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This is Page 1 of 2 - the best of May 2023!
posted: June 1st, 2023
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This page begins with May 3rd looking out of our West window and watching the snow disappear - this series fills the first three rows this month. Then Row 4 begins with a May 12th trip up the Elliott Highway in search of the first flowers of the season - Pasque Flowers (Pulsatilla patens). The adventure after that was a trip up to the higher mountains - Twelvemile and Eagle Summits - and was also a flower hunting trip, specifically for the Alaska Blue Anemone (Anemone multiceps). This page ends at the end of the day on May 24th. By the way, we found both species that we were in search of. Click on any thumbnail to begin.

Begin May 3 - 16 at Home
  In this row you see photos taken from the same spot on May 3, May 6, and May 9 as the snow rapidly disappears.
May3_2023_FromWestWindowRC
May3_2023_
FromWestWindowRC
May06_1_WestYardRC
May06_1_
WestYardRC
May09_1_WestYardRC
May09_1_
WestYardRC

  In this row are three additional photos, all taken from the same spot on May 9, May 10, and May 11.
May09_2_SouthFromPorchRC
May09_2_
SouthFromPorchRC
May10_1_LookingSouthFromPorchRC
May10_1_Looking
SouthFromPorchRC
May11_1_LookingSouthFromPorchRC
May11_1_Looking
SouthFromPorchRC

  The disappearing snow series continues in this row with photos taken on May 12, May 13, and May 16. Note that on May 16 you can see small green leaves in the trees.
May12_1_LookingSouthFromPorchRC
May12_1_Looking
SouthFromPorchRC
May13_1_LookingSouthFromPorchRC
May13_1_Looking
SouthFromPorchRC
May16_3_LookingSouthFromPorchRC
May16_3_Looking
SouthFromPorchRC

End May 3 - 16 at Home, Begin May 12
  Now we are on an adventure up the Elliott Highway. The first shot of a moose was taken as we drove up the highway. The remaining two shots show our first amazing spring flower - the Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens).
May12th_036_ElliottHWY_MooseRC
May12th_036_
ElliottHWY_MooseRC
May12_003_ElliottHwyMile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12_003_ElliottHwy
Mile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12_004_ElliottHwyMile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12_004_ElliottHwy
Mile57_PasqueFlowersRC

  Here are three more shots of Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens). These flowers are so amazing to see after eight months of winter finally releases its grip on the world around us.
May12_005_ElliottHwyMile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12_005_ElliottHwy
Mile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12_007_ElliottHwyMile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12_007_ElliottHwy
Mile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12_013_ElliottHwyMile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12_013_ElliottHwy
Mile57_PasqueFlowersRC

  Here are two additional shots of Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens) and a scenery shot at 57 mile on the Elliott Highway.
May12th_081_ElliottHWY_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_081_ElliottHWY
_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_090_ElliottHWY_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_090_ElliottHWY
_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12_034_ElliottHwyMile57_SceneryRC
May12_034_Elliott
HwyMile57_SceneryRC

  These three photos all show more Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens), and the center one also shows Daniel. Note the fly in the upper left corner of the third shot.
May12_040_ElliottHwyMile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12_040_ElliottHwy
Mile57_PasqueFlowersRC
May12th_105_ElliottHWY_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_105_ElliottHWY
_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_118_ElliottHWY_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_118_ElliottHWY
_PulsatillaPatensRC

  Notice how steep this bluff is - the Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens) always seems to grow on these steep south facing bluffs where it's a challenge just to stand upright.
May12_049_ElliottHwyMile57_PasqueFlowers_KazuyaRC
May12_049_ElliottHwy
Mile57_PasqueFlowers_KazuyaRC
May12th_178_ElliottHWY_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_178_ElliottHWY
_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12_071_ElliottHwyMile57_PasqueFlowers_KazuyaRC
May12_071_ElliottHwy
Mile57_PasqueFlowers_KazuyaRC

  Now we have finished at 57 mile and we are headed back towards Fairbanks. This was a stop at the Tatalina River bridge to see how much ice remained. The water is high and there is a considerable amount of ice remaining in these photos.
May12_083_ElliottHighway_TatalinaRiverRC
May12_083_Elliott
Highway_TatalinaRiverRC
May12_084_ElliottHighway_TatalinaRiverRC
May12_084_Elliott
Highway_TatalinaRiverRC

  Now we are at 39 mile - this is where the Upper Grapefruit Rocks Trailhead takes off. Enjoy these final photos of Pasque Flowers (Pulsatilla patens) - there will be no more until next May.
May12_092_ElliottHighway_PasqueFlowersMile39RC
May12_092_ElliottHighway_
PasqueFlowersMile39RC
May12_102_ElliottHighway_PasqueFlowersMile39_KazuyaRC
May12_102_ElliottHighway_
PasqueFlowersMile39_KazuyaRC
May12_106_ElliottHighway_PasqueFlowersMile39RC
May12_106_ElliottHighway_
PasqueFlowersMile39RC

  Now we are at Whitefish Campground, at about 10 mile or so on the Elliott Highway. Notice how high the water was at some point.
May12_109_WhitefishCampground_ChatanikaRiver_ICERC
May12_109_WhitefishCamp
ground_ChatanikaRiver_ICERC
May12_113_WhitefishCampground_ChatanikaRiver_ICERC
May12_113_WhitefishCamp
ground_ChatanikaRiver_ICERC

End May 12, Begin May 24
  Now let's take a trip to the mountains at Twelvemile and Eagle Summits. In Rows 12 - 15 we are at Twelvemile Summit and in search of the Alaska Blue Anemone (Anemone multiceps). The first shot here shows a smiling Kazuya, the second shot shows Mt. McManus, and the third shot shows a beautiful early Woolly Lousewort (Pedicularis lanata).
May24_007_Kazuya_12MileAreaRC
May24_007_Kazuya
_12MileAreaRC
May24_009_MtMcManus_12MileRC
May24_009_MtMcManus
_12MileRC
May24_010_PedicularisLanata_WoollyLousewort_12MileRC
May24_010_PedicularisLanata
_WoollyLousewort_12MileRC

  Here is a shot of Daniel shooting a Woolly Lousewort (Pedicularis lanata), then an actual shot of a Woolly Lousewort (Pedicularis lanata) with last year's flower stalks still standing. The third shot shows an Alpine Bearberry (Arctous alpina).
May24th_008_TwelvemileSummit_PedicularisLanataRC
May24th_008_TwelvemileSummit
_PedicularisLanataRC
May24_018_PedicularisLanata_WoollyLousewort_12MileRC
May24_018_PedicularisLanata
_WoollyLousewort_12MileRC
May24th_013_TwelvemileSummit_ArctousAlpinaRC
May24th_013_TwelvemileSummit
_ArctousAlpinaRC

  Well, it appears that this wolf was eating some caribou hair to be able to make this pile of scat. The center shot shows a tiny Polar Willow (Salix polaris) and the third shot is the first one of the Alaska Blue Anemone (Anemone multiceps) - we found it.
May24_020_WolfScat_12MileSummitAreaRC
May24_020_WolfScat_
12MileSummitAreaRC
May24th_024_TwelvemileSummit_SalixPolarisRC
May24th_024_Twelvemile
Summit_SalixPolarisRC
May24_028_AnemoneMulticeps_AKBlueAnemone_12MileAreaRC
May24_028_AnemoneMulticeps_AK
BlueAnemone_12MileAreaRC

  Here are two additional shots of the Alaska Blue Anemone (Anemone multiceps) - the second one shows only the vegetation. The third photo is another of the tiny Polar Willow (Salix polaris).
May24th_051_TwelvemileSummit_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May24th_051_TwelvemileSummit
_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May24th_061_TwelvemileSummit_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May24th_061_TwelvemileSummit
_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May24_040_SalixSp_WillowRC
May24_040_Salix
Sp_WillowRC

  Now we have left the Twelvemile Summit area and are headed to higher terrain. These two shots of Willow Creek show that there was an overflow problem here during the winter. You can't truly tell in these photos, but that ice is in the range of 5 - 6 feet in thickness.
May24_047_OverflowIce_WillowCreek_12Mile_EagleRC
May24_047_OverflowIce
_WillowCreek_12Mile_EagleRC
May24_048_OverflowIce_WillowCreek_12Mile_EagleRC
May24_048_OverflowIce
_WillowCreek_12Mile_EagleRC

  Now we are at the Blue Anemone place near Eagle Summit. The weather is still 100% cloudy, so we're showing only a couple more shots, plus one scenery shot.
May24th_092_EagleSummit_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May24th_092_EagleSummit
_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May24th_113_EagleSummit_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May24th_113_EagleSummit
_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May24_076_BlueAnemonePlace_SceneryRC
May24_076_BlueAnemone
Place_SceneryRC

  Now we are at the Eagle Summit Wayside and have our topper all prepared for the night. Kazuya looked out the topper window and noticed this fox checking us out. We took a walk around and found this CrowBerry (Empetrum nigrum) that was still loaded with fruit. The third shot is a scenic shot.
May24th_143_EagleSummit_FoxRC
May24th_143_Eagle
Summit_FoxRC
May24_078_CrowBerry_EmpetrumNigrumRC
May24_078_CrowBerry
_EmpetrumNigrumRC
May24_083_EagleSummitSceneryRC
May24_083_Eagle
SummitSceneryRC

  We are still walking around and this shot shows the remaining snow on one hillside where we love to search for flowers. The final two shots show examples of the Snow Buttercup (Ranunculus nivalis), another very early blooming plant.
May24_1_EagleSummit_Scenery_SnowRC
May24_1_Eagle
Summit_Scenery_SnowRC
May24th_189_EagleSummit_RanunculusNivalisRC
May24th_189_EagleSummit
_RanunculusNivalisRC
May24th_195_EagleSummit_RanunculusNivalisRC
May24th_195_EagleSummit
_RanunculusNivalisRC

  Here is an additional shot of the Snow Buttercup (Ranunculus nivalis) and also a shot of an unknown cocoon that was actually attached to this rock.
May24_090_SnowButtercup_RanunculusNivalis_EagleSummitRC
May24_090_SnowButtercup_Ranunculus
Nivalis_EagleSummitRC
May24_094_UnknownCocoonStuckToRock_EagleEummitRC
May24_094_UnknownCocoon
StuckToRock_EagleEummitRC

End May 24, End Page 1
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