Friday, June 22, 2012

Summer Solstice Alaska style

With today being the longest day of the year (Summer Solstice), we officially welcomed summer today.  Sunrise was at 4:20am and the sun is just now setting at 11:40pm.  That equates to 19h 20m.  It really has been unbelievable to experience this nonstop daylight up here in Alaska. 

In honor of the Summer Solstice, Brian and Uncle Ash headed down to Seward to do some offshore fishing out in the Gulf of Alaska. The boys said they had an incredible day both with weather as well as catching the Halibut and Rockfish.  Needless to say, Ash and Jenn will be bringing back plenty to Florida while we may just need to buy another freezer for our share.
Meanwhile, the rest of us enjoyed a new playground and the warm weather.







And then to really savor the Alaskan beauty, we decided to drive down to Girdwood this afternoon.
Alyeska Resort sits in the heart of Girdwood, a glacier carved valley. To the west and north, the mountains of the Chugach State Park provide a stunning backdrop over Alyeska. At 495,000 acres, it is the third largest state park in the U.S.

To give a little historical background, in 1954, 11 Girdwood residents passed the hat and raised enough money to purchase what became the land base for a major ski area. Through initiative and perseverance, they developed a ski area that was small in assets but big in promise.  Today, Alyeska Resort is an established ski destination known for its steep terrain and deep snowpack. With expansive mountain and ocean inlet views at your fingertips, Alyeska boasts an average 643” of annual snowfall at the summit.  To put that in perspective, Anchorage's average snowfall is approximately 70" and this year we had a record breaking winter with 134".

The summer season brings about a multitude of recreational adventures including hiking and biking right from the hotel and throughout Girdwood Valley.  The Alyeska Aerial Tram is a scenic ride from The Hotel Alyeska to 2,300 ft in elevation and the top of Mt. Alyeska. From the Tram, you can see miles in all directions – including views of the Turnagain Arm, up to seven “hanging” glaciers and endless peaks deep into the Chugach Mountain range.




 Trying to be as prepared as possible, I made sure we all had our layers with us in anticipation of the cool/cold temperatures at the top of the mountain.  I was completely caught off guard when we stepped off the tram to find mid-70s and a VERY strong sun beating down on all of us.  I guess that makes sense looking back now, we were the closest to the sun on this particular day and we were at 2,000+ feet evaluation.  I'm fairly certain that each of us got sun with just 30 minutes exposure up there.  Oops.
Breathtaking.
 Snacking and viewing (and getting some sun).
 Yes, Abby has her socks & shoes off.
Apparently, she didn't believe us when we told her that if she stepped in the snow, her feet would get wet. Yep.  So she took them off and layed them out to dry while we snacked.  It was so warm that in just 15 minutes, they were dryed and ready to be worn again.
 the hitch hiker
Back at the bottom of the mountain at the resort, the grounds were beautifully landscaped and we couldn't pass up some Kodak moments.


What a great day to spend with the kids & my sister, Jennifer.
Gorgeous summer weather, a super fun playground, breath-taking mountain views, and precious time with my sister.
Perfect day.


1 comment:

Danifred said...

I love the range of weather and scenery in these pictures. What a beautiful, beautiful place.