This Labor Day weekend, I got the chance to travel to Summit which is about 3 hours from Fairbanks, south on the Richardson Hwy. I went up with Jamie, a friend from work, and her husband Dave to their cabin. It was absolutely beautiful and such an adventure!! We went riding on trails with ATVs...trails that I would never think to ride! First, they were so sweet and decked me out in all this Alaska gear, with hip-waders and all...
The trail we went down on Sunday was to Fish Lake...there was a great blueberry patch along the way that we definitely revisited to pick blueberries! Jamie sent me home with a huge ziploc bag! The trail, at least to me, was crazy...several parts of the trail were submerged in water and so muddy! It was amazing to me how the machines could still run through all that muck! It was so fun to drive it though...experiencing the backcountry of Alaska!
I only got stuck twice!
On Monday, we went on another trail that ran along the Alaskan Pipeline...and this time Dave's parents and brother came with us as well! They are very cool! Suzanne even took a picture with me by this early 1900s cabin along the Old Valdez Trail...a small piece of Alaska history that I am learning more about every day!
We then made it to the "Top of the World"...a higher spot just off the pipeline that has the most amazing views! The pictures below are from almost every direction...one of the ranges is called the Rainbow Mountains ( and no they are not just off of Gumdrop Pass) but I do now know where Crayola got the idea for Purple Mountain Majesty.
Truly an amazing weekend! I am looking forward to my next visit! Maybe even for Arctic Man in the spring...which I have been told is an event that most Alaskans look forward to all year! Though those who live on Summit may not be as excited as their beautiful home is invaded by thousands every April! If you want a look at the Arctic Man event, watch the show Alaskan State Troopers. I can't remember exactly which episode it is, I think the first or second of season two, but it will give you just a glimpse of what it is like!
