Third Time's the Charm!

I've started and stopped writing this post multiple times.  I just can't get past my excitement and sheer jubilation to come up with a creative and witty way to start.  So without further ado....

Drumroll please...

I GOT MY DREAM JOB! I'm so excited to tell you, friends and family, that I will be joining the Expedition team at UnCruise Adventures for the 2015 Alaska season!  I couldn't be more thrilled!

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me through the last two years, two rejections,  three applications and finally one job offer.  Apparently it is true what they say, the third time really is a charm!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Belated Holiday Wishes and Work Surprises

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season!  I know I certainly did!  I was lucky enough to get to go back to Boise and visit family and friends.  I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas and birthday! 

Besides getting to visit with everyone, I also had a wonderful present from my Oregon Ducks!  They won the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, one of the semifinal games in the inaugural college football playoffs.  Win the day, Ducks!  I'll be rooting for you on the 12th!!!

Sorry it's blurry, but that was the final score.  Go Ducks!

And now, a quick side note.  This morning, I was in a bit of a funk.  I got back to Juneau last night and didn't sleep very much before having to get up at 3:30am to go to work, which happened to be something that I really did not want to do.  I moped to my car and was pulling out of the parking lot before I really looked at my surroundings.  No, there was no bear (they're safely asleep this time of year), but there was something even more exciting.  The aurora borealis was clear about Mt Roberts!  It wasn't a huge aurora, but it was definitely there!  It took my breath away! 

I wholeheartedly wish that I had a better picture!  Sadly, I didn't have the time (or inclination, as it was freezing due to near gale force Taku winds) to go back in and get my good camera.  I will definitely be going aurora chasing soon!!!

It's finally here!

In a past post, I believe I mentioned how, when you work seasonally, your life begins to feel as if there are only two seasons: summer and winter.  While it has been threatening for awhile, winter hadn't really shown up here in Juneau, despite making itself felt all over the Lower 48.  Until the last day of November that is! 

Over night and throughout the 30th, Juneau got between 6 and 14 inches of snow.  It was a nice, and much needed, storm.  Here's to hoping we will get much more!  I'm soooooo beyond ready to go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing!  Maybe in January...

Intersection right next to work, looking up towards Mt Juneau

So much snow!  I love it!!!

It's About Time

Any time you Google "things to do in Juneau AK", the Mendenhall ice caves will easily be in the top of the search results.  I have been hearing about the caves since I first moved to Juneau in April.  Throughout the summer, I had intended to go search for them with friends but something always came up.  Finally, a few weeks ago, my Starbucks friend Kate and I hit the trifecta; a mutual day off, a desire to go exploring, and, the most important part, cloudless skies! 

View of Mt McGinnis from beginning of trail

The trail begins on the west side of Mendenhall Lake, just past Skater's Cabin.  The trail is easy to follow for the first few miles and offers some amazing views across the lake and up towards Mount McGinnis. 

Mendenhall Lake towards the valley

After about 3 miles, the trail splits off to head upwards to the summit of Mount McGinnis.  To get to the ice caves, one must follow vague idea of a trail that is mostly just a wishful guessing that you are going in the right direction.  After pushing through young trees that are just starting to make their mark on glacially scoured ground, the trail takes you over lichen covered boulders towards bare ground that has been exposed from the ice for less than 25 years.  Being able to essentially travel back in geologic time like that is fascinating!  Eventually, the trail reaches a point where you are required to scramble down to the glacier.  Our scramble down (and back up) wasn't so bad because the scree was all frozen together since it was a maybe a whopping 25 degrees outside!

Kate blazes a good trail!

Being in the ice caves was absolutely stunning!  Now, before anyone freaks out about how dangerous it was to have been inside a glacier and everything, we picked a cold day so that the ice was more stable and didn't stay inside for very long.  There, happy now? :)

And now for the photos!

Mendenhall Glacier, looking towards the Juneau Ice Field

Roof of the ice cave

Amazing to consider how old this ice is!!!

I hope to get back up to the ice caves this next summer when it won't be a race to get there and back before the sun sets!  All in all, it was a great hike with wonderful company.  A well spent day off!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to take a moment today and thank all of you who read my blog.  I know that I don't post too terribly often, but I appreciate each of you!

As today happens to be Thanksgiving, and is as good as any to reflect for a moment on the ways we have been blessed, I am truly thankful for being able to follow my dreams and live in such a beautiful place.  My wholehearted thanks go out to everyone who loves me and has supported and encouraged me in my move to Juneau.  I'm truly lucky to have you!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day! 

A sunny Thanksgiving day out at Mendenhall Glacier!

PS - New post coming soon!  Probably 12/1!  All about the Juneau Ice Caves!!

Morning Commute Surprise

Before I tell you about the surprise, I have to set up for you what downtown Juneau looks like.  It's much like any other downtown; there's shops and office buildings and bars  and restaurants.  The main thing about Juneau that truly sets it apart from other cities is that downtown is set right against the Coast Mountains where you can be in true wilderness in just under an hours hike. 

Now, that doesn't seem like such a big deal, right?  Well, the part of this closeness that is slightly challenging to get your brain around when you first move, or visit, here is that that wilderness doesn't always stay an hours hike away.  Sometimes it walks down the mountain on it's four furry little legs and comes to say hello.  And that, folks, is how we get our story. 

About two weeks ago on a Sunday, I was walking to work.  Granted, I work at Starbucks and I mostly work the opening shift, so my morning commute takes place at about 4:15am.  As I'm making my way along, I passed one of Subway's garbage cans that was completely destroyed.  Most places, your first thought would be the correct one and you'd probably assume vandalism.  Here in Juneau, it's a bit different; your first thought is bear.  At this point, I'm taking a bit more time to be aware of my surroundings and looking into the alleys before walking by.  As I reach the intersection where the store is, I notice this shape moving down the street across from me.  What do you know, it's a big black bear.  He saw me, we both stopped, and then he decided I didn't look nearly as much fun as the trash, so he turned around and moseyed back up the hill.  And I continued on my way, a bit more quickly this time.

An hour later, after telling my coworkers about my bear sighting, one of our customers happened to see the bear wandering up the street outside the store.  Of course, we all had a tourist moment and stuck our faces to the store window and snapped as many blurry and poorly lit photos as possible!  Our bear friend explored a set of stairs that led to an apartment, came back down to look in shop windows, and then finally continued on his beary way (probably in search of more garbage). 

Isn't he adorable????

Winter is coming!

Yes, yes, I know that the title of my last post was weather related but this one is relevant.  Promise!

When I looked out the window this morning, I saw something that totally surprised me.  I knew it was going to happen eventually, yet I wasn't mentally prepared. 

This morning, we had our first snow on the mountains. 

Now, I know that doesn't sound terrible exciting because you're sitting there thinking "Well, you do live in Alaska", but consider the fact that those mountains aren't much higher than 3200'.  From what I can gather from folks who have lived here for ages and ages, once we get that snow on the top of the mountains, it's only a matter of weeks until it snows in town.  And I looked ahead on the 10-day forecast... We have a chance of snow showers next week.

Glad I bit the bullet and ordered my winter coat now!


PS- I will definitely be posting pictures of the first snow!