Our Favorite Trail - Beach Lake Trail

This trail never fails us! Exactly a mile from the car, around the lake and out to the inlet the, no matter what time of the year, every step of the way is graced with a stellar view! I counted 29 parents and kids out this morning. Mid way we stopped and let the kids meander and snack. Many took the opportunity to throw rocks into the ocean. A gaggle of the larger toddlers did the entire 2 miles round trip on their own! Mine wanted to be carried the last 50 ft or so. He was tuckered out. There were some new faces today. The age range of the kids was a few weeks old to almost 4, now that the bigger kids are back in the throws of the busy school year. A few of us stopped to pick currants and high bush cranberries on the way back. They are still pretty tart as we haven't had a good frost yet to sweeten them up.

Prepping for the Winter Ahead

Anxious about taking your new little one out in the cold this year, or is this your family's first winter in Alaska? Dressing your little one for success in the outdoors is important. Fortunately there are some amazing resources available here in Anchorage. Local author of Babes in the Woods, Jen Aist will be teaching her annual Babes in the Snow class at Providence Hospital  Saturday 10/1/10 from 12-2 in the Entrance 5: Maternity Center Education Room at Providence. Scholarships  available or register at The Childrens Hospital or call 212-8474. Her book can also be found at any of the local bookstores.

 

Basically you want to think about dressing your baby as you would for the current weather conditions. Keep in mind that your child is not exercising while being worn or pushed in a stroller, so they may need even more clothing than you. If you are wearing your child in a carrier such as an ERGO or a Beco carrier, you will transfer body heat back and forth to one another, however this does not occur in most frame packs and strollers.

Base layers are key. You want your child's core to maintain it's normal temperature. Moisture wicking base layers such as wool and polypro are important as they keep your child dry, even if they sweat or have snow get in between their layers. Cotton as the outdoor experts say, kills. You don't want moisture to get trapped and freeze on their skin. Your outer layers will be typical fleece, buntings or snowsuits. Hats, wool socks (or other wicking material) & mittens are also important to always have with you, just in case. I often put my adult size socks on my child's feet over his base layer so that when he is in a carrier his skin is not exposed when his pants inevitably ride up. Wool socks make great mitts too.

While most of the gear you need can be purchased at REI, many parents in the group have found items for cheaper at the local consignment shops, craigslist, ebay, and the REI outlet online. Why pay full price if you don't need to.

I also always have extra gear on hand. If you have any questions or would like  try or see some of the gear in person feel free to email me and I can make sure to bring it to the next Trek.

Goose Lake and University Trails

 

Eagle River Rapids Camp Yurt Review

Eagle River Rapids Camp Yurt 

by Sondra Menefee

 

Sixty-five bucks and worth every cent! 

I had just moved to town with my hubby and 6 month old and already had my brother coming to visit with his wife and toddler. Before kids we spent plenty of nights sleeping in tents, trucks and anywhere cragside, but a night at this yurt was the perfect solution for a kid-friendly adventure and my infant’s first overnight outdoors. 

The 1.7 mile hike started at the Eagle River Nature Center along the nicely packed Rodak Trail. I had decided to bring my City-Mini stroller along with an Ergo carrier in case I had to ditch the stroller part way and carry my pack and son at the same time. The trail had some great hallowed out trees and blooming flowers along the path and then wandered through a beautiful boardwalked marsh; which put my little guy to sleep in no time. For the last ½ mile I put my stroller to the test hopping roots and trucking through mud puddles wishing I had bigger tires, but in no time we were there. You get in with a code for the keybox that was emailed along with printable parking permits after making online reservations- don’t forget to bring them with you!

 

The campsite is about fifty yards off the main Iditarod Trail so you won’t be bothered by other hikers wandering through your personal site. The valley vistas are spectacular on a clear or foggy day and a huge hexagonal deck provides you with the perfect viewing platform to lounge and enjoy them. There is a bit of a cliff drop to one side so little ones need to be watched carefully. We cooked up some good grub on the deck and my son hung out in his PeaPod tent so I didn’t have to worry about him rolling away or getting eaten alive by bugs while I helped cook. The nearby Eagle River is the water source just five minutes down the trail and past a tent campsite. It’s great for cleaning up, gathering water, or cooling off on a hot day- but beware that the water is moving pretty swiftly!   

 The yurt itself was furnished with double bunk beds (no pads or mattresses), a table and chairs, a wood burning stove and a few extras such as a clothesline, a journal and some cards. The screened windows also have tarps that can be dropped to keep in the heat or opened to let in the air and light. Nearby in the trees was a bear box and an outhouse with a great view if you prop the door! There’s a shack with volunteer -provided wood already stacked for use in the wood stove along with a full size axe for you to make kindling and slice up some downed branches for the firepit.  My hubby came hiking in to spend a couple of hours (poor guy had come straight from work and then had to work early the next morning). I guess this is another plus to this location - folks can hike in and back out the same day if they can’t stay the night. Despite the eternal sunshine we tested out our axe skills and took full advantage of the fire ring to teach the fine art of Smores to the little guys.

Eagle River Nature Center Cabin Review

Eagle River Nature Center Cabin Review

Thank you Amanda for this Review!

Going on an outdoor overnight with little ones is often met with a healthy mix of excitement and trepidation. Thankfully, the Eagle River Public Use Cabin allowed us to feel as if we were miles away, when we were only but a single one (1.25 miles to be exact). Knowing the car is a close jaunt away
makes packing a breeze and enables you to keep your “essentials” pile to a minimum.

Situated just off the Historic Iditarod Trail by the Eagle River Nature Center, the public use cabin is a dream. While the cabin is a few hundred yards off the main trail, it is easily traipsed by little legs. The entire trail is wide and a mixture of pebble/rock and packed dirt. Once you head up the winding path to the cabin, you see a truly magical sight: a fully stocked woodpile. Thank you hearty volunteers! Not having to scrounge for felled trees or carry an axe/splitter is a huge plus. Everything is already there!

Further along the path, a clearing opens up to a cabin that puts Richard Proenneke to mind. It is a rustic log cabin, with a cozy porch which invites you in. Nearby is a medium sized lake and marshland; this serves as a beautiful visa and fresh water source. Upon entering, the cabin is much like the other Forest Service Cabins in Alaska: sleeping platforms (for 8), wood stove and table. However, the proximity to parking has afforded this cabin a few creature comforts that those 13+ miles in do not possess. Comfy camping chairs surround the homey table, two thin sleeping pads were on the platforms, a dog bed rested under the lower bunk, old cross country skis and ice grippers hug the walls. A supply of candles and matches met us along with fresh wildflowers in a makeshift vase. A binder and journal were also there, aching to be read and written in. Many adventures were catalogued by people from all over, including many sightings of a brown bear living by the lake.

There is an outhouse a hundred feet from the cabin, as well as benches and a fire ring with grate. While
they prefer you to not use wood from the woodpile for outdoor fires, there was plenty of dead wood
lying around for us to utilize for a cooking fire. The short distance allowed us to bring cookout things we might not have if on a longer trek, which was a wonderful slice of luxury. 

We slept well, despite hearing the aforementioned bear during the night. The window coverings were perfect for the fall-time. I could see the need for additional coverings if camping here in the summer, as it was not fully blacked out. We ended up starting a small fire in the stove inside which made us
positively roast. There is no question in my mind that this cabin would be toasty in the winter time!

The cabin itself is accessed via a lock box and key combination, which you receive in your confirmation e-mail (along with 4 parking passes!). Check in is at 2, and check out at noon. At $65/night, it is a fairly economical way to get away from it all, while still being realistic about camping with kiddos. To note, as it is so accessible, I would suggest booking far in advance (http://www.ernc.org/cabin.html ). We will, without a doubt, be back.

Eklutna Lake Trail

Leaving Anchorage and heading north the rain was spitting and the weather was looking like it could go either way. As I took the exit for Eklutna and made some progress up the winding road the sun was shining up ahead. The sun continued to follow us back home like a stray dog who desperately wants a home. While some were able to go farther then others due to their children's speed. The average of the group was somewhere around 4 miles.

This is a great stroller friendly trail! Though it isn't paved it is wide and flat, hugging the norther shore of the glacier blue lake. Many of the toddlers took their sweet time exploring. Throwing sticks & rocks, splashing in puddles and pushing their own strollers, all while snacking in between. Great conversations were had by parents and new connections formed. Alaska is a small world.

This stray sun has seemed to make a home over our house. I think we'll keep her and call her our own.

Here's the garmin data for one way of the out and back hike this morning on the Eklutna Lake Trail.