Mt. Wrangell/Skyscraper Peak Traverse, Part 2 --- ( see part 1) Day 4 We pause occasionally to console and refresh ourselves with some of the blueberries that are close at hand. With a bit of coaxing I persuade everyone to make it just a little bit further and then we drop our packs on a level spot for a well-deserved lunch break. And what a great spot for it too - fantastic views here of the Kluvesna Glacier below us.
Finally we arrive at that top amid more than a few hoots and hollers. The view is just spectacular and the day is perfect. We can see Mt. Wrangell and the plateau where we camped a few days ago. We enjoy the vista and feeling of accomplishment before finally continuing on a short distance to a great spot for camping. There is a good supply of clear water coming right out of the ground.
We have plenty of time left in the day to relax and enjoy the views all around us. We even have a round-the-corner view of Mt Blackburn as the clouds blow of its flanks for a few moments. Day 5 In order to avoid some really nasty terrain we have to go up out of the streambed and up the ridge, so that we can go back down again. When we arrived, huffing and puffing on top of the ridge, we dumped loads for a breather. Just as I swung my pack around a strap popped and I stared at a now dysfunctional pack strap. I was glad that I always carry a repair kit with heavy duty needles and thread. Everyone was happy to have the extended rest stop as I worked on the repairs. Then it's on down the ridge, heading to meet up with Surprise Creek once again. The final descent gets a bit tricksy in spots and we really have to take care with our footing. No sooner are we down by the creek, when we soon need to head back up a little bit to do an up and over to get around a bit of a waterfall. After this bit of bushwhacking eeeeveryone votes yes to lunch which we do right on the shore of the stream so we can have a never ending supply of cool water.
Nobody votes to stay up late playing cards tonight and we enjoy a nice night with the sounds of the nearby river to lull us off to sleep ________________________ Till then.. happy trails! Regards, Greg Fensterman
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Time to say good by to the riverside hiking and head on back to the high country. The Kluvesna River disappears under the glacier and we are able to get to other side with only one minor channel crossing. Then it's a bit of a grunt over some moraine but finally we emerge at the bottom of a grassy slope. Sorry to say it's a steep grassy slope that I call the Tundra Ladder. Yeah it's almost that bad.
After the traditional post-lunch chocolate bar we're all feeling perkier and ready to continue our way up and up. Which is good, because there's plenty of up ahead. But from here it's not as steep but just a good long hike up to the pass. As we work our way up the valley, suddenly Kim gets a burst of energy. We don't know where he's getting it from - perhaps he has secret stash of chocolate. At any rate he becomes the energizer bunny and leads the way up the valley.
Near our tents Janette spots a group of stones that she thinks look arranged. I'm not wanting to think that anyone else has ever been here so I resist. But her argument is irrefutable. They have clearly been arranged.. but by whom and for what purpose? Could this have been a landing site for an ancient race of space faring aliens? Okay, maybe not. Probably miners or trappers. But who knows what function the stones may have served.
Happy to say that we are getting close to a spot to camp for the night, which we do near the shore of the Kotsina River. We are right on a gravel bar and sandy area, so we do something I almost never get to do in the Wrangells - have a fire. A crackling fire always lifts the spirits after a hard day of hiking. That and a filling dinner of all the quesadillas we can eat - which it turns out is quite a few.