Bladderwort

'high valley' (photo taken Sept. 1)

They predict better weather, but today we even had hail.
I wonder if we just had the coldest summer on record. I jumped in the water only twice this summer. That is an all time low.
But that's not the reason I got wet today.
After feeling all good and such, because I had been thinking about the beauty of life.
Being in a glorious mood, I definitely wanted to be out there.
I would have liked to go out to Kusawa and see if the campground was flooding.( How exciting.)
But I had just washed the car, our road has turned in to a mud hole. And well that would be silly, to drive it through the mud again.
Back on the bike! After Kusawa , I had a longing to go back to the '911 pond', because two days ago I had come upon that interesting yellow flower, Bladderwort. It turns out there are 3 kinds and of course I like to know for sure which one I came upon.
And I would like to see the Swans again anyway.

Today ,still cloudy, but the mountains are visible. As I ride out the sun even tries to peek through.
Turning onto the highway I can see it raining in the distance. Soon enough I am biking in a hail storm, loving it (true).
I am full of energy. And coming onto the meadow, I am not going to be all quiet and slow.
Sure enough I don't get to see the Swans. I don't really know if they sensed me, because nobody else seems disturbed . A big hawk gives beautiful displays. It is a reddish one with a white band on the tail. It flies low , hunting , hovers in the air and dives.

I first doesn't notice, but I think the water in the marsh is a few inches higher.
What is different first, is that the water is alive. As I walk , things jump out of the way through the water, like little fish.???
And then when I come to the channel I crossed yesterday , both my boots scoop water.
But I am mystified when I can't find the Bladderwort. Sure there not that many little ponds.
I check them all out, I am now wet up to my knees. And if you think well that's not bad, you are right, but I am wearing woollen socks , rain boots with felt liners and long underwear.
On one pond in the distance I see something which resembles the bladders of the Bladderwort. I try to get close, and brought a stick to lift out a specimen. But alas, I decide to give up, I am not going to be up to my waist in the water.
It might have to wait till next year, for now I have to be content with... glorious views and
the splendour of Autumn.
As a gift, I find a striped feather. Thank you!

4 cygnets on the '911 pond'

Another rainy day. I bicycle to the '911 pond'. The bush road to the pond is actually not as wet as I anticipated. I can bike all the way to the last swamp just before the end of the road. I enjoy the fragrance of Fall. There is one lemony smell that I have often encountered around willows,roses and grass. Does any one knows what I mean? I have never yet figured it out.

Today I am going to take a different approach, in relation to the birds. Right as I come into the meadow, I realize there are a lot of birds on the pond. I am not going to go around staying close to the forest. They always notice me anyway. The swans will hide and the ducks fly off. Today I go in a straight line towards the pond, quietly and slowly. It seems to work, no one notices me. And there are a lot of birds! I try to make photos every time I get a little closer, which is hard because it is still raining, my camera is not waterproof.
Maybe tonight I will look at the photos and identify some of the ducks. Most ducks are in the west side of the pond. Straight ahead where the Swans nest, are two ducks diving, showing a white bum.
When I am half way to the pond, the marsh grass is O.K to walk through with my rain boots, I spot the two white heads of the swans sticking out above the grass. I am very happy, as over the summer I sometimes wouldn't even get a glimpse.
Close to the main pond, there is a little pond and I can't get any closer to the main pond. But gloriously a swan appears for a swim, and to my great joy it is followed by 4 cygnets and its partner. I am so happy!
I am not a birder and don't know much, but I found watching the swans, they are so cautious and elegant I guess, unlike the ducks, who when they would see me make a racket and all fly off. The Swan never really lets me know if it has seen me. After a short swim with its brood, it just disappears in the reeds again. One adult remains on the look out it seems.

As I came to a stop at the little pond, I do decide know to move east to higher ground. Crossing the channel of this little pond I do get one soaker. In the mean time it stopped raining, the mountains are trying to show and there are patches of sunlight. As I sit on a grassy spot, the swans come out one more time, for all but a minute.
A flock of brown birds, feeds in the grass and I think I see a Savannah Sparrow. The grasses are turning color and there are not many flowers, but in the little pond there are yellow Bladderworts blooming! (Utricularia intermedia).
Another beautiful time in the wild, Thank you!

White Mountain Tops

Once in a while we get a little peek, that indeed the mountain tops are white. Today, around here, the mountains are green up to 3500 (roughly) then they are red and it looks like above 4500 feet they are white.
My laundry has been hanging outside for three days now, and is still wet. After a short summer the first two weeks of August, Fall is definitely here now.
And It Is Beautiful!
This morning I left at 10 to climb up 'Maria'. It was raining when I left and it still is. Well dressed in full rain gear, it was an enjoyable hike from the start. My body did feel a little sluggish after sitting in the waiting room of the Hospital all day yesterday. (the person being treated there, is home and recovering very well.)

In the Fall the colors don't come from the flowers , but from the plant transforming into their dormant state. It is neat to see how plants that are all green in the summer, all take on their own color Fall. In the swamp, most vibrantly; the Bearberry plant bright red, the moss almost neon green, Wild Sage light grey, Louseworts brown etc, etc.
Here and there a Grass of Parnassus still blooming.

Going up in elevation, the cranberries are amazing this year, I can see I can pick at several locations close to home. They are ripe enough to snack on, but for serious picking they need to ripen a little longer. As I gain elevation I come upon bright red Highbush Cranberry bushes, these berries are ripe, but at this location in the trees not enough berries to pick in the bucket. On my way down ,to my delight, I encounter Saskatoon berries. Right under the rocks,where the forest start. These are for me, the most delicious berry ( or did I say that about the wild strawberries this summer?) These Saskatoons taste like marzipan.

Maria you rock! In the rain walking on the slabs of bedrock is wonderful. My rubber boots seem to have ample of traction, as long as I don't step on loose sand on the rock, or on black lichen. On the top I make a little fire and enjoy it all. Like I say, sometimes I see glimpses of the snow, most of the time the mountains are obscured in clouds. I do see the valley below. And yes something white in the '911 pond' ; my beloved Swans are obviously still there. How would I love to meet them close up. On the way down I do meet another lovely bird; The Night Hawk, it flies up when I come too close only to fly to the next log. I won't bother it for too long, it seems distressed by the rain. And I assume it will need all its strength to fly South.

Red mountain tops

This morning the mountains are obscured in clouds. I will post a picture from Haines Alaska, where a sight like that is so much more beautiful.
At this moment I am not able to see the mountain tops here, but I wonder if they are red. The last few days I was in town. Friday hiking the Goat trail with Mary; mount McIntyre is red. It is the buck brush in its fall color.Saturday I spent a day standing on top of mnt. Sima. And again the surrounding mountains are red. (one of them mnt. mcIntyre)
My view this very moment through the window of my own home; The poplar trees green and yellow 50/50. Through the trees, clouds hanging low in the Mendenhall valley , a strip of green and above it the mountain tops in clouds.

About Friday; Mary took me up a trail overlooking the City of Whitehorse; called the Goat Trail. (cross country ski trail) Right at the start we are picking blueberries (Vaccinium uliginosum) while hiking. I do have to admit these blueberries are very tasty(the best). We walk by lime stone rocks which are visible from town. We come on sort of a plateau, where we have the choice to go back and pick some berries in our containers instead of our mouths. But I am happy to do another loop on this 'plateau'. Which is just below the treeline. That means it is very nice we are on a trail as the willows are high. The big trees beautiful, Coming to their full potential it seems. The stands of Poplar, the Fir trees, the Spruce like brides. And here and there a beautiful Pine tree.
It is for the smaller stuff, that I always think ; I could sit here for hours and take it all in, but some how when I have a choice, my legs always urge me to keep going.

Amazingly my 'dream' comes true the next day. I volunteer as a volunteer for 'The contagious Mountain Bike Club' and am placed (what luck) at the start of the trail on top of the ski hill. I very much enjoy the energy of the mountain bikers, and in between groups of bikers coming up there is lots of time to enjoy the mountain. The views, the rocks, the crowberries. etc. When my duties are no longer needed I walk down beside the biking trail. I find red-currant bushes, with one red-currant left for me. I wonder if the main volunteers have enjoyed them while making this wonderful trail. (Thank you!) Down at the bottom a not so pleasant surprise awaits me, but I won't talk about that here as it is of a personal matter.

Haines Alaska

August 16 & 17

In Haines the five of us set up camp in the State park at Mud Bay. Its a long ways, but well worth it.
We are camped right in the rain forest. And indeed it is raining, but under the canopy not bad.
Jonathan Lowey, my partner in crime, notices we are surrounded by a certain orchid. He even recognizes it!
I have to look it up again, to type out the name for you; the Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera oblongifolia)
The markings on the leaves resembling snakeskin.

In the evening we go for a walk in the rain forest closer to town. What an amazing place this is. We all love Haines.
Definitely for the Ocean, but the trees are just so big, and green and everything lush. And the Berries so abundant,

I will here only mention the Thimble berry. Which I see entering town and right by the campground, they are like a raspberry, but more exotic!

Anyway we go for a walk following a sign that says Battery Point. It is after supper and we decide to go on the posted 0.7 mile walk.
Whatever was at 0.7 mile; it must have been where the gigantic Skunk Cabbage grows. Anyway we keep going till we finally reach a wonderful beach. Battery Point is in the distance. We play around on the Beach. where the kids start flipping rocks.
Cicero told me it is 'flipping rock day' on Sept 7(There is a website).
Well these rocks would make some good stories. It is low tide and under the rocks all sort of outlandish creatures hide.

In the morning Alexander and I take down our tent early to go home. We have never been to the spit at the bottom of the campground, so we take a little d-tour. The views proof to be totally amazing. The spit being a peninsula in the ocean. The morning mist is just clearing.
When we come out of the trees on to the spit, lo and behold; a mother Moose with her grown up calf. At least that is what we think. It could also be two females. What a sight right on the beach with the surrounding mountains appearing out of the mist.

On our drive home we at least have one more stop. Alexander doing some dirt jumping(he brought his bike) and I picking our best beloved berries.
(see my Yukon wild berry blog).

Thanks for a truly wonderful weekend!

Nadahini Glacier

August 16 2008

Good morning Sunshine!
Sue Herbrick and I are camping with our teenagers at Dezadeash Lake Campground.
We all wake up early, have a 'cold' breakfast, break up camp, and an hour later we are on the Haines Summit.
It's a beautiful morning,in the sun, with morning mist in the lower valleys and the mountains peeking out.
It is an ever changing beautiful sight to watch those clouds. I wonder how to call them here in the mountains.
Where I grew up; it was mist(fog) when you were in it, and clouds, when it was above you.

9.30 am. We turn off the highway by Chuck Creek. Since a few years there is a turn off and a parking lot with government outhouses. This is a favorite hiking area.

Here in the Yukon I feel very fortunate, to have so much wilderness surrounding me, only to be shared by a handful of people.
I have lived in the Yukon for 18 years and am not very social as in interacting with people. But when I do meet people in
our gorgeous mountains and valleys, I often do know them. As soon as we get out of the car there is (another) Sue.
at least 3 of our party know her and I probably know 3 of her party (which I didn't meet). They are off back packing in the Mountains for a few days.

Sue wanted to show me all the flowers along this trail. And right as we start hiking they are amazing and very abundant.
The flowers big and showy, Like the River Beauty, which is a Fireweed, with less blossoms, but Bigger!
Tall Valerian and that parsley again and lots of blue flowers. We follow an old cat trail which goes towards Samual glacier.

What we didn't know is that, where we are heading is the Nadahini Glacier. Soon we leave the cat trail and walk on beautiful green meadows, with flowers. We go through a marshy area. It is all very beautiful and we are making many pictures. We climb up a very steep bank. Where I do feel that I am breaking too many flowers.

On top of the bank, we decide to split up. Jonathan and Alexander will go on and Sue and Kathy will go on only a little farther, in a slower pace. That leaves me to choose, with who to go. Of course, if you know me, I choose to go up. And run after
the boys, who are actually happy to have me.

We climb another bank full of flowers. And head up and toward Chuck Creek. Which is a beautiful gorge here, powerful water
rushing down in the bottom,and waterfalls. Higher up we see a snow bridge.
You know, it is really too much to describe it all, I'll take you there one day.

Soon we reach gravel benches, with dark mud creeks, Soft spots where you sink in the mud underneath the gravel,
I think we are still seeing flowers here. Later only dwarf willows, creeping on the ground. And the 'highest' flower we encounter
today is the Purple Mountain Saxifrage, which photo I posted as a header, to honor it's power to bloom in the wildest of wild.
We are now very close to the Glacier.
Where the Glacier has retreated it is flat gravel slope with an incline.
There is so much to marvel about; the polygon shapes in the snow, lined with red "water melon algae".

In just over 2 hours from the start, The boys are elated to reach the Glacier! And instantly climb on it.
I am lugging behind a little, which gives me the opportunity to make photos.
They drink its amazing water which flows over the blue ice.
I climb on too , the blue ice is too slippy for me , but I can walk a ways on paths of snow.
We have lunch here and a little lower the boys make some amazing rock art.

I could be here for hours, actually days( in this kind of weather) Loving it more then totally.

Trails

Hunting season started August 1 and that means my husband likes to go looking for a Moose some evenings.
We live right in an area that is open for Moose hunting and open for Sheep. Don has a tag for both.
Everything is totally regulated by the Government.
As we drive away, we agree when we see a Moose we let it be, but if a sheep would happen to come of the mountain we will get it.
For Moose it is too warm and too late in the day, we both work tomorrow.
I feel ambivalent about hunting, but we do live among the animals and I feel very good about eating of the land.

Last week we found all these wood cutting trails and today we decide to walk from one of them up the mountain.
From the highway we turn left follow that road for a while and turn left again on a smaller road, then take the first road
to the right. There is a tree over the road and Don steers his truck through the willows and small poplars.
Breaking a trail, chewing up the trees with our tires, which gives of a wonderful fresh wood smell.
After the tree we come out in the open and take the first left.
The Fall colors are very apparent here, the lower poplars yellow. The Fireweed that never came to bloom ,dark red,
The rose bushes; green ,yellow, orange and red.
Only some white Northern Yarrow still blooming. And here and there some yellow Goldenrod or a mustard.

By now we are in a maze of old woodcutting trails. We follow the ones going towards the highest peak.
When we are close to a ridge we park to continue on foot. Having crossed two ridge we come upon another trail.
On the way back we follow them all the way to the truck. We could have driven on staying to the right which would
bring us from one ridge to the other , higher and higher.

At our end point, we relax and Scan the surrounding area. We did see many animal tracks and scats along the way.
Probably Moose, Elk and maybe Deer. The only animals we see though are two coyotes