Winner Creek Trail

Another on my bucket list was the hand tram at Winner Creek Trail in Girdwood.  We played it smart this time and packed a lunch for a day trip.  We dropped off a car at the other side so we'd only have to hike across and not back.  

Signs like this always make me laugh.  Everywhere else I've been there are tons of precautions, in Alaska if there's anything it's a warning sign and then - you're on your own.  

Brigham found a "cave" and thought there might be a bear.  That's one thing we left on our bucket list this time, though we got closer than ever before.

Wherever someone poses Darla has to get a pose in too.  

Another awesome cave.  I took a bunch of pictures for a photo project - maybe someday I'll finish the project.  Maybe.

The kids thought this looked like a fairy castle.

The mushrooms here are incredible.  There are so many different shapes and colors and varieties and I am fascinated with them.  I think Tyler got sick of all the times I stopped to take a picture of the mushrooms.

 This was our close encounter.  It had been rainy and was very wet and here in the trail there was a bear print.  This is not the terrain I would expect a bear to live in but apparently they are pretty common in this area.  I was surprised how big the print was.  Just for reference - those are Ksenya's feet and she wears a size 9 in women's.

 Sweet sisters.  When we hike Leisl will give herself a little pep talk.  She'll be marching along talking to herself and she's saying, "We can DO this!  We've got this.  We've SO got this Mom!"  Cracks me up.

This was a big bridge over a rushing river.  I was surprised that Darla who is usually really scared of heights walked right out over it and you could see between the slats.  

Noah is such a happy hiker.  He likes to sing and hum to himself behind Daddy and when I carry him he likes to play with my hair.

Brig thought the river would be fun to swim in - except it's FREEZING glacier water!

Cutest hikers ever.

And another poser. 

This is a very narrow (15 ft?) rock crevass that the river rushes through and it sounds like thunder.  It's so loud you can't have a conversation here and the rocks are so smooth they look like glass.  

It's so fun having Amber and her kiddos here with us - they are adventurous and willing to try whatever we get it into our brains to do.  

The highlight of the trip for the kids was the hand tram.  You have to pull yourself by hand out over the river and across.  It was pretty high and I was a little nervous (I may have ridden across on my knees down in the bottom of the cage.)  You can see Noah thought the whole thing was pretty great and the rest of the kids liked it too.

When we finished we all piled into the car to head back to the other car.  We were tired and dirty but had so much fun exploring together!

We stopped in Turnagain Arm on our way back to get a close up of the ocean.  I was hoping for whales, but we missed them by just a couple of weeks.  

The bore tide is so incredible to watch. I always want to go out on the flats but Tyler won't let me (good thing I have him too, they are really dangerous!).  

What fun to have a partner as crazy as me.  

We have a serious side too.

but not very often.