Fireweed along Seward Scenic Highway
It’s been raining since last night. Am I still in Alaska? Did I merely dream that I came home to Utah? Well, no. Along with the pounding rain has been booming thunder and crackling lightning – something that rarely if every occurs in our 49th state. A storm moved into southern Utah from the west in the early morning hours – last night was crystalline clear, with nearly the sort of Milky Way-filled sky I witnessed at the USGS hut on Baked Mtn. 2 weeks ago. It wasn’t quite the same, though. Light pollution from St. George filled the southern horizon, blotting out what stars could have been seen there. But it was still amazing to look up and be reminded of those two star-blazing nights I spent in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.
And I promised some pictures of my drive from Seward back to Anchorage, didn’t I? It was a brilliant autumn day with the cottonwoods and aspens glowing golden in the northern sunshine.
Mountains in Chugach National Forest
Snapping pix along Turnagain Arm – Yes, I turned the engine off!!!
Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm
Bird Point along Seward Highway
View South from Bird Point
Bird Point Viewing Area
U-shaped valley across Turnagain Arm
Late September colors along Seward Scenic Highway
Sunset at the elevated walkways and viewing platforms at Potter Marsh:
As I moseyed my way on back to Anchorage and eventually to the airport, I stopped for an hour or so at Potter Marsh, south of town.ย I had been here in April and was lucky to be here again in September.ย This time I saw a bald eagle soaring close by and two mergansers swimming lazily about.ย The sun was setting behind me as I took these image
