Sterling Hwy

From Homer toward the Bear Mountain Trail

We leave again traveling back along the Sterling Hwy. Along the road we see many fireweeds, they are flowers also present in our area and which represent a constant throughout south-central Alaska. Only that here they are still well in bloom and represent a notable fuchsia pink patch. Good jams are also made from them.

Bear Mountain Trail, Russian River and Hope

We do not make big stops since it is yesterday's road, but this time, taking Skilak Rd. again, we enter another trail, the Bear Mountain Trail of 2.5 km round trip, which we travel speaking continuously to signal our presence to any bears that may be in the area. A great beautiful landscape opens below us, with lakes set in the dense vegetation.

Continuing on the Sterling Hwy we approach the Russian River, notoriously rich in salmon. Near the cable ferry that allows the numerous fishermen to cross the Kenai River, we meet a nice gentleman with a cigar in his mouth and white beard who seems to have just come out of a movie, to whom we ask about the possibilities of encountering not too closely the bears dedicated to fishing. With the cordiality that is proper to the local people he indicates a campground area, from which one can go down toward the Russian River and there with good probability find who we are looking for. But beware! Bears are not always the cuddly animals told in comics.

Following his instructions carefully we find ourselves on a walkway that skirts the river, actually more similar to a stream whose depth does not exceed half a meter. The water is literally colored red by the salmon, some slap their tails in the gesture of spawning, others only hint at some more movement, several are motionless or lying down. They have reached their destination and have completed their mission, so they lie dead after so many efforts and so many risks run during the journey. A swarm of seagulls in turn tries to bring home the meal by pecking at the carcasses of salmon.

Further down we meet some fishermen, who warn us that shortly before they saw a large brown bear cross the walkway with a nice salmon in its mouth. Just what we were looking for: we proceed cautiously until, half-hidden by the bushes, we see one with its paws in the water in the attempt to get its lunch. Finding itself a few meters from us we remain motionless, taken simultaneously by the fear that it will come toward us and the pleasure of seeing the scene. The animal is calm and does not appear at all disturbed by our presence. It is thus that we begin to observe it and take photos of it. At a certain point it goes to look for prey on the other side of the river and this does not displease us at all. The zoom was created for this and even if we are not too close it is fine the same. It tries to grab salmon both with its paws and by diving its head underwater but without success. Despite its bulk, the clumsiness that is proper to it prevents it from making a catch on the tired but still elusive fish.

Satisfied with the close but not too close encounter, we return after having imprinted the classic scene that is not missing in any catalog that illustrates the wonders of Alaska: for the series how dreams turn into memories. The weather turns bad and it even starts to rain.

A tour of Hope under a half sun allows us to take a leap back in time. Although it is not a ghost town, it seems that time has stopped and with it one breathes a way of living light years away from Western frenzy.

Portage, ice and rain

Returning inland we find the rain again that we had left shortly before and arrive in the Portage area, it is raining heavily and we go to the Begich Boggs Visitor Center. We ask if improvements are expected that will allow us to portray these postcard landscapes, a ray of sun between tonight and tomorrow morning would be enough. Kindly and almost smiling they tell us that one would really have to be very lucky, since the sun makes its appearance no more than a couple of days a month. The look of compassion testifies that they are not lying. And that we are in the kingdom of water in all its states and it is seen in a very evident way. The water of the vast lakes on which icebergs float, the ice of the frozen fields of the Harding Icefield that descends to the lakes, the rain and the mists in suspension.

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre

We visit the Wildlife Conservation Centre, a non-profit institution located about ten km from Portage, in a drier area in the place where Turnagain Arm ends. Here wild animals that have been abandoned (there are two little moose still bottle-fed) or found injured are raised or cared for. It is the opportunity to see again the animals encountered during the trip and at the same time meet some not seen so far ( bison, lynx, etc.). There are many bison there because there is an ongoing project to reintroduce this animal, therefore a semi-free herd of about fifty head will be released by 2013.

Although in general they all have a lot of space and are not locked in narrow cages, one understands that they are not free just by looking at them. They have a subdued expression, one would say sad. Very different from that of their “relatives” seen in the previous days.

Last sunset on Turnagain Arm

The sky clears again and allows us to see the last sunset on the fjord in a multitude of colors that has no equal. The sun shines through from the west behind the remaining strips of clouds and casts its rays on the water obtaining a brilliant reflection from it.

Evening on Turnagain Arm

We dine in a nice place with a view of the Arm. The day ends with a feeling of fullness: the encounter with the bear fishing, the landscapes, the light on the water. It is one of those evenings that remain etched in memory.