Mine at Hatcher Pass September 19, 2007

One last summer adventure was in order, so we went up to Hatcher Pass and explored an abandoned mine. Smart, not really. Cool, yes.

The hike up was the most exercise I’ve gotten in awhile but was easily doable. The entrance to the mine is a culvert sticking up out of the ground that you have to climb into and down with rope. Once inside there is a lot of sliding through mud and climbing around rocks. Oh, and those pieces of wood holding everything up for the last 80 years? Don’t mind those.

Due to it being late in the day we couldn’t stay very long, but we did get some neat pictures. Next summer we plan on going back better prepared and looking around more. Doesn’t that last picture make me look so adventurous? I’m pointing at this tiny shack on the cliff. We plan to check that out too.

Feelin’ Earthy September 29, 2006

On Tuesday we went to Palmer and picked veggies at Pyrah’s UPick Farm. Basically it’s this huge farm and you go pick whatever you want and pay when you’re done. The weather could have been a little nicer but I guess wind is a part of life in Palmer. We got a huge bag of beets, another one of blue potatoes, collard greens, carrots, raspberries, radishes, and some strange cabbage that I’ve never seen. All that for $17! It always feels good to buy stuff locally, and it gave us some good ideas for things to grow in our garden next year.

Crow Creek Mine September 14, 2006

So Sunday we went gold panning. Yes, you heard correctly. I’ve been trying to get us out for as many outdoor adventures as I can before it starts snowing and being too cold to want to do anything. Other than snowmachining; and when it’s too cold to do that you hibernate. Anyways, here’s a map of where we went panning. It cost us $8 a person which was a little spendy but now we can say we did it.

The scenery there was gorgeous. The area is sort of like a mini Tahoe, with beautiful log homes. (There were at least 5 I’d move into today.) If I were a single girl I’d be there.

There’s a building at the entrance where you pay, and this cute guy, Billy, was busy climbing all over the flower boxes. He likes it when you pull on his ears.

There’s a bunch of old original buildings from the gold rush that you can go into and look at antiques. Historical stuff fascinates me, so I was in heaven reading the newspaper clippings and looking at the photos. The obstacles that the pioneers faced up here is unbelievable. But it’s neat to think about how it must have felt to be here back then.

All of these pictures of antiques were in the same house. There’s still no electricity up there and no phones or running water.

This is the outside of the house with all the stuff.

And here’s the only pic I have of us actually panning. Well, them panning anyway. I’m always taking the pictures. That water is very cold!!! We saw some glitter sized specks, but that’s it. It was sad realizing that we would still have to hold down jobs and not retire on our found riches.

Hatcher Pass September 1, 2006

Last Sunday we went hiking up at Hatcher Pass. If you ever come to Alaska and you’re in the Matanuska Valley you must go there. It was so beautiful! It’s been raining and flooding a lot up here, resulting in the road to the pass getting washed out. But the road people had it open again in time for our day off. There are a lot of old mining buildings and some homes there but we ran out of time and sunshine. Hopefully before the end of the summer we will go back. We did manage to hike and pick blueberries though!
This is the road leading to Summit Lake. As you can see it was very foggy.