Chasing Clean Air

Sandhill Crane Festivals

Who doesn't love dancing Sandhill Cranes?

While considering the August 26 -28, 2016 Sandhill Crane Festival in Fairbanks, Alaska, I received an email, highlighting Nebraska's March 2016 Sandhill Crane Festival.

600,000 Sandhill Cranes congregate on Nebraska's Platte River. And you're invited to watch. The cool thing is the festival organizers set up a CRANE CAM to enable us to watch the birds - without flying, driving, or leaving our living room. I just tried the Crane Cam but didn't see cranes, though I heard sweet bird song. I'll try the Crane Cam again further into spring at the recommended optimal viewing times - sunrise and sunset. And I'll save the carbon pollution by not flying to Nebraska.

Fairbanks, Alaska. I'm not so sure. I'm so in love with Alaska, which happens to be Pacific Flyaway's largest birding paradise. To read my article about Oregon's Winter Wings Festival where I saw bald eagles up close and personal, click here. 

If you haven't made spring or summer vacation plans yet, consider a birding festival. Very interesting. And birds are beautiful to watch. 

Until next time breathe easy and make life an adventure!

To stay connected with my search for clean air, LIKE Chasing Clean Air on Facebook and subscribe to the Chasing Clean Air blog feed. Want more? I write newspaper travel articles for Creators Syndicate, highlighting wildlife and habitat preservation.

Photo courtesy of Audubon

A Journey to the Puffins of Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

I wanted to see an exotic puffin up close and personal. I had read articles about the photogenic orange-billed, web-footed Atlantic puffin that lured me to European shores. But what about an area closer to home? I asked my personal assistant: "Siri, are puffins in the Pacific Ocean?" She responded that puffins are in the North Pacific Ocean.

Indigenous to the Pacific Ocean, tufted and horned puffins mate for life, breed in large colonies, and, in my mind, chirp, "Welcome to Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park."

My journey to the puffins started at the historic Downtown Anchorage Depot, where I boarded Alaska Railroad's Glacier Discovery Train. Considered one of the most scenic train routes in the world, its large windows offered nature and wildlife viewing.

Our train snaked south toward Seward, the gateway community to Kenai Fjords National Park. We passed Cook Inlet, where white beluga whales shimmered in the sunlight. Eagle nests topped trees. Bald eagles flew. The Alaska Range towered in the distance. Conductor Davy Registe ensured passengers' comfort as we traversed a lush green landscape where water cascaded down jagged mountains and an occasional moose turned to say hello.

Romancing Alaska's Wild: Denali National Park and Preserve

I'm no Tarzana, roughing it in the wild. Therefore, when I chose to romance the wild of Alaska, trepidation accompanied my journey to Denali National Park and Preserve — the largest swath of wilderness in North America. Grizzlies. Wolves. Caribou. The promise of observing wildlife in their natural habitat, surrounded by beauty as it was centuries ago, was thrilling. Predators versus prey. Red fox versus please-don't-eat-me-now Arctic ground squirrels. The Alaska Range bathed in northern lights.

Bye-bye city congestion and cell towers. I'd explore the Interior of Alaska and a new kind of freedom surrounded by Denali's 6 million acres — the size of Massachusetts — which, incidentally, boasts North America's tallest mountain at 20,322 feet. Mount Denali, "The Great One" (also known as Mount McKinley), towers over forests, glacial lakes, frozen tundra and mountains. It is popular with photographers, climbers and tourists eager to glimpse its often-cloud-shrouded peak. I'd have three days to embrace Alaska's wilderness and squash any trepidations about roughing it in the wild.

I boarded Alaska Railroad's Denali Star train in Anchorage. We snaked north through pristine wilderness, passing lakes, braided streams and groves of trees. Our guide told stories of pioneers and gold-diggers — long-bearded mountain men who endured harsh conditions mining for gold. Stories of rugged men, far removed from my "GoldStar" train experience with plush interior, comfy seats and large curved glass windows, underscored that "roughing it" was not happening here.

The train slowed for dramatic postcard scenes, including one atop a trestle bridge 296 feet above Hurricane Gulch, which is known for its sweeping high winds and beauty.

After seven hours of scenic train travel that I didn't want to end, a colorful low-elevation taiga forest greeted my arrival to the Denali Park Station. The Alaska Range and an alpine forest, like an impressionist painting, were in the distance. Sun rays pierced clouds, illuminating wild Denali: Evergreens, paper birch and aspen trees were alive with color. Wildflowers swayed in the light breeze — pink fireweed, purple lupine and yellow cinquefoil. I inhaled clean air, soaking in the serenity of my surroundings.

Journey to the Wild on Alaska Railroad! Anchorage to Seward

Horned Puffin

It started with a puffin. 

Up-close and personal! I wanted to see the orange-billed, webb-footed horned and tufted puffins of Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park, a marine wildlife sanctuary so beautiful it made me wonder why anyone would build a place of worship when natural beauty like this exists! 

Tufted Puffin

 

I am an amateur birder with close-up bird photos and National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America and Field Guide to Trees books on my shelf. When I wake early on Sunday mornings, I go on Audubon hikes though I no longer bring my lightweight Nikon binoculars, opting to save the laughter from serious birders, who can barely lift theirs. I own a 70-300 Nikon lens to photograph birds, which naturally I brought to Alaska in the hope of photographing the colorful horned and tufted puffins - nomadic birds from the Alcid family that mate for life. 

In this blog post, I’ll share highlights from my September 2014 train journey from Anchorage to Seward - gateway community to Kenai Fjords National Park - leaving one my favorite Kenai stories (sorry!) for an upcoming newspaper article to be published March 2015. 

Did you know Alaska has hundreds of thousands of glaciers, abundant wildlife and conservationists to ensure that the wilderness stays wild? The heart of Alaska is accessible on one of my favorite public transportation options, The Alaska Railroad! 

Let's go!

Clean Air Alaska - Denali

If you love romancing the wild, there's only one problem traveling to Alaska - you may not want to come home!

Alaska is the biggest and most wild state in our union, offering beautiful vistas, adventure, and an opportunity for the kind of silence city folk only dream about, unless you book an Alaskan flight and get off the beaten track.

In this blog post, I'll share highlights from my August 28, 2014 rail trip to Denali and report on ah! fresh air!

Denali Star Alaskan Railroad

Getting to Denali!

I flew to Anchorage to inhale fresh Alaskan air, and marvel at wildlife in open space preferably without a car, which naturally meant... here comes the train! (The best environmentalists walk, bike and take public transportation whenever possible!)

Observation Deck on Denali Star Train Goldstar

The Denali Star Train from Anchorage to Denali offered breathtaking, ever changing vistas - the 313 mile Susitna River with Sockeye Salmon running, eagles, moose, snow-capped mountains, Hurricane Gultch as seen from bridge in my "photographer's" rail photo - all of which culminated in fall color leaves adorning never-ending trees, braided streams, and a wild, WILD! landscape. Bye-bye Los Angeles and honking horns! Hello sublime peace and bird song!

Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge

All Cozy In  My River-View Room with Easy Park Access!

I stayed at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge just outside of the Denali National Park and Preserve. My room overlooked the Nenana River and a windy path, which led to The Denali Visitor Center Campus, an easy mile and a half walk. The solar-powered campus housed an award-winning natural history museum, the film "Heartbeat of Denali", a National Geographic Bookstore, and the restaurant Morino Grill.

Shuttles to and from park were available. The park did everything to minimize vehicle and human contact with the wild - leave no trace! Free ranger led day tours were offered at the visitor center, and the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge concierge offered paid tours with guides picking up guests in front of the elaborate resort with modern amenities: three restaurants, a Rapid Morning "give me a quick coffee!" Express, hot tubs, and their own musical dinner theatre showcasing Music of Denali! The theatre company was comprised of Broadway calibre seasonal actors that sang the story about the first ascent of Mt. McKinley! I enjoyed this upbeat musical, providing fun, audience interaction, and a taste of Denali's people, land, and history.

Day Tours

From popular flight-seeing to heli-hiking to the few tours I chose and recommend, there was something for everyone. 

Tundra Wilderness Tour - A narrated tour traveling 53 miles into the park to the Toklat River Contact Station with opportunities to view the park's wildlife and scenery. Tour included an introduction from ranger, and informative bus driver/tour guide. They provided snacks and water, but it was suggested to bring my lunch. I tried to order a box lunch at the Princess Lodge the night before but missed their 9 p.m. cut-off in order to be ready by morning. Instead, at 6:30 a.m. I walked across the street to Subway (about the only sign of "conformity" commercialization) and ordered a veggie sandwich. Other coffee shops and restaurants were available.

and

Terry Boyd Photography Tours - The Alaskan Range provided some of the most beautiful scenery and light in America! Terry took me to his favorite spots, providing individualized instruction with my camera!

Look Ma! I made it to REAL wilderness!

No matter your interests, take the Tundra Wilderness Tour and experiece wildness intact. I truly believe everyone should experience the beauty of the wild. The luscious sweetness of clean air circulating in one's midst and going down easy was remarkable. The Tundra Wilderness tour was a safe and visually delicious way to go. And, thank you very much, no cars allowed past mile 15!

Thanks for riding the bus! The bus is the key to conserving the Denali National Park and Preserve wilderness for future generations. And after the approximately 400,000 summer visitors depart, it's all ranger led dog-sleds patrolling the great outdoors!

And clean air. 

Other parks are you listening?! No cars!

YEAH!

(Folks, please help keep your parks clean by sharing helpful ideas with the powers that be. And walk your talk. As a conservationist.)

Thanks to conservationists and President Jimmy Carter who saved millions of acres for future generations, I saw bear, Bull moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and the magical Mt. McKinley or Mt. Denali as natives call the 20,322 ft. mountain just like their ancestors who experienced the same wild landscape 10,000 years ago!

The tour was filled with excitement as one and then another eager tourist eyed animals.

"I see a grizzly bear!

An Arctic ground squirrel!

A Bull moose!

Migrating caribou!"

Here's a photo of a lovely Southern California gal who traveled with her mom and grandma to see Mt. Denali and see it she did! Posed in front of Denali's peak - from about 60 miles if I recall correctly.

Can you visualize 6 million acres? Me neither. Yet, this is the size of Denali National Park and Preserve. About the size of the state of Michigan! 

If you're a photographer, I recommend Terry Boyd photo tours. He took me places I wouldn't have known, and taught me more about my Nikon, including tricks for optimal lighting. Terry also offered use of his tripod and lenses. 

Here are photos I took with Terry last week! Don't you love the reflective pond and barren road at dusk?

Terry Boyd by a Denali stream

Ranger Kris

The park service offered free ranger led hikes and a demonstration of Alaskan Huskies training for patrol sleds. I took advantage of both tours, learning that in the frigid winter, ranger sled dogs are the only land transportation in the park! At other times, like in the milder summers, buses travel the ribbon of one 92 mile road - the one and only road in the 9,492.2 square mile park (24,585 sq. kilometers)!

I love this photo of Ranger Kris, looking serene. I imagine her peaceful face says it all - the Denali story: An off-shoot of living near the wilderness and breathing clean air!

Wherever I go, I walk.

Walking with Ranger Kris, I enjoyed seeing lichen, "love" mushrooms, fireweed, berries, and delicate trees. Tread lightly!

My "Love" Mushrooms

 

While you may need to travel with me from sunny Southern Californian - the sun rarely left my shadow - I prepared for rain. The weather can change in a heart-beat and go from Alaskan warm (low- mid 60s) to freezing temps in a day! So pack for varying weather, and get advice at your local adventure store like I did if you're not sure how to dress for possible cold and wet. Hint: Layers and Gortex.  

Caribou in Denali National Park and Preserve 

Breathing!

Air quality appeared pristine. Air went down easy. The local air shed rating was class one! Denali has some of the cleanest air in our country!

Yet.

Occasional challenges include particulate pollutants blowing in from other countries.

According to Enviro-reporter Michael Collins, about 125 miles from Denali in Fairbanks, along with other areas worldwide - background radiation levels recently elevated and are thought to be Fukushima fallout.

I choose not to worry about what I can't control, staying healthy the best I can, and occasionally - like now - speaking out against nuclear power.

If and when air quality challenges appear in nearby Denali areas, it may be due to wood smoke, burning diesel and waste, and, in older buildings, indoor pollution. 

Climate change has impacted Denali's air quality, too. Most fires in Alaska occur in the spruce-dominated forests of the interior, which includes Denali. Fires are larger and more frequent. According to fire ecologist, Jennifer Barnes, in the years 2000-2009 Alaska's wildfires burned twice as large as any decade in the previous 40 years.

For more Denali air quality information:

National Park Service - Air Quality Denali

Denali National Park and Preserve Webcam at Wonder Lake with View of Mt. Denali. This is an awesome webcam with opportunity to see Mt. Denali (Mt. McKinley) live, up close and personal-virtual!

Moving Forward

I'll be sharing highlights of my trip to Seward and the Kenai Fjords National Park soon, so check back! Also, I'm now a contributing travel writer to a national newspaper syndicate and my Alaska story (with a fresh angle!) will be published in early spring 2015! 

For Denali National Park and Preserve information, check out the the park web site here. 

For Alaska Railroad's Denali Star information, click here. I recommend traveling first class GoldStar, if you can. It includes double deck dome cars with windows top to bottom! A tour guide, free non-alcoholic beverages, a private outdoor viewing deck, and option for fine dining! A great way to make new friends! If you're on a budget, no worries, the regular cars offer the same spectacular views, and a bonus - in my experience - less crowded viewing opportunites! 

Into Apps? AlaskaApp is excellent for helpful information.

Thank you to the State of Alaska Tourism Office for making this wonderful clean air trip and article possible!

Until next time, breathe easy and make life an adventure!

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