17 Days of So Much Fun- Wrangell St. Elias

Day 7-
Another cook day for group 3.  Since it was an early departure of 7:30 we just did toast and cereal.  I can handle these easy cook days.  We were actually ready mostly on time despite having issues getting bathroom time for all of us.  Natalie ended up knocking on the lodge door with her toothbrush in her mouth.  They let her in.

The drive was mostly bumpy road again today, but great views.  The clouds covered the 16,000 footers but the rest of the mountains were pretty.  We stopped for lunch at a road side stop in Chitina.  Thorsten made a spinach salad with tomato, cucumber and feta cheese.  We also had grilled chicken and leftover pasta.

Earlier we stopped in Glenallen for a post office and grocery stop.  When I saw the IGA sign I had to laugh and said something to David.  He made a comment along the lines of wanting to tell someone every time he sees it.  I haven't seen many IGA signs since the one near our high school closed.  I was going to be doing dinner with out Thorsten but David had offered to help.  I quickly found some meat, corn and potatoes for our meal.  Then I worked on snacks for myself.  With prices so high I ended up with a bulk box of trail mix packs and a case of cherry coke.  Then I ran over to Wells Fargo.  I tried to catch up on texts and calls while we had service.

While David was driving I sat up front and chatted with him for a bit.  Ulli came up and talked to us too.  She works in solar power but used to be a landscape designer.  David had to tell me to slow down when talking.  He said even he can't understand me at times.  I thought I was making an effort to be careful, but guess I have to try harder.

As we got into Wrangell we saw a lake with two beavers, a swan and some ducks.  We also stopped at a roadside ice cream and espresso shop.  It was a cute little place.  We lucked out that it was even open.  Another group had called ahead to let the owner know they would be stopping today if she was there.  We caught the tail end of her being open.  I didn't buy any of the ice cream but the others were enjoying it and I got a bite.  Eventually we reached the "end of the Road" campground near McCarthy.  We picked out tents sites and got those set up so half the group could go flight seeing.  Out tent has a great view of the glacier.  I washed our dishes so we could get ready for dinner.  Since it was an area with a high risk for bears we had to go further from the campsites and dig a hole to ditch the dishwash water.  Ugh.  Renee helped me but I'd prefer to skip doing that again.  Time to learn to scrape dishes before washing so we can avoid that mess.  David and I planned a BBQ of steaks, pork, corn on the cob and potatoes.  Since we had some time before starting, Renee and I were working on our journals.  Suddenly, David starts yelling about a black bear on the ridge across the river bed.  I wasn't fast enough with my camera before the bear dropped down behind the hill.  David, Renee, Mary and I took off past our tents with the other tour group camping near us on our trail.  It was a few moments before he appeared again.  This time I got a couple of photos.  I hope he stays on the other side.  There is only a dry river bed between our tents and where he was walking.

Our first black bear sighting.

Our dinner timing was not perfect but the meal was good.  Our neighbors shared some of their leftover baked potatoes which was good since ours weren't done.  After dinner I scrapped the dishes so we wouldn't have to bury our wash water again.  I don't think David was messing with us about burying the water that had a lot of food scraps in it.  Hard to be sure though.  Clean up was faster after dinner since Evie, Mary and Renee all helped with the dishes.

After dinner I hung out in the truck talking to the girls or working on my journal.  It is always entertaining to listen to Evie and Renee.  They also agree I talk too fast so I'll have to work on that.  I blame my time out East where everyone talks faster.  David and Ulli went bear tracking and found fresh piles of bear poop.  It was on the other side of the empty river bed.  I really hope he stays there.  Natalie figures she would sleep right through it even if he came near our tents.  I told her if he comes near ours we'll scream and wake her up.  Time for bed since we have ice climbing tomorrow.

View from our campsite.

Day 8-
Today was the big ice climbing day.  I never considered this activity until I got to Alaska.  David sold it as such a great challenge.  Natalie, Evie and I signed up for climbing, Ulli did the all day glacier hike and the rest signed up for a half day glacier hike.

Our adventure started with a van ride up to the Kennicott area.  It was so full that some guides were sitting anywhere they could safely fit.  We all made it safely.  At the top there was a mob of people filling out forms and paying.  Our group covered our activities for today and the mill tour for tomorrow.  Then we were sent to meet our guides and get our gear.  For climbing we had to have boots, crampons and a harness.  My backpack didn't seem heavy until you added all of that.  Our guide was Bryan D.  He seemed quite young but very knowledgeable.  Besides the three of us girls, we had Martin in our group from one of the other tour companies we'll keep crossing paths with.  Martin is from England.

Somehow when David sold me on this adventure I missed the part about the 4km/2mi hike to the glacier, plus the hike across the glacier in climbing boots and crampons.  It was hell, both parts.  There might have been some internal cussing at David.  None of it was helped by the fact that I was having a bad day with my sinuses and needed to stop a lot to blow my nose.  Hard to do all that and keep up with the group, especially when you already have the shortest legs.  We also layered since we would be on ice, but it made for a long, sweaty, hot hike.  I kept telling myself it would work out and I could do it.  I pretty much had to at that point.  God love Bryan, but I was also starting to doubt his ability to figure out time and distances.  It always seemed to be further than he led me to believe.  Eventually we reached the edge of the glacier where we switched into the climbing boots.  We left our hiking boots behind, turned upside down in case of rain.  After what seemed like forever, we reached our first climbing location.  Walking on a glacier is not easy.  you have to duck walk up hills, baby step down hills and walk like a cowboy on flats so you don't catch a crampon on anything.  Anyway, Bryan took us out further to avoid the hiking crowds.  It didn't work.  Ulli's group came into the area as we finished our lunch and watched Bryan setting up.  They sat down and prepared to watch us climb.  I said no spectators and their guide said they would cheer and jeer.  We told him spectating required that they pay a fee.  Fortunately, Bryan took awhile with set up so they only saw Evie climb before they continued on their hike.  She volunteered to go first.  So our wall started out gradual and got steeper.  When you started needing them you hammer swung the pick into the wall above your shoulder.  Then you follow that with your feet and have to make sure you get the front and 2 side spikes into the ice.  No big deal right?  Sounds easy?  Evie made it look easy.  Martin also made it look fairly easy.  I joked that I would lower the bar for Natalie.  When it was my turn I explained to Bryan that my boss' daughter had an accident at a climbing wall before my trip.  He was nice enough to take the time to explain the knot he was using and why.  Then he showed me how tight it was and how it tightened if I started to slip.  I was still nervous but it helped.  Bryan was very encouraging as I climbed.  I needed it since a couple times I slipped back down a little or lost a grip with toe or pick.  I now know what it feels like to have a dry mouth from fear.  Finally I made it to the top, or so I thought.  Bryan pushed me to go a smidge higher so I could see the glacier flow off in the distance.  Once I could, I told him I was ready to come down.  The view of the Chugatch mountains on the way down was awesome with the clouds and light.  Natalie went last for her climb.  Very impressive for being afraid of heights.  Then we had a choice to climb this wall again, try another sport or climb a moulin.  We voted to try the moulin after Evie did one more climb where we were.  I considered it but wanted energy for the moulin since that is the last place you want to mess up.  Evie took her last climb while I took photos and Natalie and Martin attempted to get the little stove going for hot drinks.  Ulli's guide had left it behind for us along with tea or hot chocolate.  A hot drink on the glacier really helped.

Lake in the glacier.

Preparing to climb.

That's me climbing!

Still can't believe I did it.

I couldn't decide if I would need to pee or not after the first climb.  Natalie joked we needed to be able to say we peed on a glacier and mark it off our bucket list.  I pointed out that it involved taking off the harness.  When we got to the moulin (which only got my vote because it was on the way back to our boots) I decided to take a bathroom break.  Bryan pointed me in some safe directions, which pretty much meant over the hill by us.  I had to wait for a group to get out of sight and a plane to stop flying over.  I can now say I've peed on a glacier.  Before our departure Evie and I had asked Bryan how you went to the bathroom out there.  We were told #1 was no issue but # 2 you either had to pack out or go on a rock that you could throw into a moulin so it would be washed away by the water below.  I told David before we left that if I fell in a moulin to tell mom that I loved her and to have fun making that phone call.  He was not happy with me.

So a moulin is a scary thing to climb.  They actually drop you down in it and then you climb back up.  Below you is what looks like a bottomless crevass with water rushing through.  You have to be tied in with a chest harness so you can't get flipped upside down, since you might not be able to hear your guide giving directions over the water.  And if you fall in, you are done.  It's been nice knowing you.  No big deal.  Three of us opted to only go as far down as needed to see some of the craziness below.  On the video you can hear Bryan ask about lowering me 2 more feet and a long pause before I respond and tell him "one".  It was scary enough looking down.  I made it back up and called it a day.  I had followed Evie who went lower than the rest of us and kept slipping back down.  We'd see a pick come up and then it would disappear.  The ice was harder the further down you went.  I told Natalie if I didn't go next I wouldn't go.  We felt special afterward when Bryan told us there are groups he wouldn't even mention the word "moulin" to.  He said its about personality and skill.  So yeah for us!

Dropping into the moulin.

Coming out of the moulin.

 After that it was time to hike back to our boots and then back to the town.  Yippee.  I struggled across the ice and up the hills for the start of the hike.  Before we reached our boots I caught up to our group and Natalie told me to stick my tongue out at Evie.  I didn't get it at first but figured out she had been making fun of my age and being slow.  That's how I discovered Bryan is almost my age.  He told Evie that to be careful since he was going to take offense since we were close in age.  We reached out hiking boots which were dry despite the rain.  This time on our hike Bryan was kind enough to hang back and chat with me as we went.  He is a snowboarder who took up skiing in the last winter or two.  I also learned on the way back that he guides don't have electricity or running water where they live up here.  Talk about roughing it.  Not sure I could do that and lead groups everyday.

Our ice climbing group.

 I fully admit that today was tough for me.  It was wet, tiring, painful and sometimes hot and other times cold.  I tried to keep the cussing internalized and smiled on the outside.  The beauty of the glacier helped.  It was amazing to see water running in some areas but it was under the ice so you didn't get wet if you stepped there.  It was an adjustment to understand you weren't getting wet feet.  The other bonus was finding out that I climbed a moulin before David who hasn't climbed one yet.  I expect that could change on their next trip.

We were so cold and wet when we got back that we were begging for hot food and didn't want to leave the truck.  The only dry long sleeve t-shirt I had was the new one I bought from the climbing company.  Evie and I traded when we got back so I ended up with green and she got the black one.  David talked us into a photo in front of the truck with our climbing shirts on since he and Natalie have them too.

I didn't think anything but bed would get me off the truck but I was talked into walking to the bar with everyone.  Renee lent me a dry jacket and we headed up.  We were told there was a bear ahead along the path but we didn't see him.  The bar is a very popular place.  One motivation for going was the promise of indoor bathrooms.  The one latrine at the "End of the Road" campground left a lot to be desired.  Although we were entertained by the string that pulled up a flap on the door.  David later explained that in the past it was situated to have a view of the glacier, so you could pull up that board to enjoy the view.  I guess we can buy that explanation.  Anyway, our group squeezed around the "window" between the bar and restaurant.  I drank water since I was do dehydrated.  Everyone else enjoyed beers or hard cider.  The people watching was fun.  Instead of open mic night, they seemed to be having open art night.  They used darts to pin big pieces of paper to one wall.  Some guys painted a cactus.  Another girl was doing a cowboy on a horse, like the WY license plate.  David said he looked like Freddy from the horror movies.  At a big table was all of our guides.  Turns out they were celebrating two members of their group who were leaving for school the next day.  Bryan came over to chat and we introduced him to David.  We had a fun time celebrating our last night in Wrangell-St. Elias.  Just wish I could remember some of our conversations.  They were hilarious.  I was even sober, but my memory is just not that good.

Day 9-
Not too early of a start this morning.  We had to pack up before our mill tour but didn't need to meet the shuttle until 9am.  Last night when I got back to our tent it was half open and there was a gum wrapper on the floor.  I expected to discover that Mary had been dragged off by the bear.  Fortunately, she was still there.  This morning I found her toothbrush when she dropped it outside our tent.  Thanking my lucky stars that the bear didn't smell our tent.  I've seen what a bear did to a log at camp where the kids were spitting their toothpaste. Scary.  Glad the one we saw didn't visit.  Before we left I managed to get a hold of mom for the first time for a few minutes.  It was nice to chat even briefly.

On the way up on the shuttle we saw a black bear eating some berries.  The mill tour took about 2 hours and covered the history of the Kennicott Mine and all of the buildings connected to it.  Very impressive for the early 1900's.  They wasted very little and by the end had a 96% efficiency for getting all the copper.  Our guide was Jess and she had great knowledge of the area.  I was impressed.  At one point David picked up some green and blue copper stones in the gravel and was showing me and Evie.  I joked that it was too bad we were in a National Park.  Then we had to explain to Evie that it's illegal to remove things from our parks.  Something that Jess pointed out to the group a few minutes later.  The thing that amazed me was how much the glacier had changed in the past century.  There are aerial shots of the town but they were taken from the top of the portion of the glacier that ran by the town.  It used to be 200 feet taller than the town.  Now you can look down on the glacier moraine from the town bridge.  After the tour our super leader allowed us time to shop and then catch the noon shuttle down.  It was plenty of time to get me in trouble.  I raced to the visitors center for my park stamp and in this case a book mark since they didn't have a postcard.  Then I ran over to the jewelry store we passed on the tour.  It's in a little shack that doesn't look like much from below.  Doesn't look much better when you go in, but I found the prettiest blue copper and silver earrings.  Since he knicked one with the hammer they were even marked down.  And we discovered that he does take AmEx so those earrings became mine.  On my way back I went into the little gift shop where Jess started our tour.  The girl and I had a nice chat while I looked around.  I ended up with a couple of gifts.  Time to stop!  Some of our group had gone down on the 11:30 shuttle and started lunch.

Bunkhouse (in red), Hospital (in white).

Part of the town.

After lunch it was time to head for Valdez.  We had hoped it would clear up but it was cloudy and gray the whole way.  Ruined quite a few views I believe.  We did see a waterfall and part of a glacier. The new campsite was crowded but we each found a spot for our tent and put it up quickly in the rain.  Mary and I ended up in an alcove of trees.  I was climbing over branches to get stakes in.  It was nice to get a hot shower after almost 3 days of no running water.  I also ran a large load of laundry which meant a few pieces didn't dry very well.  Lots of fun trying to air dry things in the wet weather.  During dinner prep a little black bear came to visit us.  He didn't seem very old or very scared by all of us.  That could be a bad sign for him.

We ate dinner on the truck and hung out there until it was time for bed.  It was much warmer there or the laundry room but we dragged ourselves off to our tents.  We are in for some very populated camping areas going forward.  This will be interesting.