Alaska Adventuring, Part 2: Kodiak Island

After our adventures in Anchorage, Daniel and I extended our trip to include a visit to his aunt and uncle, who have lived on Kodiak Island for nearly 20 years. We flew to Kodiak (southwest of Anchorage) on a Sunday afternoon, which took just under an hour, and landed in mountain paradise. This is the view from the plane right after we landed.

Daniel's Uncle Ted and Aunt Kathy picked us up at the airport and took us to their house to drop off our stuff. Less than two hours later, we were bundled in water gear and tucked in their little motor boat, circumnavigating Woody Island in search of whales.

This is the dock where we unloaded the boat.

Us in our super stylish borrowed boating outfits.

And soon we were off, delirious with adrenaline and delight. "Cheaper than Disneyland!" hollered Ted as our little boat careened across the Pacific Ocean, swooping and bumping over the waves. "And better!" we yelled back.

Sea otters floated along in rafts, tucking little paws under their chins and shyly ducking underwater before our boat got too close. Little black puffins splashed into the water and back up again, often taking a few seconds to gain enough momentum to launch off the water into the sky. Endless mountains rose up all around us, boats of all sizes docked in the harbors, the wind buffeting our faces and spray from the ocean water splashing up. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my entire life.

Sea lions lounged on the dock.

But the real stars of this show were the humpback whales breaching over and over. This is how close we were.

On Day 2, we woke up to a dreary rainy day. This seemed like a good time to drive across the island on The Road, stopping at several different places along the way.

 

Kodiak Island's land is 80 percent reserve, 15 percent native land, and 5 percent available for people to live on. As with all of Alaska, the majority of the island isn't accessible by road. Hence the name "The Road": one main paved road that crosses the island from north to south.

One of our stops was Fossil Beach.

 It was raining and cold, but still worth it to look around.

During the drive, Daniel's Uncle Ted told us all about Kodiak. The population of the island is around 14,000, of which 5,000 is the Coast guard.

Other than Malealea Village, Lesotho, it's the most remote place I've ever been.

Sometime in the afternoon, the rain let up a little. We climbed this grassy hilltop in Chiniak.

On Kodiak, it's impossible to be far from the ocean.

 It's also nearly impossible to be in a crowd. Solitude was as abundant as the pines.

It turns out that lots of World War II soldiers were stationed on Kodiak, where they built bunkers to camp out and watch for Japanese planes.

The bunkers are still there, of course. But now they're completely overgrown with wildflowers.

It was the most beautiful, profound thing. Instruments of war, reclaimed by the earth.

In the evenings, we ate fresh-caught fish for dinner before heading out again to hike. With sunlight until eleven o'clock at night, nearly all our waking hours were spent outdoors.

Moss trail, aptly named.

On Day 3, we went fishing in Ted's friend's boat. 

I didn't take any other pictures, but I do have a video to help me remember the feeling of speeding backward across the ocean in a little boat. Equal parts wonder, exhilaration, and peace.

And, of course, more hiking that evening.

Kodiak, Alaska is an untamed, rugged, adventurous place. Those who choose to live there long-term have wholly embraced wildness in life. They know better than anyone how little we really control. "It's all about the story," Kathy would frequently declare, usually after recounting some harrowing moment like being chased by a grizzly or their son getting stuck halfway down a cliff face.

Kodiak's tallest mountain is Koniag, standing at 4470 feet, which doesn't sound that impressive until you consider that no mountain is further than thirty miles from the ocean.

Photo by Kathy Nussbaum

We spotted more puffins. Aren't they adorable?

Photo by Kathy Nussbaum

We went for one final hiking expedition on Day 4, our last day on Kodiak. And stopped for some rock-throwing.

As much as we would have loved to stay longer, we at least felt like we'd packed our limited time as full as we could.

It was an incredible trip.

Photo by Kathy Nussbaum

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Alaska -- GO.

Alaska Adventuring, Part 1: Anchorage

Okay, so two weeks ago I had to go to Alaska for work. It was rough.

Actually, it was our Service Adventure leader orientation for the coming year. All the leaders (9 people from 5 different units) gathered at the Service Adventure house in Anchorage to talk about all sorts of stuff, and it was 100% wonderful.

There were eleven of us staying at the house, so four of us slept out in this little camper for the week.

And here's the little camper at ten o'clock at night.

In between the grueling hours we spent hashing out a strategic plan (read: telling stories, talking about important life topics, and laughing uproariously), we had some time to explore Anchorage.

Here's a view of Knik Arm, a branch of Cook Inlet, from Earthquake Park.

And one of the park signs.

After six days in Anchorage, here's my well-developed opinion: Anchorage is the Colorado Springs of Alaska.

Both Anchorage and Colorado Springs are reasonably sized cities (300,000 and 440,000, respectively). Both are milder, climate-wise, than many other parts of their states. In most people's minds, Colorado = cold, Alaska = extreme cold. But actually, the mountains and the water shelter Anchorage from the more extreme temperatures. Average winter temp is around 10 or 20 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Also, both cities tend to attract adventurous, outdoorsy people.

And - of course - both cities are located right next to a gorgeous mountain range.

I wish I could adequately explain how beautiful these mountains are.

One morning, we drove alongside the mountains to get to Girdwood, Alaska. From a distance, the contours of the mountains were like soft folds, the cover of greenery creating the illusion of a velvety texture. A gradient of earth tones, from the browns of the peaks above treeline to the rich greens of the vegetation. And, in the distance, a glacier.

In Girdwood, we hiked a trail called Winner Creek.

It felt so great to be out hiking and exploring after a few days of mostly sitting.

Another day we visited Anchorage's downtown market.

And sometimes we just played in the backyard.

Throughout the week, we were generously welcomed and cared for by the folks at Prince of Peace Mennonite Church in Anchorage. We spend multiple evenings in their homes, sharing meals and making new friends. And on Sunday, we joined their worship service in Resurrection Chapel.

It was so nice to be with them. It was easy to imagine how isolating it would feel to be the only Mennonite church in Alaska, so far removed from the broader church.

This is the view they get to look at during church.

I left Anchorage feeling re-energized for the year ahead. Grateful to be doing this for a second year. Excited to see what I can do better. A little bit daunted by what lies ahead...but well-equipped to handle it. Full of love and laughter from being surrounded by loving and hilarious friends. And thankful beyond words for the strength of the arms that hold me up.