This summer the Alaska weather has not been good - a lot of rain and wind but a few days have been spectacular. I decided to head out after work on the few good days we have had and explore some of the lakes and cabins in the Sound. These places are less than an hour from Anchorage. Somehow the beverages always taste colder and better out there.

Shrode Lake




Coghill Lake - Spent the night at the cabin Forest Service cabin



One of the many glaciers in College Fiord that I flew past the next morning

Friday 10/12/12 was an absolutely beautiful day. Way too nice to work so I called in dead and went flying. Didn't really have a destination in mind. Flew out to Beluga Lake and chatted with some folks out there and then went "around the corner" to Lake Chakachamna to explore a bit.





Do the places you fly sometimes make you feel small and insignificant?





You go to these places, miles from the nearest human and feel absolutely alone...




...Knowing full well you are not!



I love Bushwheels!

crbnunit, its nice to see your pics of chakachamna. we love to go there exploring. never been in there on wheels though. where is that stretch of nice beach you were on?





it's been a very busy fall around here. and the lousy weather has made it even more of a challenge.




finally found time to make good on the wife's caribou tag, despite the weather.




it sure seems like i have spent more time flying floats in the snow than skis?????

If you look at the photo of the Bushwheel tracks you are looking at the east entrance to the lake. The back side of Mt Spurr is just off to the left. The beach I landed on is just to the right after you clear the canyon to the lake. I plan to go back and explore more on foot. Beautiful place!

Discovered another strip on the way back out but didn't stop. It is on the ridge to the left of the canyon (Mt Spurr side) and looks like it was put in to maintain a seismograph. Pretty cool little strip but quite short and the winds were wrong for a land and look.

No doubt about it, you Alaskans are blessed with a visual overload of scenery....fantastic!

Last backcountry wheel landings for 2012?

Your pictures of flying in Alaska are so beautiful I wonder why we in the Lower 48 bother pulling the plane out of the hanger!

Where some of those at Bold?

Andy

Photos 2 and 5 are Bold. #1 is the Lake George strip, which was completely under water a month or so ago and #'s 3 and 4 are Grasshopper Valley.

Thought I recognized it.
You're making me miss both Alaska AND my plane. I'm in Antarctica, and won't be back until at least February.

Andy

I'm in Antarctica.

Now that's intense!

I once looked into a medical job at McMurdo. I've always wanted to experiance Antartica since reading Shakleton.

Any pics?

I have always wanted to visit the Antarctic as well. Definitely on my bucket list!

Flew around the SF Bay area today. Shot 10 landings at Reid Hillview to test out our brand new ABW 3224 Tailwheel assembly! This plane handles so much better than it did with the Maule TW!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/garrettgra ... /lightbox/

I do have photos of the Antarctic, but none with Maules in them, so it would be a bit off-topic.
Those of you who mention having it on your bucket list should come though; I've been doing it for 17 years, and it's still quite worthwhile.

Andy

I say post a couple. I'm sure we would all like them, OT or not.