BYERS LAKE

We love visiting the state owned cabins at Byers Lake in the winter.  The scenery & solitude can't be beat, especially when Mt McKinley (aka Denali) makes an appearance.  Thanksgiving weekend we were invited to spend a few days with friends who had reserved Cabin 3.  Our last visit to this cabin was in January 2011, and the temperatures bottomed out at minus 30.  This visit was lots warmer, only minus ten.  By the time we got there Friday evening, David and Traci had the place warmed up nicley.  If anything, the inside of the cabin was too warm!

The mountain was out Saturday morning.  Pictures just don't show how majestic Denali is, rising above its sister peaks in the Alaska Range. Always feel lucky when I see the mountain.

Lynx Lake

Last week we ventured north under slighty cloudy skies to Nancy Lakes State Recreation Area.  Our destination - Lynx Lake PUC 1.  Champ and I spent a miserable night here last year about this same time.  Most of the misery was mine as I had a head cold, no sinus medicine, and a leaking air mattress.  Tried to sleep on Champ's bed but was up every hour to clear my head and as soon as I left the bed he reclaimed it.  Believe it was a tad cold too with temperatures south of zero.  Fun stuff.

This trip was a pleasure.  We had mild temperatures (20's) and a blanket of fresh snow on our way to the cabin.  We took a detour and actually found a route in that I had been looking for the past few years.  That it turned out to be a "long cut" was no biggie, just more exercise.  Lots of fresh moose, hare and fox tracks in the snow but not one sign of people.  Nice to have the place to ourselves.

Pleasantly surprised to find enough wood at the cabin to keep us toastie all night.  Having brought the ax, I spent a few minutes splitting enough spruce and birch for the next lucky occupants.  The snow continued to fall most of the evening and the skies stayed cloudy so no northern lights.  Too bad as this cabin, while tiny, has a big picture window facing north across the lake.

The fresh snow gave us a little workout on our way home.  As usual, Champ pulled the sled and Nancy broke trail.  I drove!