Alaska, Day 4: to Coldfoot.

About 60 miles today, with random stops when we needed a break from the bumpy road.

I made them go back for this one

Pretty mossie-riddled lake - we didn't stay long

I thought the sign said "no services 216 miles"?

Grayling Lake Wayside

After a quick stop at the Arctic Circle Visitor Center we headed to Marion Creek campsite. This was my favorite campsite by far, and later we'd all lament that we only had one night there. We set up camp and headed on a muddy waterfall hike. If I'd been in Oregon, I would've been pretty disappointed after slogging through several inches of muck for a few miles only to find that the waterfall was ridiculously far away. But it was Tuesday afternoon and I was in Alaska. I didn't care.

Marion Creek

Picking blueberries along the trail

You call THAT a waterfall? COME ON!

We gave up on the hike eventually, and found a place where we could scramble down to the creek. Sean headed back to make dinner, Emily waded, Tim skipped rocks, I napped and Mary created a little extra zen in an already completely peaceful environment.

I want to live in a van down by Marion Creek

100% organic

After dinner we wandered into "town." The story goes that Coldfoot was where the faint of heart changed their mind about working in the mines. It's basically a truck stop halfway between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay, and the truck stop is basically all there is to the town. Our foray in town took about 20 minutes, including the time it took to drink a beer at the truck stop and walk through the 3-person cemetery.

Continuing my tradition of visiting foreign places of rest

The hike must've worn us all out because we were in bed early. And still the sun shone on.

Song of the day: Lady on the Water, Blitzen Trapper