Ferry, MORE SNOW, but we get to Tenakee

Thursday   1/26    Juneau to Tenakee by ferry

Up at 5 a.m., and we drive out to the ferry.  Luckily, Joey's name is on the rental car so we leave it in the parking lot hoping they'll pick it up for a nice extra charge.  Schlep the gear out of the car onto the baggage cart.  Find a kennel for Haagu, and we get a 4 hour break winding in and out of snow squalls on our way to Tenakee.

The town of Tenakee Springs.  The ferry is on the right side of the picture.








Arriving in Tenakee, we ask a number of people what might be the best way to get to the logging road.  We get lots of answers, so we organize the gear (again) and take off from "civilization' by following the beach.  As Bob writes, "It's nice finally to be underway."  After all, we've been trying to get here for 3 full days.

We're at the harbor and ready to take off into the woods toward the logging road.  Note the packs and sleds of gear.

This picture looks back up Tenakee Inlet.  Our tracks look good along the water.  A snow squall is in back, just about ready to obscure all views.

 Lunch!  Bob's got the stove going.  Joey writes about the alders in the back of the picture:

"This far north you find the Sitka Alder in abundance on disturbed areas, like roads. I've heard it can grow six feet in a year. If that's the case this road was last cleared three years ago. Thankfully I brought a saw. I attack. Thirty minutes later and we have a tunnel and 100 feet of clear road. Off we go. Deep snow. Either I or Bob lead. Try to use the dog as much as we can but he's got a vicious slice."

Joey continues:  "Gets dark. I spot an engineering flagging left by the Forest Service. It reads "RM CMP 18" WB MP 0.711" translated, "remove culvert, install water bar, milepost 0.711." Not much travel for the first day. We're all tired. It's snowing again. 

Neither Bill or I have set up the tents so we rely on the Bob's for direction. Bob and I's pad is too small, Bill and the doctor can't get the fly on. Still snowing. Dig a kitchen and get dinner going. Just add water, slip into a nice cozy Bob sewed up, wait five minutes. Great. Some spicy salmon thing. Hot tea. Still snowing. Maybe tomorrow will be nice. Coats soaked, should have used the poncho."

We camp in the middle of the road.  This is the next morning.

Just a little advice for all you tent erectors: make sure your directions are on the tent cover like REI!!!   A to A,  B to B,  C to C, now is that very hard?  It was that night!