I picked up the Jeep camper, grabbed some food and supplies from REI, and headed south. The views along the Turnagain Arm were
breathtaking and I stopped several times along the way to take it all in. So incredible.
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| Hope, Alaska |
My first overnight stop was the small village of
Hope,
20 miles from the Seward Highway. Many original cabins built during the gold-rush era are still standing in Hope, not far from the banks of Six-Mile Creek. A small cafe, bar, and community hall are nestled on the town's "Main Street", but you could miss them if you blink, it's
that small. The area is gorgeous. Whitewater rafting and hiking opportunities are aplenty here, with the Six-Mile Creek and the northern end of the Resurrection Trail being a huge draw. (The other end of the trail begins/ends in Cooper Landing). I had initially planned to mountain bike the Resurrection Trail before
Alison started talking to me about bears... and I realized biking or hiking solo in the backcountry was too risky. Still, I kept Hope as my first destination and I’m glad I did. It’s a special place.
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| The view of Turnagain Arm from Site #6 at Porcupine CG |
I next headed to the Porcupine campground, found just beyond Hope in the Chugach National Forest. I located my reserved site, set up camp, and headed out on a moderate hike to Gull Rock and back. My left calf was still giving me some issues, so I didn’t push too hard. Later in the evening, I had a chance to watch the Bore Tide come in from the advantage of my tent. So cool. Really, so cool.
A pretty good day.
