June 17, 2024, Updated
Last week we
were able to have dinner with Kathy and Greg from Hudson who are in town for
the week. We took them to Peanut Farm
and ate at a table overlooking Campbell Creek.
Pat’s salad with salmon was not good.
The next night we took them to the patio at Lakefront on Spenard Lake
watching float planes take off and land.
They are staying at the Clarion downtown Anchorage.
Chuck and
Pat went to Seward on June 15, Saturday. Father’s Day Weekend. There is still a lot of
high snow and some lower snow especially in Turnagain Pass. The day is sunny and varies between high 50’s
and high 70’s with no humidity. On our
way we stopped in Moose Pass for their annual Solstice celebration. It sits in a tight valley with high peaks and
a large, emerald green Trail Lake. This
is small town celebration with a three-vehicle parade, some vendor tents, the
annual T-shirt and hat sale and limited menu grilled food, able to watch them
cook. A separate beer tent was well
monitored and regulated. A bandstand
with all day music was being set up. The
Bake Sale had delicious chewy ginger cookies and strawberry/rhubarb coffee
cake. We visited the little general
store with a small historical section and limited sale items.
Lovely views
in the sun all the way. Drove back to
Exit Glacier to the viewpoint that has views of braided river and the full face
of the glacier. A new KOA campground
sits right across from the river and looks very nice. There is purple/white wild lupine and golden
dandelions, Ak state colors. FYI, there
are nice restrooms at the visitor’s center, a little-known secret. Drive past shoreline downtown campgrounds
that are gearing up for the weekend.
Lots of tents. We drive past the
historic Telegraph House. We rented the
house a few years ago for a family weekend.
The pictures in this blog show the incredible transformation of the
exterior. Don’t know what they did in
the interior which was dated but clean and comfortable. Housing in Seward it going through the roof. Head out toward Lowell Point and the big slide
area that has been repaired but still ominous in potential. We see a humpback spouting. It appears to be a juvenile male and seems to
like the bay off Miller’s Landing near Lowell Point. ML has a small lodge and nice campground with
beach access. There is a covered veranda
with picnic tables and we sit in two rocking chairs watching the sunny day with
blue water, the whale swimming in front of us.
The Miller ferry takes people across the bay for camping and
cabins. We stop downtown to visit
favorite locally owned gift shop; the teacher who works in Northway during the
school year and in the shop in summer.
She is local moved there in the 70’s, her father owned the drugstore
across the street. She brings authentic
and high quality handmade native items from Northway and Yukon areas. We have a brief app and beer on the big
corner patio. The rockfish bites were
delicious. Starts to rain but clears
once we are out of T Pass. Moose Pass
celebration is in full swing. Stop at
Double Musky for dinner. It’s packed but
able to be seated quickly. Pat with
coconut salmon, just okay, and app of pepper steak, rice and roll. Chuck with huge prime rib, scallop stuffed
mushrooms app. Chuck double musky pie,
excellent. Pat rhubarb custard,
excellent. Home in the sun.
Sunday, June
16, Off to Hatcher Pass. Sunny and
warm. Stop at Eagle River part Visitor
Center. Bears are on the prowl,
approaching hikers. We view the exhibits
and move on. Chuck bought a state park
pass so entrance fees are free. We head
up to Hatcher Pass. A moose is munching
along the road. The Little Su River is
beautiful cascading down into the high rock valley. With elevation change we move into early
spring. The mine is closed for two more
days. The road to Summit is closed until
July 4. There is still a fair bit of low
snow and it’s crowded with hikers on all slopes. A parasailer is overhead. We walk over to the Lodge and sit on the deck
for a snack. They have painted and
re-roofed most of the buildings. Looks
like they may have built more cabins.
Stopped back in Palmer for a refreshment at Matanuska Brewing. Arrived home in sunny weather.
Monday,
today Chuck is golfing in sunny warm weather.
He called early and got a 9:15AM place, renting a cart. Pat to pick him up and have refreshment on
the deck.
Enjoying
several days of lovely sunny, warm weather.
Long may it last!
