August 25, 2008: Flights (Anchorage-Minneapolis-Detroit-Buffalo)

Three flights on Northwest today, Anchorage-Minneapolis, Minneapolis-Detroit, Detroit-Buffalo. Mostly at night, and under clouds, so not many photos!

Windfarm near Port Burwell, Ontario

Long Point, Ontario
Dunkirk, New York Lackawanna (NY) Windfarm

August 24, 2008: Seward to Anchorage, Alaska

Our last day in Alaska! :( We spent some time in Seward, at Kenai Fjords National Park's Exit Glacier (info). Then we took the drive north to Anchorage, and flew home late in the evening....

Salmon trying to spawn back into the Bear Creek Fish research station

LOTS of Salmon here!
More salmon

EXIT GLACIER:

Sockeye Salmon near Tern Lake outlet

Downtown Anchorage

Red-Necked Grebe at Westchester Lagoon - Anchorage

Assorted pipers at Westchester Lagoon (mostly Dowitchers)
Distance sign on 6th Street in Downtown Anchorage

TODAY'S ROUTE:
LOCATIONS MENTIONED TODAY (INTERACTIVE)

August 19, 2008: Denali National Park to Anchorage to Soldotna, Alaska

Started off this morning at Carlo Creek, and made the longest drive of our trip, all the way back down through Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula and Soldotna again (Forest View Lodge a second time on this trip!). We made a few brief stops along the way but it was mostly driving.

We had dinner at the famous "Gwin's Lodge" near Cooper Landing on the Kenai Peninsula, it was pretty decent... (location)

Nice mountain view as we left McKinley Creekside cabins in the morning

Our first great view of Mt. McKinley - it was wide open in the clear! More shots of North America's highest peak below...

More great mountain scenery around McKinley

We spotted a wolf along Parks Highway

Above: Male and Female White-Winged Crossbills (Rest area MP 136 on the Parks Hwy)

Another stop at Anchorage's Potter Marsh:

Above two: More spawning salmon

Above three: Red-Necked Grebes (top picture is a baby)

Greater Yellowlegs (above two)

Short-Billed Dowitcher

Photos from the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Girdwood

Above three: Grizzly bears at the center
The Black Bear (below) had a beehive in his enclsoure (above) to make honey for him!

Above and Below: Elk

Above and Below: Black-Billed Magpie

Moose at the Center

TODAY'S LOCATIONS (INTERACTIVE)

TODAY'S ROUTE