My sister, Stephanie and I have been talking about her coming up for Spring Break since before we ventured to Alaska. The closer we came to March, the more nervous I became. The locals around town kept telling me that breakup season (when the snow starts to melt) can come around the middle to end of March. It made me extremely fearful that Steph would come and the scenery would be melted, brown and ugly. I even tried to talk her out of booking her flight to Anchorage, but boy was I happy I didn’t!
Andrew and I haven’t explored Anchorage too much this winter. We aren’t into winter sports, I would be terrified to ski down a mountain. It has also been extremely cold, it seems like every chance we get to go on a winter hike it’s in the single digits. And to be honest, we have both been extremely busy. Due to a work trip, Andrew was in Hawaii and because of some complications he has still not returned (rough life, I know). Andrew told me next year we would spend my spring break together in Hawaii. I would have been a lot saltier if Steph hadn’t come to visit – thank goodness she didn’t let me talk her out of booking her flight.
Here are a few highlights from Steph’s trip:
Leading up to the trip, Stephanie and I were both so busy that we were not able to plan the week out. Steph actually got here on Wednesday evening, which allowed her to get over the jet lag while I finished up my school week. We were able to put together a tentative game plan, that included searching for furry winter animals, gorgeous scenery, and a glacier.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
When my parents were here this summer, we went to the Conservation Center and to be honest we weren’t all that impressed. It was a cold and windy day so that probably did not help. Stephanie really wanted to see and photograph “winter animals” so to the Conservation Center we went. I am very happy I went back.
Seward Highway
I quickly learned during this trip that I was simply Stephanie’s chauffeur in searching for the perfect photo. I stopped keeping track how many times I pulled over onto the shoulder of the road with my blinkers on, just to capture the perfect picture. I may have even driven in reverse on the shoulder in order to achieve a better angle.
The Seward Highway is one of the prettiest drives in all of Alaska. It takes you down the Turnagain Arm with many scenic lookout points, such as Beluga Point, Bird Point Park, and even a stop to fill up your water bottle at a glacier fed spring.
Stephanie and I planned a trip to spend a night in Seward, Alaska to explore Exit Glacier and maybe take a hike. Unfortunately, when we got there we realized that most of the town was shut down due to the winter season. Since it is such a small town, it is not worth it for businesses to stay open during the winter months. We also found out that the road to Exit Glacier is closed due to the weather. I was a little bummed but we both agreed that the drive to Seward was absolutely worth it. We also got the best fish and chips around (with the best dipping sauce)
I was thanking God when I realized that it would be absolutely beautiful while Steph was here, there was an abundance of sunlight. The only thing that put a damper on things was the temperature – the real feel was in the single digits all week long. Needless to say, most of our sightseeing was done from the comfort of my toasty car.
Glacier City Snow Machining Tour
Stephanie and I were really excited when we found a 5.5-hour snowmobile tour out to Spencer Glacier. Their website boasts that they “are about showing you the time of your life” and they did not disappoint. It was a 32-mile round trip with about 3.5-hours of actual riding time. Our guide, Justin took up many miles in the Alaskan Backcountry surrounded by the Chugach Mountains. We even saw a bald eagle resting in a tree. Once we got closer to the glacier we were riding on top of the frozen Spencer Lake, which allowed us to ride up onto the actual glacier.
When we were about 20 minutes away from the glacier we came across a huge iceberg. Justin explained that during the summer it floats in the lake.
From the iceberg to the glacier, we had open and flat ground – what an adrenaline rush going over 45 miles with the freezing air rushing past you! Driving up to the foot of the glacier was beyond anything I’ve ever seen.
photo cred | Stephanie Frizell
xx katie
The Fox Adventure 