Breakup!

Looking at Cook Inlet from Point Woronzof

The word breakup might usually have a bad connotation, but here in Alaska it means it's finally the end of  winter.  The snow melts and the ice breaks up and soon enough you can see the ground and pavement again.  It may not be the prettiest time of year for Anchorage, but it's pretty exciting after a winter of cold and darkness.  These days, the sun is staying up for a good 16 hours and every day it gets a little longer.  The past couple weeks have been gloriously sunny as well.  While this is definitely energizing, it's also a little teasing as most of the trails I'd like to go hike are still covered in snow.

There are some less...attractive...parts to breakup.  For one, it seems the vast majority of dog owning residents in Anchorage and especially my apartment complex are incapable of picking up after their dogs, which means we now have an entire winter's collection of dog droppings around the buildings.  There's also a lot of trash and winter road grime bordering the streets.  

Eagle sitting on an ice berg.  Anchorage skyline in distance.

I've been easing into spring by going for walks in areas that have (mostly) melted.  Point Woronzof, along the coast and right next to the airport, is a nice place to check out during low tide.  The other day while walking along there I saw an eagle eating lunch on an iceberg while fending off a couple of sea gulls.  Yesterday I decided to try hiking Flattop Mountain.  The trail is still mostly snow covered, but it was manageable most of the way.  I got a little sketched out close to the top and decided not to push it too far, though I probably could have done it if I was in better shape!  It was definitely nice to be out hiking again though.

I'm looking forward to getting out there much more over the summer.  And now I even have a job that may help me take full advantage of the outdoors.  If only the rest of this snow would melt!

Mud pattern on the beach

More Pictures from Point Woronzof