posted: August 2nd, 2021 |
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As stated on Page 2, this page continues July 15th at 10:34 AM as we drive up towards Thompson Pass from Valdez.  On this day we spent several hours and hiked a few miles up into the mountains above Thompson Pass. It ended up being a sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky - a regular bluebird day - the kind of day which seldom happens here.  The day started out in the mountains with terrible bugs, but as it warmed up and got more sunny they tended to disappear, thankfully.  Please also note how our clothes changed over the course of the day - from starting out with three layers of clothing on our upper bodies, to late afternoon and only a sleeveless T-shirt.  What a wonderful day to be alive.  Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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July 15th Continues From Page 2 (at 10:34 AM) |
  Now it's 10:34 AM and we are still driving up towards Thompson Pass, though at this point we are very close. The first two shots are scenery shots. In the third shot we've stopped at Blueberry Lake Campground, just to see what it looks like. There is Blueberry Lake. |
Jul15_059_DrivingTowards ThompsonPassFromValdezRC |
July15th_153_ ThompsonPassRC |
Jul15_065_Blue berryLkCGRC |
  The first shot is zoomed in to Blueberry Lake, the second shot was taken for the scenery, as was the third. These were all shot from the Blueberry Lake Campground. |
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July15th_156_ ThompsonPassRC |
Jul15_071_From BlueberryLkCGRC |
  The first shot here is zoomed in a bit more than the previous shot and also taken from a bit of a different angle. The second and third shots were taken from where we stopped to go for a hike, but we did not hike in that direction, we hiked up. The third shot shows a hiker on the top of a rock - this spot is visible in the center shot. Please also note the mosquito in the center shot. They were vicious here this morning. |
Jul15_072_From BlueberryLkCGRC |
Jul15_077_ ThompsonPassAreaRC |
Jul15_078_ ThompsonPassAreaRC |
  Now we are hiking and we're going to be doing so until the third shot in Row 21. The first and second shots in this row show Alaska Violet (Viola langsdorffii) and the third shot again shows Woolly Geranium (Geranium erianthum). |
Jul15_083_Thompson Pass_VioletRC |
Jul15_088_Thompson Pass_VioletRC |
Jul15_094_Thompson Pass_GeraniumRC |
  Here is another photo which shows Blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) flowers. Is it even possible that the fruits can ripen before the new snows come? The center shot again shows Alaska Violet (Viola langsdorffii) and the third shot shows Mosquitoes on Kazuya's Hood, along with a red fly - those things take a bite of skin. |
July15th_206_ThompsonPass_ VacciniumUliginosumRC |
July15th_205_ThompsonPass _ViolaLangsdorffiiRC |
Jul15_100_Hiking_ ThompsonPassRC |
  Here are three great shots of Inky (Pale) Gentian (Gentiana glauca). |
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July15th_222_ThompsonPass _GentianaGlaucaRC |
Jul15_104_Thompson Pass_GentianRC |
  In first position here is a photo which shows many flowers of the Pixie Eye Primrose (Primula cuneifolia ssp. saxifragifolia). In second position you can see Daniel and Yellow Thimbleweed (Anemone richardsonii) and in third position is a scenery shot in which you can see the many years old snow fencing which was erected along this route. It is now falling down and doesn't seem to be so important any longer. Note that Daniel is dressed quite heavily and is wearing light weight gloves. Also note how he sheds his clothing as the day warms up. It's now 11:46 AM on the clock, but it's Daylight Saving Time now, and the sun and the clocks are 2 hours different in Alaska when we are on Saving Time, so that means the sun time is only about 9:46 AM.
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Jul15_112_Thompson Pass_PixiePrimroseRC |
July15th_238_ThompsonPass _AnemoneRichardsoniiRC |
Jul15_123_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
  Here are two shots of Pixie Eye Primrose (Primula cuneifolia ssp. saxifragifolia) and a shot of Kazuya shooting the scenery. Note that he is still heavily dressed too. The time now is 11:55 AM (about 9:55 AM sun time). |
July15th_244_ThompsonPass_Primula CuneifoliaSspSaxifragifoliaRC |
Jul15_127_Thompson PassPixiePrimroseRC |
Jul15_135_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
  Here are three scenery shots which are quite nice. The first shot shows a glacier, the second shot shows Kazuya and green and the third shot is long distance - note the mosquito flying by. |
Jul15_136_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
Jul15_150_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
Jul15_153_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
  Here are three scenic photos. That's Daniel in the first shot, and he is saying "Nice day, eh." The second shot certainly shows some rugged terrain. The third shot shows Kazuya coming through a field of Aleutian Mountainheath (Phyllodoce aleutica). |
July15th_281_ ThompsonPassRC |
Jul15_154_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
Jul15_155_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
  The first two shots here show two different snow melt ponds. The third shot shows Daniel walking towards another pond. Note that he has removed one layer of clothing here at 12:20 PM (about 10:20 AM sun time). |
Jul15_171_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
July15th_305_ ThompsonPassRC |
July15th_332_ ThompsonPassRC |
  Here is another shot which shows Alaska Violet (Viola langsdorffii) and then two scenic photos with ponds in them. Of course the third photo is merely a zoomed in presentation of the second shot. |
Jul15_180_Thompson Pass_VioletsRC |
Jul15_181_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
Jul15_182_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
  The first photo in this row is an even more zoomed in version of the previous two shots. The center shot shows another pond, though it is a different one. The third shot shows an overview of how the Woolly Geranium (Geranium erianthum) grows. |
Jul15_183_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
Jul15_187_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
Jul15_197_Thompson Pass_FlowersRC |
  Here is another example of Alaska Violet (Viola langsdorffii) and that is followed by two shots of the Alaska State Flower - the Alpine Forget-me-not (Myosotis asiatica). |
July15th_414_ThompsonPass _ViolaLangsdorffiiRC |
Jul15_247_ThompsonPass _MyosotisAsiaticaRC |
Jul15_248_ThompsonPass _MyosotisAsiaticaRC |
  The first photo is a scenic shot and it also shows Kazuya with one layer of clothing removed at 1:23 PM (about 11:23 AM sun time). The center photo is of White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata) and the third shot is basically a zoomed in version of the first one. |
Jul15_251_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
Jul15_258_Thompson Pass_OrchidRC |
Jul15_253_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
  Here are two overview photos of Alaska Violet (Viola langsdorffii) and then we stumbled upon a small patch of Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa) which was in such a spot that it was easy to get blue sky and green mountains and even some white clouds. WOW! |
Jul15_260_Thompson Pass_FlowersRC |
Jul15_261_Thompson Pass_FlowersRC |
Jul15_269_Thompson Pass_ColumbineRC |
  Here is another blue sky shot with Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa). The center shot shows Daniel and he's saying "let's eat lunch here, it's 1:30 PM." In the third shot all of those white flowers that are standing up are White Bog Orchids (Platanthera dilatata). |
Jul15_272_Thompson Pass_ColumbineRC |
July15th_512_ ThompsonPassRC |
Jul15_291_Thompson Pass_OrchidsRC |
  Now we are in that area we showed you just previous - we've died and gone to heaven and are surrounded by White Bog Orchids (Platanthera dilatata). The air smells SO WONDERFUL. |
Jul15_279_Thompson Pass_OrchidRC |
July15th_596_ThompsonPass _PlatantheraDilatataRC |
Jul15_295_Thompson Pass_OrchidsRC |
  Daniel takes a deep breath of the heavenly smell of the White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata); note that he has removed another layer of clothing at 2:29 PM (about 12:29 PM sun time). In the second shot, we are on our way back towards the rig now and so far we have NOT come to a rock wall which we had to backtrack from. We just had to come through that small alley which is snow free. There was a slight movement in the low brush, and what was it? It was Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) - a mom with at least six chicks.
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July15th_605_ThompsonPass _PlatantheraDilatataRC |
Jul15_298_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
Jul15_303_Thompson Pass_GrouseRC |
  We are slowly working our way back towards where the rig is parked, there is the snow fence - we have to cross that and then we'll be within one-quarter mile or so. Oh heavens, the scenery! |
July15th_677_ ThompsonPassRC |
Jul15_307_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
July15th_679_ ThompsonPassRC |
  Here are two final scenery shots taken during our descent back to the rig. The third shot was taken as we drove towards Worthington Glacier - it shows Worthington Lake. |
July15th_680_ ThompsonPassRC |
Jul15_308_Thompson Pass_SceneryRC |
July15th_700_ ThompsonPassRC |
  Seeing as this is such a clear blue sky day - a bluebird day - we have driven back to the scenic view spot where everybody stops to take photos of Worthington Glacier. Need I say - WOW? |
Jul15_309_ThompsonPass _WorthingtonGlacierRC |
Jul15_310_ThompsonPass _WorthingtonGlacierRC |
Jul15_318_ThompsonPass _WorthingtonGlacierRC |
  Here are three more photos which show Worthington Glacier. That's Daniel in the third shot. |
Jul15_327_ThompsonPass _WorthingtonGlacierRC |
Jul15_319_320_321_AutoPanoAT_ ThompsonPass_WorthingtonGlacierRC |
July15th_733_ ThompsonPassRC |
  We stumbled upon a patch of the White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata) right beside the highway and stopped to take a few more shots. Finding them beside the highway was so much less rewarding than finding them in the mountains. Do you understand? |
Jul15_330_Thompson Pass_OrchidsRC |
July15th_745_ThompsonPass _PlatantheraDilatataRC |
End July 15th, End Page 3 |
Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Please continue on to page 4 for the continuation of our vacation, beginning on the morning of July 16th! |
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