slough slum ski

Stac and I skied on the slough from our house to the Chena, only a few minutes and you are on the main river that runs through fairbanks. It was a beautiful evening, it is finally above freezing, the days are really long and we are loving it!

the slough is a little tricky to navigate, slightly melting


reaching the Chena river and downtown in the background


the river is still mostly frozen and groomed nice for skate skiing

skiing with the gang

dea and i met up with the gang at stacia's and had a great ski tonight. there is a 4.5 mile loop right out her back door. the dogs can run free, and the snow has been great. it's starting to warm up lately, so each ski may be our last before break up.

the ravens

stacia and i have been talking about taking photos of her with the ravens for quite some time- finally able to put it together yesterday. she keeps two in captivity on campus to use with her studies. much of her research is done in the oil fields on the north slope. the oil spill has delayed her trip, but it allowed us to get together for some photos.

the aviary where she houses the birds is about the size of a king size bed at the floor. it's tight quarters, and the birds don't so much like the company. the first shoot went well, an i'm looking forward to another. a few of the images:









all in all a great weekend. the temps rose into the high 20's. the skate skiing is fantastic.

ben

moose, caribou and steak dinner party

Stacia and crew brought over some great meat to cook up for a stir fry last night.

Stacia cooking up the moose, caribou and steak stir fry with her seriously hip butterfly pants. The moose Stacia says she shot, but I am not so sure that jives with her hunting story from this fall. The caribou Dan and Erin shot and carried out of the Brooks Range this winter on skis. The steak was from Rebecca's parents farm, a friend of stacia's.


Martin, Julie, Stacia and I finishing up the meal. For once Ben was hanging out drinking wine instead and he was lovin' that.


Ben checking out the action

I didn't even get any pics of the fantastic looking meal, my camera just as good.
Dea

sunday

our Alaskan sunday:

i rose early to go photograph downtown, and stumbled upon the Alaskan Trappers Association Fur Auction. filled two cards with images of carcasses, carharts, and camo.

dea pella and i had a beautiful ski in Goldstream Valley- it snowed enormous flakes the entire time.

i ruined a perfectly good pot roast.

all in a days work.

mushing day two

the second stage of the sled dog race went right by our back door today, on the slough. dea and i walked down to watch the action, but left pella at home as it can get pretty intense.

even better news is that the newly groomed trail will make for great skiing. we are going to ski later tonight after the race, and before the snow machiners rip in up too bad.

mushing

yesterday was the first of three days of the GCI Open North American Championship Sled Dog Race. the race started on 2nd ave downtown- right below my new office. i got to work yesterday morning to find that the race organizers had brought in about a foot of snow for ten or so blocks of 2nd ave.

i was able to get downstairs for most of the start to photogaph the dogs. the whole scene was insane. all these dogs want to do is run- to work. they jump and howl, scream and fight to get off the line, and once the driver pulls the break they lurch out of the start with incredible speed. the whole experience was quite a site...






i thought these two dogs were going to have heart attacks before they even got started.


the view from my office.


ben

severe weather warning

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT LOW WIND CHILLS TO 45 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED. IF GOING OUTDOORS...BE PREPARED. BE CAREFUL TO COVER ALL EXPOSED SKIN.

Never a dull moment this spring.....
Dea

Nuiqsut, AK

This is a picture of Nuiqsut, ALaska. I am getting together a presentation for my first committee meeting this year. The research I will be working on in the coming years is studying the Prudhoe Bay plume as it travels towards Nuiqsut. We will be stationed in Nuiqsut to gather data(using the CRDS). Along with the science it will be a great experience to spend time in this native american village. It is very remote and cold(-46F today). There is no banking, sewage system or commeicial airport. Population around 420. It is far above the arctic circle 380 miles NORTH of fairbanks and 35 miles from the Beaufort Sea. Dea

Tank n Tour

The ride yesterday was great. Hard for me, but we all had a great time! Thanks to the cabin host, Kumi, Laura and Mark and organizers Stacia and Kumi.


Stac crusin the trails


the final cabin on the route, Mark's house


tacos, margaritas and hot tubin, Ben was able to make it for the Margarita's after work.

Spring Break!

This week is spring break for school. We are headed out on a huge bike ride today with Stacia and friends that goes from cabin to cabin on the trail system.-27 F currently and warming to -12 F by 1pm. Could be a little warmer, but we are up for the challenge.


Ben skate skiing with the camera

Ben and I hoping to get into the backcountry to do some tele skiing the last few days of spring break when Ben has off work, maybe up above the arctic circle.
Dea

skiing the river

it warmed up a little today (5 above!) and we got the crew together (stacia, dan, julie, ted, dea, me, and 5 dogs) for a ski on the river. the sun was out, and we had a great time. i worked on getting some solid stock photos. it was a good day out. this will be the first full weekend dea nad i have had together in alaska in some time. we all met martin for coffee after- your typical perfect day in alaska.


dea and stacia biking- fairbanks style.


dr. wu getting his skijor on.


the mushers were out today too.

more snow and 30 below......

It is -30 below this morning, again. It is only March 10th and we are hoping for some warmer weather by May when my parents visit. The snow is still really good for skiing this weekend it should be 6 or 7 degrees, plenty warm for skate skiing! Dea

awesome skate ski with Stac

Hi all. Stacia and I had a great skate ski on the dog musher hall trail system right behind her cabin. It was all groomed and labeled with a 30mile, 19 mile and 10 mile loop. We did a 6 mile loop that started and ended at her place and it was sweet. The snow conditions were great and it was just one of those skis that makes you love living in Fairbanks. Pella pulled for a little while, but then ran wild with the dogs on the trail, we all had a blast!

we skied past sunset, but still light enough for no head lamps


The only one using the trail tonight, this moose would not move!
Dea

Angel Rock

the girls and i ventured out for a good hike yesterday. we drove out toward Chena Hot Springs and hiked a good portion of the Angel Rock loop- we didn't see another person the entire hike.

Dr. Wu in the middle is leaving the cube farm to start his new job. Maybe now
we will have some peace and quiet !

skiing Moose Mountain

Ben and I were able to skin up and ski Moose Mountain last night. The temps were so cold my camera would not work, so I don't have any pictures. 20 " of powder, which is alot for Moose Mountain. Hopefully this weekend it will be a little warmer to play in the snow. It was 35 below this morning on the walk to the bus!
Dea