Right outside of town here in Haines there is a rudimentary trail that blazes up the side of a cliff wall onto a small bluff. It climbs 800-1000 feet or so and leaves you with a fantastic view of town, the inlet, and the surrounding mountains. The trail is snow covered most of the way and a old boot pack that has firmed in the snow helps you gain access. Usually when we hike the trail is completely melted off and requires mellow rock climbing now and then, but the snow steps end up making it easier and faster. Coming back down is another matter. On the way down a combination of post holing and recklessly sliding is the preferred method. Along the way rock out cropings that have melted off are covered in brilliant green moss, lichen, ferns and icicles. After summiting I was casually taking pictures when I noticed several eagles circling right in front of me riding a thermal up higher and higher until they were tiny dots in the sky.
Today was day one in Haines, The weather was in and out a bit but cleared up in the afternoon, the crew got out, my lost baggage arrived, and I got more acclimated with Alaska.
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