Hatcher's Pass - May 8, 2013

Today was one of those days that give you the hope of summer... We got off of work and knew that it was too nice out to just head home. So we headed up to Hatcher's Pass, which is beautiful any time of year. Rather than comment on each picture, I'll just let you enjoy the view. And remember you can click on them to make them bigger.

Another Beautiful Winter Day in Alaska at Matanuska Lake

We've had a fairly mild winter. We got some snow, but no where near as much as we got last year. We've had a few cold, windy spells which is typical.
But now that it's early March our thoughts turn to spring and then hopefully summer. The weather this weekend quickened those thoughts even more. It was gloriously sunny and warm.

 It was a perfect time to do some geocaching. The caches we were after are on the far side of Matanuska Lake. There's a trail that takes you around the lake, but since there's 5 feet of solid ice on the lake, it's easier to cut just straight across.

We weren't the only ones on the lake. There was plenty of families enjoying some ice fishing.

The valley is famous for it's winds, but there wasn't even a breeze blowing today.

Matansuka Lake is part of the Matanuska Lake State Recreation Area which contains 349 acres and multiple lakes. The lakes are located in depressions (old glacial crevasses) in between moraine ridges (eskers) formed by glaciers 30,000 years ago. The trails connect to the rest of the MatSu Greenbelt with over 30 miles of trails.

While on Matanuska Lake you'd never guess you are less than mile from two of Alaska's busiest highways and surrounded by a population of over 80,000 people.

 You are also surround by the mountains of the Chugach Range. Most prominent at 6,400 feet is Pioneer Peak.

 This weekend was also the start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. For me, this marks the end of winter. Once the dogs head for Nome, I'm looking for spring to start springing. Winter is great, but after 6 months of it, I'm gettin' ready for summer.

Last Winter's Snow

I was going through the pictures on my iPhone and realized I had quite a few showing the vasts amounts of snow that we got last winter. So far this year we've only had an inch or so that quickly blew away.

I love this view of the snow on the trees. Usually the wind blows so much in the Valley that this doesn't happen.

The wife hiding in the trees.

The bridge across the Wasilla Creek on the Palmer Hay Flats.

Near the UAF Experiment Farm off of the Glenn Highway

A moose calf walking through the parking lot at work

Our deck after a snowfall.

The snow berm that built up from me shoveling the driveway.

The morning sunrise through the trees off of our deck.

The Old Glenn Highway bridge over the Matanuska River

I believe this is Matanuska Peak.

Ice along the Matanuska River

Snow along the Little Susitna River.

Looking up into Hatcher's Pass

Standing at the Scout Ridge Overlook looking out over the Palmer Hay Flats and the Chugiak Mountains beyond.