Monday, December 19, 2011

Trip to Skwentna

My friend Dave and I left Deshka Landing Friday about 11am. This is us starting out.





Here are some pictures along the trail.



My friend Dave

Me of course. Couldn't stand the helmet. Put my Beaver hat on.

Here we were 2 miles from my place and got stopped dead in our tracks. To much snow. A guy and his wife came by with a Skandic super widetrack and went ahead and opened the trail.
  Here at the property and got the machine stuck. Had 4 to 5 ft. of snow.

Finally got a path cleared on the property.

Dave shoveled snow in front of the cabin.

Me tamping a pathway.


One of my many thick Birch trees. 26in. diameter

Snow on the cabin.

Well I have to cut this short. It took us 6 hrs. when it should have been 3 because of the rollercoaster trail and getting stuck 2 miles from the cabin. I will add more later.

24 comments:

Carol G said...

That is awesome. My friends who live elsewhere in the bush said they have had 12 feet of snow already. I guess you can be happy to have just had 4-5! Living there you can clear it as it comes... Looking forward to hearing more.

Bushrat John said...

Hi Carol, I had to cut the Blog short, my ride to the library decided to leave early. I will add more Wednesday.

becky3086 said...

Well, I guess with all that snow you made pretty good time, lol.

Bushrat John said...

We made much better time back, 3:15.

Anonymous said...

Hey John,

I love the winter and snow pictures. I know it can be frustrating to get around in but it is beautiful.


R.

CottonLady said...

Wow! That's a ton of snow on your roof. So pretty along your trail. How cold was it?
Hope you had a good time.

Bushrat John said...

Hi Cotton, yep, a lot of snow. It was actually warm, 30 to 35 degrees. I was sweating all bundled up. The area is beautiful in person. I have a great view of Denali.

Bushrat John said...

Hi R, sometimes getting around can drive you nuts. But, it's worth it

Alaskan Yankee said...

Hey John!

That looks like some awesome fun! It looks like I will be departing Connecticut for Delta Junction, Alaska area at about the March timeframe! Here I thought I had a year lol! I made friends with a family up there who have a vacant cabin that they made available to me until I get my land bought and build my own. I look forward to the time when I can experience some of the joy's you are now! Please keep writing, you inspire me! God Bless and Merry Christmas!

Jeff

Bushrat John said...

Hi Jeff, you have a good start on your own blog. Having someone from Alaska befriend you like that and offer you a cabin to start your life in the Bush is a rare thing, which makes you a very lucky guy. I offer you all luck in the world in your future move. Welcome to the good life.

bmunsell said...

Hi John, just found your blog again after a year of so. Looks like you had a good trip. I'm glad to see that there is a lot of snow out there.

I think I may actually be your neighbor out where you are rustically living on the edge of the wilderness. We have 7 lots across the road and closer to the river from you, if you are living where I think you are living. Anyway, I haven't made it out at all yet, still working to much in town. You may wish you were further out in the bush, but from where I live between Palmer and Wasilla, anything north of Willow looks pretty nice. Take Care

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas, John. Hope it's a good holiday for you.


R.

Bushrat John said...

Thanks R, Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year. I will be alone this year but, I have my health, shelter, warmth and food.

Bushrat John said...

Hi B, you guessed right. Stop by sometime.

Anonymous said...

HPPY NEW YR John....!
Great photos of your trip... I'm a little envious because I haven't been out that way yet this season... going to fire up the Skandic SWT this week... some time I'd like to blaze a trail between our cabins.. Probably consider hiring a husky Grandson for the serious grunt work..
Went out to Ore to see the older son/family for Christmas and had high hopes of doing some snow machine riding on groomed trails down there... but no snow (yet) this year.. Man we sure had plenty waiting for us in the drive when we got back...!!!!! John

Bushrat John said...

Happy New Year to you John. Blazing a trail between our cabins would be fun, maybe. LOL. I got a young guy I kiwi his early 40' a that would help. The SWT, should do the trick. I would suggest a nice cold day. Hope you got a plow to tackle that snow at home.

Terria said...

Beautiful photos John! We have had almost no snow in this part of Oregon this year, it's been a strange year here weather-wise.
Thank goodness for neighbors and friends who help us when we need help. Do you have two cabins or three? (I guess I'm not too sure from your blog posts.) Which one do you consider your main home?

Bushrat John said...

Hi Terria, I have 2 cabins.....1- 8x12 o. My remote property and I have all the material there to build a new 16x16 cabin this summer. I have one 12x16 town cabin I just built this past summer. The red cabin is the one I had at the lodge I took care of for 10 years.

Terria said...

John,
Thanks for clearing that up. All 3 of the cabins look good to me! I would like to hear more about your caretaking jobs too. How did that work out for you? Were they near your own cabin, or far away? I really love cabin living and like to read about people who are out there "living the dream" in their remote, (and probably off the grid) cabins.

Bushrat John said...

Well Terria, all my caretaking jobs have been great. I have been doing it for over 20 years. Cabin living is great. Maybe in a couple of days when I get to the library, I will do a post about caretaking. It should make for interesting reading. My cabins were farther away.

Terria said...

Hi John,
A caretaking post would be interesting reading to me, and to a lot of other people out there too I suspect. I look forward to reading one if you do post something about caretaking. I guess it interests me because it must be hard to find jobs out there in the wilderness when you are in need of cash.

Bushrat John said...

When living a remote lifestyle, you will find any means continue it.

Terria said...

Hi John, I'm still admiring all your great photos of Alaska and where you live, as I read all your older posts and reread the new ones. Did you have help building your cabin(s), or did you do all the work yourself? The cabin pictured here looks nice and cosy. I really like the wreathe made from red leaves that you hung on your window.

Bushrat John said...

Thanks Terria, I had a friends help with the cabins. I'm embarrased to say, the wreath isn't real. A neighbor lady bought it as a cabin warming gift.