Wind Songs: Eaglecrest

This morning while driving to work I heard the friendly female announcer on the radio tell the listening audience of commuters that the temperature in downtown Juneau was currently 7 degrees, and that it was -7 degrees up on the mountain at Eaglecrest.

I was going to Eaglecrest this morning with a colleague to look at, of all things, a computer software system.

It was Friday and the end of what has been a seemingly long and complex work week.

It was Friday before a long weekend, sunny, very cold, and even though I shivered involuntarily when I heard -7 I was still very much looking forward to going up on that mountain.

Any reason to be up at Eaglecrest, regardless of air temperatures or wind chill factors, is a very good day.

Even though Eaglecrest was open for business the snow pack is still low meaning that ski conditions are not yet that great for this ski loving town.

And with the very freezing temperatures we have had over this past week the snow is frozen solid.

Too cold even for skiers.

We did not have the entire mountain to ourselves, but we did not have to share it with many........

It was absolutely freezing up there.

But the sky was very clear, the watery sun shone brightly even though it did not bring warmth with it, and we were in the mountains on the beautiful and rugged Douglas Island.

A very good day...........

Buses that run often throughout town picking up skiers were resting in the parking lot waiting for the typically busy weekend runs........

This is the first time I have been up to Eaglecrest this season, and while walking precariously to and from the ski lodge on the icy sidewalks I couldn't help but think about my trips up to this place last winter.

Ski lessons and successful trips down the "kiddie hill", lighted ski demonstrations and community bonfires and fireworks on a cold February night, a group hike and snowshoe trip much further into the mountains while snow was still on the ground but after the ski resort had already closed for the season, a hike into the hills during the summer when everything was green and wildly growing.

I have not spent nearly enough time at Eaglecrest since I arrived in Juneau, but this place is already very dear to my heart..........

My colleague is new to Juneau.

He moved here from California just over a month ago, and although he is new to this kind of weather he is taking it good naturedly and in stride.

We stopped at many pull offs on the way back down the mountain to enjoy the very beautiful views, and to both take pictures of this wonderful wonderful beautiful and magical place..........

Very icy roads and I am loving my 4 wheel drive truck........

All over Juneau right now there are frozen waterfalls - run off from the mountains that have frozen in place along rock faces, and that will most likely remain frozen for the next few months.

They are beautiful and fragile and strong all at the same time.........

Douglas Highway North is at the end of this road..........

After finally making our way down to the bottom of the mountain I turned left intending to go further out on the highway that parallels the channel, rather than immediately turning right and heading back towards town.

My colleague had not seen this part of Juneau before, and I was happy to be able to show him the area.

I was happy to be able to share with him one of the many very beautiful places in Juneau.

We stopped at the boat dock, with visions of Mendenhall Glacier dancing in our heads.......

While at the boat dock I told my colleague of my mountain bike ride out here last February.

There was no water, no mountains or sky or even dock on that day.

There was only cold and grey and a thick impenetrable wall of fog............

And finally one last stop at the last pull off before the end of the road.

Or End Of The Road, as the case may be.

The water still covered much of the point where my Mountain Boy and my son fished last summer, but it was not as high as it was a couple of weekends ago.

At that time there was no beach at all - only cold and crashing waves..........

Very often I look at some of the pictures I take in my daily travels and I cannot believe that either a) I am actually living in this most beautiful of places or b) that I actually taking these most beautiful of pictures............