Mist shrouded forests with snow capped ridgelines disappearing make for stunning backdrops. When on an expedition however, one has the ability to turn the backdrop into the foreground. So, rather than squander a morning admiring from a distance it was time to hop into our trusty black expedition landing craft and make our entrance from stage right.
The scene had been set beautifully, with the temperate rain forest bursting with biomass as we all hiked along the trail, sounds of birds chorusing punctuated a growing growl up ahead. Cascade Creek is very aptly named for a powerful stream running steeply downhill, fed by the melting snow higher up. The frothing white water stands brilliantly out against the deep green of the Sitka spruce and western hemlock. When it finally meets the ocean this clear, fresh water is met by an opaque, light teal colored sea, as this saltwater has been infused with ground-down sediment from nearby glaciers. Two very different rivers of water stepping onto the same set, one rushing eagerly as fast as possible, the other crawling so slowly it might take centuries to complete its frozen journey.
The nearby town of Petersburg was founded due this latter player, the LeConte Glacier. Using the readily available and relatively easy to obtain ice a family of pioneering Norwegians set about packing and freezing the bountiful salmon stocks that were seemingly inexhaustible in the area. Over time this proved not to be the case as stocks dwindled and glacier ice has become rather obsolete in terms of commercial uses, but the town remains a thriving fishing community for the remaining populations of protein. One such species is that of the dungeness crab, a treat frequently sought out by otters, was served up onboard in almost overwhelming quantities, caught freshly that same day. Perhaps it was the comfort in not having to worry about typical table manners, or seeing cars again for the first time in almost a week, but one got the sense that we were not quite ready to return to civilization. It’s certainly going to be hard to leave the show and go on, even though we must, as it feels like we are only just getting to experience what life is like behind the curtain that is Alaska’s wilderness.
