Alaska 2016

Some collage I made for a quick share of pictures during our 9 days vacation in Alaska last month.

Bears at Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park

some sights from our stay in Valdez, AK

Glaciers and Wildlife in Valdez, AK

Hiking at Lion's Head, Matanuska Valley

Root Glacier Hike, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, AK ( unguided )

Last 2011, on our first time to Alaska, we did the guided glacier hike on Matanuska Glacier. Our guide did very well in teaching us how to hike safely on ice, that we felt confident that we could do it on our own applying all the safety procedures she shared, and perhaps, be even more conservative. After our first guided hike last 2011, we decided to get some gears for icy hiking, which we also used for winter hiking in the mountains. Our very first unguided glacier hike was in Canada 2014. Then, on this trip, we did several glacier hikes on our own.

What I like most about unguided glacier hiking is that I'm free to go where I want to, I can spend more time for photography, and I'm free to look for features I wanted to see. It may take us more time to look for interesting features, but I believe it adds more to the fun of being able to explore on our own, SAFELY, of course. 

Surprised By a Grizzly Bear

When we were in Valdez, we usually started our day with a light breakfast, then, we would go to Solomon Gulch for some bird ( mostly bald eagles ) photography.

Bald Eagle, Valdez, Alaska

By 8:30 am, we would leave the area to have our heavier breakfast to fuel our major activities of the day, such as hiking and kayaking.

One of those mornings, we were surprised by a grizzly bear. We saw some kids running on the road following the bear as the bear crossed the road to go down to the water. We were at the other side of the stream. The sight of kids running followed by adults was scary since that is one of the biggest no-no when you see a bear, "DON'T RUN", or you'll scare/surprise the bear. That's when bears may attack humans, for offense is their defense.

However, the bear didn't mind the running kids and some adults at all. The bear just continued to go down to the water. 

Grizzly Bear, Valdez, Alaska

The bear was made very busy by flocking sea gulls blocking her way to the water. She would shoo the sea gulls to clear her way to the water to get salmon. She'd finish one salmon very quickly then go back to the water to get another one.

Why do the bears in Valdez and other coastal areas do not mind humans at all, unlike the bears in inland mountains? Because of so many salmons. In between us and the bear, was a stream overcrowded by salmons, where it seemed very easy for the bears and sea lions to get their food.

Salmons

The sea gulls? They most of the time flock around sea lions and bears to feast on their left overs. Perhaps, another reason why bears do not mind humans at all at the other side of the shore is because the sea gulls are too much for them already to shoo away so they can enjoy their fish.

Exit Glacier, Kenai Fjords National Park

Exit Glacier is one of the 38 glaciers that flow out from Harding Icefield. The name Exit Glacier was derived from the first recorded crossing of the Harding Icefield in 1968 which exited in this glacier.If the hike to the end of trail of Harding Icefield is strenuous, the hike to Exit Glacier is easy to moderate. After hiking Harding Icefield, we took the much easier trail to Exit Glacier terminus.

Surface of Exit Glacier

The trail to Exit Glacier is only a 1 mile loop, though it has uphill/downhill slope, but not as steep nor as rocky as Harding Icefield trail making the walk a lot smoother and easier. In just a matter of minutes from the trailhead, you will be face to face with a glacier.

A Stream of Water Falling From the Melting of Glacier

Like many of the low altitude glaciers, Exit Glacier is steadily melting.You will hear the sound of the many waterfalls falling from the melting of ice when you come close to a glacier. The Exit Glacier has shrank 2 miles for the past 200 years.

Glacier Waterfalls 

If you are planning for a trip to Alaska, I really highly recommend putting Seward where Kenai Fjords National Park is in your list to visit. If you are physically fit and won't give up on physical and mental challenge, the hike to Harding Icefield is really out of this world and very mentally, emotionally and spiritually rewarding. However, if you think you cannot make it to Harding Icefield, the easy to moderate 1 mile loop hike to Exit Glacier is still very much worth it. 

Unlike the trail to Harding Icefield, the trail to Exit Glacier is almost free of rocks and snow during summer, and can be accessed even by some with disabilities. I am always happy to see this kind of trail since it allows and opens up our natural world to others who may not be able to take strenuous hikes because of physical reasons or because of having little babies in the family. 

One of the Many Tubes at Exit Glacier

The Exit Glacier shows many hollow tubes, and for me, these are the natural warning signs that we take extra pre-caution when we are in front or hiking in a glacier. The glacier is unsteady and parts of it can crumble anytime. Some may get tempted to have a picture inside the tube, but what if the ice above crash and you get buried? I have seen and heard a glacier crumbled, it is a phenomena that I will never forget. It is both inspiring and sad. Inspiring to see how nature carved the Earth and sad to observe how everything on Earth is temporary. 

In my next posts, I will show the other side of Harding Icefield.

Exit Glacier from Harding Icefield Trail

At the other side of this 4000 ft thick of ice and 700 square miles of icefield is the ocean. It is kind of hard to imagine that this vast mountain of ice sits right next to the sea, and everyday is changing.  

Moro Rock, Sequoia National Park, CA

Sierra Nevada Mountains on Top of Moro Rock

If you are visiting Sequoia National Park, home of the largest trees on Earth, one of the interesting places to experience is Moro Rock. 

The Great Western Divide From The Top of Moro Rock

San Diego Whale Watching

San Diego Skyline

( the first scenery you will see as you leave San Diego Bay to the middle of the ocean )

It has been an annual event for us to explore the Pacific Ocean from San Diego via Hornblower Cruise or H&M Landing. Last Christmas Holidays, we took a three-hour whale watching cruise, the earliest we had so far of the season. We took advantage of the promo we saw that gave 50% discount to San Diego Zoological Society's members. From $35, we only paid $17.50 for a 3-hour whale watching cruise. Since the past four or five years that we had been whale watching every winter, we had never paid full price. Sometimes, we get discounted tickets from Gold Star. There were times we were able to save with a coupon from travelocity, which allowed us to save more than 50%. Aside from booking flights and hotels, travelocity also has connections in booking cruises and trains. Knowing that there are many deals we can find online, we never purchased tickets directly from the ticket booth but always purchased them online at much discounted prices.

Gray Whale

Whale watching in San Diego usually starts from December to April. Over 15,000 gray whales migrate thousands of miles from the chilly Alaskan seas to the warm breeding lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. Aside from gray whales, other whales we would sometimes see are humpback whales, blue whales, and in rare occasions, orcas.

So that I will not overload you with pictures, for a change, here is a slideshow I made of our 3-hr whale watching cruise sometime last Christmas holidays.

The dolphins are always an added bonus to the whale watching tour and it seems they are always the first ones you will see in the cruise. In fact, the whale watching cruises are guaranteed whale watching trips, if no whales or insignificant showmanship from whales are sighted, everyone in the cruise gets another free ticket for another whale watching cruise that will expire in a year. If whales are more solitary, and the boat could not get near them following federal law on whale watching, the dolphins on the hand always have a whale of a good time following the boat. They seem to rejoice always whenever there is a boat, and they love to ride the bow wave.

Dolphins Enjoying the Bow Wave

There are several companies that offer whale watching tours and excursions for up-close viewing of the whales. Because of these competition from various whale watching tour companies, coupons are not hard to find. We do not subscribe to any newspaper company because we can access newspaper online for free, therefore, we scout for coupons not on newspaper anymore but using sites that shares their coupon finds online. I oftentimes would go to Frugal Dad to check out coupons which are not limited to cruises only but to almost all other needs. We however are not really crazy about coupons, we only use it if we really have to use it. Otherwise, if there is no need, despite it is a steal, we hold off from spending unnecessary things and collect junk at home. But whale watching, is one of those priceless memories, that we use the coupon every year! For every year, is different, and special!

Sunset Back To Shore

Wandering from Water to Land

One Beautiful Hiking Day from Torrey Pines to Del Mar

Summer is the time of the year where I most enjoy nature from water to land. For me, summer is the most wonderful time of the year. :) Last Saturday was our first time for the year 2015 to get into the water again. Oh boy, how I miss being in the water. If only the water does not get colder the longer I stay, I would stay in the water for as long as I could.

When I was still a kid, whenever I saw my mom looking for me, I would hide myself in the water. It was always a sad time to go home for home was out in the ocean for me. Thankfully, my concept of home expanded as I grew older. Though I still love the ocean, but I learned to love the mountains, the rivers, the woods, the desert, that home now for me extends everywhere. :)  I don't need to travel far to enjoy nature for nature is everywhere, and in nature I feel I am home. Even indoors at home, I still could enjoy the sounds of nature from the joyful singing of the birds and enjoy their wonderful and beautiful sight from the window.

Finding Nature at Home ( birds from the backyard )

Jasper National Park, Canadian Rockies + Glacier of USA Adventure Trip (4 )

Jasper National Park, AB, Canada

So many places..... so little time. 10 days of adventure in the Canadian Rockies were definitely not enough. Only that I also knew at the time of planning that we could not go beyond 10 days, not because we get tired physically, but I usually feel sick of outside foods. I guess that is the drawback of having a taste only for fresh vegetables, fish and fruits. It's hard to be away from the comforts of home. After a while, I feel weak, not from wandering and hiking, but from a lack of nutritious home prepared foods. But 10 days, were definitely enough for us to be inspired and rejuvenated. Nature's wonder is always a strong healing force for me. It is for that reason that our travels would always seek the healing power of nature's beauty.

Athabasca Glacier, Jasper National Park, AB, Canada

In this 4th part of the Canadian Rockies + Glacier of USA Adventure Trip series, I will be sharing some inspiring places we were blessed to enjoy at Jasper National Park. Jasper is the largest of Canada's Rocky Mountain National Parks and part of UNESCO World Heritage site. Its shimmering glaciers, abundant wildlife, crystal clear lakes, thundering waterfalls, deep canyons and evergreen forest, all surrounded by towering, rugged mountain peaks are some of the reasons why it is in UNESCO's World Heritage List – deemed by the World Heritage Committee to number among the most significant sights on earth.

Just a day before our wanderings here, we were heavily rained out at Yoho National Park. Heavily rained out, but very much thankful. That heavy rain was answered prayers. The Canadian Rockies at that time were battling wildfire at Banff and Jasper National Parks. Very thankfully, heavy rain poured just a day before we were set for Jasper, and it put off the fire in the area. There was no more threat of road closures in Columbia Icefield, and no more threat of not reaching our hotel at Jasper. :) It was a time to rejoice for us.

jumping for joy, no more hazy and smoky skies, no more wildfire

Experience the Restorative Power of Nature

from last weekend's play in nature

If you spend your days rushing from one task to another or multi-tasking in an attempt to reach the end of your "to do" list, you could be harming your physical and mental health and damaging your relationship with others. Studies have shown that spending time in nature can be healing, relaxing, restorative and personally beneficial on many levels. With that in mind, perhaps making a reservation at a serene location such as beavers bend cabin lodging should be at the top of your list of things to do.

Physical relaxation

One of the best ways to use your vacation time is to plan a trip to a destination that offers you abundant opportunities to spend time in nature. Activities such as fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, canoeing and numerous other activities that put you in the midst of a natural setting can relieve stress. Stress can have a direct impact on your physical health. Once you experience the exhilaration and pleasure that comes from spending time in nature, you can make a commitment to add "personal time outdoors" to your daily or weekly schedule once you return from vacation.

Restoring relationships

When a couple or a family hurriedly goes through each day barely taking time to talk with each other, the relationship suffers. Escaping to a retreat that offers you lots of outdoor family adventure can remind you of how essential it is to regularly set aside time for outdoor family activities. Couples can become disconnected when their schedules leave little time for romantic moments and heart-felt discussions. A secluded cabin in the woods, with a hot tub and fireplace, is the ideal setting to rekindle a romance. Arrive there with no preset plans and simply let nature inspire you and guide you.

Spending time in nature can help you regain perspective. With time to ponder and reflect, you can often see things more clearly. When your body is tired and your mind cluttered with an array of thoughts, it's difficult to focus on an individual situation or make an important decision. A walk in the woods or a day of fishing can clear your mind and help you regain focus. After spending time in nature, you might decide to make some lifestyle changes that allow you to slow down and become more deeply connected with yourself and with those you love.

6 of My Most Favorite Experiences in a National Park

In celebration of the 99th birthday of the National Park Service, which was last Tuesday, August 25, 2015, let me share here 6 of my most favorite National Park Experiences. These are the memories that definitely sent my heart pounding, struck me stronger and where they revisit me more than the other experiences.

My top 6 favorite National Park Experiences

1. Hiking the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Me at Cedar Ridge, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

I won't deny that that probably the grandest view of the Grand Canyon is at the driving viewpoints at the rim, so why would we endure leg killer hike and the physical exhaustion of hiking more than 16 miles with 5000 ft descent/ascent?

Personally, if probably I only viewed Grand Canyon from the top, I may not find the experience as one of my most memorable experiences in a National Park to be listed in this post. I must say that I have deeper appreciation and felt a stronger connection to Grand Canyon after I scaled its depth from the rim down to the river. It's very hard to explain the joy I found every step of the way in hiking the Grand Canyon. Deep down the canyon, one could see so much more the very diverse life in a desert, and could see so much more of how Grand Canyon beautifully tells our Earth's history. 

some of the images from our Grand Canyon hike

For me, viewing Grand Canyon from the top is seeing its grandness, which thankfully, that is available to everyone who visits Grand Canyon. Hiking down is understanding in every detail why Grand Canyon is considered to be the greatest geological showcase on Earth. As we went deeper into the canyon, I felt I was digging deeper into the natural history of the Earth hidden in those layers of rock. 

The Grand Canyon hike was not only a mental and physical endurance test, it was so much more than that. An experience I know I will forever be thankful of, and the memories will continue to knock on my heart from time to time bringing so much happiness and inspiration. 

2. Hiking Harding Icefield Trail, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Me, Above Exit Glacier, one of the many outflowing glaciers of Harding Icefield, and looking through Nanutaks ( or glacial islands ), Kenai Fjords National Park, AK

Just like hiking the Grand Canyon, the memories of this hike will forever beautifully haunt my memories and inspire my senses. From the face of its outflowing glaciers to the end of the trail, I felt like indeed I was taking the giant staircase towards the Ice Age. Like the Grand Canyon hike which is not all about rocks, Harding Icefield hike is not all about ice. There's so much diversity in this hike that helps us take a closer look at our interconnectedness.  Like Grand Canyon, this hike is not only a test of physical fitness and endurance, but provides so much life's lessons that draws the heart to it during our entire journey. 

From the start of the trail at the valley floor, to the end of the trail, the joy was so unexplainable as I see for myself the changes which before I only read in books. Changes such as the change in vegetation as we go higher, understanding the tree line, and how other forms of life such as us are supported by the presence of  these thick layers of ice. 

some of the images from our Harding Icefield hike

This hike was both joyful and spiritually moving. Nowhere in our travels before had we seen a place like Harding Icefield, which to us was like a walk on the moon. We could not contain our joy that brought us jumping many times, jumping that felt like flying. Could you see me flying in one of the pictures above? That was from the joy we found in the hike. At the same time, it was so spiritually moving. The vast ice surrounding us, the brutal frigid wind, the overwhelming silence where we could hear the glacier cry ( or hear the flow of the melting glacier ) and the roaring of the river and the waterfalls coming from the melting ice was pounding my heart more than the uphill struggle of hiking through rocks and ice. 

Looking at the turquoise blue I saw the fragile beauty of the Earth. Listening to the cracking and melting of glacier, was like listening to her cries, where her tears we meet through river streams and the ocean where we swim. It was hard not to say a prayer, a prayer of thanksgiving, a prayer of surrender, a prayer of silence, for I know God listens through the beatings of our heart, and that, hopefully, we all work together towards a healthier and happier Mother Earth. Nature may survive and endure without us, but we can not survive without her. 

3. Hiking the Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah

Virgin River, the trail of the Narrows hike, Zion National Park

Unlike Grand Canyon and Harding Icefield, this hike borders more on "FUN" than physically challenging. For me, this was my most fun hike. I guess, it is my affinity for river streams that made me enjoy the hike from start to finish, and where I simply forget about the educational part of this trip, haha! Most of the time, whenever we hike, I connect it with learning, I can't help it being a teacher of Math and Science which abound so much in nature around us. But in this hike, I forgot about the Science, all I know I was traversing in the river of FUN!! And oh well, how much fun it was!! Though of course, I did learn a lot from this hike, but the learning did not come until probably we were back home, as I recall the memories and what were happening in our hike. 

Fun, and More Fun during the Narrows Hike

If the criteria of choosing my most memorable experiences in a National Park is simply about having the most fun, no doubt this would be my number one. I was so fascinated by the majestic curves of the canyon that was shaped by the river. And unlike other canyons where the river has dried already and I could no longer see the action of water, in this hike, we are seeing and experiencing the Virgin River which continually shapes Zion National Park. Notice how we are so goofy in the above pictures, somehow, the very powerful force that was present on us during the hike was spelled F-U-N!! One of those rare hikes that I do not take a close look at the colors of the rock wondering what minerals may be present and what chemical reactions are presently taking place ( I know, I have so much nerdy tendencies ), instead, I was more like, "yey, there's so much water in the desert!! Who says the desert is dry?!!! The desert is AMAZING!!!"

4. Glacier Calving, Aialik Glacier, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Glacier Calving, Aialik Glacier, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Some of my chosen experiences in this post is about fun, some more about a walk in time learning of Earth's history in rocks and ice, this experience for me was more spiritual than fun. I know I may have shed some tears as I watched and listened to the glacier cry during our hike in Harding Icefield. 

Experiencing the glacier carving froze me, and where for a moment, I could not hear what the National Park guide was explaining to us in the boat. I was just like frozen there, overwhelmed by the cracking, roaring, and rumbling sound of the falling ice, which was many times louder than a thunder. As tears were flowing down my face, I had to wipe them off secretly since I was too embarrassed to be seen crying. But it's just me, I am easily drawn emotionally of what I see that sometimes I don't even know why tears are falling. What I learned from glacier calving is how wildlife could lead us to safety, something probably that we may have learned already before.

Before the calving happened, maybe a few seconds before the sound surprised us, birds that were before flying into the mountains were flying away from it. To me, they know of something to happen because they are so used to listening and feeling Earth to their safety and advantage, which we as humans may not be comfortable of. I know a lot of humans are not comfortable of silence, when they hear no sound, they keep on talking, and talking so they forget about their fears of silence, which sadly makes us also forget to listen to what nature tells us. 

Before, During and After Glacier Calving, Aialik Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Witnessing glacier calving however was not all about sadness that the ice is melting and that the glacier is hollow. As what the naturalist guide shared to us, the harbor seals and the sea otters would benefit greatly from the ice fall. Indeed, with God, there is a very beautiful purpose for everything. These smaller sea creatures actually use the icebergs that flow out from the glacier as their safe overhaul away from their predators such as bears and killer whales because they don't usually hunt on ice-choked fjords. The fjord is the sanctuary of these wildlife making the fjords actually the richest assemblages of life on Earth. 

My number 2, and number 4 experiences are so much connected because it is in the same park, Kenai Fjords National Park. One was hiking to see the massive field of ice above, and one was by boat to see the behavior of the bottom ice, and how they help maintain a balance of life here on Earth. 

The memories of Aialik Glacier calving continues to linger in me, because its dynamic changes serves as a very good example of why everything has a purpose, a beautiful purpose, despite sometimes it may appear as not. 

5. First Experience of a Grizzly Bear on a Hike, Grinnell Glacier Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana

Grizzly Bear, Glacier National Park, Montana ( photo not taken during that hike, but on that same day near the trail head of the encounter )

Perhaps, this is the experience that pounded my heart the most. At first, it was more of fear, then, next, was more of excitement, on seeing we are actually very safe when the bear walked away from us. It was then I realized, that true enough, bears don't mean to harm us, they are more afraid of us than us of them. However, when we catch them by surprise, that is when they could attack humans, as their instinct to defend themselves. 

When we hiked here. we saw Park Ranger ahead of us. Park Rangers were actively monitoring the area because of sightings of bear in the trail. We were told to always make noise ( which we do, our singing talent comes out on hikes like these where we may encounter bears), and carry a bear spray. And if we see bears, we SHOULD NOT RUN as that will shock them. Instead, we should aim to appear taller and slowly walk backwards so that they will know we are not a threat. No one was running away very thankfully ( who would run when the other hikers would keep on saying, STAY DON'T RUN, SLOWLY WALK BACKWARDS IF YOU MUST BUT DON'T RUN), thus the bear simply walked away from us until it was nowhere of our sight. 

In this hike, I realized:

1. No man is an island. I always love people in the trail because they are so friendly, and calm, and very very helpful. 

2. That a family who hikes and sings together, bonds stronger. 

3. That we don't let our fears stop us, instead, we let our fears teach us to manage and overcome them so we could move on and explore life more beautifully and healthily. 

4. I could forget about photography. The picture above was not taken during that encounter, but when we were driving away from the trailhead already, with a 400 mm lens, and further cropped. I did take pictures of the bears in the trail, but that was when they were at a distance I know they couldn't get to us because they were far up on the mountain at the other side of the river. 

6. Experiencing the Action and Colors in Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park

I thought after seeing all the erupting geysers and all the beautiful lakes and waterfalls at Yellowstone, I could not be more awed anymore. I thought I have seen the best, of what I came for. But I was wrong. 

As we were approaching this geothermal feature, we passed by a river, a waterfall, and a Crater Geyser, which all of them took my breath away. I did not want to leave  the Crater Geyser for it was just so fascinating to see. But then, when I looked around, I saw a thick blue vapor rising. I was wondering what it was, so with hesitation I left the crater geyser and continued my walk. I am glad I did, for this was my most beautiful experience at Yellowstone.

It felt so unreal what I was seeing that time for I have not seen such action of thermophilic bacteria before that resulted in such a beautiful sight. Just like my other chosen experiences in this post, I froze for a bit, overwhelmed by such beautiful feature of Earth in front of me. My heart was singing thanksgiving and praises, and at the same time taking joy to every passersby who would show equal admiration and saying, "ahh, heaven on Earth!". It's only after a while of letting the experience sink in that I slowly dug my camera from my backpack and took pictures to help me bring these so joyful memories home.

I am so glad and grateful for these experiences, for they directed me away from things. Though I am not denying the fact that we do buy things, but most often, they are to help us gain better experiences when we go outside to explore, to make our experiences more pleasant, not frightening that will cause us to fear and not explore nature.

There are so much benefits to exploring nature. For me, all I know is that my Flonase, Proventil, Claritin, and other maintenance medications I used to be dependent on when I was younger now simply expires because I hardly need them since I started to pick up Nature Rx as medicine. 

Also, I used to whine before a day or two in a month of being not able to do anything because of very bad stomach cramps, but since I picked up the Hiking Rx to spend with nature, I am very glad to say that there's no wrong time of the month anymore to go hiking and exploring nature. 

Bouts of allergies,asthma, monthly pains, migraines, are becoming less and less the more I take the natural prescription of Nature, which thankfully I don't feel I am getting overdosed.

And the more I take Nature, the more joyful memories I have that I could flip through whenever I need lots of doses of it. 

Bishop Mini Get Away

This was actually a last minute trip. Before coming to Bishop, we had reservations at John Muir Lodge in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. However, there were 3 wildfires developing in these 2 National Parks. The day I had to cancel our reservation ( guests could cancel at least 72 hours for full refund), the Rogue fire north of Grant Grove was not threatening the area yet, and all of the roads leading to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park were open. Despite no closures at that time in the park yet, I canceled our reservation since I wanted to be safe. I know, I can always pursue my dream to shoot the Perseid meteor shower and Milky Way with the giant sequoias ( world's largest trees) at some other time.

some places we explored around Bishop

After canceling our reservations last Wednesday, I tried to look for an alternative location to shoot the Perseid meteor shower and Milky Way. Of course, there is Anza Borrego Desert State Park, the one closest to San Diego. However, the desert this time of the year is very hot. I am not yet at that level of braving the desert heat in the summer. I looked at the weather forecast for Big Sur, since I thought the Milky Way and the ocean would be so perfect. Though I live close to the ocean but the city does not have enough dark light to allow residents to gaze at a beautiful starry filled sky. Sadly (though I expected it ), there were no more vacancy in all of Big Sur being a very popular and world known summer destination.

I thought then of hiking in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. I called Bishop Chamber of Commerce if they have health hazards warning in the area from the Rogue fire in Kings Canyon National Park, which is in the western side of the Sierra Nevada. The lady told me their mountains are not affected by fire and they do not get health warnings yet. I asked then for sky quality for possible Milky way photography in the night, and she told me the southeast sky is very clear, so should be very okay. After that call, I checked availability in Bishop, and felt so thankful I was able to book 3 nights, Saturday-Monday nights.

When we reached Bishop about noon time Saturday, the sky was very blue and so clear. I was like, "wow! great! I would have a grand time tonight!" To escape the heat in the desert valley ( the town of Bishop is in the desert valley, its mountain however is about 20-30 degrees cooler due to high altitude), we went up Bishop Creek Canyon to do some hikes. Since it is our first day hiking at high altitude, we chose a short one for our acclimatization hike. We hiked North Lake to Grass Lake.

Grass Lake and North Lake at Bishop Creek Canyon

Wild About Lupines

A Closer Look of the Alpine Lupines ( this shot is dedicated to kulasa and Tes,  fellow Salitype sisters, both lovers of wildflowers, and who I know will get wild on seeing this field of blue and purple lupines). 

Aside from fireweeds which I shared in my previous post, another abundant wildflower we saw in Alaska are lupines. My first sighting of wild lupines in Alaska is along Seward Highway.

My first lupine sighting in Alaska, along Seward Highway

My first lupine sighting was actually not really a lot, I had to really go down on my knees to make an impression of a field of lupines.

That's Me and that's where I shoot the first lupine picture above

The next time I saw lupines was when we were hiking to Harding Icefield. This time, it's not just small patches of lupines, but alpine slopes carpeted by lupines. Below is where we stopped for lunch during our hike.

Lupines and Exit Glacier, where we stopped for quick lunch ( or nutrition break)

My left-over subway sandwich never tasted sooooooo good and heavenly, what with the view of lupines among other wildflowers, mountains and Exit glacier in front of us, and the Resurrection River below. 

Lupines and the Resurrection River and Valley Below, from Harding Icefield Trail

As we went higher, the lupines seemed to be displaying wildly and profusely. The feeling was like climbing to the heavens with the lupines in the alpine slopes of Harding Icefield trail. 

Lupines, Snow, Exit Glacier and a Far Glimpse to Harding Icefield

for you, kulasa,More Blue Alpine Lupines, Can't Get Enough since I know you will delight in blue

A Lupine Paparazzi

Now, don't ask us how long did we take to reach Harding Icefield? Who would not stop and enjoy these field of wildflowers in the alpine anyway?

Wild About Wildflowers

And unlike my first lupine sighting, I no longer have to work as much to create an impression of a field of lupines, for the alpine trail to Harding Icefield is really a field of lupines. 

 for you Tes, wild blue/purple alpine lupines, wish to someday hike again with you

Lupines do not only spread profusely in the alpine slopes in Seward, they are pretty much abundant in lower elevation as well. 

Low Elevation Alpine, Seward Highway

 It seems lupines are very versatile, surviving the alpine conditions, and at the same time desert conditions. There are about 280 species of lupines, with major centers of diversity in South and western North America.   I have seen this beautiful wildflower bloom profusely near Southern California's coast, in inland hills and valleys, mountains and even in the hot and dry deserts. If you wonder how wild lupines in San Diego look like, they look very much alike to the alpine lupines,

Wild Blue/Purple Lupines in San Diego

Wild Blue/Purple Lupines in San Diego

though we also have a variety which is more pinkish/magenta.

Some Wild Pinkish Lupines in San Diego, sure do, the pink follows me :)

There are actually many colors of lupines, I saw some which is also white and yellowish in color, but oftentimes, I see them in our highways here where there is no opportunity to stop. I just learned recently, that without lupine, there will be no Karner blue butterflies for it is the lone host plant for the small Karner blue butterfly.