Every now and then we encounter stories of the big gold rush and old gold mines. But there are also a few active mining areas and gold panning is a hobby for many americans. So we decided to visit Crow Creek Mine and learn how to pan for gold. After a short introduction we were equipped with pans, shovels, buckets, practice dirt (with some gold flakes in it) and ambition we went down to the creek.
Some hours later truth struck: it was hard work for only 1 flake out of the creek. Still Barbara wasn’t disappointed and set a gold pan on our shopping list.
It starts to rain. The bike and the canoe stay where they are, we change plans and drive out to the City of Kenai. After some exploring we found out, that there isn’t much to explore. After spending the afternoon in supermarkets and outdoor shops we tried to find a pretty spot along the coast. Surprisingly we found a parking lot and a beach full of campers. What was going on here?
On our walk at the beach we saw wooden poles sticking out of the sand with ropes leading to the mud (it was low tide at this point). We talked to some campers and we found out, that this was one of the few places, where alaskan’s are allowed to fish with nets. With the high tide the nets were tied to the ropes and were pulled back in with ATVs. Like this, the fishermen we talked to could catch 124 salmon in a long weekend! It must be spectacular.
Unfortunately the next really high tide was next day in the afternoon, and we didn’t wanna wait that long.
Just in time for the next big rain shower we arrived in Seward, another coastal town. Here too, we tried to stay dry by doing some souvenir shopping and we spend some time in the lobby of the campground. Luckily the weather report doesn’t look so bad.
Next morning we paddle out into the resurrection bay. The water was very clear and very cold. We enjoy the beautiful scenery and learn how to get in to a canoe or kajak alaskan style: set the canoe on a sandy beach, sit in it on dry land, wait a few minutes and the canoe will be surrounded by water, after e few more minutes you float and you’re ready to go. The tides come and go incredibly fast!
Friday was a Highlight day: The moment for my birthday present from Barbara was here. We drove to Moose Pass with it’s lake and it’s floatplanes. We climb into the old Cessna and get a safety briefing. We all wear our life jackets and know now where to find the survival kit, so we were ready to go. Quickly we are over the snow capped mountains. For one hour we fly over glaciers, mountains, ice fields… simply amazing! To soon we are back and on the ground.
The destination for the afternoon was again a lake. This time we paddled 4.5km across the lake and enjoyed the view on the portage glacier. On the way back we try to use the wind to take us further – at least a bit an energy saver after all the headwind on our way out.
Back at the parking lot we were just putting our stuff back in the van, when we heard a loud cracking. 200 meters further down the highway we saw a dust cloud. After a few seconds we realize, that a truck had broken through the barricade on the highway and was lying now on the side next to the lake! Together with two other paddlers we hurry to help the driver. He was very lucky and had only a head wound and a big shock. While 911 is called and traffic is being stopped, we are happy, that the driver is more or less ok, and that his load – that now is floating in the lake – was only ice.
A little bit further up the road there is the Alyeska Resort, which is Alaska’s only bike park. Of corse I took the chance and went to explore the trails. Most of them are unfortunately still closed because of snow.
In the evening we arrived just in time at the Turnagain arm to see the bore tide. Today the high tide should be a big show. Locals tell us about a big wave spanning over the whole bay. Still the water is calm with a little current. Far away we see first small waves out in the bay and all of a sudden the water is one big whirlpool. Current is strong in every direction, huge whirlpools start to form, water rises… The force of nature is clearly visible. No huge wave but still really impressive.
We take the same road off the Peninsula as we came in and head back to the mainland. We pass by Anchorage and head up North, where we wanna take the „Top of the World Highway“ to cross the border one last time. We heard only good things about this „scenic byway“ and expectations are big! Next destination: Chicken, Alaska
written by Nick