Trail Bites

It's harvest season in Alaska.  The salmon are running, wild game are abundant and the berries are bursting with sun-sweetened goodness!  From Anchorage to Cordova we have come across salmonberries, watermelon berries, wild strawberries, low-bush blueberries,...

Matt Shryock and I completed the Link-Up last summer, and I've been meaning to write about it ever since.  It’s coming up to just about a year ago, and Julianne Dickerson, April McAnly, and Abby Jahn’s recent successful sub-24 hour accomplishment reminded me it’s time...

Yesterday, we started at around 11:00 am to complete the Bomber Traverse from the Mint Glacier to the Reed Lakes trailhead.  The weather was cool and compliant which permitted our esteemed guest, Major the Mountain Dog to join. We set out a good clip and made our way...

(Adam launching over Matt on their way to 3rd and 4th in last year's Mount Marathon) Mount Marathon is a terrifying race.  Every year, hundreds of men and women from around the world gather in the small town of Seward for the Fourth of July ritual.  The mountain rises...

Powerline Pass is a staple thoroughfare in the Chugach Front Range and offers access to an array of scenic hikes and peaks.  The trail starts at Glen Alps parking lot and borders the north aspect of a ridge of mountains arising from Flat Top and terminating at...

Summer in Alaska (longing sigh). A time when the flowers, as well as people, bloom into vibrant and more colorful versions of their wintery selves. Alaskans cherish these summer days with vigor and embrace the many gifts this great state has to offer. To celebrate the...

We awoke to misty, gray morning.  Thick clouds clung to the sides of the summits surrounding the Anchorage bowl and the air felt wet and heavy.  The energy in the house was low despite our effort to resuscitate our moods with liberal mugfuls of caffeine.  After much...

Indian House is an impressive mountain that boarders Falls Creek along the Turnagain Arm.  It is less well-known than many peaks in the Anchorage area, however, it offers an incredibly steep ascent and stunning views of the Cook Inlet, the Kenai Peninsula and the...

Last night, I set out for a casual run with Major at around 9:30 pm from the Upper O'Malley Trailhead.  The late snowfall had dissipated and tiny green shoots of fireweed and lupine were beginning to rise from the thick, brown underbrush.  These subtle harbingers of...

It is May 1st and we are eager to log our first miles for the 100 Miles in May challenge (visit www.healthyfuturesak.com for more information). This event is incredibly fun, encourages exercise and raises money for a fantastic cause. Additionally, it serves as a great...

Penguin Peak garners one of the most spectacular and easy-skiing bowls in the Front Range.  It rises from sea level along the Turnagain Arm and provides a fantastic full day or evening adventure opportunity.  It is important to wait until late-spring after the snow...