Nabesna Road Conditions

The Nabesna area finally got some much needed rain over the past few days. It has brought the water up in the creeks and made Jack Creek murky but it is worth it to reduce the fire danger. The rain has brought out the flowers (and mosquitoes!) and made things look lush and green. At times like this it’s easy to forget that we live in a semi-arid region.

Nabesna Road Conditions as of 10:00 a.m. June 17, 2009:
Nabesna Road is in good to fair condition.

Mile 15 – Mile 17.5: The road is rough in this area with numerous pot holes.

Trail Creek (Mile 29) has shallow water crossing the road.

Lost Creek (Mile 30.8) has a moderate flow of water across the road and has a channel. The bottom is still firm so four wheel drive is not required. Medium and high clearance vehicles are recommended. Low clearance vehicles should use caution.

Boyden Creek (Mile 34.3) has 6 to 8 inches of water flowing across the road and has formed a channel. The crossing is rough and medium to high clearance is required.

Techniques for stream crossings:

1. Evaluate the stream before crossing. If the water is too murky to see the bottom, find a long stick to probe for depth.
2. Check to determine if the bottom is firm. If your feet sink into the gravel very much this could mean that the bottom is soft. In the case of a soft creek bottom, you may need four wheel drive.
3. If you decide to make the crossing, stay committed. Don’t let off the gas once you start across and maintain momentum until you are clear of all water.
4. Speed should be enough to maintain momentum – you don’t need to “floor it”.
5. When crossing a channel it is often best to cross at an angle. Look for sloping banks rather than sharp edges.
6. In the end, only you know your driving ability and your vehicle. Just remember that your cell phone may not work and help is a long way away – maybe even days.

Insider Tips:

Each year around Father’s Day, the Trumpeter Swan pair that nests on an island in Little Twin Lake hatches their cygnets. This year’s batch emerged either late yesterday or this morning. The adults have moved the cygnets over to Big Twin Lake. This requires a cross country hike of about 50 yards! We joke that in addition to web feet, these cygnets are hatched with sneakers. In a few days, they will take another hike of about a quarter mile over to Jack Creek. We don’t know why they do this because it makes the family vulnerable to predators but I think it has something to do with available food for the cygnets.

Wildlife Sightings:

Moose

Red fox

Porcupine

Trumpeter Swans

55 Degrees and Melting Fast!

We knew it would happen. Spring run off has started. Night time temperatures are staying above freezing and day time highs have been above 50 for the last three days in a row. Pussy willows are out in force and the cottonwoods are showing signs of life. The caribou are still around and the snowshoe hares and ptarmigan are busy changing color.

Note: The next Nabesna Road update will be on Friday, May 1, 2009.

Conditions:
Nabesna Road is in good to fair condition. The road is mostly dry but there are some muddy patches that are slick.

Mile 20 has water crossing the road in a greater volume than the culvert can handle. This may cause erosion of the road surface.

Rock Creek (Mile 20.5) has a larger volume of water than the culvert can handle and is running down the drainage ditch. If the ice in the culvert melts, this could correct the problem. As it is now, watch for erosion of the driving surface especially close to the ditches.

Trail Creek (Mile 29) has shallow standing water.

Lost Creek (Mile 30.8) has a moderate flow of water across the road and has begun to form a channel. Low clearance vehicles should use caution.
Boyden Creek (Mile 34.3) has shallow water flowing across the road. Most of the ice is gone so the crossing is passable by any vehicle.

Intermittent Drainages beyond Jack Creek (Mile 35.3) have shallow water crossing the road.

Insider Tips:

This morning there was no water crossing the road at Mile 20 or at Lost Creek. In just 4 hours the water came up significantly. Use caution and remember that just because you made it across in the morning doesn’t mean you’ll get back across at the end of the day.

Wildlife Sightings:

Caribou x45 (4/27, 4/28, 4/29)

Moose (4/27, 4/29)

Arctic Ground Squirrel (4/27, 4/29)

Boreal Owl (4/27)

Junco (4/27)

Snow Bunting (4/27)

Ptarmigan (4/27)

American Robin (4/27, 4/29)

Sandhill Cranes (4/27)

Swans (sp?) (4/27, 4/28, 4/29)

Mallard Ducks (4/29)

Yellow Legs (sp?) (4/29)

Slopo Glopo

I don't know if those are words or not but they sure do describe Nabesna Road today. We got any where from four to six inches of heavy wet snow last night so gone is the mostly dry road we had been enjoying. This morning when I left the house it was still snowing lightly. Now at about 1:00 p.m. there is a light breeze and the partly cloudy. Things are melting so every thing you see in these photos will be much muddier now and probably all weekend.

The really wonderful thing about mornings like these is that mine are the first vehicle tracks on the road. I could see the tracks of all the animals that had crossed the road since the snow let up. There were lots and lots of caribou tracks but also Snow Shoe Hare, Red Squirrels, lynx and moose.

Note: The next Nabesna Road update will be on Monday, April 27, 2009.

Road Conditions:
Nabesna Road is in fair condition. The entire 42 miles of the road are wet and muddy. Snow pa

tches are slick especially around corners.

Trail Creek (Mile 29)

has shallow standing water.
Boyden Creek (Mile 34.3) has shallow water flowing across the road. Most of the ice is gone so the crossing is passable by any vehicle.

Insider Tips:

Keep in mind that as this new snow and winter’s accumulation melts, conditions at the three water crossings can change rapidly. That includes Trail Creek, Lost Creek and Boyden Creek. In addition, intermittent drainages between Mile 35 and 42 can also carry high volumes of water across the road. Things will start melting faster now as night time lows hover at the freezing mark.

Wildlife Sightings:

Caribou x45 (4/23, 4/24)

Lynx x1 (4/22)

Moose x5 (4/22, 4/24)

Great Gray Owl (4/22)

Great Horned Owl (4/24)

Golden Eagle x3 (4/22, 4/24)

Northern Harrier x4 (4/22, 4/23, 4/24)

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Honestly I love Alaska and especially Nabesna all the time. However, if I had to pick a time to be away from the state, it would be mid-April through the first part of May. Things around Nabesna are pretty muddy and that can make the road just as slick as ice. But the willow catkins are coming out - that's pussy willows for us non-botanist types - and that is a sure sign of spring.

Note: The next Nabesna Road update will be on Friday, April 24, 2009.

Conditions:
Nabesna Road is in good condition. Most of the snow is gone from the road. There are some muddy areas. Be sure to carry a spare tire.
Boyden Creek (Mile 34.3) is building up ice and has water crossing the road. Low clearance vehicles should use caution. Breaking through ice can be hard on vehicles and get you stuck (see 4/13/09 entry).

Insider Tips:
The ptarmigan and hare are starting their spring time molt. The white that hid them so well all winter makes them stick out like sore thumbs during this transition period. Ermine, or short tailed weasels, will also change from white to their summer brown. Arctic fox also change from white to black/brown but we don't have them in the Wrangell's.

Wildlife Sightings:
Lynx (4/20/09)
Moose x2 (4/20/09)
Caribou x15 (4/20/09)
Merlin x1 (4/19/09)
Northern Harrier x1 (4/20/09)

Nabesna Road Traffic Alert - Caribou Refuse to Give Up Right-of-Way

We have enjoyed seeing caribou all winter but it is especially thrilling to see them crossing Nabesna Road on their way to calving grounds. Because of the deeper than usual snow they are making use of the road much the way that we do - they can make time. But the caribou don't like to get off the road and leap into the deeper snow berms that line the road. Now that the surface of the snow is getting crusty, they risk injury as well. So, Lee and I suggest that when you get behind a group of caribou who just don't want to let you by, slow down and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. I always remind myself that I could be stuck in Seattle traffic or LA!





Road Conditions:
Nabesna Road is in good condition. Most of the snow is gone from the road. There are some muddy areas. Be sure to carry a spare tire.
Boyden Creek (Mile 34.3) is building up ice and has water crossing the road. Low clearance vehicles should use caution. Breaking through ice can be hard on vehicles and get you stuck (voice of experience).



Insider Tips:
Just this winter I misread the ice at Trail Creek (Mile 29.0) and dropped through about six inches of snow into a deep hole. Even with four wheel drive I couldn't get out. In fact, I just managed to get more stuck. Thanks to our good neighbors at Sportsmen's Paradise Lodge who pulled my truck out, I was able to go on my way. Help can be a long way away on Nabesna Road and despite the caribou traffic, you are not likely to meet many, it any, vehicles. Your cell phone may work as far down the road as Long Lake (Mile 22.9) but don't count on it. No matter what time of year you visit, be prepared with extra food, water, appropriate outdoor gear, and some common sense.

Wildlife Sightings:
Caribou x25 - 30 (daily)
Golden Eagle (4/13/09)

There's No Place Like Home

It's great to be home. Five days in Anchorage is plenty. The weather was great while I was there - always a bonus. It was even nice enough a couple of days to sit on a park bench and eat my lunch. Thank goodness for good friends like Dean and Joan who provided a place to stay and a desk with computer to check e-mail. Pearl, our Corgi, injured a disk in her neck necessitating the unplanned trip. She's doing better and we are back into our familiar routine.

I took this photo this morning from Nabesna Road, mile 36 looking southwest toward the Skookum Volcano Formation. The north sides of the mountains still have a lot of snow. Our day time temperatures have been in the mid-30's but night temperatures are still dropping to zero or lower. So, the melting and thawing are slow but none-the-less coming.

Road Conditions:

• Nabesna Road is in good condition. Slana had about 2" of snow last night so there may be some icy conditions in that area.
• Boyden Creek, mile 34.3, has some water crossing the road and freezing at night. As of noon today, the water and ice are shallow but this could change as temperatures continue to warm. This photo of the Boyden Creek road crossing was taken this morning at 10:30 looking south.

Insider Tips:

Time is running out for making it to Tanada Lake or Copper Lake for ice fishing. Snowmachine trail conditions are still good.

The Mentasta Caribou herd's migration route may not be exactly what you would expect. They travel north in the winter where the snow isn't so deep, making foraging for moss and lichen, mainstays of the their diet, easier. Then in the spring the cows and calves head for calving grounds to the south on the slopes of Mt. Sanford and Drum.

Wildlife Sightings:

After a week of no caribou sightings, they were back in force today.

• Caribou x60 (4/10/09)
• Moose x2 (4/10/09)
• Snowshoe Hare (daily)
• Snow Buntings (4/09, 4/10/09)
• Lapland Longspurs (4/09/09)