Day 3

I got up early and decided to take a walk before breakfast.  I had brought no means of telling time but guessed that it was early based on the amount of daylight.  The air was crisp and clean and a light mist was in the meadow.  Grey Wolf River had a particularly spectacular glitter in the soft morning light and I tried to capture this on camera but could not do the scene justice.  Gazing at the river I thought about where this water came from and where it was going.  So much power involved with such simple components.  I cupped my hands, washed my face, and felt at peace.

Grey Wolf River

I got back to camp and there was no sign of movement so I decided to lie down and read some more.  Soon Prof Billo was awaking the pack and breakfast was made.  After camp was broken we prepared to trek but an unexpected problem occurred.  Mary’s backpack strap was ripped and without a thorough fix her pack was going to be useless.  Prof. Billo and Carter set to work repairing the pack.  In a very short amount of time the pack was fixed and working.  I was thoroughly impressed by the patch job.  In the wilderness, you are responsible for fending for yourself.  Modern day conveniences are not an option you cannot simply go buy a new item or hire a skilled worker.  Basic skills and on-demand creative thinking are very important in the bush.  It was comforting to see that we had an excess of these skills. 

Sweet Jimmy-Rig

The hike out of Camp Ellis was very pleasant and did not have the painful tree scrambling from the last section.  We hopped from meadow to meadow crossing exposed trees and muddy patches.  I was particularly excited for our destination today because we were headed to the alpine.

We saw far less Douglas Fir trees and saw a new species Alaskan Yellow Cedar.  It was like Western Red in appearance but far more gaunt.  Silver Firs were also in this zone which makes sense since it was the silver fir zone after all.  Both the Silver Firs and the Alaskan Yellow are common in this zone. 

The pack began our ascent up the ridge to our next campsite.  While climbing we noticed that many of the trees especially the Silver Firs were being infested with pathogens, possibly insects.  The prevalence of bulges and pathogen signs is most likely attributed to warming trends which accommodate the invaders.  Like the blurring of species at different zones these pathogens are yet another outcome of climate change (in particular warming trends.) 

Clouds had begun to gather during our ascent and they had an ominous appearance.  Naturally, we hoped for the best and just as naturally our hope was in vain.  Moments upon arriving in camp the skies opened and reminded us what it meant to be in a temperate rainforest.  In a controlled moment of chaos we unpacked our tents and took refuge.  The rain continued and everyone decided it was a good excuse to nap. 

Grey Wolf Pass Camp

After the spontaneous rain sponsored siesta I crawled out of my tent—yawned—and was amazed by the sky and our location.  The clouds were low and had golden glow from the setting sun that was nothing short of divine.  Our campsite was next to an alpine lake that was nestled between rugged ridges.  The golden clouds among these ridges reminded me of the frontier paintings by American virtuoso painter Albert Bierdstadt.  He believed in painting the west as a rugged and divine sanctuary with an emphasis on the power of nature and the insignificance of man in comparison to the natural big picture.  Seeing these golden clouds among the ridges I can easily understand why he felt this was the best way to represent this land. I took photos and these turned out to be some of my best. 

A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie, Albert Bierstadt, 1866. Oil on Canvas, 83" x 142.25"

Among the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, Albert Bierstadt, 1868. Oil on Canvas,  72" x 120.20"

Grey Wolf Camp 2013

We cooked dinner and had a discussion co-lead by Carter and Caleb.  They discussed the notion of baselines which is a social phenomenon where new generations establish a new standard for wildlife or wildlife areas based on what they are born into.  This was definitely the best discussion of the trip with every member of the team having lots to say on the matter.  We shared baseline experiences and talked about how we can address the negative impacts of this phenomenon.  My baseline story is of a prairie hillside near my elementary school in Fort Worth, Texas.  This hill was several acres with surrounding woods and a creek.  The area boasted an amazing wildflower collection and provided a rich habitat for animals.  Wild turkeys lived in the woods that surrounded the area and many times they would visit the school grounds.  I would collect wildflowers and enjoyed visiting this hillside and creek with my friends for after school adventures.  Then in 2001 the city approved a project that would connect two highways with a bypass that would pass directly through this natural area.  The hillside was leveled, the woods demolished, and the creek filled.  Concrete was poured and asphalt laid.  There was no real protest or discussion.  It just happened.  There were no more turkeys, no more flowers, and no more adventures.  A wall was erected to keep the noise and litter out.  A sanctuary for the imagination was forever ravaged, snuffed out by the oppressive force of development.  As a boy this was devastating and infuriating; my friends and I loathed the giant gray wall.  We took to throwing rocks at it or playing wall-ball off it.  Children presently attending that school have no idea of what they were robbed of and this feels criminal to me.

Lake at Grey Wolf Camp

Cook group roll call! What? Yea doggie! Representing those who don't give no damn about no fancy cooking.

Anren’s knee was not in any better shape and the swelling seemed to have increased.  Unanimously, the pack agreed that we should adjust the trip itinerary to help this good-natured but in pain soul.   

The stars were in divine form that night.  After everyone had departed for bed I decided to read Call of the Wild next to the lake but the skies were just too magnificent to ignore.  During this time came up with an interesting concept for an art project that I doubt I would have thought of anywhere else.