Posts filed under Alaska

High Mountains and deep Valleys in Alaska

 

Flashback Friday

Donnelly Dome

 
 

    Way back when, when I was still living in Alaska, I went on a hike with a friend of mine a couple of hours east from Fairbanks. Fall had been in the air for the past couple of weeks, and we even had some frost in the mornings. Winter is coming. One of the most spectacular things you can do in the mixed forest and the tundra of Alaska is to venture out and see the fall colors. Before you know it the leaves have all fallen to the ground and snow is coming down. We went to Donnelly Dome, which basically is a dome in the middle of a large valley, surrounded by mountains. If you climb it on a gorgeous day, you will have an epic 360 degree view. And we did.

 
 

Fall Colors

    I love the fall colors, and especially that red color that the tundra gets. The area around Donnelly Dome is so beautiful. Tons of small lakes, tundra, spruce, high mountains, rivers and everything in between. And lots of moose too!

 
Posted on March 10, 2017 by Ann Rumbleinthearctic and filed under Alaska, Flashback Friday, The great wide open and tagged Alaska 2017 Fall Adventures Fall Colours colors Mountains Valleys Wildlife Moose Life in Alaska.

Dreaming about Snow!

 

Flashback Friday

Snowscapes

    I don't know about you, but I have been dreaming about fluffy snow. I miss the deep snow we used to get when we lived in Alaska. Some years we did get less than others. This year they have received so much snow though, and it makes me sad that I am not there. 

 
 

    Did you guys receive a lot of snow where you live, and/or do you miss it? Or do you just want spring and summer to arrive?

 
Posted on March 3, 2017 by Ann Rumbleinthearctic and filed under Flashback Friday, Alaska and tagged Winter Snow Alaska Dreams Adventures 2017 snowscapes Wintertime.

Who Dealt these Cards?

 

Flashback Friday

Abisko

    Way back when, well not that long time ago but still 10 years ago, I had the privilege to take a field class in northern Sweden, about how climate change affect the arctic and the subarctic environment. I guess that was the beginning of the journey I am currently on (I guess I can argue that it started way before then too, but I'll go with this for now). It does make me wonder, who dealt these cards? Did it just randomly happen that I took that class or was it because I was intrigued by it and wanted to learn more, or was it because I had never been to Abisko, or what? Did I choose my own path back then or did I accidentally stumble upon it. Either way I think that class is what brought me to where I am now. 

 
 

Under the midnight sun

    During that class two other students and I ventured out on a night hike to get to the next destination for our class, of course we talked with the professors before and they all agreed that we could to that if we wanted to. So we did. We ventured out under the midnight sun right after dinner that evening. Up and over the mountains to get to the research station. Across fields of snow and gorgeous midnight sun that casted its rays upon the beautiful country of northern Sweden. Right then and there I must have decided that I love this place. The mountains and that midnight sun. We were also lucky enough to spot a Wolverine from afar, which is the first but not the last one that I have seen. It was to far away to get a photo of it though.

 
 

My path?

    Very often I do wonder where I would have been had I not started my PhD in Alaska. Would I have done a PhD in Sweden? Actually I did apply for a PhD in Sweden, but didn't even get a reply from that application, which (in my opinion) is ridiculous. So I broaden my search and stumbled upon a PhD position in Alaska. I don't think I quite realized what I was getting myself into. I mean I realized the PhD part, but I don't think I realized what a gem Alaska really is. I don't think I had dreamt about Alaska or anything like that. Although my mom claims she used to make up bedtime stories about me exploring parts of the world, including Alaska. Since then I have wandered the mountains of Alaska, well a few, very very few of them...but still.

 
 

Alaska

    I've worked remotely in parts of Alaska as part of my research, but also helping other people with their research and fieldwork. But I love it. And I miss it. But there are more mountains to be discovered and I have the privilege to do that, which I am very grateful of. As you all probably know, not everyone are able to do that. One thing though, all of this doesn't come for free. And I have given up and sacrificed large parts of my life too, to be able to do what I am doing. We are given our deck of cards at the beginning of our life, and how we play them is up to us, and as with any card game you play, sometimes you loose and sometimes you win. Nothing in life comes for free, remember that. 

 
 

    Who dealt your cards? Or did you just stumble upon your present life?

 
 
 
 
 
Posted on February 24, 2017 by Ann Rumbleinthearctic and filed under Flashback Friday, Alaska, Sweden, Science and tagged Alaska Sweden Arctic Subarctic Wilderness remote areas Abisko Mountains Research Science Midnight Sun Sun Midnight Sunset Elsewhere 2017 Summer Adventures field Fieldwork Family National Park National Parks Abisko National Park.