Anchorage Wildlife and Cruise (Part 3/4)
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Valley. According to our guide, Patrick, who is also conscientious about animal welfare, this center is a sanctuary for injured animals. Their website indicates that there are over 200 acres of land so that animals can roam free, and their purpose is to educate students, and visitors about wildlife.
In the photo above, it looks as if I were close to these moose, when I was actually behind a wired mesh with several feet of space between us. Patrick who knew a lot about photography, took this shot so that the wired mesh would not show up in the picture. Yeah, you don't want to get too close to a wild moose.
Muskox. Native to the Arctic, these ice age survivors are named after the strong musk odor they give off to attract females during mating season.
Their two layers of coat—long hair that reaches the ground, and qiviut, an inner wool—protects them against harsh winters. Similar to lamb's wool, but lighter and softer than cashmere, and eight times warmer, qiviut sheds during spring, the molting season.
Qiviut is quite expensive, and is made into unique garments, scarves, and gloves for their softness, and warmth. Although some of this wool is gathered after these animals shed, they are often gathered after a hunt in Canada, or in Alaska from animals kept in captivity, or from killing farm raised animals for their meat. So, if you are a vegetarian/vegan like me, you may want to avoid these garments.
Visitors were excited when they saw these bears. Everyone had their cameras out. The bears were probably thinking, get a life, don't you guys have better things to do than to take our picture? 😀
As you drive through Anchorage, and beyond, you will see a lot of "Dead Bark Trees." Most are caused by beetles infesting spruce trees, cutting off their nutrients, and causing their death. The disappearance of these trees in the parks, and forests, causes sunlight to hit the ground faster, which increases the risk of wildfires. The city of Anchorage is working toward getting rid of these beetles, and spending millions to take out the killed trees.
The Conservation Center with Chugach Mountain backdrop.
Alaskan Elks. Members of the deer family, they share traits with deer, caribou, and moose. Elks in Alaska are decedents of Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain elks imported from Washington in the 1900s, because the native elks disappeared during the ice ages.
Caribou, also known as reindeer, are species of deer found in the Arctic. In the wild, they are constantly on the move, and besides some seasonal migration in large groups, they are solitary animals, and not easily spotted.
Moving on to the glaciers, and silt. Glacial silt is a powder produced when the glaciers melt. Glacier is basically ice that forms from accumulation of snow. Over the years, as more snow comes, and gets compacted and heavy, it starts to break off, and flow downhill.
In the above video, Patrick was explaining that this movement causes a grinding action against the bedrock, turning it into powder, smaller, and smoother than sand. The powder is called silt, or glacial flour. When silt enters lakes, and rivers, it changes the color, and turns it into brown, gray, or aqua. The sound you hear in the above video is Patrick grinding two rocks against each other, creating silt.
So, I took two pieces of glacial rock and brought them home with me. I rubbed the two rocks against each other, and some of it formed into silt, a silky powder. It took effort to produce the tiny amount of silt in the above photo. Silt is also rich in minerals, and retail stores sell them as a form of clay facial mask. I was told that it leaves the skin silky smooth. Although, I have not tried it, yet.
Portage Glacier. Long ago, this glacier covered the entire 14-mile valley, and was connected to other glaciers. Today, the only way to get there is to take a tour. The area is called Portage because it was the hub of transportation for coastal shipping.
Portage town, referred to as a ghost town, is near Portage Glacier. After the massive 1964 earthquake, the town dropped about 10 feet, sinking under the tides, destroyed by salt water. Once a thriving community with restaurants and bars, a rail service for moving freight, and an important stop for thirsty and hungry travelers with cargo, is now covered with mudflats, abandoned buildings, and dead vegetation, and trees.
The cruise took us up close to the water streaming down from the melting ice, and to the ice laden glaciers. My video, and pictures don't do it justice. Best to experience it in person.
Dinner at MyThai. As I said before, the food in Alaska is meh, but this hole in the wall had yummy Thai food. I ordered green tea, and chicken fried rice, minus the chicken, add in the tofu. Both the tea, and my dinner were excellent. This is a good choice if you visit by yourself, and don't want to end up with a bunch of food you cannot finish. It has everything in it—vegetables, protein, and carbs. Do recommend this place, and the service is great.
Downtown anchorage has outdoor concerts for free, and I ran into bunch of them by accident. People dance, drink, and are friendly.
