. It wasn't needed but it sure felt better to have it there.

We camped in Seward.  We set up camp, had dinner and smores.  Yum! There was sign posted about bear activity in the area, so we felt better having bear spray.   There was a train depot way to  close and those trains made noise for much of the night.  Adding to my discomfort was the fact that my rear end touched the ground shortly after settling into my air mattress, then my head and my feet.  It was cold, but Karyn had advised I use a flannel sheet in the nylon sleeping bag, and it helped.  Although it was a long night, it was so much fun to talk and laugh with a group of friends. 

Our goal was to hike to the Harding Ice Fields.  It was a beautiful hike and I don't have the pictures to convey that.  It was taking all my energy to hike.  We encountered a bear about 10 minutes into the hike.  Although we could not get a clear glimpse of him, the hikers (men) who stopped us from preceding onto the next switchback could see him.  It was a small black bear and we didn't have any other scares the rest of the hike. 

We hiked up steep rocky trails, switchbacks, snow fields, boulder and rock fields, over little streams, and big ones.   We saw some really cute marmots and goats. 

Here is a view of the glacier.  I did not make it the ice fields due to a shortness of breath.  Once we made it to a little survival cabin I stopped to catch my breath and say a little prayer.  My friends went on and finished the hike.  I felt perfectly safe at the cabin waiting for them. 

On our descent it started to rain.  We then slid through mooshy snow, walked on slippery rocks, sloshed through mud and were completely drenched by the time we returned to the parking lot.  The hike is less than 8 miles and it took us 8 hours to do it.  Partly due to my shortness of breath, anothers blisters, and yet anothers sore knees.  It typically takes between 6 to 8 hours so we didn't do too badly.  Again hearing stories, laughing, and talking, in addition to the beautiful scenery made the trip worth it.