The weather has been so nice the last week or so. The rain has helped the firefighters, who have been working so hard to cut breaks and protect structures. The air has cleared, evacuation zones have been scaled back. And the temperatures have cooled to be... still a bit warm for my preference, but okay! Today we got up early and walked around the top of Murphy Dome. Oh wait, before I show off my photos, here are some cute shots of the girls.
Princess Cricket:
And Ravey Gravy:
Okay now, here is the beginning of the trail. This trail eventually ends up at the Chatanika River, but we didn't walk the whole way since it's a steep drop down and then a steep climb back up.
Very pretty panoramic views!
Here is an alpine bistort:
And some wild arnica.
I unhooked Raven for part of this hike for more recall training. She's doing great with recall, but I do not love her comfort level with running far from me. I'm trying to teach her a Maximum Acceptable Radius. Cricket's is very small, so despite having poor-ish recall, she can be off-leash as long as we aren't on or near roads. She sticks to me like glue.
Here it is evident how aggressive erosion can be on these delicate trails. All it takes is one ATV driving it on a muddy day, and water streams into the tracks repeatedly and makes things like this:
Jacob's Ladder. These grow in our 'hood too.
The fireweed seems prettier up here!
The contrast against this purple monskhood is lovely.
Another panorama.
This trail looks like it originated as a fire break. Look at how the fireweed is the first to colonize disturbed ground. That's how it got its name.
My pretty Raven Girl:
And my adorable Princess Cricket:
Bellflower, so delicate-looking, but always growing on hard, dry ground, high in the hills, and blowing in the wind:
Oooh! Nice water find! I do not love letting my girls into local ponds and lakes as we get Swimmer's itch in those. But a small rainwater-created water hole is perfect, and no ducks, so no swimmer's itch!
Raven in the fireweed!
Marsh fleabane, far from a marsh:
These wildflowes have such subtle beauty, but I love the contrast of the pink, yellow, and purple:
Climbing back! Murphy Dome has this communications stuff on top, so it's easy to find your way back!
The power is supplemented by a wind turbine and some solar panels:
This big ball is visible from a looooot of locations in and near Fairbanks. It houses military RADAR stuff, as part of the North Warning System
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My own tricolor flowers, which I planted only some of: Lilies and fireweed and delphiniums:
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