Fall in the Wrangells

Just 3 more days and I'll be stepping back into a Winter Wonderland called Wrangell - St. Elias National Park in Alaska! I'm heading up for some winter photography. Crazy - yeah maybe. It's 7 degrees there this morning. But there's usually a reason for doing what we do. Mine is that I've been photographing in this area for 10 years and have never slipped a snow shoe on to do it. It's time to experience the late winter up there.

My food's already up there, as I'll be flying "in" on the single engine Cessna mail plane. In McCarthy/Kennicott, they receive mail twice a week so all the happy people standing around to meet the plane probably aren't there to greet me!

Then it's a snow machine (In AK, they're called machines because they use them to check trap lines and work, not generally for fun) ride to the cabin and some time spent stoking the wood stove. The food, you ask, it's all backpacking food because I shipped it up ahead of time.

Company? My year round neighbors live 200 yards away and I'll be dropping in on some dear friends. There's a planned sled dog ride out to the Nizina River and that's something I'm really looking forward to!

My feet and legs will be getting a workout as I'll be walking or snowshoeing to my photographic destinations. I plan on pulling a small, plastic sled with my gear, along in the snow behind me. Easy on the back that way!

Digital and film - I have access to solar power but if it fails, I'm covered with medium format film. For fun, I've got movies downloaded onto my laptop. If there's no power, there's always a book!

This image is the Gilihana Bridge along the McCarthy Road. It's a 60 mile dirt road that takes you into the heart of the Park. It'll sure look different at this time of the year and from the air!