Fireside Chat

Friday night it was a packed house at the Mendenhall Visitor's Center for the Fireside Chat. The week before, when the lecture was WWII environmental impact on Attu (the Aleutians), Mr. X and I were the only folks under 50 in attendance.

This week's lecture was on Juneau to Skagway via the Juneau Ice Field. Three guys took the trip last spring and two of them were there to say it was tough but doable. 115 miles, 12 days, blizzards, feet of snow. No technical climbing though and one guy didn't even use his crampons. I think it sounded like fun. Except for the cold part.

Apparently, the route from Juneau to Atlin is shorter and you just ski the last bit across Atlin lake. So, Dad, I stand corrected. When Juneau is attacked (?). Mr. X and I can get to Canada...maybe. The guys said the toughest part was getting on the icefield. We would need to ascend Blackerby ridge, which we've been too chicken to attempt thus far.