MagnusAndCheryl in Alaska - Heading to the Artic Circle and back

(May/June 2006)

Alaska - land of the Midnight Sun and site of our push to the northernmost point in our trip, the Arctic Circle.

This huge, primal land contains vast wilderness, teeming wildlife and the rugged, pioneer spirit of those who live in such an extreme environment.

Alaska Fast Facts:
Best Thing:	Kayaking beneath a calving glacier
Worst Thing:	Total exhaustion on Denali wilderness hike
Big Surprise:	Weird physiological reactions to 24 hour sunlight
Fun Fact:	Great Britain fits into Alaska more than 8 times!

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Up the Inner Passage

Rather than an obscure medical procedure this describes a ferry trip from Seattle to the Alaskan state capital, Juneau through the Inner Passage - the islands and fjords of south-eastern Alaska.

With no cabins on board, we unsheathed our all-weather sleeping bags and slept out on the deck!

As there is no road access to many settlements, boat and bush plane provide the only access for many communities.

Multicultural Alaska

Though now part of the U.S., Alaska has a history of settlement by Norwegians, Russians (who sold Alaska for a paltry $7 million back in 1867 before oil was discovered) and native tribes such as the Athabaskans and Inuit (Eskimos to you and me) stretching back thousands of years.

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Kung Fu Face Off - Magnus (a.k.a. Charging Mule) vs. Mendenthal Glacier

Intoxicated by the excitement of a first ever glacier sighting, Magnus challenges the mighty structure to 1-2-1 combat. The glacier responds to his Shining Fist with a classic riposte - Immovable Ice.

Citing the glacier's retreat, Magnus claims victory (a phenomenon later attributed by scientists to global warming...).

South Sawyer Glacier

A riot of ice calves into the frozen waters of the Tracy Arm Fjord from the Sawyer Glacier, creating giant iridescent blue icebergs.

The melting of ice fields across the Arctic is indisputable - Sawyer Glacier has retreated more than a mile in the last 5 years.

Worse still, if projections on global warming are realized and ice caps melt, the North Atlantic Gulf Stream will divert causing EVEN COLDER AND WETTER weather in Scotland, so worldwide action required - NOW!!

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The Alaska Railroad

In the shadow of Denali, North America's highest peak, we headed north on one of the few overland transports - the Alaska Railroad.

Into The Wild

In the vast expanse of Denali National Park, we charged with characteristic determination and comical lack of preparation (no compass, no working campstove) into the wilderness.

In that unforgiving terrain we forded wild rivers, dodged hungry grizzly bears, scaled forbidden snow-capped mountains, fought through thick brush and generally suffered in the cause of getting back to nature.

A transcendentally tough experience that set Cheryl thinking of a spin-off website - www.magnusbrokecheryl.com!

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Hot Springs Pro Quo

As every thorn has its rose, every wilderness has its hot spring!

The punishments of the backcountry are forgiven as Cheryl kicks back and soaks up the geothermal delights of Chena Hot Springs.

Go North, Young Man

Following the path of the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline that carves a path into the Arctic, we drove to the northernmost point of our trip.

Passing the Arctic Circle, we stopped north of appropriately-named Coldfoot and generally got disoriented under the body-clock-bendingness of the Midnight Sun.

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The South West

Having frozen ourselves in the Arctic, we headed swiftly south and found a totally different environment of lush wildflowers, glacial lakes and gorgeous mountains in the Kenai peninsula, south of Anchorage.

Outraged!

The first of a series of caption competitions during this trip.

A special prize for the best response. Please enter your offerings on the guestbook - and remember, folks, this is a family show! ;o)

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Something Fishy Is Going On

Homer (doh!) is the halibut fishing capital of the world, with specimens up to 500lb in weight (that's 3 Magnuses!).

Given the nautical theme, it was apt that the local pub (the Salty Dog) was built under a lighthouse. When the light is on, beer is being served (we tested this thoroughly)!

Sea Kayaking to a Glacier

In the remote Katmai Peninsula we took to sea kayaks and paddled out amongst inquisitive seals, sea otters, orcas and icebergs, reaching a forbidding glacier that shed thunderous sheets of ice into the sea around us.

After 10 hours on the water, we were totally spent!

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click for larger image	click for larger image	click for larger image	A Wildlife Wonderland Alaska exceeded every expectation in the wildlife we hoped to see. In our time there we saw a majestic bald eagle perched on a glacier, hump-backed whales sounding, fearsome orca pods circling, a grizzly bear sow leading her three cubs through a valley, big-horned Dahl sheep and even a moose giving birth to a new calf. Numerous puffin, sea lions, seals, wolf, owl chicks, beaver and sea otters also checked us out as we traveled. The only thing we missed seeing was a leaping salmon, being caught by a grizzly bear, being swallowed whole by an orca - surely not too much to ask?!
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