Posts Tagged With: moose

Amazing Alaskan Adventure – Part 1

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Doug and Jackie

It’s pushing 90 degrees with high humidity as I sit to organize my thoughts and photos of our Alaskan adventure, but I am thinking of the cooler temperatures and amazing views of the mountains and waters of Alaska instead. This seven day cruise with Jackie, my brother Jeff and sister-in-law Vicki was planned out almost a year ago and it exceeded all our expectations and has left us with great memories. Now to reassemble those thoughts amid the muddle-headedness of air travel and time changes…

Part 1 – Anchorage to Juneau

Our June trip-of-a-lifetime had a great start in Anchorage and Seward, Alaska and will continue south through the Inside Passage aboard the cruise ship Celebrity Millennium.

We arrived in Anchorage barely 3 hours after we left Atlanta, but of course that was actually 7 hours of flight time later. We picked up our rental SUV at the airport and drove into town. The night was young and we were pumped, after seeing some amazing snow-covered mountains and glaciers from the plane already. This was going to be great! We dropped our bags at the Voyager Inn and walked the streets of Anchorage in search of breweries on Doug’s list, plus a recommendation for good eats at Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse.

Humpy’s didn’t disappoint as we toasted the adventure to come with local brews and shared a delicious platter of cod tacos. Yummy! (Midnight Sun Oosik Amber and King Street Stout beers)

We found the 49^th State Brewery, one of the craft breweries on Doug’s list, and took a seat on the rooftop terrace to sample craft beer and watch locals fishing along the nearby riverbank. And of course the backdrop of snow-covered mountain peaks still seemed unreal. (Baked Blonde and Prospector’s Gold beers).

Getting up early was no problem, since we were still on Eastern Time, and we tucked into a delicious breakfast at the hotel. Jeff and Vic were up early in search of a coffee shop, to no avail, but had a nice walk along the waterfront. I grabbed my camera and wandered about, snapping shots of hanging baskets and … ouch, I rolled my ankle pretty good on a sidewalk crack. Dangit, we had barely started the adventure and already I had an injury! Oh well, keep moving and carry on.

The big day began with our 3-hour drive to Seward along Turnagain Arm (the big bay). There was almost nobody on the road as we wound around the cliffs and along the rocky shore. All eyes were on the water for whales, but Vicki suddenly blurted out that she saw something on the rocky cliff. Off to the shoulder and out of the car, binoculars scanning. Soon we found the Dall sheep that she spotted, way up on the hillside. A little further on we stopped at Bird Point to scan the water again, but the excitement was back on the hillside again. This time there were young Dall sheep among the adults, and not far above us looking down. Good spotting.

So onward we went, the clear blue skies above, white, blue and green mountains all around us. As we recounted our sheep spotting, Jeff declared “all we need now is a moose” and just ahead someone must have heard us and pushed out the moose, because a cow and calf appeared out of the bushes at the edge of the road. No way! The little guy scampered in and out of the shrubs around mom as she munched on grass and dandelions. Wow how cool.

The rest of the drive to Seward we tried to muster up some bear, but instead got gorgeous scenery. We did spot a huge eagle nest with dad standing guard over mom and youngsters in the nest. Once we pulled into Seward we dropped our bags at the Best Western and headed to the docks for lunch and to check out the departure point. We sat outside and shared baskets of fried rockfish, salmon, calamari, halibut and cod along with some Alaskan beer. We walked back along the seawall, past a shoreline city campground and RV park and spotted some sea otters feeding on mussels along the shore. Suddenly our spotter Vicki said she saw whales off the shore, blowing puffs of steam. Well, it sure looked like that, so we ran to the rental car, drove out along the shoreline to get closer and had a great look at what we learned were humpback whales, possibly bubble feeding (the gulls were a giveaway). Wow, what a day for wildlife!

Jeff and I returned the rental car and we met up with Jackie at the van for Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures. Vic was off to explore Seward by foot and along the seawall again. Our afternoon zipline was great fun. There were tons of zips and a few really long ones over ponds and mossy woodlands. A couple of suspension bridges and two rappels down to earth added to the fun. I opted to skip the gopro and phone for pictures, since our guides promised to take several shots.

- Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures - 2018-6

- Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures - 2018-8

- Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures - 2018-7

- Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures - 2018-2

- Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures - 2018-4

- Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures - 2018-5

Back down in town we found Vicki, grabbed binoculars and headed out. Dinner was wood fired pizza and Rockfish Red Ale at Seward Brewing Company, another one of my craft beer destinations. Good stuff. We still had time to see eagles and otters and Harlequin ducks along the shore, since sunset was a long way off, plus Jeff spotted Dall sheep on the hillside across from our hotel balcony.

The next morning was embarkation day and it started with another delicious breakfast at the hotel. We took the town’s free shuttle to the pier and waited for boarding instructions. It was a dreary, colder and rainy morning, not at all like the gorgeous day before. Fairly soon we had our ship credentials and were headed across a windy, rainy dock to walk up the ramp and onboard the Celebrity Millennium. Cheers! We were handed glasses of champagne and noticed that we were the first four people aboard. Ok then, let’s find a cool spot to hang out. Pool bar was open and not at all busy. The crew looked like they were fishing in the pool with their yellow slickers and nets – really?

I know we had lunch on deck 10, lots to drink at various bars as we explored the ship, a fabulous dinner in the dining room, a brief rally in the casino (I lost), but all I really recall was our sail away as we passed rocky cliffs and saw swarms of Kittiwake gulls circling and covering them.

Next morning was our day at sea as we headed to the Hubbard Glacier. We crossed through some pretty bumpy water overnight and the day started cold and rainy again. Darn, where was that great weather from Seward?

Below decks we had a chance to do the galley tour along with nearly everyone else. Wow, what a big operation behind the scenes.

Our approach in toward the glacier was filled with glacial ice and the captain had to make his way gingerly through the icefield. But the colors of the floating ice were a treat, with the deep blue indicating the oldest, most compact glacial ice and black/grey stripes containing rocks and sediment. We did have a nice long look at the Hubbard Glacier as the ship spun around and the rain stopped for a bit. Some of us saw some of the “calving” – chunks of ice breaking off the front.

Heading inside to warm up, we discovered the poolside grill had great burgers and really good fries. Jeff and Vic opted for the Alaskan Crab Feast while watching the glacier and we all found out that Alaskan Brewing White and Amber ales were a good choice with lunch.

After a bit, it was time to head out to Juneau and hopefully better weather.

Yep, about that weather. Jackie and I had a morning excursion by helicopter to several glaciers and a dogsledding trip, so we were up and off the ship early. Just one thing though, the low cloud cover and drizzle meant our helicopter tour was cancelled, no chance at a re-booking later in the day. Drats. We wandered around town a bit, checking Alaskan Brewing (which was only their storefront), the Red Dog Saloon, complete with sawdust on the floors, then decided plan B would be to book a whale watching excursion.

So that afternoon we went on our whale watch, Jeff and Vic went on theirs and we all met back at the ship to trade stories and sightings. One added benefit was a trip through town, a loop in front of the Mendenhall Glacier and an eagle-filled marsh as we made our way to and from Auke Bay, the excursion harbor.

Each of us got to see humpback whales blowing, diving (with great looks at their hump) and tailing. Several whales and some good sightings. Jeff and Vic also saw sea lions piled on a channel marker. It turned out to be a good afternoon.

We really wanted to take the Tramway to the top of Mt. Roberts, but the cloud cover just made that unrealistic. Another great meal in the dining room, fancy desserts for Father’s Day, visits to the Martini Bar and we were off to Skagway.

It had been a great cruise so far, and more adventures lay ahead. Stay tuned, the adventure continues …

Part two of our adventure, from Skagway to Vancouver will follow soon. By the way, if you are planning a cruise, give our travel agent Cynthia Long (617-587-6000 x 38584) at CruisesOnly a call. She was a great help booking the trip and getting us some onboard credits and extras. Mention us and we can earn points.

Grand Tetons Moose Hunting

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Doug and Jackie

Smoky in the Tetons

Getting from Yellowstone National Park to Grand Tetons National Park is not really a long drive at all. It took us maybe an hour and a half, through the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway (a link made possible by the family’s donation of land). That meant we actually got here earlier than the Coulter Bay campground wanted us. No problem, we simply unhooked the car, fixed lunch and walked to the camp store and visitor center.

Coulter Bay Camp check-in

Coulter Bay campsite

Once in our pull-thru campsite we actually then took off 30 miles for Jackson, or Jackson Hole (it seems to go by both) to restock on groceries at a beautiful Albertson’s market. The town seems to be trying for a wintertime mecca along the lines of Vail and the Colorado ski towns.

Some of downtown Jackson Hole

One of several elk antler arches

Lots of timber, rock and steel in construction, and a bit pricey around town. Naturally we had to stop in at the local brewery for lunch and a flight. Snake River Brewing was a great spot to hang out.

Snake River Brewing

Jackson’s town square was really cute, with several arches made of elk antlers. Since it sits next to the National Elk Refuge, it plays up the animals.

Visitor Center at National Elk Refuge

The NER visitor center was pretty cool, featuring a herd of elk inside (stuffed), but we didn’t see any on the long drive through the sagebrush flats. One lonely bison, not the large herd we were warned about. A few small groups of pronghorn, that’s all. Once back in camp we reviewed the park literature and maps and plotted out the next 4 days.

Since the Tetons were all but invisible in the smoke of wildfires, we decided the first day should be a local hike around the Coulter Bay area. This is a different sort of National Park, because the whole backdrop of the park is the Tetons – they rise up out of the sagebrush flats and tower over the Snake River, Jackson and Jenny Lakes below. You almost don’t interact with the mountains; you just gaze at them and hike to their base. And if you can’t see them, it diminishes the experience.

Beaver lodge on Heron Pond

Beaver dam … but no beavers active

So our hike took us to Heron Pond and Swan Lake, which were marshy beaver ponds that looked like prime spots for moose. Our goal here in the Tetons is to find moose! The hike was a bit like walking on bowling balls, since the rounded stones are pretty much everywhere, and we did see two beaver lodges and a beaver dam, but no beaver and no moose. Had a nice lunch next to the pond though and then made our way back.

Around Jackson Lake

Jackson Lake shoreline

Whitewater

Next day was to be a big adventure for sure. We had booked a small-boat whitewater rafting excursion on the Snake River and were ready for action. With quick-dry clothing and water sandals on, we joined the others on the school bus and rode the half hour to the drop-off point. We were using Jackson Hole Whitewater Rafting, although there are many other outfitters in town, and the total group was 4 rafts, both small and large. We snapped into our lifejackets, grabbed a paddle, paired up with a family of six (raft of 8), joined our river guide Sky, and set off into the river. Air temp was 80 or so, water was probably 65 degrees. Clear and swift. As we moved along, Sky gave us instructions, we practiced our paddling moves and got into position. Doug and Adam, were the two lead paddlers in the front, Jackie a few spots back. But everyone paddled when told.

And what work it was. Splashing and bouncing our way through some rapids, we paddled, spun around, hit the waves and cheered as we made it through. Soon we got some total dunks and did a high-five with paddles. Ah, but it gets better. Someone could volunteer to “ride the bull” at the very front, one leg in, one leg out, holding tight on a strap. Stuart volunteered first and got some good dunks. About halfway down the 9 mile trip Doug took the front spot and got totally drenched in the Big Kahuna rapids. In truth, the entire raft got doused, Jackie was bounced to the center of the raft and we all were very wet, but excited. Photos were cleverly captured at that spot and they reveal a wild ride and crazy expressions from the crew. What a rush. I highly recommend it.

Moose Hunt

Discovery Center at Grand Teton NP

Thursday was to be an early morning drive to a spot just off the south end of the park where beaver pond marshes were known to have moose. Up at 5:30 a.m. we were off to find those critters for sure. Just past Jackson Lake dam we spotted a beautiful bull elk on the shoulder of the road with a beautiful rack, a female just a bit further – a good sign that we were finally going to see wildlife today.

On the road along the marshes we noticed a Wildlife Management pickup and a ranger in the roadway, which meant something was nearby. Yes, there was a bull moose not far off, sloshing his way through the marsh. We tried to stop for a look, but he waved us on. When we got the chance, we turned back around for another look, but he was moving farther off and out of sight. Darn.

Moose at last!

We found a small parking area, pulled in and followed another group to the bank of a large wetland. We were probably 50 feet above the marsh, so it was a good chance to scan for moose. Nothing. Heading back to the parking lot, we met one of the other couples who had also been scanning the area for moose and they said “you just missed the female and calf …” Really??

Actually, they were still moving along the water’s edge, so we hustled and huffed our way further along to watch them. What fun, as they moved along, in and out of the water, eating the willow shoots and other greens. Junior would stop and look up at the crowd on the hill every once in a while, mom paid little attention. Good day for moose.

Drove back on Moose-Wilson road and were rewarded by a great view (and pic) of the bull moose. Awesome!

We made our way north back into the park, stopped at another beautiful visitor’s center and then to Jenny Lake. The plan was to follow a short hike to the other side of the lake to see Hidden Falls, have lunch and hike back. All the maps had this listed as about a 2.5 mile hike one way, so we were pretty confident it was do-able. It did give us a good look at the mountain peaks, even though still hazy.

Partway along a ranger told us there were moose at Moose Ponds, a short diversion. So of course we had to go, and we got a great look at another female in the pond, munching on something underwater. Her calf was nearby, but we couldn’t see it.

At Moose Ponds, naturally

Back on the main trail it was a definite uphill climb. As I recall, we had gone up almost 700 feet.

A narrow slice across a boulder field was downhill for a bit, with a great view of the lake below, but we knew it would be uphill on the return. Just before the falls we stopped to have lunch and catch our breath.

Little further along, and downhill, we found the falls.

Hidden Falls

Nice, but it was quite the hike to reach. You can shorten the journey by paying for a boat ride across the lake, which we opted not to do (after all, we were tough hikers). But on the way back we were reconsidering the wisdom of that decision.

In fact, it got downright tedious and exhausting as we kept going uphill … until it finally began to slope down toward Moose Pond and finally the parking lot. Checking our fitbits and also Jackie’s phone step tracker, the hike came in at over 10 miles!! Not what we had expected. But we made it, just a bit sore and weary from the effort.

Arriving in camp we were delayed by a mule deer doe and two youngsters, as they crossed the road in front of us. They do have a peculiar “bouncy” way of running. So it really was a good day for critters. Dinner was a quick bite at the lodge restaurant, a couple glasses of wine in the Winnebago to recover and off to bed.

Kodi at the Tetons

That meant the last full day would be restful. We did some laundry, checked the weather and news online, called Dad to review Hurricane Irma evacuation plans and then made some plans for our next destination. It was probably best, since the sky is once again hazy and smoke-filled. You can’t even see the mountains across Lake Jackson, which is right along the campground. They say there is a chance of thunderstorms tonight, but it seems doubtful. Crazy that it is so dry in the upper west and so wet from hurricanes in the south and southeast.

Sunset at the lake

Finally clear on last morning

Tomorrow we break camp and head southeast ourselves, hoping to pass Rock Springs toward Cheyenne. From there it will be one nighters across Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi until we reach Grayton Beach on the panhandle of Florida. Probably won’t be another post until we are in Florida, but I do appreciate that you are following along on the journey.

Stick with us, there is more to come (and one day soon, some video from my gopro)!