Sportsmobile: British Columbia, Yukon, Alaska... July 2008

TWOLOSTTWOLOST Registered Users Posts: 22 Big grins
edited January 26, 2009 in Journeys
WARNING: First time poster to Digital Grin:

My wife went on a 5+ week, 8500 mile, excursion into British Columbia, the Yukon, and Alaska this past July on-board our 2007 Sportsmobile 4x4 van.

Having only enough personal resource to document and post this trip to one web location... I chose to to post this report to a forum specific to the make/model of our van... (accessible via link below):
Here are a few random pictures from this report in order to set some expectations...



Top Of The World Highway, our method of travel:
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Valdez, Glacier Tour:
349172813_KmToK-M.jpg


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Thompson Pass, glacier runoff crossing a remote road.
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Alaska Range, scenery:
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Dalton Highway, Wild MuskOx:
352071446_9Nyfe-M.jpg



Prudhoe Bay (the proof):
352071464_G6aFM-M.jpg



Atigan Pass, visiting Fox(es):
352084815_NiD4V-M.jpg


Haines Alaska Bald Eagle Preserve, Eagle(s):
352590032_uaFNP-XL.jpg


Hyder Alaska, Bears Fishing:
352832413_v4oPV-M.jpg


I hope to dust off a few images from this awesome trip and submit them to the various forums here on Digital Grin.


Note: This report is a long read and is fairly image heavy... but what can I say...other than I want to go back to Alaska and do it all over again as soon as possible! :barb

Thanks for looking...
Cheers,
---Bruce---


My Content Home Base:... McCallum Racing Enterprises

Comments

  • clemensphoto'sclemensphoto's Registered Users Posts: 647 Major grins
    edited January 5, 2009
    Really nice shots here. 5+ weeks - WOW!!clap.gifclap.gif
    Ryan Clemens
    www.clemensphotography.us
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  • dadwtwinsdadwtwins Registered Users Posts: 804 Major grins
    edited January 5, 2009
    First off, welcome to DGrin.

    Second off, WOW!!!! Great shotsclap.gifclap
    My Homepage :thumb-->http://dthorp.smugmug.com
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  • coldclimbcoldclimb Registered Users Posts: 1,169 Major grins
    edited January 7, 2009
    Great to see a journey through my neck of the woods. You guys travelled in STYLE! rolleyes1.gif I didn't see a shot of my vehicle passing yours in the other direction, but it looks like you saw some awesome scenery and had an awesome time! Thanks for posting. :D
    John Borland
    www.morffed.com
  • grimacegrimace Registered Users Posts: 1,534 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2009
    Great looking series with a nice variety of shots!! I really like the fox and bear shots!! What a wonderful trip!!
  • grimacegrimace Registered Users Posts: 1,534 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2009
    Bruce,

    I just spent over an hour viewing and reading the form you left a link to in your original thread. This was an amazing trip. I strongly encourage you to post more shots from your trip!! The journey forum is designed for just that purpose.

    If you (the reader) have not checked out Bruce's link you should really do so (IMO). The photos of the moose, sea otters, eagles and etc are amazing. Also the details of the trip, the maps, the take aways and charts really give you an idea on what it takes to do a trip like this.

    Bruce, thanks again for sharing your trip with all of us and welcome to Dgrin!!
  • TWOLOSTTWOLOST Registered Users Posts: 22 Big grins
    edited January 12, 2009
    Thanks for the comments and the warm welcome.



    To add a little behind the scenes info to my linked report…

    While researching possible routes for our trip, I kept finding images of Moose wading in chest high water and foraging for underwater plant life (usually, with some spectacular backdrop). Even before we left our front porch in Washington State, I told my wife that I was not going to come back home until I had the opportunity to capture such a shot. To that end, we started to spot Moose on the fifth day of our trip as we traveled from Watson Lake, YT to Carmaks, YT while driving along the relatively remote Campbell Highway. I had been fortunate enough to spot one very large bull Moose in just the right photographic situation (light, backdrop, massive rack, etc…). As soon as I had spotted the Moose, I turned off the van (something that we had learned to do while stalking other animals) and I coasted down the road the length of a football field or more. The Moose was not visible from the unpaved gravel road due to the tall thick brush that lined the roadside. I quietly gathered my gear and slowly walked back to the area where I first glimpsed the Moose. As I parted the brush, the Moose was still there, pointed straight at me, and actively foraging the lake bottom only a weak stones throw from where I was standing. I never even had the chance to go for my camera when the Moose picked up on the fact that I was standing there (obscured by brush or not). It froze for a few seconds, focused intently in my direction, and then turned around and wasted little time exiting the lake and then stomping up the heavily wooded hillside trampling small trees and dead branches. It stopped a couple of times to look back for a few seconds… but for the most part he was not sticking around. This same failed stalking story occurred a few more times over the coming days. However, I learned a little more with each failed attempt… and I was ultimately able stalk grazing Moose without immediately spooking them. I never did get the shot that I was after… but I was granted the privilege to sneak up and observe a few of these plant eating giants just go about their business - all from a safe distance of course. Here are a few pics from different stalking episodes where the stalking worked… but the photo’s not so much. The real treat was just observing:

    352077995_ffmLe-M.jpg


    352078005_6xxHL-M.jpg


    352124673_WeBET-M.jpg



    The only bull Moose I was able to capture (wild and unobstructed) was this Moose taken in a slightly more controlled environment (Denali National Park, taken from the park bus):

    452945176_ckrjw-M.jpg
    Cheers,
    ---Bruce---


    My Content Home Base:... McCallum Racing Enterprises
  • heatherfeatherheatherfeather Registered Users Posts: 2,738 Major grins
    edited January 12, 2009
    TWOLOST wrote:
    Here are a few pics from different stalking episodes where the stalking worked… but the photo’s not so much.

    Ha ha! You should come back and spend some time in my back yard. I have a cow and 2 calves that come here every day to eat my mountain ash trees. They really like the berries. And one time I caught them eating the grass clippings from my mulch pile from last summer! I never knew they would eat that!


    Great Photos! That Eagle one is incredible! Great timing! Awesome trip!
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited January 12, 2009
    These are amazing ! welcome to the Dgrin ! clap.gif
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  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2009
    What am amazing journey! I want more photos!

    (and welcome to dgrin!)
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2009
    TWOLOST wrote:

    Dalton Highway, Wild MuskOx:
    352071446_9Nyfe-M.jpg

    Haines Alaska Bald Eagle Preserve, Eagle(s):
    352590032_uaFNP-XL.jpg

    Talk about making an entrance!! clap.gif

    Absolutely beautiful images! For a brief moment, I was going to say something about the musk ox image looking a bit over-exposed and cold looking, but then my artistic side thankfully took over and told the rest of my brain to look at the beauty of the shot: It perfectly shows how cold it must be up there, even when the snow isn't on the ground. I love the shot, it's beautiful!

    I've included the eagle shot, because I just wanted to see it up twice in the thread. Again, absolutely beautiful!! thumb.gifthumb.gif
    Lee
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  • TWOLOSTTWOLOST Registered Users Posts: 22 Big grins
    edited January 23, 2009
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    Talk about making an entrance!! clap.gif

    Absolutely beautiful images! For a brief moment, I was going to say something about the musk ox image looking a bit over-exposed and cold looking, but then my artistic side thankfully took over and told the rest of my brain to look at the beauty of the shot: It perfectly shows how cold it must be up there, even when the snow isn't on the ground. I love the shot, it's beautiful!

    I've included the eagle shot, because I just wanted to see it up twice in the thread. Again, absolutely beautiful!! thumb.gifthumb.gif

    Thanks Lee.
    This wild musk ox shot was hurriedly taken about 40 miles south of Deadhorse, Alaska. This subject was part of a larger group of about 15 or so animals and they were on the move and in a big hurry (as far as musk ox go). I was using a 400mm lens with a 2 x extender (shot at f5.6 @ 1/100 sec). The wind was blowing about 30mph, I was totally exposed with no wind break, and I was using a carbon fiber tripod (which was now doubling as a tuning fork). I tried to take a series of repetitive shots to see if could get lucky enough to convey motion with clarity… and while that really did not happen - this specific image turned out to be the cleanest of the bunch.


    As for the eagle shot, this image was taken in the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in Haines, Alaska. I patiently waited for about two hours to capture this image (400mm lens on a tripod, f5.6 @ 1/400 sec). This specific eagle would occasionally stand-up, stretch its legs, and then balance on one leg while putting the other talon out straight out front… as if performing a judo move. It was quite entertaining.
    Cheers,
    ---Bruce---


    My Content Home Base:... McCallum Racing Enterprises
  • TWOLOSTTWOLOST Registered Users Posts: 22 Big grins
    edited January 23, 2009
    Ha ha! You should come back and spend some time in my back yard. I have a cow and 2 calves that come here every day to eat my mountain ash trees. They really like the berries. And one time I caught them eating the grass clippings from my mulch pile from last summer! I never knew they would eat that!


    Great Photos! That Eagle one is incredible! Great timing! Awesome trip!

    Thanks Heather,
    The moose were interesting. Out in the more remote/desolate places we visited in both the Yukon and Alaska, the moose were very spooked and they would not hang around long if they sensed that something was watching them (even at significant distance). That being said, my wife splurged on a B&B in Anchorage Alaska... where there was a wild female moose that often frequented the property. As luck would have it, the moose showed up while we were staying there. At one point while standing on a second story balcony, I could have reached down through the railing and tapped the moose on the head. I stood outside for a good hour, moose within 40 feet of me (completely aware that I was there), as I watched this moose graze on trees and shrubs before the neighbors finally went inside and this moose calmly wandered over to their property. This B&B was in a wooded neighborhood and there was plenty of human activity all around.


    Here in Washington State, there are groups of Elk that frequent my property throughout the year. In contrast to the one moose we encountered in Anchorage, the Elk are far more skittish and they don’t hang around any one location near as long.

    122720858_NZc6j-M.jpg

    122720871_yhgUR-L.jpg
    Cheers,
    ---Bruce---


    My Content Home Base:... McCallum Racing Enterprises
  • NorthernFocusNorthernFocus Registered Users Posts: 1,347 Major grins
    edited January 24, 2009
    You folks covered a lot of ground. Nice post and welcome to Dgrin clap.gif
    Dan

    My Photo Gallery:Northern Focus Photography
    I wish I was half the man that my dog thinks I am...
  • jthomasjthomas Registered Users Posts: 454 Major grins
    edited January 26, 2009
    Wonderful series. I have been reading your long thread on the Sportmobile forum and realized that we may have crossed paths at some point in July. We flew to Anchorage on July 10th and picked up a rental Jeep. We then drove east on the Glenn Highway, stopping at Majestic Valley Lodge for two nights, then on to Valdez, arriving there on the 13th. Went back to Copper Center on the 14th and drove the Nabesna Road on the 15th. Did a day hike near twin lakes that day. Then we drove the McCarthy Road on the 16th (flat tire), and on up the Richardson Highway to Paxson on the 17th. Drove the Denali Highway on the 19th (another flat tire), then back to Anchorage on the 20th.

    From there we flew out to a remote fishing lodge for a week before returning home.

    Your photos are spectacular. I just wish they were larger.
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