Escape Pod Rambles: Alaska Native Heritage Center and Driving South to Haines

8/29 - 9/7 Alaska Native Heritage Center and Driving South to Haines

Monday was a day of rest and restocking. Of course it was a gorgeous warm day, so welcome after all the rain (rainiest Aug on record here), but it would have been nice to have some of this during Cam's visit.

Matthew hung out at the park while I, trying to fight off a cold, slept in the parking lot

He decided not to go for a hike

Rainbow over Costco

Next day we went to the Alaska Native Cultural Center which had native displays and demonstrations from all across Alaska.

The woman in the red had traditional facial tattoos and in her talk later stated that as she embraced her cultural heritage she sought out someone who would tattoo her like her grandmother had been. As a result she started a trend of younger women getting traditional tattoos. We have seen young women with them throughout our time in this region. They signify rites of passage - initial ones when girls come of age, then for marriage, births, etc

Demonstration of games played to teach skills and strength needed in hunting and living traditionally. The teams compete at the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. The ball is raised after each athlete tries to hit it.

Lodging and community spaces from different cultures in Alaska, each adapted to the climate and building material available in their area

The one above had this traditional escape exit up and out the back

Traditional watercraft of the Unangax and Aluitiiq peoples

Carved oil lamps, atlatls, and bowl

Traditional visor hat for use on the qayaks

Whale bones

Whale jaw bones

Modern sculpture

Began our drive south and saw a filed of yaks

And another of musk ox

Stopped back at the river near Chickaloon for the night and ended up spending 3 as I recovered from a cold

The Matanuska River, a glacial river with lots of ground rock "flour" and the King River converged at our campsite - we loved the color differences

Charming Chickaloon Post Office, open from 11 - 4. Had a community bulletin board and little library in the after hours side

This, our third drive on the Glenn Highway, was the clearest but we were amazed at how much the foliage (and temps) had changed in a week. Autumn is in full swing and I am in love with the golds and russets

Especially on the tundras

Good advice

Outside the Wrangall St Elias National Park visitors center

We decided not to hike this trail

But we did cross this stream

And this one

Burial site alongside the road

Stayed in the free NP campsite and tried to stay warm drinking a hot tea by the fire

Airstrips are wherever there is a long and flat enough spot

Spent the night in Tok after I left my phone in the library overnight. But we were rewarded with our first view of the Aurora Borealis! TBH, the colors only show up like this in the photos, they were much more muted in person. They also shifted and moved much more quickly than we thought they would

My sourdough starter is doing its job!

Beaver Creek, Yukon Catholic Church built from a Quonset hut left over from the highway build

Trumpeter swans

Our boondocking site on the Donjek River in the Yukon. It was so lovely that we stayed 2 nights

First night's view of the St Elias Mountains

This driftwood pile included part of a house

Next day's view was clearer

Final morning's view was clearest, and coldest, yet. Frost on the windows when we awoke

Kluane National Park and Preserve, home of the Dán people. This lake is drying up because the glacier that feeds it has shifted in such a way that it now feeds a different river.