Kachemak Bay State
Wilderness Park July 6-8 2012
Time is getting short here at Ninilchik River
Campground and we are getting excited about the next part of this
adventure. Departure date is Aug 14
about 12:noon. We will be spending the
night at Clam Gulch Campground as Charles and Lena Sutton are holding the last
Pot Luck at their campground.
I have to back up a week or two to tell about a
great trip that C and J went on with Gary, Polly, BJ and Dixie. The District Ranger
Roger MacCampbell had visited earlier in the Month to tell everyone about a
visit to the Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park.
There would be enough room for
3 couples to stay in a small cabin at Halibut Cove campground for 2 nights. Everyone
got very excited about the trip as it meant a boat ride from Homer to the
remote camp. Everyone had to pack in food, clothing and sleeping bags. There
are no services at that camp but it was to be a wonderful get away. So on Monday July 6 C & J drove down to
Deep Creek Campground and rode to Homer with DJ and Dixie.
At 8:30 am they met Ranger MacCampbell and
Gary and Polly at the dock for the 45 minute ride to the Halibut Cove
dock. The weather was clear and everyone
enjoyed the ride over and enjoyed seeing sea birds and the very beautiful shore
line.
Upon arrival, everyone packed their belongings up
the very steep ramp to the walk way to the cabin. The dense brush and trees soon disclosed the
path to the Ranger station and on another raised wooden path the sign directing
everyone to the cabin.
The small cabin had a double bed and a double
sized bunk bed. Jane claimed the top
bunk and got at getting it comfortable as everyone was ready to explore the
area.
Gary had heard that there was good
fishing in one of the lakes close by so he headed out right away to get fish
for dinner.
The rest followed on his
trail but soon found the trail to be quite rough and so after reaching the
first lake turned back and enjoyed the sights and sounds on the way back to the
cabin. Upon reaching the cabin, Ranger
Bobby Hickman introduced his volunteer staff and told about how the Halibut
Cove camp was set up and where the other buildingwere located. The climb up to
the lake was quite tiring so Jane climbed up into the bunk for a quick nap
while everyone got settled in. Chuck and
BJ found wood and started a fire in the potbelly stove so we could get some
dinner. Gary returned with some nice
trout for dinner so the fire place outside needed to get fired up too. Since there was no light in the cabin and
everyone was pretty well done in from the exploration and excitement bedtime
came about 9:30 p.m.
The next morning broke clear and warm and Ranger
Hickman was waiting to take everyone on a boat ride to Glacier Spit where he
would leave everyone and from there they would hike to Grewingk Glacier Lake.
He stated that he would be on the other side of the Spit to pick everyone up at
3:pm. He had also assigned a volunteer
by the name of Matt to go with us and make sure we were alright. Matt had done the hike many times so was a
great guide and a delightful young man to talk to. He shared he was from Tennessee and was quite
homesick and would be leaving for home around Aug. 15th.
There were so many wonderful sights on the trail,
mushrooms, fungus/ conks, beautiful flowers and fresh Bear scat. No one saw a
bear on or around the trail but they had left evidence that they had used the
trail just a few minutes before the group got there. Everyone took pictures of
the mushroom, but no one took any of the scat. But we did see a bear print.
After about 2 hours in the beautiful rain forest
the trail opened onto a rocky flat land where many years ago a glacier had
lain. Shortly thereafter the trail dropped onto a sandy beach. Everyone stopped in awe at the sight before
them. There in Grewingk Glacier Lake were many ice-calves floating close to the
shore. And the Glacier, even at a distance of about three quarters of a mile,
looked so close.
There was evidence of a fresh calving as the bright blue ice
reflected in the still water of the lake. Everyone had packed a lunch so a well
earned break was enjoyed by all. Jane
was able to pull in a clump of ice so everyone enjoyed touching the ancient
diamond in cold water form.
Knowing the Ranger was going to be at the end of
the Saddle trail to take everyone back to camp, Matt took pictures of the group
with the Glacier as the back drop and off they went.
The trail down the Saddle trail was very
steep and muddy but everyone made it in time to search for rocks on the beach
while Gary and Chuck collected mussels for dinner. The Ranger arrived at the designated time and
the ride back to the dock was slow so everyone could enjoy the beauty of the
Halibut Cove Lagoon.
The outside fire was started and the Mussels were
cooked and enjoyed right away. Gary was
done in after enjoying his fill of fishing so went to bed about 8:30pm and the
girls sat inside the warm cabin and got to know each other, while Chuck and BJ
enjoyed the fire pit and chatted with the volunteer crew.
Ranger Roger had stated he would pick everyone up
at 1:30 so after breakfast everything was packed up and taken down the steep
ramp to the dock.
The guys got out the
fishing poles and enjoyed the time pulling in some little flounder, while the
gals chatted. Jane went up to the
overlook and enjoyed just looking at the Lagoon while waiting. Chuck came up after a while and they watched
as a couple bears searching the beach for food. They were scared away when a
pair of Kayaks pulled into their view.
Ranger Roger came about 3:pm at high tide and
slowly headed for Homer. He went slowly around the Fox Island so everyone could
enjoy seeing all of the sea birds that call that cold wet and windy place their
home.
The ride back to camp was filled with the awe of
the three days and how lucky everyone was to get to see such wonderful
sights. After unpacking and enjoying a
beer and chips it was bed time and C & J dreamed of the beautiful sights
and sounds of the Kachemak Bay.
