Alaska

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Charles Krebs
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Alaska

Post by Charles Krebs »

I've been AWOL from the forum here for some time, but not without good reason. Just returned from a trip to Alaska. I re-visited a few favorite locations from past trips, and went some places I had not been to previously. I was traveling with one of my sons and 3 friends, and weather didn't cooperate too much so photography was not always the best, but there's always something great up there. I'm just sorting through the shots now... here are four of them.
(A few more can be seen here: http://krebsmicro.com/AK07b/index.html )


Image
Unidentified wildflower in tundra, Denali National Park


Image
Child's Glacier. Copper River Delta (about 48 miles outside Cordova). The face of this glacier is between 200-300 feet tall above the Copper River.
It's great to just watch it for a couple hours as pieces calve off.


Image
Sow grizzly with cubs, Denali Nat'l Park. These were older cubs (not this years) and they were all taking a (long!) nap on the tundra.
Every so often the sow would raise up as seen here, look around and then flop down and go back to sleep.


Image
Alaganak Slough, about 20 miles outside Cordova. This picture was taken at 11:33 pm, just about sunset!
There was a smelt (Hooligan) run ending here so the air was quite poignant with the smell of dead fish.
But this attracted plenty of Glaucous-winged Gulls, and the previous day we had counted about 100-150 bald eagle soaring very high above this region.
Last edited by Charles Krebs on Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Mike B in OKlahoma
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Post by Mike B in OKlahoma »

Amazing place! I especially like the glacier shot.
Mike Broderick
Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Constructive critiques of my pictures, and reposts in this forum for purposes of critique are welcome

"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul....My mandate includes weird bugs."
--Calvin

Planapo
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Location: Germany, in the United States of Europe

Post by Planapo »

Charles, it´s nice that you haven´t been devoured by the bears :wink: and you arrived back home safely! These are beautiful pictures from an awesome country!

The bears on your photo look notably cuddly. I like bears and regret living in a bear-free country. Though last summer after ages Germany was bear country again for several weeks when a young bear of an Italian conservation program crossed the Alps and entered Bavaria. This gained a lot of medial interest, the bear was dubbed "Bruno", but despite public protest, poor Bruno was shot by a hunter on order of the Bavarian government. :smt085

Anyway, thanks for taking me on this short trip way up North to Alaska, and I am looking forward to going on more such virtual "Travels with Charlie". :D
(Just meant friendly, not at all as comparison to Steinbeck´s four-footed, hairy companion, you understand, of course.:wink:)

Best wishes,
Betty
Last edited by Planapo on Sun Jun 24, 2007 7:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

Charles Krebs
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Post by Charles Krebs »

I like bears and regret living in a bear-free country. Though last summer after ages Germany was bear country again for several weeks when a young bear of an Italian conservation program crossed the Alps and entered Bavaria. This gained a lot of medial interest, the bear was dubbed "Bruno", but despite public protest, poor Bruno was shot by a hunter on order of the Bavarian government.
That's too bad :cry: It certainly adds to a sense of "wilderness" when you see them out there.


I used to ask my buddies when we hiked around and camped up there...
"So... how does it feel to no longer be at the top of the food chain?" :wink:

GrayPlayer
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Post by GrayPlayer »

Was amazed at the volume from calving glaciers out of Seward. Boat must have been a good mile or more away from the base and the sound was definitely a big surprise.
Fred H.

zzffnn
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Post by zzffnn »

I do realize the OP was posted 10 years ago, but cannot help chiming in, as we are going to Alaska in early June.

Charles / GrayPlayer / Anyone who has been to AK:
did you see northern lights in AK? Or try getting some diatoms there?

We are going on a cruise ship with two very young kids :evil: Probably not as fun, I know. So Denali has to be on our next trip.

We will see some glaciers / fjords / whales, I think (our route is Ketchikan - Tracy Arm - Juneau - Victoria, BC). I will bring a portable scope and see if I can get some diatoms from beach sand. Will also wake up in mid night at Juneau to try to catch northern lights, which is the most likely place for that on our route.
Selling my Canon FD 200mm F/2.8 lens

Chris S.
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Post by Chris S. »

zzffnn wrote:I do realize the OP was posted 10 years ago. . .

. . . we are going to Alaska in early June.

. . . Anyone who has been to AK: did you see northern lights in AK?

. . . Will also wake up in mid night at Juneau to try to catch northern lights, which is the most likely place for that on our route.
If ever a post is topical after ten years, it's this one of Charlie's. :)

Fan, I spent a memorable summer/fall in Alaska some years ago, chasing the light during a largely photographic journey. An education for me was how bright it was all night until very late summer. During July and most of August, I could read all night under skylight, as the sun just barely set beneath the horizon, then skimmed at this level and rose again very soon. My flashlight was the most useless item in my kit. Only when mid-September came around, and I moved from northern Alaska to central/southern Alaska, did the nights become dark enough to see the northern lights. Once this happened, wow, what a show!

Here's wishing you a glorious trip! :D But as you're going in June, don't hold your breath for northern lights. (And also, take mosquito netting!)

--Chris S.

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

3 weeks one June /July we flew to Deadhorse, walked a bit on the Arctic Ocean then and drove down "the" road, camping. I'd do it again. We had no rain. We saw no bears though. High summer is not when you'd expect to see aurora, better in spring or autumn (fall).
Summer is short so the wild flowers all go crazy at once ;) .
Last edited by ChrisR on Sun Jul 15, 2018 4:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris R

zzffnn
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Post by zzffnn »

Thank you very much, Chris S and ChrisR. I guess I can sleep more, rather than waiting for aurora then.
Selling my Canon FD 200mm F/2.8 lens

razashaikh
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Location: India

Post by razashaikh »

Great set of images.

Ramos Kenneth D
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Location: North Carolina

Re: Alaska

Post by Ramos Kenneth D »

Looking at the strata in all that ice, the glacier, it is mind boggling to consider all the geological history that maybe encased in all of that from just looking at it. That sure is some pretty country way up there but the mountains and foothills of North Carolina are cold enough for these old bones of mine. Nice work as usual Charles. :D

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