The family and I hiked Portage Pass today. This is the was a close as I could get to the glacier without getting all wet.
Dry creek bed along Emerald Creek trail.
Found a nice spot to rest while on our hike of Emerald Cove Trail.
close up of a small section of the forest floor. In this picture are ferns, moss, and watermelon berries.
Seagull surveying the creek as it stands over a dead pink salmon.
Stopped at this little no name lake to capture an image of the setting sun along the Glenn Highway.
Another interesting find that caught my eye while hiking Winner creek trail. I found it interesting because of all of the plant life that calls the base of this tree home. As i was crouched down I was amazed at the detail of all the tiny plants.
Beginning of Winner Creek Trail
The beginning of Winner Creek Trail, starting from Alyeska hotel.
Hikers climbing the switch back trail to April Bowl in Hatcher Pass, AK
Sitting on the dock of Lake Spenard watching the sunset over Lake Hood.
This spot where I'm standing is normally a decent sized lake. With the lack of rain this summer the lake is completely gone.
A small stair case wategrfall located along Emerald Cove trail in Whittier, Alaska
Pink salmon stranded in very little water, They are so determined to get to the spawning gound that they don't notice the receding tide.
The first glacier you see as you leave the Whittier harbor is Billings Glacier.
The small creek that feeds Emerald cove in Whittier. Salmon spawn just a little further up creek past the waterfall.
A shot of Mount Drum taken right as the sun was setting.
My first thought when I came across this image was crime scene. There was the one downed tree laying all alone, dead in the clearing. The trees all around the clearing looked like spectators looking on in horror.
Hatcher Pass
The sunset tonight over Lake Hood. The smoke from the Swan Lake wildfire on the Kenai Penisula is diffusing the sunlight. The result is a beautiful orange glow over Anchorage.
A close up of the sun sitting behind a thick blanket of wildfire smoke from the Swan lake fire.
The smoke form the wildfires can create some dramatic light when you combine it with a partly cloud sky.
Pink salmon waiting. They are waiting for the tide to rise so they can continue their journey to the spawning grounds.
Beautiful little spot in Whittier along the Emerald cove trail. There was so much color and texture.
A crazy combination of rain and sun during our hike in Whittier. The combination created beautiful lighting across the face of the mountains.
Two make pink salmon battle for position as the are attempting to spawn with the nearest female salmon. I really liked how the water is molded around them.
On my way to Glennallen I stopped to take a rest from the hours of driving. The wildflowers were in full bloom all along the Glenn Highway.
So much green everywhere. Took this shot while hiking with my kids today on Winner Creek Trail in Girdwood, AK
This is the spot where I ended my hike. The emergency alert system kept notifying me that a new wildfire had just started in my area. They were issuing mandatory evacuations for people near the wildfire. Fortunately I was not anywhere near the Malaspina evacuation zone.
The sunset tonight over Lake Hood. The smoke from the Swan Lake wildfire on the Kenai Penisula is diffusing the sunlight. The result is a beautiful orange glow over Anchorage.
An unbelievable sunset last night. The smoke from the Swan lake wildfire is blanketing Anchorage in smoke. The results are amazingly brillant colors that almost seem unreal or in some way altered. I added no color to these photos. I actually had to bring the saturation down quite a bit to keep it from looking too blown out.
Early morning hike up Portage Pass trail. Even with the smoke from the nearby wildfires it is still a beautiful sight.
Perfect viewpoint to watch the passing boats and sea life. Billings Glacier is in the background.
A mini waterfall along Winner Creek in Girdwood, Alaska
Whittier Forest
This is one of the first views of the town of Whittier. Not very big in size , but a beautiful city by the sea.
Sheep Mountain located on Glenn Highway
Took a little detour from the hiking trail. Found this quiet little spot .
An unknown gold mine in the distance at Hatcher Pass. Shot at the top of Skyscraper Peak
The light from the setting sun shines off the lake and the numerous insects that dance just above the surface. The sun appears larger than usual on this calm windless night in Anchorage.
I made it to the summit of Portage Pass just as the sun was starting to peak through the clouds over Portage Glacier.g
Very colorful beach located near Whittier, Alaska
Hiking shotgun trail/ Emerald Cove trail. discovered this hidden waterfall at the top of a rock cliff. This small waterfall flowed over the cliff to create a larger waterfall.. I shot this handheld while laying on my stomach. The leaf at the top of the image is cow parsnip. I was careful not to touch it because the oils from the plant can cause a rash when sunlight hits the skin.
A green carpet of flowering False Hellebore and ferns lined the forest floor of Whittier.
I chose to focus on the Alaskan buttercups with a shallow depth of field. I think the gorgeous sunset makes the perfect backdrop for such a vibrant little flower.
Matanuska River from one of the many viewpoints along the Glenn Highway.
Winner Creek Trail path in Girdwood, Alaska
I hiked Skyscraper peak trail for the first time today. I've been wanting to do it for a couple of years now. Just could never work up the nerve to tackle the climb. Being scared of heights makes any mountain climb a lot more challenging.
Sunset on the lake