Slivers of the North

Nine memories from a summer in Alaska

By Steven Yan

August 20^th, 2019

The Solstice At Mount Drum

June 21st • With 4,000+ miles in our rear view mirror, we arrived in Alaska on the eve of the summer solstice. We boondocked high above the Copper River along the Richardson Highway.

Alaskan sunrises and sunsets are intoxicatingly slow. We watched light from the midnight sun slowly fade on Mount Drum. A few hours later, we awoke to bright sunlight. It was 4:30 AM — two hours after sunrise — but golden “hour” was still going strong.

"And so, does the destination matter? Or is it the path we take?"

Kenai Burning

June 27th • The Swan Lake Fire burned nearly 170,000 acres in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge this summer. Depending on prevailing winds, we could fall asleep under clear skies only to wake up under a blanket of thick smoke. June 27th was one of those days.

The sunrise glowed an eerie orange as we made our way through Kenai Fjords. Luckily the smoke cleared as we neared Aialik Glacier, but nothing drives home the reality of climate change more than floating through walls of haze in one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

Smoke-filled sunrise in Seward, Alaska. June 27, 2019

The Eagles of Deep Creek

July 1st • We spent many hours watching bald eagles at Deep Creek along the Cook Inlet, feasting on fish stranded by the low tide. The adults were ever vigilant and wouldn't let me within 50 yards without scattering.

This eagle was different -- he had a damaged beak, spent the morning alone, and didn't seem to mind my company. The more I watched him, the more I realized how small and meek he looked. Moments later, he spread his wings, took flight, and reminded me of why bald eagles are such majestic birds of prey. Wildlife shot of the trip.

Read "Eagles in the Deep"

"I declare that no accomplishment has substance nearly as great as the road used to achieve it."

The Sleeping Bear at Katmai

July 7th • It’s an 80˚F July day on the ground at Katmai National Park. We’re sweating in our waders, aimlessly wandering the tidal flats looking for bear activity. Just as it’s about time to return to Homer, we stumble across this adult male grizzly sleeping in the tidal flat, trying to stay cool. Moments later, he’s driven further up the bank by the rising tide, only to dig another bed and immediately fall asleep again. Despite a disappointing day at Katmai, this photo perfectly reflects the summer's record high temperatures.

A sandhill crane strolls past our sleeping grizzly

The Bull Moose at Denali

July 19th • There’s a dissonance between the wilderness of Denali National Park and how most people experience it. It’s 6 million acres, yet the primary means of access is via bus on a 90 mile sliver of road through the park. On the way back from Wonder Lake, my bus passed two bull moose, each about 200 yards away. Moments later, a third bull moose appeared.

I decide I didn’t drive 5,000 miles to Alaska to view a speck of a bull moose through a dirty bus window. As the passengers huddled along the right side of the bus to get a closer look, I grabbed my gear and off I went into the brush to hang out with this moose. It was the best hour of the day.

"We are not creatures of destinations. It is the journey that shapes us."

Klutina-to-Table Ochazuke

July 25th • I started the day with a janky rental fly rod that had no tackle on it. Through the kindness of a few local fishermen, I learned to rig my own fly rod with hollow core lead and octopus hooks. I stood in the cold rain for hours with chilly Klutina River current rushing over my boots.

After filleting my first catch, I realized that these salmon were loaded with beautiful roe as they swam upstream to spawn. What I thought would be a simple pan-fried salmon dinner quickly transformed into the freshest, most rewarding ochazuke I've ever made.

In life it's so easy to get addicted to the pursuit of mastery. This reminded me of the exhilaration that comes with being a complete beginner again.

There's nothing like a well-stocked pantry to elevate your catch.

The Silver Derby in Valdez

July 29th • For $10, anglers can enter the Silver Derby, which hands out prizes for the biggest silver (coho) salmon of the day. At the urging of our captain, we entered last minute. We spent a beautiful afternoon on the waters of Valdez Arm, hauling in 14 silvers on the day. Much to our surprise, Cec took second place for the day at 9.4 lbs, which was good for a t-shirt and $75 worth of gift certificates!

Fishing became the biggest surprise of our time in Alaska — how much we enjoyed it, and how often we did it. By the end of the trip, we had shipped 100 pounds of salmon home to family.

The trick is to hold the fish as far away from you as you can.

Flightseeing Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

August 2nd • 13.2 million acres -- six Yellowstones. Nine of the 16 highest peaks in the US. And the Bagley Icefield, which at 127 miles long, 6 miles wide, and 3,000 feet thick is the second largest subpolar icefield in North America. Many of the peaks and glaciers here are unexplored and unnamed. Nothing challenged our sense of scale and awe of the unknown like the two hours we spent flying over this icy landscape.

Read "The InnumerablE"

"Our callused feet, our backs strong from carrying the weight of our travels, our eyes open with the fresh delight of experiences lived.”

- Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings -

Our awesome pilot, Ted. He's summited Denali -- twice. He's built five of his own planes. We felt safe.

The Night Above Salmon Glacier

August 11th • A 17 mile pothole-plagued drive up the dirt and gravel Granduc Road took us from Hyder, AK to Salmon Glacier, one of the most road-accessible glaciers in the world. At the end of it is one of the most epic boondocking spots that you’ll find anywhere. We spent a quiet evening perched high above the glacier.

The next morning’s fog burned off and we watched the rising sun slowly light the glacier. It was a spectacular way to end an unforgettable summer in Alaska.