Alas, my first summertime AK visit! It was well worth the wait and kept us busy with endless breathtaking adventure. That's breathtaking both visually and physically...as we played with friends in the extraordinarily beautiful Alaskan backcountry via 3 modes of FUN; the packraft, the mountain bike and the stand up paddle board.

2300 Sunset - Looking across the mud flats of the Knik Arm

Packraft Transition - Kristin

K inflating her packraft with the ultralite airbag (glorified garbage bag) after a 4 mile approach- hike with paddles, packrafts, helmets and dry suits on our backs

The ingenious idea was developed and fine tuned in both AK and CO, we are finding them to be, yet another awesome toy. The Alpacka Packraft , made in Colorado

Interactive Map - Click on Icons and zoom in and out for more detail

View Glacier Creek PackRaft in a larger map

Kincaid Singletrack Park - Me On Fat-Tires!

Thanks Chip and Gina for lending the fatty's

My Denali Llama

During a walk and scout section of lower Glacier Creek (looking for the dangerous rumored sweepers)

Chameleon on Wheels - Anson

Several of us got together for a ride to Lost Lake, north of Seward, AK. What breathtaking singletrack in a perfect setting!

Glacier Creek 2nd Round - Kristin

Kristin and I head back for a second day on Glacier Creek, before heading to the Turnagain Arm to surf the Bore tide with Anson. Here K attaches her backpack and dry sac to the bow of the boat.

77 degrees in AK - Kristin after surfing the bore-tide

Quite the experience: Surfing the Turnagain Arm Bore tide: Thanks to Anson, Landon and Monica for showing us the ropes:)
The bore tide is a huge wave or series of waves that advance down Turnagain Arm in a wall of water up to 10-feet high. Its known as one of the biggest in the world. One unique aspect of the Turnagain bore tide is that all other bore waves run up low-lying rivers in more southerly latitudes. The Turnagain wave is the only one that occurs in the far north and the only one bordered by mountains. It’s also amazingly accessible: you can see it by road along its entire 40- to 50-mile length. And it’s a wildlife-spotting opportunity: harbor seals often ride the tide into Turnagain Arm. Beluga whales may come in a half hour or so later once the water gets deeper.

Breathtaking Vistas - Lost Lake Mountain Bike Ride

Spencer Glacier Packrafting Enduro Day - Darcie, Stephanie, Anson, Hope

Train to Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop, paddled up to the Spencer Glacier, then floated for 3.5 hours down the Placer river back to the Turnagain Arm (see map below for details)

Interactive Map - Click on Icons and zoom in and out for more detail

View Spencer Glacier - Placer River -Packraft in a larger map

Glacier Water Air Guitar - Anson on his Standup Paddle Board (SUP)

About to take a bone chilling dunk, in the far background is Spencer Glacier. From this point took about 1 hour to paddle upto. And yes he floated the Placer river on his SUP, and yes packrafts are more stable in the rapids:)

All Smiles + a Bark - Anson, Darcie, Kina, Kristin

The crew takes a break during the fast downhill after enjoying the scenic climb upto Lost Lake.

Nearing the Toe of Spencer Glacier - Kristin in her Alpaca

Fireweed

Now only if our backyard grew weeds like this. This stuff is everywhere. And once the blooming stops the countdown to 6 more weeks of summer begins

Glacier Creek Crusaders - Darcie, Stephanie, Kristin, Anson, Me

About an hour into the run we pull off and exits the boats to check for sweepers and strainers near the Girdwood airport. By this point the rapids start to mellow, leaving only sweepers and strainers and low water levels as the only hazards.

Loosing Lost Lake - Kristin

New Mexican Irony - My personalized paddle by Anson

Packrafts in Tow - Our approach hike into Glacier Creek

Yet again ol AK never disappoints! What what a great group of friends we have, so lucky, everyone is always up for an adventure! And Anson thanks again for the use of your toys!

This was one of trips highlights. The Tincan formation is very long ridge system ending at its summit. The ridge system offers countless skiing opportunities, one could spend a full season touring on Tincan itself. Todd's Run as called by the locals was named after Todd who was killed on the line as the entire bowl ripped out. When conditions are right this is many's favorite line on Tincan. I can see why, after 2500 vertical feet and 1 mile of perfect turns I was calling it the best run of my life. Hmmm thinking back...there is a pattern in AK...every run seems to get the "now that was the best run of my life" designation.