Mt Roberts And Beyond

I can't begin to describe just how much I needed today.  After a hectic and stressful week at work, and after waking up early this morning, looking outside and realizing that it was going to be a beautiful day, I was determined to get in and out of work as quickly and efficiently as possible this morning. 

I badly needed to be outside communing in some way with nature.  And I badly needed to not think about work.

Aside from taking the Mt Roberts Tramway I did not have a hard and fast plan as to what I was going to do, or how I was going to spend my free day.

Truthfully I liked it that way.  I looked forward to the freedom of just travelling wherever my feet took me. 

The picture above is simply known as "The Cross".  I don't know the story behind it, and there was no plaque at the sight, but it is a beautiful and peaceful place about 1/2 mile from where the tramway unloads on Mt Roberts.

Someone at work told me that there was a Swap Meet at the Yacht Club, and after I left my office I drove down there to see what they had.  A few powered boats and sail boats for sale outside in the parking lot, and a lot of interesting boat related stuff inside. 

I didn't know what half of it was, but I called my Mountain Boy to tell him what I was seeing and doing, knowing that he would have enjoyed being in this place.  I did end up buying a pair of Xtra Tuffs for his brother (who is driving across country and taking the ferry with my Mountain Boy next month, and who I hope will stay and visit for a while).

After the Swap Meet I drove down to the convention center where I parked my car.  I had forgotten that there was a car show at Centennial Hall today, and snapped some pictures as I quickly walked through the building.  I was not particularly interested in the cars, but I knew that my Mountain Boy would enjoy seeing some of them.  I was much more interested in being outside.

Spring tulips outside Centennial Hall

I crossed the road and as I walked the few blocks to downtown, I had an opportunity to watch a couple of float planes taking off, and also one landing.  I have heard about these planes and had recently seen them parked on the water as tourists were being loaded into them.  But today was the first opportunity I had to see them glide across the water and easily and quickly take to the sky.

It seems that these cruise ships keep getting bigger every day....

At this point I was just a minute or two from the tramway, and I stopped for a moment to take a good look around.  Since I arrived in Juneau in early January (4 months ago tomorrow) I have taken literally thousands of pictures.  Many of them are of downtown, and of this particular area of downtown (the Thane side of the city). 

I have a strong impression in my mind of this place in the winter.........no cars in the parking lot, no people walking the streets, the stores all closed for the winter.  Extremely extremely quiet.

It is still a shock to see the transformation that has taken place only recently.

This picture contains the cruiseship, vendors selling road/air/water trips to points of interest in the area, and of course lots of tourists......

A picture of one of the large wheels that turns the cables of the tramway.  There was one on both sides of the hallway, both glassed in, close to where we stood waiting to load onto the tram.

The tramway trip up to Mt Roberts is very brief - less than 5 minutes.  But it was a fun experience.  Some pictures taken from inside the tramway as we cable-climbed the mountain.

When you arrive at the top there is a long enclosed walkway (similar to the walkways you see as you board planes in airports).  It was full of large windows, and as soon as I looked out over the city of Juneau (that was far below us) I realized that my stress was finally gone.  I managed in that moment to let it go.

I stood at the open overlook for a few minutes thinking back to the last time I was standing in that exact place. 

I climbed up Mt Roberts from Basin Road in February.  It was a wonderful and demanding climb which began with an open, steep and technical trail.  The open trail quickly moved to ice, and then as I got closer to the top, very deep snow.

By the time I arrived at the Visitors Center it was windy and cold, and I could go no further because I did not have snow shoes with me. 

It was a cold and cloudy day back in February.  There was no-one else up there of course - it was winter, everything was shut down.

But today all of the gift shops and restaurants were open.  So was the nature center.  And the movie theaters..... 

It was a warm (about 60 degrees), sunny and clear day today.  I could not have asked for a much better day to take the tramway up the mountain.

On a clear day you can see forever. 

It was clear.  And today this stress-free woman could see forever........ 

One of the trails led up to higher snow-covered peaks.  I took this picture as a group of fun-loving young tourists slid downhill on their behinds.  They were having a very good time, with lots of laughing, and their openess and friendliness just made me smile.

After blowing through the gift shops and the other "buy buy buy" places, I climbed my way up this snow covered hill.  Being outside, being higher, being in the sun were much greater draws than buying a Mt Roberts souvenir mug..... 

I climbed to the top of one incline, but could see another one up ahead.  I climbed to that one, and could see another one.  It was almost compulsive - wanting to find out what was over the next rise.  And then the next one.

But when my Mountain Boy sees these pictures he will understand exactly what I was thinking.  And why I needed to climb..........

And what I was feeling while I was up there.......

Two guys from NOAA were at this point when I arrived.  Unexpectedly enjoying a day off work after having accidentally broken a piece of equipment. 

I laughed when they told me that "Uh huh.......an accident eh??  Sure it was......".  One of the guys took this picture of me.  By that time I had climbed enough that my fleece had been stashed in my pack.  It was very warm and it was like we were in a different world up there high in the mountains.

We sat on the rocks and talked.  And waited for a guy we could see up ahead, who was getting set up to go paragliding........

And a few minutes later he was airborne.....

Another look at The Cross while I was precariously making my way back down.  A gentle and quiet place.

The Mt Robert Visitors Center partially hidden in the pine trees

I did not have Yak Traxx with me, so my footing was very precarious both on the way up and on the way down.  On the way down particularly my knees started screaming for relief, and I decided that the tourists had it right.  So I slid on my butt all the way down this hill.  Feeling like a little kid the whole time, and picking myself up at the bottom with wet feet and a soaking wet butt.

It was warm out, and I didn't care.  The clothes would dry soon enough...........

If you look very closely, you can see the cross at the top.......

After I got home very late this afternoon and went to download the pictures I had taken today, I realized that I had taken 154 pictures.  In one day.  Which is just a bit crazy. 

But I have to say that this was a very wonderful day for me.  I let go of the stress.  I took my first tramway ride.  I was out in the sun and up in the mountains.  

I have more pictures of my adventure on Mt Roberts, as well as pictures of downtown and Out The Road.  It was a great, busy and tiring (good tiring) day.

I went home and took a long nap.

And I will post more pictures tomorrow.