McCarthy And Kennicott summary.

7/17/09 – 7/19/09
It was beautiful with temperatures ranging from 65-75 degrees. It was very dry and smokey. There was a breeze at times but not any strong winds. There were wildfires burning in the area, producing all the smoke.


Plants:
White Spruce
Black Spruce
Aspen
Birch
Mistletoe
Fire Weed
Siberian Aster
Mountain Avens
Wild Rose
Northern Yarrow
Juniper
Soapberries
Strawberry Spinach
Bear Root
Willow
Indian Paint Brush
Kinnikinnick
Horse Tail
Bog Star
Bracted Bog Orchid
Lichen
Lupin
Orange Fungus
Bearberries
Elegant Jacobs Ladder
Twin Flower
Monks Hood
Lesser Pink Pyrola/ Wintergreen
Blueberries
Prickly Saxifrage
Trappers Tea
Crowberries
Juniper
Golden Rod
Beautiful Jacobs Ladder
Bluebells/Lungwort
Moss Heather
Saprophyte

Animals:
Aphids
Fly
Seagull
Canine/Wolf Tracks!
Spider
Fly
Small yellow insect.
Hawk with a white tail.
Magpie
Hare
Black Bear
Hare
Swallow
Bever Dens
Moose Scat
Loon
Douglas Squirrel
Raven
Dragon Fly
Leaf Miner

This was a very exhausting and draining trip for everyone. We enjoyed the beauty of the area, and it was nice to get out of Valdez & explore. Saturday morning, I was able to get good pictures of Mount Blackburn, which is the highest peak in the Wrangell Mountains. The old buildings in McCarthy and Kennicott were very interesting. I think everyone would have benefited if we had taken some time to relax, because on Sunday morning we were exhausted & ready to leave. The other people staying in the lodge did not help things. It’s sad when a dog has more sense than its owners. This was a great learning experience for all of us. I’m proud of my classmates for coming along and giving it their best shot.