The Ugly Side of Breakup: Breakup, as spring is known in Alaska, is a time of slush and potholes, as the subsurface thaws and becomes mushy or washes out.
A sinkhole appeared in our parking lot this spring and we parked our old Suburban over the hazard until we could get it filled in.
On the Seward Highway, just a few miles south of Anchorage, frozen waterfalls melt and come crashing off the rock cliffs.
Leaving my pottery class in Girdwood two weeks ago, I was once again glad I drive a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. --Carmen
Interested in checking out Chuck Woodfin's Art? Click Here
Date 5/1/09
Anchorage Temperature
Low 34 °F, High 49°F
Daylight 16 hrs 15 mins
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Life in Alaska
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It seems to take forever for lakes to clear of ice in spring. One day you notice that the lakes are no longer white with snow, but that the underlying ice begins to show through. Open water appears around the edges. On a spring ride along Eklutna Lake, I saw a mosaic of large white slabs of snow-covered ice broken up by myriad deep blue narrow channels of open water. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera that day! The following spring I visited the lake several times trying to capture the same scene. In the picture you see here, I was a little early. Azure open water near shore, a paper thin layer of clear ice, and a channel of open water crossing the lake was the best I could do. The single lead developed where snow was disturbed by a snowmobile crossing the lake in winter. I came back to the same spot a couple of days later and the ice had completely melted. |
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Starting in mid-May, we get a short but glorious spring in Southcentral Alaska. Days are long, warm and mostly sunny. Snow lingers at higher elevations, but is melted off lawns, trails and forest floors. Dark clouds may threaten rain, but only bring brief squalls. Before donning full green foliage, trees boast vibrant light green fresh leaves for a few days. I was lucky to be out on such a spring day at Eklutna Lake. Just a short walk along an easy trail that follows the lake, I saw sunlight glowing through cottonwood leaves, shimmering off the azure glacier-fed lake with dark clouds and snow-clad mountains looming behind. Since moving to the Anchorage area in 1982, Eklutna Lake has been a favorite spot. It's a 25 minute drive north on the Glenn Highway, then a 10 mile drive off the Eklutna exit to the lake. It's been a family tradition to usher in spring with a Memorial Day camping trip and welcome fall with a Labor Day camping trip. Our first trips were in a makeshift campground and tents. Today, the road and camp spots are paved and are great for our motor home. A 12 mile flat ATV trail follows the lake and Eklutna River to a short footpath climbing up to the foot of Eklutna Glacier. Several trails depart from the lakeside trail into the mountains or along the east fork of the river. In summer, there is a boat and bicycle rental. I have many family photos showing us biking, hiking, camping, kayaking, skiing and snowshoeing together. If you have access to a car or camper during a visit to Alaska, I think you'd enjoy spending a few hours or a few days at Eklutna Lake State Park. ---Chuck Woodfin www.mindseyeak.com |
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With this delicious assortment of brittles, it will certainly be a sweet "break-up!" |
Don't know what to get Mom for Mother's Day? These fun, new, Sienna Sky earrings will do the trick. We also have a variety of other jewelry to fit your mom's taste. |
