Eklutna Lakeside Trail

Good morning, my friends. I'm trusting everyone still has all the fingers of both hands. You were careful while handling fireworks yesterday, weren't you? If there were fireworks in Anchorage, we missed them. And what's the use when the sky is light until well past midnight? It was quiet in the RV park last night...mostly.

We spent our yesterday hiking the Eklutna Lakeside Trail, a part of Chugach State Park. We'd originally planned to spend two nights in the state park, camping in the campground. With it being the Fourth of July weekend, we found the campground full. Probably it will be full most of the week with folks taking advantage of the long weekend. We decided instead to make it a day trip from our spot in Anchorage.

Here's a description of the trail. We planned to hike for a mile, and then turn around and hike back, for a total of two miles. We know our limits. We don't attempt anything over five miles these days, and we watch out for that elevation gain too.

So here's how the trail looks on a map. We hiked out to where I put that green line. I know because we'd just passed the sign for the Bold Ridge Trail when we turned around. And so the image below doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm thinking one can hike all the way around the lake. Either that, or they're including the Twin Peaks Trail and the Bold Ridge Trail in the 12.9 mile total. Or maybe it just goes off the map ad infinitum.

Also, we had a little trouble finding the trailhead. There were signs directing us down to the lake, and we thought we'd find the trail there. In our defense, there were about a dozen people doing just what we were. It seems the "trail" really is nothing more than an abandoned roadway, now open for use by hikers, bicyclists and ATVers. We first crossed over this swiftly-moving stream.

Now, pay attention: Here's how you could die out here today. Never mind that there's no snow in the mountains overhead. Just be careful.

We often see these temporary shelters when we visit Cape Disappointment in Washington. There's a Coast Guard base there, and I've always thought they were part of the training. Not sure who might have built these in Alaska, but we are near the home of the "Arctic Angels," 11th Airborne Division of the US Army.

The butterfly shot of my dreams presented itself in the form of this Canadian Tiger Swallowtail. A butterfly almost never lights and stays long enough for a photograph, but this one was completely cooperative.

Here's a look at the mountains and the lake.

Walking on, we could see a second peak.

Looking back to where we started, we could see lots of paddlers on the beach. And, yes, the water really was that color.

Check your speed, my friends. You don't want to get a ticket.

Walking on, we spotted another of those shelters.

Some of the wild roses have gone over to rosehips here.

We didn't see a lot of flowers on this hike, but I spotted some fireweed growing on the lakeshore. Fireweed is common in Alaska, but this is the first we've seen.

Here's some growing among the driftwood.

At the end of our hike, we saw this old water pump. The pump handle is missing, and so it's no longer operational. I just happen to like this old stuff.

So that was our hike. We came back to the RV and lazed around for the rest of the afternoon.

We're expecting another nice day of weather today. We've decided to check out the Anchorage Farmer's Market, and then we'll have lunch at the 49th State Brewing Company. It comes recommended. After that, we'll take the Coastal Trail part way. It's another long trail. Along the way we should find a monument to Captain Cook. That guy really got around the globe in his sailing days.

Right now, it's time for breakfast and getting ready. Then, we'll be on our way.