Sure has been a fast moving past couple of years.....about time I get this thing updated.
Pat and I still live in Juneau, Alaska, in the house (err, cabin?) that we purchased five years ago when we first moved here. Barley is 6 now and last year we got another addition to our crew- a black lab puppy named Otis. Well, 3/4 lab and 1/4 dalmatian, but looks entirely lab. Otis turned one this past December, and is an obsessive retriever, loves the water and going on the boat, and seemingly impossible to wear out. Both dogs love to run and ski as much as possible, and love every minute of living in Southeast. Pat and I are both still actively involved and current members with Juneau Mountain Rescue, with Pat continuing his role as board President.
Pat works for the University of Alaska Southeast as a Research Professional full time, year-round, and Ski Patrols in the winter at Eaglecrest Ski Area. Pat still operates a jet boat in Berners Bay, installs hydrology and monitoring equipment all over Southeast Alaska to monitor ocean and freshwater environments, and works with graduate students conducting research up on the Juneau Icefield.
I have a year and a half in working for the State of Alaska- Department of Environmental Conservation in the Division of Water, under the Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program, and work with Seafood Processors throughout the state to permit land-based facilities and vessels to operate in State of Alaska waters.
I am still battling with a bout of depression after the Packer vs. Seahawks playoff game, but I am already looking forward to next season! Here's to Rodgers winning MVP :)
Here is a little bit of what we have been up to the past couple years (or at least the easiest accessible photos that I have):
Fishing and Boating Adventures
Of course, we still have full summers of fishing, including a number of cabin trips, beach/island camping, and Outer Coast fishing trips. Jackie's parents enjoyed a trip out to Cross Sound/Eflin Cove last summer, and got to experience the lifetime experience of King Salmon fishing in the open waters of the Gulf of Alaska. A couple photos taken from the Blue Cheese, the last summer we had her.
Sleepy Barley in the bow.
Barley
17 pound Coho
Re-setting dungeness crab pots
King fishing on the Outer Coast
We sold the Blue Cheese at the end of the summer of 2014, and upgraded to our dream boat. Equipped with a v-berth up front to sleep in, a table, sink and heater/cook stove, we have a floating cabin to explore more areas of Southeast Alaska in.
Now you should all definitely come visit!
Tess, Otis (center), Barley and Pat, taking a ride from the boat to shore in the zodiac.
Icefield and Hiking Adventures
Last year we flew up to the Icefield with a group of friends and camped, skied and climbed for a week. Jackie also took advantage of having her adventure partner Sarah still in town (Sarah and her husband Torsten have since moved to Guam, where Sarah got stationed with the Coast Guard) and spent many days hiking and skiing with the dogs and Sarah. This was usually while Pat was out on a work trips flying and camping on the Icefields in the spring.
One of the areas that Pat spent time on the Juneau Ice field.
Fall Icefield trip.
Goat on the peaks above the Icefield.
Pat on the icefield in the spring.
Pat enjoying a wedding cigar on our Icefield trip last May.
Ski touring on the Juneau Icefield.
The Juneau Icefield, skiing last May.
Here are a couple photos from Sarah and I hiking the Observation Peak loop with Barley.
Barley looking over the Icefield.
Observation Peak.
This Past Winter
We haven't had the greatest winter weather wise, meaning hardly any snow and lots of rain. Eaglecrest hasn't been open since December (except the bunny hill), so we have been keeping busy lots of other ways, and embracing the snow when we can.We already had a trip planned to the Big Island of Hawaii, where we met up with our good friends Andy and Hillary that now live in Vermont.
This was my 50th state to visit, so got to check that off the list! Here are a couple photos from Hawaii....
Green Sand beach, a 2 1/2 mile hike to the southernmost tip on the Big Island (and apparently the southernmost tip of the United States as well.
Enjoying a libation on the green sand beach.
Hiking in a crater at Volcanoes National Park, the morning after a huge storm blew through the area we were camped. They closed the park and we were some of the only visitors inside, and basically had the place to ourselves.
Watching the sunset from the newest black sand beach.
Big Island Brewhaus in Waimea.
A view of Mauna Kea, from 12,000 on Mauna Loa. Fresher snow on our hike up Mauna Loa than in Juenau at that time.
A cool cave we found hiking up Mauna Loa.
Our last night on the beach. Sad....
We have been enjoying the snow when it does come, and the dogs enjoy it even more.
Barley
Otis
Barley and Otis. Otis always has to cuddle up with him.
Nordic skiing out at Eagle Beach this winter.
Otis and Barley
Barley and Otis, tired after skiing.
Otis being protective of a pile of climbing gear at the JMR cache, ball in his mouth.
We hopped on the ferry this past February and took our annual ski trip, this time up to Whitehorse, Yukon in Canada for some real winter and Nordic Skiing.
Headless dogs with their faces buried in the fresh powder.
Ascending.
Crossing the border back into Alaska.
The following weekend we had a Mountain Rescue training, where we chartered several helicopters and got dropped on the Juneau Icefield to practice snow anchors and high-angle rigging. We managed to get a little skiing in too when we dropped down the backside of Vesper peak and skied down onto the glacier.
Drop off from the Heli.
View looking back toward Juneau.
Pano on top of Vesper peak.
Myself (Jackie) ready to ski further down.
The heli coming to pick us back up.
Pat skiing down with all of our rigging gear.
Pat shot a nice caribou in Adak last year..... (And had a wicked beard)
I've been cranking out the salmon jerky.
And we are on track for chickens this year.
And finally, a couple images of the northern lights show this past Sunday night.
Wow- lots of activity! Pat's beard definitely earned a highlight of it's own, and I'm for sure jealous of the Hawaii trip. It's been on my short list the last couple years of places to visit, so I thought it was fate when someone told me about a conference that aligned with my job and the timing of the Patalie 5-year anniversary. Sadly, the boss turned it down, so I'll have to live vicariously through your photos in the meantime. That chicken coop looks quite the castle compared to the rickety one our birds occupy, but I imagine your flock will be bigger and the weather conditions will make it necessary. Looks real good, along with all the other photo journaling!
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