A short Alaska pic thread
 

OK, maybe not so short, but I did keep the pics small. I tried to pick out a variety of photos that show a lot of scenery and cool activities.

Soooo.....here it is: I spent most of the summer as part of a gold exploration project in Nyac, Alaska, where I was supposed to be the GIS Dude/Data Manager/Fix-It Monkey. By the end of things I ended up as the camp/logistics manager instead, but all that meant was less time in the field and more headaches.

To get to Nyac, we took smaller
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho.../beech1900.jpg

and smaller planes to get there.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho.../cessna207.jpg


It was pretty snowy at the beginning, but that melted within two-three weeks.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho.../snowyhelo.jpg


Everything had to be flown in, from generator/helo fuel to ice cream to drilling equipment to wood screws.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...godelivery.jpg


We lived in a small ~26-man camp adjacent to a long-established placer-mining operation, about 7 miles from the start of our project area up in the hills.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/camp.jpg


We were collecting geology data through a soil/rock sample program,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...ttymapping.jpg


and a drilling program.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...y/drillrig.jpg


Everything in the field was supported by helicopter, with soil crews commuting to work every day,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...y/soilhelo.jpg


and the drill operation getting moved between holes. No denying that there were some "exciting" moments.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...ry/rigmove.jpg


We saw bears almost every day,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...ry/grizzly.jpg


had moose around the camp,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/moose.jpg


and even did some fishing.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...y/grayling.jpg


Later in the season we supplemented our diet with lots of blueberries...
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...lueberries.jpg


...while the mosquitoes were trying to eat us every second of every day.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/bugs.jpg


But, as fun as all this sounds, it was pretty darn tiring and involved a lot of rainy weather.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...scottyrest.jpg


So, once the project was done and the last cargo plane left,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/c130.jpg


myself and two other guys from "Outside" decided to take a little road trip before flying home. We rented a gangsta-mobile in Anchorage, bought some cheap camping gear, and headed out.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...ooptywagon.jpg


First, we went to Seward...
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/seward.jpg


...where we saw Bald Eagles,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/eagle.jpg



Sea Lions gorging on salmon,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...ry/sealion.jpg



Mountain Goats,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/mtgoat.jpg


and ice fields spawning glaciers.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...xitglacier.jpg


While there, we got one nice weather day, so we took a 9-hour "glacier cruise"...
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/cruise.jpg


...with Humpback whales,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/whale.jpg


more Sea Lions,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...y/sealions.jpg


Puffins,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...ry/puffins.jpg


and of course, glaciers.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...ry/glacier.jpg


Outstanding scenery.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...bigglacier.jpg


After blowing that chunk of change, we turned back north and drove up around through Palmer, up the Matenuska Valley, past Glenallen, and down a 60mi dead-end dirt road to McCarthy/Kennicott, where we poked around this old ghost town/copper mine.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho.../kennicott.jpg


Next stop was Valdez, and we set up camp at midnight during a record-setting 2in.+ rain shower. The next day we hung out...
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/valdez.jpg


...and did some fishing...
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/short_story/salmon.jpg


before getting on the road back to Anchorage. Along the way, the weather broke, and we got to see waterfalls,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...waterfalls.jpg


mountains,
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho.../mountains.jpg


and more glaciers, before we had to get back on the plane and fly to places where summer still reigned.
http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho.../matenuska.jpg

Totally bundled up, but still wearing shorts. Gotta love it.

I like the part where you fly ice cream into alaska. :p Did you get some Choco Tacos at least?

Amazing... I really want to go there. America is the best/most beautiful country that I've ever been in.

awesome thread, the pictures are top-notch!!

Amazing scenery pics. Sounds like a blast :)

Mmmmmm Adding Alaska to my places to visit. It's soooooo beautiful. The scenery dwarfs people.

Thanks for putting that together Scotty, I realy enjoyed looking at those shots. you look like you had an awesome adventure

That's amazing dude! Some of those pics are simply breathtaking! Jealous... [points to self]

You guys would make real hard gansters. Sweet pics Scotty.

Wow!

You totally look like you're about to get munched by a glacier in this pic. :lol:

http://scottystrachan.com/alaska/sho...ry/glacier.jpg

Those pics are great.

Excellent, thanks for sharing your adventures. Did I miss mention of nearly 23hr long days, sun not setting until 2am?

What kind of bears?

I lived near Fairbanks for 2 years, while I was in grade school. I remember fishing for pike, the mosquitos!, moose wandering by the playground, lots of frozen days when you dared not touch metal with your bare hands. I highly recommend a visit to Alaska.

Glad y'all like the pics --- best ratio of good/bad photos I've had in a while.

Debbie --- mostly curious/annoying/more dangerous Black bears around camp, but we did see a few big Browns in the field and at the airstrip. Living there over the winter would be pretty brutal, but I'd try it once I think. Long days were there, even though we were not very far north...