No more counting the days.

Jack safely returned to home base - YXX

on Saturday Sept 12 even tho the weather was very questionable!

( he missed me =)

Or he just could not wait to get back to the next project/adventure!

Stay tuned for the final blog post of his trip in review.  

Then for some posts on the new adventure here in Abbotsford.

This flight attendant will be hanging up her wings  for awhile in exchange for work gloves. 

Day 20 South, Back to 100 Mile House

Jack is back in 100 Mile House this evening.

More details to come later...

a pack of wolves near Davie Lake (north of Prince George)
open the full size image and look for the distinctive 8 tan coloured spots
in the open area on the left side of the creek in the upper half of the photo

Day 19 (Thursday Sep 17th)

Jack left Whitehorse,YT today with a quick stop in Watson Lake before heading back to BC.

After a fly over of the Liard Hot Springs and the very scenic Muncho Lake Provincial Park area he picked his way across the intervening mountains of the Northern Rockies to eventually arrive due west at Scoop Lake Outfitters for the night.

SPOT message track to Scoop Lake,BC

Bison on the Alaska Highway beside the Liard River just northwest of Liard Hot Springs
(lots of detailed info about the Bison herd in this area)

Liard River Hot Springs

A somewhat unique airstrip configuration at Muncho Lake, BC

Day 17 (Tuesday Sep 15th)

Well, stuck with me Jack.  The weather didn't get better and wasn't predicted to either so headed out across the White Mountains and the highest point on the VFR route, American Pass. Interesting flight as kept climbing and getting into more cloud , rain, and then snow but no freezing rain. Sooo nice to start descending ! I have some black tape placed on wing and strut  so i can see them and any ice that might start collecting which means either go up or down but don't stay at that altitude.

After getting to Tok, filling up, calling Customs for (pre clearance) and seeing hunters being flown back with lots of meat and antlers I returned to Whitehorse along some pretty nice valleys and mountains. Weather not great in Whitehorse but plan on moving on tomorrow if ceilings don't drop. apparently weather better to east so likely going back via the trench. I may stay at Scoop Lake again so no internet (blog) access.

Here are a couple pictures of yesterday on as well as two of my favourites of Mount Logan area.

Yukon river near Eagle, AK

Talbot Arm on Kluane Lake

Further back

The north face of Mt St. Elias as photographed from 34km away flying at 12,500ft just west of King Peak.
Mt St. Elias (18,008ft / 5489m) is a border peak and thus it is the 2nd highest mountain
in both Canada and the USA.  The truly immense vertical relief of Mt. St. Elias becomes apparent when
its summit is viewed (weather permitting) from sea level near Icy Bay, AK (maybe Jacks' next Alaska trip?)

Westerly view into Alaska from almost the same spot as above.

Day 16

Greetings,
So a ground day in Eagle, Alaska due to weather conditions. Joanne's busy with work and reno stuff while I'm running around looking for the winters supply of food. Still no luck so must persist and move on tomorrow. People here are big time hunters and many have their Caribou. Now they are looking for moose. Heard them bellowing or calling or whatever they do in rut at 4 AM-- there ought to be a noise bylaw. Neat seeing and hearing nature in its natural setting.
I played tourist today and have the pictures to prove it but Wi-Fi is very limited so can't upload pictures. I visited museum of Fort Egbert, a log outhouse with cardboard for insulation, old in-ground cellar,  the airport to see how Joanne's wing covers were holding out with the wind (very well thank you)  and other random places. The café is open 10-3 so enjoyed brunch there.
Its about 3 miles to airport so I hitch hiked there and then back. Picked up immediately both ways ( my stepping into middle of road with huge tears rolling down cheeks telling people Im on a fixed pension- you get the idea).
Going to airport was a contented  man who had just smoked something I think. On way back a couple and there two Setter dogs in back of  van whose interior was covered in 1 inch of foam insulation. He , Don, insisted I sit up front as dogs would lick me to death. They asked typical questions including how far north I'd ever been ( resolute Bay counts according to driver Anne ). Turns out they were checking the borealis observation cameras and radiograph measuring devices for solar flares  they'd just installed at  airport. Possibly the Aurora Project ? They are profs at U O Alaska. Needless to say he's sending me the link etc. once he gets back. Man the things you learn in 3 miles if you ask questions. That's from writing all those Pre Sentence Reports!
Don and Anne's dogs are used as sled type dogs to make cross country skiing easier - I like those kind of dogs that actually help you rather than a dog that takes off , doesn't listen.... AKA our Cairn Terrier, Boomer. Actually he's Joanne's dog but I sort of like him plus he barks at WestJet planes-- now if I could get him to be my second set of eyes in the Retro Rocket but all he does is lays down and sleeps.
But I digress.
 Thanks Joanne  ( and Sean) for making this storyline look good.
You may be stuck with no ( mostly true) stories , pictures etc. all depending on Joanne's schedule, my WIFI access and my ability to move on.
Good to have family and friends in my life, ( that's what counts when all's said and done but fun times along way makes life easier to share).
  Jack

 The Eagle Library-- does it get any more comfortable--- thanks to Krystie , Librarian for helping install pictures!!!

The 15th Day ( was getting tired of the same heading so decided to spice it up a bit!!)

To begin the post I will give you a link that shows all the "spot" locations Jack has sent since he started his trip.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0i8fclgtoAO1UQqevZo1nB5qOZ8Yd9j8h

Apparently I had access to this link all along, says Sean, our most revered technical expert, but who knew... certainly not me. When it comes to all things technical I can manage a bit but readily am willing to admit, it is NOT my area of expertise. 

So sometime during the night Sean comes on to the blog and waves his magic technical wand and the blog instantly looks better. 

THANK YOU SEAN!  & JACK THANKS YOU TOO......right Jack!!

You can do all sorts of neat things with the spot link, select satellite image & zoom in.  

See if you can find the Falcon's Inn B&B on front street in Eagle Alaska ( it is on spot #50)

Here is his room with a view  at the Falcons Inn.

Before getting to his last stop he stopped in Chicken Alaska, sure not much to see there! No chickens in Chicken? According to this link only 7 left.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken,_Alaska

Some more amazing scenery along the way. Looks like Fairbanks is out of the question for sure, more snow there today. Tonight Jack was able to check emails etc at the local little library where there was WiFi....oh happy day.

Jack says there are allot of mines in these valleys, not sure how many of them are operating, this one looked abandoned.

Mining what?....gold, copper probably.

Not quite enough runway for those city tires so had to use some of the highway....did you come to a complete stop Captain Jack?

Along the way Jack gets to meet some very interesting and also adventerous souls. (when you count people in an airplane, you count souls...i.e. we have 20 souls on board)

This fellow is on his way home. Chip is flying back to Texas, he is a  very long way from home!!! 

He was at a fishing lodge and Chip has nice big TIRES!!! The kind Jack dreams about!! never mind if he caught any fish???

So when the weather is bad and visibility is poor pilots get the message from Flight Services that they have to fly IFR ( Instrument Flight Rating) meaning "Use the Instruments" you might not  want to trust what you think you see. 

Apparently here in Alaska IFR often means "I Follow Road" or 

"I Follow Railroad".

Today the weather cleared up nicely.

 Here is GEJG all tucked in for the night. Had to put its yellow PJ's/wing covers on as there may be frost. 

You might almost think that there were a several Minions  

lined up on the wings!

Jack actually found a Minion flying machine up there!!!!

You are one in a Minion Captain Jack!

Day 14

Well this may have been Jack's most awe inspiring day. 

He had hoped to make it to Fairbanks but they were having snow so he decided he would try to see Mount Logan. He was up 12,500 ft and it was "amazing, majestic, the best yet!"

Click on the pictures and they will enlarge

Root Glacier joins the the Kennicott Glacier just above the town of McCarthy.

"Radar Gulch" near McCarthy
 Texas Creek (left) joins Copper Creek (right) which later joins Dan Creek

flightpath

Barnard Glacier

Approaching Mt. Logan, Canada's highest and the worlds largest mountain!
left to right: Logan Glacier  - McArthur Peak - Mt. Logan - King Peak - Baldwin Glacier

an unnamed? glacier one valley west of  Baldwin Glacier

prominent features from left to right (Mt. Logan is just out of frame to the right in this photo)
Mt Walsh - Logan Glacier - Mt Queen Mary - Mt Alverstone + Mt Hubbard - McArthur Peak

a happy pilot alongside King Peak (16,972ft) at 12,500ft

westerly return view down the Logan Glacier, Chitina Glacier merges in at middle right

Flying west back down the Chitina River valley
Tana River (middle left) joins the Chitina River (center). Maccoll Ridge at right.

\

Todays Flying: McCarthy down to the Mt. Logan area and back to Gulkana

So much country to see and no time or wheels to see it all. 

Apparently Jack's baby tires do limit him for going to even more remote places. If he had the bigger tundra tires he could visit this place, 

These special maps indicate landing strips out in the back country, There is usually a cabin or someplace to stay. 

Do you see another trip up here in Jack's future? Apparently he asked if it would be possible to "rent" a set of tundra tires, have them put on when he got there and returned when he was done....we will see.

Airfields in and around the Wrangell's

The people he has met have been very friendly and extremely helpful. He now has his own personal Alaska weather advisers who he met in Kenai.  They have been giving him tips on where he should go based on the Aviation weather reports. He is very appreciative of this!

Tonight he is staying at the Gulkana Fuel Building which also serves as the pilots lounge. He says he will be quite comfortable as there is a heater, microwave and BR. Sadly no wifi.

A kind local fellow named Sam, (retired airforce pilot) gave Jack a lift to the local library where he could use the internet for 5 minutes. He downloaded 18 pictures =)

So many "big" thoughts to go to sleep by!

Goodnight mighty Captain Jack.

Alaska Trip Overview

Day 13

Tonight Jack is staying at Kennicott Lodge. Another a room with a view. 

The weather has been overcast so perhaps not the spectacular vistas one might have with  big open blue skies but what he is seeing is sure impressing him.

Kennicott Glacier Lodge

Sheep Mt Lodge -> Gulkana -> McCarthy

He is so impressed he asked if he should invest in the
 Ultima Thule Lodge

Ok with me but I will keep the summer home down here thanks!

 Travelling to McCarthy

 Beautiful colors
Amazing valleys

Trip Overview

Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Big mountains are always nearby in the Wrangell's
Mt. Blackburn 16390ft (~5000m)

Lots of history in McCarthy according to new friend Tom.  There will be many stories to listen to from those that make McCarthy their home.  

Sean has included some links above and here are a few more for those of you who are curious about  the great land up north.

http://www.nps.gov/wrst/whats-so-special.htm

Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve

1/2 your trip is over Captain Jack, 12 more sleeps and you are back to 100 mile then on to home.  Shall I start lining up you coffee dates for you? 

Your favourite GEJG flight attendant signing off for tonight.