Had a great time flying around the bush and camping with friends. Once they got to Prince of Wales they got weathered in with us for 5 days. Just hung out here catching fish, crab and kayaking and 11 year old Miles got his first king. Andy's mom had to get back to Riggins for the Rodeo, so I was able to take her seat for the trip. Some of you may know Andy and Matt from the Idaho Frank Church back country where they fly in supplies, hunters and fisherman. Andy owns SP Air in Boise. We went up to Skagway and fueled up before crossing over Glacier Park and the backside of MT Fairweather. Found a hole to drop through at the junction of the Tat and Alsek over Walk on Glacier, we were able to make it out to the coast a hundred feet off the ground.
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Saw a lot of moose and brown bears along the coast and stopped at the Italio River Cabin. A brown bear just finished eating the wind sock at the small bush strip there. Headed up the coast and hiked a bit around Russel Fiord and landed on the beach in several places, not near enough time to explore.
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Stopped in Cordova to get more fuel before heading into the Wrangel St Alias. Matt had an invitation to fly in the Ultima Thule Lodge egg hunt. It's a really cool Geocaching game where 12 bush pilot are invited to play each year. Each plane is given 12 eggs to hide, and the first day is spent hiding the eggs any place they can get a plane with bush wheels to land (river bars, ice fields or where ever). The next day is spent trying to find as many eggs as possible.
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There are some really cool old cabins that the park left standing from trappers, mine and hunting camps. Saw an incredible amount of Dall Sheep up one canyon and cabin called Peavine and just above it on river right in Glacier Creek drainage. There were 6 bunches of sheep around one bench with 4 to 8 animals in each bunch. The sign on the cabin said to not leave any food in the cabin and to lock all the spiked shutters whenever going out. Also to put the wheel borrow in the cabin because the bears keep eating the tire. From there down just passed Peavine there were sheep everywhere with some Goats mixed in.
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After leaving the Wrangels we headed up to Valdez for the STOL (short take off landing) competion. It was incredible watching some of these guys fly. Matt won his class of heavy touring in his sky wagon, he took off in 90 feet and landed in like a 130 feet. The Alaska SLA class really looked more like helicopters. Some really talented pilots and super planes. Here is a link to the 2016 STOL competition in Valdez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQJKW5v ... e=youtu.be After leaving there we headed down the coastal range and then down onto the beach following the coast heading home. Went around the outside of Glacier, this is some of one the most amazing rugged coasts I've seen. Headed over Chichagof Island down to Kuiu and Pillar Bay and then back home. Now to finish the repower on the boat and get back out.
Gary
