Heading South for the Day: Portage Glacier and Alyeska

While Grayson finished up his last full day of play practice we went south to let the girls see a glacier and to get high on the mountain again.  We got to Portage Glacier and toured the visitors center before reading out on the Portage Glacier cruise.  The cruise is narrated and lasts about an hour on Portage lake.  Portage Lake was formed as the glacier retreated and is land bound and about 300 feet deep.  We did not see the glacier calve.

Byron Glacier

Friday Fling with Balto (BBQ and Fried Pies too)

Kayaking at the visitors center.

Relaxing on the way to the Glacier.

At the top of Alyeska via the tram.

Portage Glacier

Portage Glacier

Looking down from tram on Alyeska.

Looking back at Cook inlet from Alyeska.

Celebrating Gs birthday (two weeks too late, he picked the date because Mom was out of town)

Portage Glacier

Jamaal: G's day as the villain in Summerstock.

While Honey and the girls were here, Grayson had his summer class at Valley Performing Arts.  This is his second year working with them and he loves.  Summer is the perfect time for him to indulge in this passion because it does not effect school work.  This year he was cast as the villain Jamaal in Abracadabra Alladin. He was very excited to have guests here to watch him perform and was worried about perfecting his villainous laugh mwuhahaha.  We were luck to have friends in the play too.  It was outstanding work after two weeks of half day camp and we are very proud of him.

Little Miller's ice cream to celebrate the performance.

Jamaal with his director:  Kai West.

Jamaal

Jamaal's fan club.

Cast and Crew.

Hiking our Favorite Place

The girls decided to have a little hiking and adventure so we headed to our favorite place, Hatcher Pass.  We started up one trail and realized it was going to be too slick (a rare occurrence this summer); so we defaulted to my very favorite trail - Hatch Peak.  The girls were a little apprehensive at first but quickly took to the trail.  The first part is a series of switchbacks that have a steep drop off to the side.  Then the trail levels out around a series of tarns (mountain lake hidden in a cirque formed by a glacier).  After that, it's a steep ascent up the side of the cirque to the ridge line where the views are outstanding.  The spruce beetle destruction is evident on the Willow side of the pass.

Pausing at a shelter near the top.  Independence Mine is in the valley behind them.

Traversing the ridgeline.

Sometimes you feel like you are on top of the world (Chase).  We also had some really cool cloud formation.

About half way, near the lake with the ridgeline they climbed behind them.

On Lion King rock after the Hatch Peak summit.

After the switch backs, with Willow behind them. 

Working our way down the ridgeline.

Watching the clouds quickly form.

Kate's on top of the world.

Traversing the ridgeline.

Stopping to enjoy the view.

A Couple of Wild Days with our Nieces and Honey

Our niece Kate is a big animal fan and a volunteer at her home town zoo.  We took a trip into Anchorage to visit the Alaska Zoo.  It has been a while since we have been there and there is a new entrance but the basics of the zoo are the same.

Chase's Mom had specifically told her no moose selfies, but this one is just a baby and  it's behind a cage.

We got to watch the snow leopards guard their food from each other and come close to the fence.

What about a selfie where you are the moose?

Brown bear.

The next day, we decided to build on their love of animals.  First, we stopped at the Iditarod National Headquarters.  At the headquarters, there is an opportunity to go for a short ride in a cart pulled by sled dogs.  There is also the opportunity to meet some of the puppies.  We had a hard time convincing everyone that the pups didn't need to come home with us.  A tour bus pulled in and we decided it was time to go.

Riding on the "sled" behind the dogs.

Puppies!

Mush! Gee. Haw....for about two minutes.

The puppies were sleepy.

Puppies

We hopped in the car and headed across town to the Williams Reindeer Farm.  The boys and I visited the farm years ago around the Christmas holiday but this was our first summer visit.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in Alaska mammals.  Another tour bus arrived so we skipped the slideshow and got on a small private tour with us and just and another families.  While we waited for the tour we got to visit with the farm bunny, chickens, and kitten.  Then it was in to the reindeer pen.  The reindeer are somewhat determined to gather the feed cups for you to hand-feed them, however, as soon as they know you know longer have food, they loose interest in you.

Kate gave this guy exercise and lead him around the pen.

The next part of the tour took us to visit the moose.  After some coaxing he stood up and we were able to feed him and Kate, Chase, and Grayson got a kiss.  We then took time to visit the bison and elk.  Finally, we embarked on some feats of strength.  I think Chase won.

This selfie is ok?  Right mom?

Moose kiss.

Family photo in front of the antler arch.

Chase's turn for a kiss.

Grayson said feats of strength are difficult.  How do moose walk around with these things on their head?

Elk.

Kate's kiss.

Landon was a close second in the feat's of strength.