February 2-16, 2026 - Alaska
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It's too cold in Maryland, so we getting out. We're heading to .... Alaska!
We got an early start and saw a pretty sunrise coming into Detroit in an old Boeing 717.
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We had another quick stop in Seattle, then finally arrived in Anchorage in the afternoon, after a 12-hour flight profile, about as good as you're going to get going from Baltimore to Alaska.
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It was actually a little warmer in Anchorage than it was in Maryland when we left.
We flew Delta but as you can see Alaska Airlines is a big operation.
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Our friend Bullwinkle the Moose in the Anchorage airport terminal.
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| We meet Maggie, the girls, and the newest edition -- hard to see in this picture -- Colt. |
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| In front of a big Griz. |
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Back at Maggie's house.
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| The girls at Wasilla Public Library. |
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Lots of things for kids to do at the library.
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| A good look at the newest member of the family: Colt. |
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| He's only about three weeks old. |
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| A rare open-eyes shot. |
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Parker likes holding her little brother.
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| It's a family tradition to take the girls to Bass Pro and do some impulse buying. |
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A common site in Alaska: float plane overhead.
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| Parker bravely poses with a ferociouis Polar Bear. |
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| In front of the Bass Pro acquarium with an amazing diorama in the background. |
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| Enjoying a delicious breakfast at the Snow City Cafe in downtown Anchorage. |
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| The view from the Target parking lot in Anchorage! |
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Driving from Anchorage to Wasilla. This is Alaska's main road.
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| Maggie watches over her little boy. |
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Another family tradition is to have breakfast at the Noisy Goose restaurant in Palmer.
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Parker in front of the Noisy Goose's Griz.
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| Lynnette holding her new grandson. |
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| Reindeer family! |
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Ma-Ma mountain as viewed from the house.
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| Holding my new grandson. |
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| Taking the girls sledding. There is a nice little hill a short walking distance from the house. |
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| Eating snow. |
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| The hill. |
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Making snow angels.
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| Parker making undersea creations. |
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| Dance class! |
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| Colt wide awake. |
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Lynnette and I went for a walk at nearby Wolf Lake Airport Community. There are taxi-ways on both sides of the asphalt runway. A Supercub taxiis at far left.
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| Hard to imagine parking a fabric-covered aircraft -- or any aircraft for that matter -- outside in Alaska weather. But you do what you gotta do. |
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| A Maule sits in front of a private residence. |
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| We did some snow while we were in Alaska. It was only a few inches, but it never gets warm enough here to melt, so the snow accumulates. |
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| Parker and Colt sleeping. |
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Back out sledding after the new snow!
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| Watching the girls at their soccer practice. |
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Grizzly Cubs soccer!
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| SSS Last year Beau and I went snow-mobiling but only on the half-day introduction ride. This time we signed up for the all-day, real-deal ride! We are at Snowhook Adventures which is up Highway 3 near Willow. |
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Snowhook provided all the gear -- suits, boots, gloves, helmets, googles -- plus the machines, of course. Our party consisted of Ryan the guide, Beau and myself, and another guy. A guide was essential. After the first half mile we were in wilderness.
Here we are crossing a big meadow of deep powder. I had trouble at first in the deep powder, falling over a couple of times. Ryan showed me how to right the snowmobile in the powder. It was strenuous. I was really huffing and puffing at one point.
All pictures are taken when the snowmobile is at a complete stop. Snow-mobiling requires both hands and complete concentration at all times.
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Ryan helping Beau in the deep powder.
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| Soon we were back on forest trails and I didn't have any trouble tipping over any more. |
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| Riding through the forest was incredibly beautiful. The trail wasn't usually this wide. |
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Another big meadow.
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| Snowhook has a lodge up by Hatcher's Pass. Close by the lodge we passed this guy relaxing in the snow. |
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The Snowhook lodge.
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| Inside the lodge, where Ryan cooked up some tasty bacon and cheese burgers. |
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These cabins are available for rent, I believe.
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After lunch, we headed back out into the wilderness.
Here, we are stopped at an overlook, with a spectacular view of the surrounding area. I knew where things were from having flown my plane around here a year and a half ago.
This is looking southwest at the big valley the Susitna River flows through.
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Looking south towards Anchorage.
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| Looking east towards Hatcher's Pass. |
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Beau wearing a red head covering.
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| Me giving the Fonzi pose. |
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On the road again.
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| Moguls on a flat meadow. |
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We saw another Moose hanging out at the edge of a big meadow. By this time I was able to ride in the deep powder -- not well, but good enough to not tip over. The secret is to keep your speed up, and steady.
Overall, the all-day snow-mobile adventure was epic; one of the funnest things I've ever done. Highly recommended if you're in Alaska in the winter. But you might want to get in shape beforehand. My legs were painfully sore for the next four days!
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| Farewell breakfast at the Windbreak Cafe in Wasilla. Beau calls it the Rusty Salmon. |
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We had some time before our flight so I walked around the airport terminal. This is a shot looking outside the observation deck. Right out of the "Ice Airport Alaska" reality TV show.
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| A trubo-powered amphibian hangs over the Norton Sound airport restaurant. |
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A classic Fairchild Model 24 hangs overhead a kid's playground at one end of the terminal. |
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| Produced from 1932 to 1947, over two thousand of the four-seaters were built. During peacetime, many prominent businessmen and Hollywood actors purchased he aircraft. The U.S. Army, Coast Guard, Civil Air Patrol and Royal Air Force all used it during World War II. And, of course, it made an excellent bush plane. Many Model 24's served in Alaska from the 1930s to the 1950s. |
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Saying goodbye to Bullwinkle the Moose at Anchorage Airport.
We flew on the red-eye to Minneapolis-St. Paul where we had a five hour layover, arriving at 6AM local time. Fortunately, the airport has the Armed Services Service Center, which was filled with ultra-comfortable reclinging chairs perfect for getting some sleep. It's available to all military-related personnel including veterans. Staffed by volunteers, it didn't open until 8AM but we were able to get a hour and a half of quality sleep. Bravo Zuly to the Armed Services Service Center which is unique to Minnesota. Then it was a short flight to Baltimore, probably on the same 717 we had flown out on.
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