At play where the midnight sun holds court
This is the second post in a series of posts about our southwest trip during Winter ’22 with our 6-week-old daughter. The rest of the posts can be found in order below: New Beginnings and Horizons To the Desert We Go Around San Rafael Swell Hole in the Rock and National Park Foibles Above the … Read more
As far as trips and outdoor adventures go, this past summer was very tame. Dry conditions made way for plenty of fire activity around the state and with it, the ensuing smoke. Smoke filled the Tanana Valley from early June to about mid July, many days making Fairbanks the worst town on the planet with … Read more
“Winter storm warning in effect for mountains in San Diego County. Heavy showers and hail expected with 6-12 inches of snow in the mountains, 18 inches expected at higher elevations. Travel not advised. “ Alana and I had made our way south to California for a mid-winter respite. After visiting with family and attending my … Read more
Alana and I recently watched the movie, Dark Waters, which follows a lawyer, Rob Bilott, as he discovers (and eventually fights for) the plight of the town’s residents of Parkersburg, West Virginia against the problems caused by PFAS that originated from the local DuPont plant. Alana had been aware of the chemical issue for a … Read more
In 1915, Frank Glaser arrived at the Port of Valdez in the Territory of Alaska. He had heard much about the grand adventures and plethora of wild animals found within the state and wanted to check things out for himself. With no commercial services offering transport on the rough summer trail to Fairbanks, Glaser decided … Read more
Day by day winter slowly envelops the land. The last of the leaves drop off the trees, snow slowly accumulates and temperatures drop while darkness takes over. Each day we lose 7 minutes of light, nearly an hour per week. It feels like just yesterday that I was walking outside in the light near 11 … Read more
After moving to Fairbanks in late 2017, I struggled to find something that I actually wanted to do. During the winter, I intermittently helped with small aspects of research projects at the University and also returned to guiding tours, spending long days driving guests up to the Arctic Circle. As I settled into Fairbanks, I … Read more
Building a Home Part 1: Background and Framing As summer transitioned into fall, the rains continued. I tried to cover the site as best as I could, but plenty of water managed to pour down from the tarps and onto the floor inside. I would need dry weather to begin work on the roof and … Read more
In August, Alana and I participated in the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic. I for the second time and Alana for her first. It was the first time in all of these events that I set out to go with someone else. The experience would be and was far different than when I first participated in … Read more
I wrote the following essay for the January 2019 edition of Alaska Magazine. Each paw is carefully placed atop the snow, allowing silent movement as he prowls around willow thickets or narrow trails through the forest. While his eyes scan the surrounding vegetation, his ear’s stand above his head, ready to pick up the slightest … Read more