Wind Songs: Rugged and Rough and Beautiful

Auke Lake early afternoon.

This morning we watched the sky for just a short while before smiling at each other in recognition of the fact that it was going to be a nice morning.

We were fairly certain that it would not last because the forecast called for increasing clouds and rain in the afternoon.

No matter.

It was Sunday morning, the sky was a watery grey-blue and the sun shone weakly. As good as it gets in this long stretch of nasty Fall Juneau weather.

LC wanted to sight in his newest toy - a Bushmaster AR15.

Jamie is very scared of all loud and unexpected noises (and that includes gun fire) and I decided that while my Mountain Boy was shooting at the outdoor gun range I would walk with my dog on the country road that the range was on.

I have not travelled any further on that road than the outdoor range so was eager and curious to explore and see what was out there. A new adventure in Juneau.

Eager to get out of the house we skipped breakfast.

Jamie was almost hysterical with anticipation at the prospect of going on a new adventure with us.

I walked outside onto the porch while getting ready - she followed me onto the porch.

I walked back into the house - she followed me into the house.

LC walked out onto the porch - she followed him out onto the porch.

He came back inside - she came back inside. And so it went.

Terrified that we would leave for a trip without her.

A pack with ka-bar and bear spray and bottled tea for me and LC. A bottle of water for Point Dog and we were ready to go.

The gravel road that we live on while heading towards Glacier Highway........

As we drove down our road we looked out over the partial views of the channel and then looked directly in front of us.

There was a LOT of snow on the Chilkats and a lot of snow on the mountain range directly in front of us.

At my urging LC stopped the truck, I jumped out, and while standing in the middle of the road took this picture.

I feel like an excited little kid when I see the first signs of snow. It is beyond beautiful......

As we drove down Glacier Highway heading towards Auke Bay we could see multiple signs on multiple mountains of overnight snowfall.

Pictures taken on the Back Loop on the way to the gun range.

A delighted little kid.........

The indoor range, the outdoor range and the archery range are all located in the same place - a side road located close to Skaters Cabin and the trailhead for West Glacier Trail.

Only a couple of minutes onto the road I again asked my Mountain Boy to pull the truck over so I could take pictures of the mountains.

He laughingly obliged, happily humoring this photography-addicted-woman.

He and James stayed in the truck while I walked through the rock and gravel supply company parking lot to reach a better perch for picture taking.

As I have said before - when you get to the Valley (even the Back Loop section of the Valley) the Mendenhall Glacier follows you everywhere you look.

Everywhere you turn.

This entire mountain range dominates the landscape, and after almost nine months I am still enthralled and enamored with it.

It occurred to me yesterday while LC and I were walking on the rocks in the rain down by the beach close to the house, that I am intrinsically drawn to rugged and rough and beautiful.

I looked at my Mountain Boy while on that beach yesterday and silently considered everything I know about him and everything I have seen in him over the past three years we have been with each other.

And then I stood on that dirt pile this morning looking at these mountains, knowing that I do not have the ability to either capture their majesty in pictures, nor describe their majesty in words.

And yes........it appears I am drawn to rugged and rough and beautiful.............

After stopping on our road close to the house, stopping on the Back Loop Road and then stopping at the earth moving company, my dog was hysterical - barking noisily in an attempt to let us know that she wanted to WALK for goodness sake!

Thankfully the outdoor gun range was the next stop.

We pulled into the lot and was surprised to find it filled with people and cars.

We quickly found out that there was a handgun competition going on.

When Jamie hopped out of the truck she was cowering in fear, and eager to get out of there.

Way too much noise for her and we quickly made our exit, heading down the road eager to find out what was down the road..............

My first impression of this quiet paved road is that it is a beautiful country road.

Mountains and meadows on one side of the road and dense brush on the opposite side of the road.

Jamie and I were both excited - me picture taking like the picture taking fool that I am, and her sniffing and marking everything as she went..............

As we continued down the road we came across this.

It is another small range (empty of people while we were there) - a couple of plank walkways (designed to protect the very boggy and fragile ground), distance markers and canvas elk targets.

Very cool...........

Continuing further, I was disappointed to see this bullet ridden sign.

The End of the Road.

I have seen these signs at Echo Cove Out the Road, in Thane, over on North Douglas, and on multiple occasions on smaller roads that just.........end.

Before LC and I came to Juneau we felt certain that the only way the fish-bowl existance of living in isolated Juneau would be acceptable, was to find ways on a regular basis to get out of Juneau and explore other parts of this vast, wonderful and yes rugged and rough state.

Part of that plan included the ferry.

And part of that plan included buying a boat - something not extravagent, but something large enough and sturdy enough for us to be able to travel beyond the immediate coves and inner islands for weekends and longer at a time.

A few months ago we abandoned that plan.

We decided that we would not take out a loan for a boat.

That decision provided us with a greater sense of security, but for me at least, it has meant that End Road signs hit harder.

I stood for a few moments looking at the sign, took a picture of it and then moved on with my dog.........

Just beyond the End Road sign is another bullet-ridden sign.

Even though this road contains indoor, outdoor and archery ranges, it apparently is not enough, and there were signs all up and down this road - every single one of them shot up.

Alaskan rednecks are no different from Tennessee rednecks..........

And just below the "no dumping" sign were signs that a large animal (a deer?) had been dressed out in that very place............

As Jamie and I got closer to that 1000 foot end of the road, I happily realized that the paved road did indeed end, but there was a raging river and trail immediately in front of me.

An unexpected and wonderful surprise find on my part, and one that I was suddenly energized to both see and explore.

And yes, a shot up trash can................

A bullet-ridden sign identifying exactly what Jamie and I had unexpectedly found.

I have heard people mention Montana Creek many times and on this increasingly cloudy Sunday morning I found it purely by chance.................

A very beautiful fast moving creek, and a very beautiful moss-covered wooden bridge led to an open gravel trail.

Jamie happily took on the role of Point Dog, and I happily followed her as we took pictures and walked the trail for a short while, eager to see what was there.............

Surprisingly I came across 15 or so 20 gauge shot gun shells lying on the trail..........

After walking on the open trail for about 15 minutes I called my Mountain Boy to let him know where we were.

When we left him at the gun range the plan had been for us to walk along the road.

I did not know the trail, did not know how cell phone reception was out there, and if LC came looking for a misplaced blonde woman and blonde dog, would have no idea where to start.

So.........I gave him the low-down on what I had found, where I was, and what the plan was.

The plan was for me to head back (so I did not wander too far from the road), and then go on short exploring walks on other smaller side trails before again heading back to the road, while he finished up at the range.

After getting back to the bridge James and I hit a small dirt trail that followed the creek.

At this point the creek was full, noisy and raging fast.

James and I veered off the trail, stood on sand bars we came across to get closer to the water, and I took a bunch more pictures.

I felt like I had struck gold today.

Better than gold.

I had expected a short walk on a paved road and instead had found creeks and bridges and trails...........

Although by this time the sky was now grey and the sun was now gone, the unsettled weather provided a couple of brief reprieves.

On one occasion the sun came out brighly for just a few minutes, and I pointed the camera up directly into the sun and blindly took this picture............

A very lovely, old, architectural piece of work..........

There are tons of very interesting rocks on sandbars alongside Montana Creek.

They are all filled with a large array of minerals, and because of that the rocks are all varied, multi-colored and very beautiful............

By this time in my unexpected visit to Montana Creek the sky was totally grey, and the previously clear air above the creek was becoming filled with fog..........

With rifle successfully sighted in, with me and Jamie getting our need to move satisfied, my Mountain Boy and I drove to the Prospector Hotel in downtown Juneau and ate a very good breakfast buffet (but I can't eat $18 worth of food no matter how hard I try).

One more stop at Rayco in the Valley (ammunition purchase) before heading home..........

We did not plan to make any other stops along the way, but when we reached Auke Lake I again asked LC to stop for a few minutes so I could take pictures of this wonderfully lovely place.

It is always a beautiful lake.

But when the water is extremely calm, when there is snow in the mountains, and when the mountains are perfectly mirrored and reflected back from the lake, this scene is one of the most beautiful in Juneau.............