The drive down the Seward Highway through the Kenai Peninsula is known as the prettiest drive in Alaska. The beginning of the drive takes you along the Turnagain Arm which is flanked by a fast moving tidal system on one side and steep mountain peaks on the other.... 

Happy 18th anniversary to my husband, who in the midst of "peak fever" convinced me to climb Falls Mountain.... the very, tippy top...

Read more about this epic (mis)adventure below!
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​Alaska is such an abstract concept to people in the lower 48. It holds dreams of epic landscapes, freedom and independence, and grit and challenge. It embodies all that you dream of being able to do, all you dream you might be capable of fulfilling. It holds a revered place in our hearts and minds....

​In the outhouse overlooking Twin Lakes, Gary TItus has put a series of comic strips depicting various Alaskan backcountry humor, mostly about bears. Gary has been bluff charged over ten times and survived an attack by a grizzly about a 10 minute walk from where I sit now....

​When I think I on my time in the true wild of Alaska- 28 miles by float plane to the next signs of civilization- I ask myself what it was I was looking for and whether or not I found it. What was it I was seeking exactly? I think it is what Dick Proenneke and all of those called to Alaska are searching for.

The best way I have to explain it is to use what I found here....

​Last weekend was a big reminder of one of the most frequent backpacker experiences out there…. Rounding the corner after slogging all day only to discover that that primo, dreamed about, fantasized about all day site has been settled into by another backpacker. (Cue the let down sounds: whaaannt…whannnnt…whaannnnnt.)
Ugh! Immediately the second guessing begins. If only we hadn’t stopped for donuts. If we had left earlier. If we had hiked faster. If we had gone Friday instead of Saturday… and on and on and on. And it never fails that the sun is setting pristinely over the horizon and the glow off their tent is just right....

​There are certainly numerous ways to go about this, here’s what works for us.
Pack -The first thing to consider is what kind of pack do you need. Backpacks are sized by volume, so you need to know how many days you plan to be out on average so that you have the space you need. Most beginners  start with a 3-4 night range, but this is also the time when you tend to over pack and bring everything plus the kitchen sink. My advice is to get a pack rated for 5-7 nights. You can always not fill it up. Also, you want to stay within the 20% of your body weight ratio when your pack is full. If you are a small person or out of muscular strength, you’ll be happier with a lighter pack. Remember water will be your heaviest item.