A Tiny Campus in Alaska

As I sat in a downtown office today I looked out of the window and at first saw only the same thing that I had seen for almost the past six weeks straight - rain.

But then I looked higher - up in the mountains behind the office - and realized with almost child-like delight that it was snowing.

Smiling inside I watched it fall for just a few minutes before focusing back on the business at hand.

While on a break I looked over at Douglas Island and all of the mountains were completely coated in a thin layer of snow, and I smiled inside again.

By the end of the day it was around 41 degrees and raining, and as I walked back to the car in the steady downpour wondered if I should stop somewhere to regroup before heading straight home or just simply head straight home.

Since the weather is often better Out the Road than it is both in town and in the Valley, I decided to let the weather dictate my agenda. 

If it was still raining heavily taking pictures would be out of the question.  My non-waterproof camera had already been tested to the max these past few weeks.

Very heavy rain through Lemon Creek and in the Valley.

Less rain as I drove beyond the Valley, and there was no hint of snow, even though LC had called me during the day to say that it was snowing heavily.  Too warm for it to stick.

On the spur of the moment (how many times have I written that over these past almost-10-months??) I pulled into the University of Alaska Southeast.

I have not been to UAS since late Spring. 

No more warmth and blue skies and flowers and children climbing on metal sculptures.

Now rain and grey and cold.

A different kind of beautiful.  A less obvious kind of beautiful.  A more quiet kind of beautiful.

The small UAS Campus with one of two totem poles located on the grounds...........

Also on the grounds is a large metal raven.

It is an unusual statue - unpretentious, non-classical in design, sorta fun and funky and off-beat.

Seeing it again was another one of those make-me-smile moments this afternoon.........

By the time I arrived on sight the campus was still filled with students, so after taking just a few pictures at street level I ducked down a walkway leading to the back of the buildings and eventually down to a walkway close to the beautiful lake and mountains that are located immediately behind UAS............

There is a short trail behind the campus and a small shelter.

Some pictures of the trail and shelter, as well as the lighted back of a number of buildings.

The entire campus is so welcoming and beautiful and quiet, and with Auke Bay just a few minutes walk away I can picture this place as being a very positive learning and living environment for young people............

The snow of today reached much further down the mountain than anything we have seen so far this year........

After wandering for a short while I continued on foot along a small walkway until I hit the road again leading back around to the main campus.

It is this place where I have taken my favorite pictures of Auke Lake.

I have taken pictures here (across from a church parking lot) many times over the past 10 months. 

My favorites have been those times when the lake is mirror-like flat, and when the mountains have reflected perfectly in the lake.

Although there was little wind this evening, the water was less calm than those completely placid times in the past.

Beautiful none-the-less..........

A beautiful rusted no-parking sign..........

A hardy bike rider in drizzling rain and close to dark, wearing reflective clothing and lights on both himself and his ride..........

The daycare portion of the church where I have parked frequently to photograph the mountains and lake........

And a very well-constructed and pretty covered walkway leading from the parking lot to the main church buildings........

The road leading back up to the campus........

The second totem pole on the grounds.

This entire area is quiet and peaceful and very beautifully landscaped..........

And finally the view from one of the parking lots on campus.

My campus when I was in college in Toronto was huge.

The campus that Son #1 attended in Middle Tennessee was even bigger. 

Almost as many people as all of Juneau.

I would have loved to have attended this tiny campus in Alaska............