Rae-Wallace Trail

 Today turned out to be a nice sunny day so I went hiking with my friend Pam and our dogs. I still wanted to try the Rae-Wallace Trail but from a different starting point that yesterday. I remembered a dry trail farther up the road, and we started up on that one. That trail is likely the best one to use if your destination is Microdot, a sharp peak that rises from Gold Cord Lake. If you stay on it as high as possible, then a cross-country trek to the left would take you up the ridge that leads to Microdot. But our destination was still Rae-Wallace, so we stayed on the trail itself. It started to disappear into little streams, so we ended up following our dogs, who seemed to find the best passage, that lead us to the main Rae-Wallace Trail. This trail leads to Rae-Wallace Peak high on the ridge above us. We kept following it up onto a couple of little hills until it seemed to simply disappear into a boulder field. The map shows the trail ending about where we decided to stop. It looks like the best route up to the peak might be across a small snowfield then a steep hike up a grassy tundra covered slope to the ridge. I would love to do that one day. But Pam doesn't like scrambling on rocks, so we decided against that today. I'd be comfortable coming back and doing it myself another day. It was delightful sitting in the tundra vegetation enjoying the sunshine un one of the hills where we turned back. We had a snack break while the dogs ran up and down to the creek below. I had only been up this trail once before and had turned back at approximately the same place due to a huge snowfield. But today I got a better look at the trail and can see where it actually goes. It was beautiful and green everywhere with a noisy gurgling stream flowing nearby. The dogs lead us back down by following the Rae-Wallace Trail all the way back to the stream crossing where I fell yesterday. We found a nicer place to cross it today. I love this trai and will for sure do it again. All the way to the peak or maybe to Microdot next time. I now have an Aorkuler GPS tracker on Bella so will be able to find her if she decides to wander out of sight. I did some practicing with it today and found it works quite well and is independent of my phone, using only a satellite tracker.

Gold Cord Lake

 I started trying to hike up the Rae-Wallace Trail. But from the parking area, there were so many trails leading that way that I had a hard time choosing which one to hike. They all lead to a nasty creek crossing. I picked up Bella and held my poles in my other hand and started across.  I slipped on a wet rock, and we both landed in the creek. I scraped my knees and decided it was just too wet and miserable to continue up that mess of wet trails. I got back in the car and drove up to Gold Cord Lake. I'd heard they had been doing some improvements on that trail, so wanted to check them out. I did find where they had made a nice rock trail over one of the worst swampy sections. It still needs a lot more work. I admire the volunteers who worked on it recently. Bella enjoyed barking at the birds, marmots and ground squirrels as we hiked up to the lake. I let her off her leash at the lake, and she made friends, after initial barking conversations, with a couple of other dogs. The water was so calm that the reflections were wonderful. It's just a short hike, but always very magical. I let her go unleashed all the way back down. 

Lane Basin Exploration Hike

 Pam and I started out hiking with a group of the Valley Wanderers. We hiked up the Archangel Road almost to the gate, then started up a steep hike on a narrow trail. Their destination was a place called Little Gem Mine. They were hiking quite quickly and left Pam and I behind, rarely waiting for us to catch up. Bella mostly took off and followed them, occasionally returning to check on me. I stayed ahead of Pam but behind the rest of the group, always trying to keep the fast group in sight, but not leaving Pam behind. Pam was having some trouble with her back which tended to slow her down. The lead group took off up a ridge and were soon completely out of sight. I only knew they were heading up the creek but didn't know which side or what the final destination was going to be. Pam and I descended to the creek, and Bella was no longer in view. It was obvious she was with the faster group. I started frantically calling her name. I had no idea where the other hikers were or where my dog had gone. Finally, after calling her for at least 5 minutes, Bella descended from high on the ridge above the creek. She crossed the fast-flowing creek, and I gave her a treat. Pam and I decided we should simply turn back since we had no idea where the rest of the group had gone. Then we couldn't find Bella again. We didn't know if she had crossed the creek again or which direction she had taken. We hollered for about 10 minutes. I tried to track her with my phone via her airtag but it wouldn't connect. I was extremely worried now and had no idea which way to go to find the others, where I assumed she had gone. She finally came bounding down the ridge on our side of the creek. I put her leash on her and we took both of our dogs and returned, now following our track on my AllTrails app. Bella led us back to the last trail we had followed and then I took her off her leash. Pam and I followed her and continued on that trail until it disappeared. We could see the Lane Basin Trail below us so turned towards it, also following the AllTrails app. We did a bit of bushwhacking and had to jump a few small streams but finally reached the Lane Basin Trail. It was a fun adventure and a beautiful hike in spite of how frustrated we had been earlier. We happily followed the trail back to the road and our cars. I have often said that I actually prefer to hike alone or with just one other person. Groups often abandon slower hikers. I'm not always the slowest, but if I am, I know this can happen. I don't mind if my dog sticks with the leader as long as I can still see them. But if the leader abandons me, then I know it's time to get her to return and make my exit from the hike. From now on I'll stick to either solo hikes or ones with friends willing to stick together. It can be dangerous leaving people behind in the Alaska wilderness, and I never want to lose my precious Bella. She is my soulmate and I will never abandon her.

Lazy Mountain from the Back Side

 I know I just climbed Lazy Mountain 2 days ago, but the Valley Wanderers decided to do it today from the back side up from Smith Road on the Matanuska Peak Trail. Their plan was to descend via the Lazy Moose Trail. To avoid the unnecessary 2 mile, walk from Smith Road to the Lazy Mountain Trailhead on Morgan Horse Trail, we left most of our cars at the Lazy Mountain Trailhead and piled into Jane's car to start from Smith Road. Bella kept stopping and holding me back, so I started out being the slowest and last person in our group of 6 as we started up the trail. Bella finally started moving and I gradually moved closer to the leader. Erin was ahead until we reached the wooden tripod that marks the Southside Trail that leads up through Stonehenge to the Lazy Mountain summit. Erin got distracted by some blueberries and kept stopping to pick them. Meanwhile, Janice took off at a quicker pace, immediately followed by Bella. I didn't want Bella to be far ahead of me, plus I wasn't interested in blueberries, so I quickened my pace and kept up with Janice. It was very cloudy and foggy, and we wondered if we would even have any view from the top. It was also getting a bit windy. Janice and I were getting chilly, so we kept up our fast pace, occasionally looking back to be sure the others were coming. Janice found a spot near the top and sat by the flag. Bella ran up the rocks to the highest point, and I followed her as I always do. I have a nice flat spot up there where I like to park and enjoy the view. I also like to take my 360-degree summit video from there. Today seemed kind of disappointing because Matanuska Peak was completely swallowed by clouds. But much of the view below was not obscured. I stood up and started my usual video and happily Matanuska Peak showed her face through the clouds long enough for me to capture it on the video and a couple of still photos. Meanwhile, Bella kept scaring me by galloping along the treacherous rocks and acting as sure footed as a mountain goat. I know she was never unsafe, but she always makes me nervous when she does that. I called her over and distracted her with treats until I decided to head down by the flag and wait for the rest of the group. Janice and I sat in the rocks and finally saw the tiny figures of our friends slowing coming through the clouds along the ridge. We all gathered near the top and had lunch and took our pictures. Janice and I decided to take the shorter but slippery and steep route straight down via the Lazy Mountain Trail. The others took the longer but more relaxed Lazy Moose Trail down. It wasn't too bad, and neither of us actually fell. I did have a few close calls and relied on a few tree branches to help me over the most slippery spots. Bella found the same mud hole she found on Wednesday, so once home, she was back in the kitchen sink for yet another bath. It was a very fun day and a much-needed workout for me. 

Matanuska Peak Summit through the clouds

Bella staring into the fog

Wolverine Lake

Janice, Bella and Me

Lazy Mountain Climb

It was forecast to rain today but so far, I haven't seen any rain. It was cloudy but nice and warm and I could see all the mountains. I tossed my pack and my hiking shoes into my car and just drove down the road to the Lazy Mountain Trailhead. I wasn't sure I had the necessary energy but figured I would just see how I felt. Bella and I climbed up the steep side trail and even though it was slippery, it wasn't too muddy and we made our well fairly quickly up to the flat spot where the picnic table used to be. I was so hot until I reached that spot. Once we crested that ridge, we were met with a nice cool breeze. We took a break at the picnic table at its new spot then worked our way all the way up to the summit. Bella raced up to the highest point along the steep rocks. I joined her there and took my usual 360-degree summit video.

We lingered up there for a little while then started on down. Soon after leaving the summit, we met Meg, one of the well-known local elite mountain runners. She never ceases to amaze me because this 4-mile hike usually takes me close to 4 hours, yet Meg routinely does it very quickly on her lunch hour from work. We didn't see very many other people on the trail, but Bella managed to have a conversation with every dog we met. She actually behaved herself fairly well. Toward the bottom we found the one and only deep muddy spot. Of course, Bella had to wallow in that. Back at the car I carefully picked her up and placed her on the blanket in her doggie seat. Once back home, I transferred her immediately to the kitchen sink for a partial bath. Now all cleaned up she is resting comfortably. I'm so glad I finally got up Lazy Mountain again. I usually climb it quite often, but this summer there has been so much bad weather or other obligations that have kept me from doing it. I always feel better after a good climb.

Marmot Peak

 I decided to hike up Marmot Mountain just with Bella this morning. Rain is certainly on its way but was only cloudy so I decided to take a chance. The trail was pretty dry but still slippery from recent rains. I did manage to slip and smack my left shin at one point. But after that, I remained on both feet. Bella charged ahead and I was happy that she did come back into view most of the times when I called her. There are markings for an upcoming race event that went pretty much straight up to the first peak. I followed them on the way up. Once on the ridge, the trail is quite obvious. Bella and I stayed mostly together until we reached the farthest spot on the ridge that I have always considered the stopping point. According to the map, it is the official Marmot Peak. When hiking with the Valley Wanderers, we always turn back at that spot since the next step looks like a vertical rock wall. However, I was curious because the race markings turn to the right before reaching the final peak where we have always stopped. I can see in the distance that the trail does continue on the extended ridge past that apparent rock wall where we always stop. It appears that the marked racecourse turns to the right because they know the way to continue to that trail. Next time I hike up there, I want to try to find that toute. The race they have marked supposedly connects to the Gold Cord Lake Trail. That would make for a very interesting traverse. I will bring it up to the Valley Wanderers and see if we might want to explore that possibility one day. After a brief break on the top of our turning around spot, Bella and I retraced our steps, following the race markers back down the ridge. We came to a trail junction that Bella chose, that turned away from the race markers. I could see the parking lot in the distance so decided to follow this trail since it seemed in much better condition than the one we had climbed. It turned out to be a much nicer route, and we easily made our way back to the car. I really love hiking up Marmot. I look forward to further exploring this ridge.

Harp Traverse

 Today we placed my car and Jane's car at the South Fork of Eagle River Trailhead, and all piled into Madeline's car and drove up Hiland Road to the Harp Peak Trailhead. This trail is commonly known as the easiest 5000-foot peak in the Chugach Range, but considering the steep grade, it is by no means that easy. It seems to go up forever over multiple false summits, with increasing loose rock and scree until you finally reach the highest rock pile. We encountered a lone hiker named Mary who ended up joining us up to the summit. When she heard what we were doing she decided to join us. She was quite a strong hiker, having done Reed Lakes, to Bomber to Snowbird a day or 2 before. She stayed with us most of the traverse. We hiked along the long ridge for 4 or 5 miles of scrambling over huge rock gendarmes, a few of which made me a little nervous. Erin was the most experienced at this traverse and was always a bit ahead of the rest of us. I tried my best to keep up with her because, of course, Bella was always right behind her. She tended to pick routes that made me wonder why I had chosen to do this hike! I was still a bit tired from the recent activities and seemed more anxious with the heights and rock climbing than usual. I had to take a few deep breaths and follow my dog who was happy to bounce along over scary precipices that made me cringe. But it wasn't nearly as bad as my mind was making it. I did do it once before and don't remember having that anxiety then. Mary ended up much faster than even Erin and took off well ahead. Her intention was to go to Hanging Valley, walk around the lake then climb the ridge behind it then work her way down to the South Fork Trail. We were all in awe and told her that if she saw a red Subaru with license CAREN at the trailhead, we would be happy to take her back to her car at the Harp Trailhead.

We found the correct trail down from the ridge and worked our way across a couple of small creeks. I had to hand Bella over one of them. She crossed the second one easily but couldn't get up the steep grassy slope above it. I handed her to Ivan, and he fell over, but they both made it up that slippery slope. I grabbed some branches and got myself up there too. We had a hard time finding the actual overgrown trail but eventually worked our way to the South Fork Trail. I had brought a lot of extra water figuring it would be very hot. I was frequently giving Bella water. Now that we had some creeks, she was able to get her own water. Soon after we crossed the South Fork Bridge, Bella started really slowing down. I dumped out some of my water, gave one bottle to Jane, and put Bella into my pack. She got to ride back there for the last couple miles of the 10-mile hike. When I first took my pack off, she knew what it was for and immediately tried to crawl into it. She's a tough little dog and as much as she was running around, she probably hiked more like 15 miles total. 

Finally, back at the cars, Jane took Madeline up to her car and I stayed and talked to Kanaz and Ivan until she returned. We kept wondering how Mary was doing. A couple of guys said they thought they had seen her, so we wondered if she might be coming along soon. But we really didn't know what she might have decided to do. Madeline drove away and I started my car, then Bella was licking her lips. I got out and got my water bottle and gave her one last drink before heading out on the long drive back to Palmer. Then, out of my rearview mirror, I saw Mary crossing the parking lot! It was perfect timing! I had her hop in, and I took her back to her car. She showed me the route she had taken, and it was quite impressive. I was delighted to be able to help her, and we were all happy we got to meet her. She was an inspiration.