<< Our Third Day at Ultima Thule - Part 3

09/21/17 - Our Third Day at Ultima Thule - Part 4

This wasn't an eventful hike. So much of it was about being out there in an impossible place and taking in both the broad expanse and the little details. Details like the silverberry plants or the shattered rocks that looks as if they were sliced at a deli. There was the feel of the air and the sense of wide open space. We were rewarded for looking up and afar as much as for looking down and up close.

We spent the entire day walking the river bed, but we have no idea of how far we had traveled. We could only note our progress in terms of the unfamiliar ground or distant landmarks which barely seemed to change as we walked and wandered. Gibraltar, that island to the east, grew only slightly smaller as we headed west, and the great mountains seemed as distant as ever.

Then came our ride. A Piper Super Cub appeared from nowhere and found a landing strip. There were lots of landing strips. Then we were airborne. The river looked different from the sky.


Color on the mountain

We took a lot of pictures of those mountains.

Silverberry plant with berries

A worn and broken rock

More color

Dried flowers

Seen on the river bed

Our ride back to the lodge

A view from above

It looks different from the sky.

Complex channels

Keywords: alaska