#denali kennels

[slowtravelingcat]

The Monster, Chena Hot Springs and Talkeenta, AK

Monday, July 5th, 2021  

CAL - I can tell that the large, bald one must really be loving it here. She has left the hotel room for 2 full days for the 2nd week in a row. As her best friend and confidant, I am supportive as I can tell these extended outings bring her great happiness. 

As for me, this week was an eventful week, indeed. I slew a monster. 

Let me start at the beginning. I was pushing my head underneath the curtains to see out of the window, as I have many times before. Normally if I dip my head low enough I can push the fabric away to get unfettered window access, however, this time, something different happened. When I lifted my head, I expected a view of the outside, but instead, I remained covered in fabric. There was fabric behind my head and in front of my eyes, at the same time!

There was only one conclusion to be drawn. I was being eaten alive by the Curtain Monster.

Once I realized what was happening, I did what any noble cat would do. I chewed my way out.

It took a while to get the first tear in the fabric, but once I broke through I found a renewed sense of energy. Once I was safely out of the Curtain Monster’s evil grips, I continued to chew. I chewed out of anger and then relief. If I’m being honest, I’m not even sure why I chewed those last few pieces. All I know is that Curtain Monster has officially been slain. I can not wait for Michele to see my noble deed.

MICHELE - There is so much to see in Alaska, this summer is starting to feel like the shortest and longest summer of my entire life. With the holiday, my work afforded me a 3 day weekend, meaning that I started my weekend adventure on Saturday morning. 

The first leg was a 7-hour drive from Anchorage to Chena Hot Springs Resort, just outside of Fairbanks. The drive is beautiful and runs through the interior of Alaska, skirting the eastern side of Denali National Park. The drive passes through a series of valleys and mountain passes, each one more grand than the next. After a quick stop in Fairbanks for supplies, I made the final push to Chena. 

The Chena Hot Springs resort is known for winter viewing of the Northern Lights. Despite being “off-season” the property was pretty packed. The entire space is a mix of eclectic outdoor sculptures, handmade crafts, duck ponds, and gardens. About half of the land is dedicated to a hotel and the other half to a campground with a mix of cabins, yurts, and space for tents. The smell of smoke wafted over the campground as a small brush fire burned not too far away. 

After settling into my cabin on the camping side of the property, I took a stroll around the grounds, where I snuck a few pictures of a sled dog kennel and marveled at the strange art distributed around the various gardens. Next, I enjoyed a dip in hot springs, which had only a subtle smell of sulfur. I finished the evening with a glass of red wine on the porch of my cabin. Just when I thought the night could not get any better, a brigade of firefighters trot past my cabin and into their make-shift quarters for the evening. A few of them wave and I lift my glass to toast to their good work. What a life. 

The next morning, I check out of my cabin at the last possible minute and make the 5-hour drive to Talkeetna. This time as I pass Denali National Park, the sky is perfectly clear and I get the greatest view of Mt Denali! Luckily there is no shortage of viewpoints on the highway, and I can pull over to snag a couple of photos. 

Sunday night in Talkeetna is a charming way to end the weekend. The town is tiny and packed with cafes, pubs, and little shops. I wander the streets and end up with a poke bowl and a can of beer at a sidewalk cafe. Around closing time, some locals set off a few fireworks, but the sky remains lit up by the sun, so it really only generates a series of loud noises.

The next morning the drive back to Anchorage is plagued with holiday traffic. I am exhausted by the time I enter our room. I immediately notice that something is off though.

The curtains are torn to shreds. Cal meows proudly as he rubs against my leg. What the heck happened in here? 

[xtruss]

Experience Alaska's Living Cultures

From dog sledding to meeting local artisans, there are countless ways to experience Alaska’s diverse cultures year-round.

— By Christina Nuñez

Experience Alaska's living cultures! Embark on an overland journey like no other, traveling over Alaska's terrain via dog sled. Dog sledding, or mushing, has a long history in Alaska: Originating as transportation for Alaska Native cultures, it went on to become the official state sport in 1972. Throughout the state, visitors can join a range of dog sled tours, from jaunts lasting a couple of hours to multiday backcountry camping excursions. In the summer, rides typically take place on wheeled carts, but if you’re craving the sledding experience, you can helicopter to a glacier and glide over snow and ice behind a team of dogs under the midnight sun.

In addition to tours, kennels offer demonstrations that reveal how sled dogs and their mushers prepare for long-distance trips. Rangers at Denali National Park and Preserve—the only national park with a kennel of sled dogs—hold daily demos from May to September. Depending on the time of year, you might also be able to catch a sled dog race: The legendary Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from Willow to Nome has a ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage every March, and the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race in February runs between Fairbanks and Whitehorse. CANNON PHOTOGRAPHY LLC, ALAMY

Learn about Alaska's aviation history! Thousands of Alaskans live in remote communities without road access. For many of these communities, small aircraft have long been a critical way to get supplies. Back when Alaska Airlines began in the 1930s, flights weren't scheduled—they took off when the plane was full. Today, traveling by bush plane or seaplane is an integral part of Alaskan culture.

The state's pioneering history of flight is on display at the Alaska Aviation Museum, located on the world's largest seaplane base, Anchorage's Lake Hood. Here, you'll be able to see more than 25 vintage aircraft, watch planes being restored, and get a pilot's-eye view in a full-immersion flight simulator. If you're eager to get off the ground, check out one of the state's many flightseeing and helicopter tours. Whether you take a short flight or a full-day trip, flightseeing is a great way to see some of Alaska's less-visited treasures, such as Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. FRANS LANTING, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTION

Tour Sitka National Historical Park! Located on Baranof Island in southeast Alaska, Sitka National Historical Park's natural beauty is punctuated by its signature feature: a collection of totem poles from the Tlingit and Haida people. They sit on ancestral land of the Tlingit Kiks.ádi clan, which is also the site of an 1804 battle between the clan and Russian invaders who eventually wrested control of Sitka. Americans acquired Alaska from Russia in 1867.

Nearly 40 years later, Tlingit and Haida tribes donated 15 totem poles to be exhibited at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri. Most—but not all—made it back to Alaska. Today, visitors to the park can explore the mile-long Totem Trail, with its 18 Tlingit and Haida totems. A self-guided walking tour of the trail offers a window into the rich history of these carvings and the living cultures they represent. Local artisans such as Tlingit carver Tommy Joseph are also on-site throughout the week working on various totem carving projects and available to answer questions about their craft. PATRICK J. ENDRES, GETTY IMAGES

Explore Ketchikan on a local-led tour! Once the site of a Tlingit summer fish camp, Ketchikan lies at the southern end of the Inside Passage and is the first port of call for ships heading north, earning it the nickname “Alaska’s First City.” Distinguished by its colorful waterfront buildings and the fact that it boasts the largest number of standing totem poles in the world, Ketchikan draws fishing buffs, nature lovers, and those wanting to experience Alaska Native culture and art. You'll find collections of totems at the Totem Heritage Center, Totem Bight State Historical Park, Saxman Totem Park, and Cape Fox Lodge, as well as dotted throughout downtown Ketchikan.

Learn about Ketchikan's remarkable history and art on a local-led walking tour, such as Where the Eagle Walks run by Tlingit Elder Joe Williams, Jr. With your guide, you might wander the pedestrian boardwalk on Creek Street, learn about the salmon that migrate through the area's waters, or watch Tlingit totem carvers at work in nearby Saxman Village. BARCOS, ALAMY

Visit Hoonah and Icy Strait Point! Over a century ago, Icy Strait Point was the site of a salmon cannery. Today, the striking red building is a "port for adventure" owned and operated by a local Alaska Native corporation, Huna Totem. Located about 30 miles west of Juneau on Chichagof Island, Icy Strait Point is a prime attraction in the town of Hoonah, Alaska’s largest Tlingit village. The restored cannery, which opened in 2004, is now home to a museum and 1930s cannery line display.

After soaking in the area's history, you can tour Hoonah’s many shops and restaurants, explore the surrounding wilderness, and embark on local tours. If you're a thrill-seeker, zoom down from the peak at Hoonah Mountain on the the state's longest zip line. For a more relaxed adventure, head to the Yaakw Kahidi Cultural Center to learn about Tlingit customs and traditions such as hand-carving dugout canoes. NAUM CHAYER, ALAMY

Experience wildlife, history, and culture on Kodiak Island! The second largest island in the United States is full of opportunities to spot wildlife, particularly bears and whales. Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1941, is home to 3,500 Kodiak brown bears, which visitors can view from a safe distance on guided tours available through local lodges and camps. The Kodiak Brown Bear Center & Lodge, owned by the Alutiiq people, is one of several sightseeing operators located in the refuge. Offshore, local charter boats will take you whale watching, though you may also be able to see them from atop cliffs or on beaches.

In downtown Kodiak, check out the Alutiiq Museum. The museum features exhibits on local archaeology as well as the culture and art of the Alutiiq/Sugpiaq people, who have lived in Alaska's southcentral and southwest coastal areas for over 7,500 years. A short walk away you'll find the Kodiak History Museum. Its many stories begin with the building itself: Built in 1808, it was at various points a private home, event space, and boarding house. GETTY IMAGES

Discover Alaska's locally sourced food culture! The idea of "eating local," or sourcing food close to home, takes on a new dimension in Alaska. Home to over 12,000 rivers, three million lakes larger than five acres, and over 46,000 miles of shoreline, Alaska has an unparalleled bounty of fresh seafood. Some of the many species that inhabit Alaska waters include crab, shrimp, Pacific halibut, and salmon.

Don’t miss the chance to try salmon from an Alaska smokehouse, where filets are soaked in brine, hung out to dry, and smoked for hours over a wood fire. Historically, smokehouses indicated clan ownership of a river during the summer fishing season and are a longstanding way that Alaska Native cultures have preserved salmon. Restaurants like Duck Point Smokehouse in the Tlingit village of Hoonah allow visitors to indulge in this culinary tradition.

Other locally sourced products to keep an eye out for include birch syrup and meats such as elk, bison, and reindeer. Take a culinary tour or cooking class to sample and learn more about these foods. Also be sure to visit some of the state's many craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries. JMP TRAVELER, ADOBE

Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center! Alaska is home to over 229 federally recognized tribes—and one of the best ways to learn about Alaska’s diverse living cultures is at the Alaska Native Heritage Center (ANHC) on Dena’ina lands in Anchorage. A unanimous vote of the Alaska Federation of Natives in 1987 kicked off the effort to build the center, which opened in 1999 and has welcomed visitors since. In 2021, the Ford Foundation recognized the ANHC as one of America’s Cultural Treasures.

The center includes six life-size villages, which offer a window into traditional ways of life for Alaska’s Iñupiat, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Athabascan, Eyak, Haida, Tsimshian, Tlingit, Unangax̂, Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, Yup’ik, and Cup’ik peoples. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the villages’ dwellings and artifacts, but be sure to leave time to attend one or more of the many events at the center’s main complex, the Gathering Place. On any given day, you might be able to catch the astounding athletics of Alaska Native games, watch a traditional dance performance, learn words and phrases from one of Alaska’s 300 dialects, share teatime with an Elder, or join a guided tour of the exhibits at the Hall of Cultures. KILIII YUYAN

Visit Utqiaġvik, the northernmost U.S. town! Utqiaġvik is a town of great beauty and great extremes. In U.S. territory, it's as far north as you can get. From May 12 to August 2, the sun never sets. And from November 18 to January 23, darkness reigns 24 hours a day. Even in summer, a trip to the beach demands fortitude if you plan to go near the water, since the frigid Arctic Ocean waters hover in the low 30s Fahrenheit.

Drawn by the migration of Arctic bowhead whales, humans have inhabited Utqiaġvik for at least a millennium, with evidence of former residents going back as far as 1,500 years. Now one of the largest Iñupiat settlements in Alaska, Utqiaġvik was known as Barrow until 2016, when residents voted to revert back to the town's traditional name.

While you're visiting "the rooftop of the world," don't miss the Iñupiat Heritage Center, which features exhibits, a library, and events and demonstrations led by locals. Other spots to see include the "Gateway to the Arctic," a massive whalebone arch on the beach near the Cape Smythe Whaling and Trading Station that commemorates the town’s relationship to whaling, and the Birnirk National Historic Landmark archaeological site, which marks evidence of habitation by the Birnirk culture from about 500 to 900 A.D. MICHELLE HOLIHAN, ADOBE

Attend a festival or market! Year-round, Alaska hosts unforgettable events that offer a chance to experience regional customs, shop for locally made goods, and cheer on competitors in races and games. The Festival of Native Arts held each year in February or March is just one of many Alaska Native festivals and events. Since 1973, the festival has brought together artists, musicians, and storytellers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to share workshops and performances.

Around the June solstice, Utqiaġvik holds the whaling festival of Nalukataq, a celebration that includes launching people into the air with a group-held blanket. "This cultural celebration is one of the best ways to experience the true meaning of sharing and really highlights the value system of the Iñupiat," writes Tara Sweeney, who grew up in Utqiaġvik. Other events include June's biennial Celebration festival in Juneau and the four-day World Eskimo-Indian Olympics, held in Fairbanks in July. VICKI BEAVER, ALAMY

[holts-knees]

Safe to say I had, a Really Good Time up visiting @swiss-army-fangirl earlier this month < 3 Chasing my crow instinct to gather all favorite my memories in one little pile of precious things with a little sketch page.  

[rosenallies]

would you want to write preachers son au nali and rosie picking out miss donie at the shelter??

That’s so cute aw❤️ty for this bby!

——

Denali took a shaky breath as they pulled into the shelter, a dingy place at the top of a hill where they could hear the commotion even before opening the door.

“Baby, we don’t have to do this now if you aren’t ready,” Rosé assured him, squeezing his hand.

Tears brewed in his eyes at the thought of why he was there after a long drive upstate, but he had given his kitty a good life and no matter what he knew he wasn’t replacing her, nothing could. But still, he had so much love to give and all he wanted was to give another animal a good life like he and Rosé gave her, up until she was too old and too sick to live without suffering. It was the hardest decision he ever had to make and knowing he was doing the right thing didn’t stop him from crying for weeks, deciding after almost 4 months that he was ready to adopt another pet.

He wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his hoodie and shook his head, squeezing Rosé’s hand back.

“I’m ready. I’m not doing wrong by Dorothy by finding another pet to love,” he repeated to himself like an oath.

“That’s right and if we don’t find a good fit today, we could always come back another time, okay? Don’t feel any pressure.”

Denali leaned over the center console and pressed a kiss to Rosé’s cheek. “Thank you.”

“Anytime. Ready?”

Nodding, Denali let Rosé open the car door for him and walked hand in hand with him inside the shelter, a kind looking woman smiling at them over the front desk.

“You must be our noon appointment, are we looking at kitties or puppies today?”

“Cats,” Denali confirmed, “I’ve never been much of a dog person.”

She chuckled and pushed her glasses on top of her head. “Me too, dear,” she said motioning toward a fat orange cat napping in the only spot of sunlight that filtered in through the window, “Oliver’s been my best friend since my divorce years ago, he goes everywhere with me. Are we looking for a friend for another cat or-?”

Denali sighed. “I wish. My cat I’ve had since high school passed a few months ago.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that, I’m sure you gave her a wonderful life and I thank the both of you for opening your home to a new friend who needs a forever home.”

“It’s our pleasure,” Rosé said sincerely, winking at Denali.

“That’s so sweet to hear. If you just want to follow me through these doors, I’ll take you to the cat and kitten room.”

They followed behind her, down a long corridor then into the dog area. Though Denali had never been much of a dog person, usually preferring the calm company of a kitty, he felt an urge to want to take every single animal home, though he knew that wasn’t possible. Though even in all the chaos, one little dog stuck out to him. She was reddish and white, short legs and ears that perked up when he looked over to her. He couldn’t help but smile, tugging Rosé’s hand back as he tried to pass her kennel.

“Wait-“

The woman and Rosé both turned around, Rosé surprised to see Denali knelt on the ground, letting the little dog lick his fingers through the kennel.

“She’s been here for a while,” the woman said, “she’s never done that with anyone. She might be the most anxious animal we’ve ever had.”

Denali smiled, giggling as she continued to lick his fingers. “I think we understand each other.”

“We try really hard to be a ‘no-kill’ shelter but unfortunately some just don’t get adopted in time and I’m afraid she might become one of them.”

Turning so quick he thought he might give himself whiplash, Denali looked at her with wide eyes. “What? She’ll be put down? We’ll take her.”

“Nali,” Rosé tried, only to be hushed.

“No, I’m serious, we’ll take her. She’s sweet.”

“Baby, I thought you wanted a cat and we already bought everything for a cat.”

Denali looked to the woman, standing watching them in shock almost. “Do you guys take donations?”

“Of course, but-“

“Problem solved then. What is her adoption fee?”

“Typically for dogs $125 but we’ll waive it if you’re absolutely sure this dog is the animal you’d like to take home.”

Scratching between her ears, Denali nodded and smiled. “We’re sure, right, Rosie?”

Rosé agreed with an easy smile. “As much as I grew to love Dorothy, I’ve always loved dogs.”

The woman smiled brightly. “So it’s settled. If you’d like to follow my upfront we can get your paperwork sorted and if there’s no issues, you may bring her home today.”

Denali felt as though he’d meant to find this dog, and he felt giddy with excitement as he nearly skipped to the front holding onto Rosé’s hand

Hours later, they were back in the car, the dog in Denali’s lap and a box of donuts from the bakery down the street on the dash after Rosé insisted on donuts for lunch because it was a special day anyway. Their hearts were full, the little dog slowly coming out of her shell more and more as she nuzzled into Denali’s neck and licked his cheek.

“What do you think we should name her?” Rosé asked in the middle of idle conversation.

“I’ve always liked the name Lily, does she look like a Lily to you? Or maybe Gracie?”

“We could name her Rosie,” Rosé suggested.

Rolling his eyes lightheartedly, Denali shook his head. “We’re not naming her after you.”

Before either of them could suggest anything different, she surged from Denali’s lap and grabbed the donut Rosé was eating right from his hand, swallowing it in only a few chomps, leaving both of them stunned for a moment.

Denali couldn’t help but burst into laughter, laighing until his stomach hurt, this sweet, anxious dog in his lap suddenly confident enough to grab food from their hands.

“Maybe her name should be Donut,” Denali said through his laughter, wiping the tears from his eyes.

Through his fake grimace, Rosé couldn’t help but crack a smile. “Donut it is.”

[darkwood-sleddog]

how does a musher choose the breed of dog they want to use for their team? how do they decide on the breeder that they want to get their dogs from? what qualifications do they look for? do certain breeds do better at different positions in the team (lead, wheel, etc)? thanks💖

I'd say this depends entirely on what type of mushing you want to do and how competitive you want to be in those venues.

Do you want to do competitive sprint on dryland? You're looking at Eurohounds and German Shorthaired Pointers from sprint lines.

Do you want to do competitive sprint on snow? You're looking at Eurohounds and sprint bred Alaskan Huskies (there's overlaps in these). Maybe sprint bred GSPs but they tend to have snowballing issues in the snow that dogs with more husky background tend not to have.

Do you want to do mid distance competitive racing? You're looking at mid-distance bred Alaskan Huskies, maybe race bred Siberians if you're okay being one of if not the slowest musher out there.

Do you want to do long distance competitive racing? You're looking at distance bred Alaskan Huskies. Dogs from kennels that have won Iditarod, Yukon Quest, Femundløpet etc. You can run Siberians here but you won't be competitive and you will be last unless....

You want to do long distance expeditions (non-competitive) and like survival situations then you'll want Greenland Dogs, Inuit Qimmiq, Malamutes and if you want to do fast expedition work, freight bred Alaskan Huskies such as the Hedlund, Denali, dogs from trapline mushers, even larger/hairier competitive long distance dogs like Brent Sass's current lines do well in this venue. Siberians are good too, they're just like...the all around sled dog.

You can run freighting breeds like Greenland Dogs, Qimmiq, Malamutes etc. in races and you will come in last no matter how high quality your dogs unless the race is specific to freight dog sledding like Polardistans.

If you are passionate about a specific breed and want to preserve its drive to work you just....run that breed competition be damned (most Samoyed and Malamute folk fall into this category, and as always Siberians).

If you want to run recreationally you can run literally any breed as long as the individual enjoys it. I've seen everything from toy to giant breeds enjoy dog powered sports recreationally with the right accommodation.

Some breeds are more suited to some positions because of the differences in their temperament and structure. You'll often see teams of purebreds mixed with various Alaskan Huskies because the drive to work and run in the Alaskan Husky is just THERE unlike many of the purebred dogs. It's never been quelled, or lessened because that is the entire purpose of the dog (as it is not actually a breed, rather a purpose bred mixed breed/general type of dog). Alaskans also tend to be a lot more biddable than the purebred and more primitive sled breeds and this makes them good lead dogs.

Freight breeds obviously do well in wheel because they are big, strong and bred specifically to haul heavy loads so their structure is made specifically to be good at doing so. What I do caution is that any team where the dogs are of mixed size or type is that you have to go only as fast as your slowest dog. For those mixing really fast Alaskans in with Malamutes for example this may mean your Alaskan runs much slower than they would like to go. This is why when we see mixed breed teams they are often of like type and size dogs. The most efficient dog team is the one that has dogs that are all nearly matched in size. This is because size affects the speed, stride and smoothness of that stride when the dog is in motion. A dog's structure will also determine its trotting speed and for maximum power you'll want to have dogs that can gallop, canter and trot at the same speed (ideally).

[explaurmore]

Did you know Denali National Park is the only NPS location to have a sled dog team? These adorable pups are loved on by volunteers and employees year-round but really put in the work during the winter season to assist with park projects that would otherwise not be possible (or take far, far longer to complete).

You can visit them yourself at the park, where kennel rangers are available to answer any questions you may have about their lifestyle. If you cannot make it up to Alaska, their website is informative as well!

Follow @laurenhursttt on Instagram for more National Park adventures and insight 📸

[artificialqueens]

A Purr-fect Day (Branjie) - Athena2

Summary: Vanessa decides to adopt a cat, and finds herself instantly crushing on Brooke, the beautiful cat shelter volunteer. Featuring short cameo appearances from Rose/Denali and Raja/Manila. 

A/N: This is just pure fluff, and I really hope you all enjoy it! I also put in small cameos of Rose/Denali because I wanted to write them a little, and Rajila. Thank you so much to Writ for suggesting this idea, and for betaing! Please leave some feedback if you like. Sorry not sorry about the title.

Even with the fluffy cats running around and meowing, the blonde is still the first thing Vanessa notices.

She’s at the information desk, going over something in a notebook, pausing now and then to sip coffee and glance at the cats in their kennels—fluffy ones, big ones, little ones, striped ones, spotted ones—and Vanessa doesn’t know if the woman or the cats will make her heart explode first.

“Hi,” Vanessa says, approaching the desk.

The blonde’s green eyes widen and her teeth shine in a brilliant smile when she looks up to see Vanessa. “Hi, how can I help—no, Mr. Tibbles! We don’t attack our friends!” She runs over to an enormous gray cat who’s swinging paws at a frightened orange kitten. Vanessa can’t stop smiling as the blonde carefully scoops up the attacker and returns him to his side of the kennel, soothing the orange kitten with some gentle strokes before breathlessly running back to Vanessa.

“Sorry,” she says, fixing her hair. “We’re a little short staffed. It’s just me and Ida, and she’s on break.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Vanessa says, heart fluttering at how the blonde’s—Brooke, according to her slightly crooked name tag—cheeks are tinged bright pink.

“So, um, how can I help you?”

“I want to get a cat.”

Brooke nods. “Any kind in particular?”

“I was hoping I could just play with them and pick one,” Vanessa says sheepishly.

Brooke’s smile is huge. “Of course! That’s how I picked mine out.” She leads Vanessa around the corner, into a tiny room with even more kennels. There are so many kitties rolling around that Vanessa all but melts, dropping to the floor and opening her arms for the balls of fluff to run into.

Brooke grins, and then she’s on the floor too, gently petting a striped brown cat.

“Okay if I join you?” Brooke asks sheepishly. “I love playing with them.”

“Of course. They really like you,” Vanessa says, watching three cats fight for position on Brooke’s lap.

Brooke nods. “They’re used to me, that’s why. And I give them treats. Isn’t that right, Pepper?” She pets a chunky black cat and blushes. “Look, that one likes you, see?”

Vanessa looks down at a fluffy white cat that’s butting his head into her knee, letting out little mrrps.

“His name’s Thackery.”

“Thackery.” Vanessa tries it out, hand melting into his soft fur. He purrs beneath her, looking up at her in wonder, and Vanessa’s sold. “I’ll take him.”

She almost wishes it took her a little longer to find one, because now she’ll have to say goodbye to Brooke.

—-

Vanessa fixes her hair in the rear view mirror. It’s lame to be back at the shelter so soon, she knows that, and Brooke gave her paperwork on feeding and care instructions, but Vanessa has a question on Thackery, and who better to ask than Brooke? Sure, there’s Google, but every website gives her a different answer. Brooke is definitely a cat expert, and any opportunity to see her is one that should be taken.

There’s an older woman at the desk when Vanessa walks in, peering at her through pointy turquoise glasses that look into Vanessa’s soul. Vanessa wonders if Brooke isn’t here today when she turns and sees Brooke feeding all the cats, and breathes a sigh of relief.

“You need help, hon?” The scratchy voice comes from the counter, and Vanessa marches up to the woman, name tag reading Ida.

“Um, I just had a question for Brooke.”

“You her friend or something?”

“Kinda …” Vanessa sweats under Ida’s glare. Nothing like an old lady’s stink eye to steal her usual charm. “I mean, she helped me before, and we talked a little, and I wanted to talk to her about my cat.”

Ida nods. “BROOKE!!! Girl here has a question for you!! I’m goin’ on break!”

Vanessa checks her ringing ears while Brooke bounds over to the desk, and her face lights up when she recognizes Vanessa.

“Hi,” Brooke says.

“Hi. I’m Vanessa, by the way. I never told you last time. I mean, I know I signed my name on the paperwork but anyway–” She forces her lips shut to stop her rambling. “Just wanted to introduce myself.”

Brooke just grins. “I’m Brooke. Which you probably know because of my name tag. Um, Ida said you had a question?”

“Right!” Vanessa latches onto the thread that will save her from the awkwardness. “So, Thackery keeps sprawling out all over the place and rubbing his back on the rug? And I looked it up, and one site said he might have an itch, and another said he might be stretching, and I just wanted to make sure he’s okay.”

If Brooke thinks her coming here to ask a relatively simple, clearly Googe-able question is weird, she doesn’t show it. “Well, it could be either of those, and if you think it’s an itch, you might want to call the vet. But with most cats–mine too–stretching out like that means they’re happy and safe. That they trust you.”

“Oh,” Vanessa says softly. “So he–he really likes me then?” she asks, heart swelling at the thought of Thackery liking her.

“I would think so.” Brooke’s whole face turns fiery red as she adds, “It’s easy to see why.”

Now it’s Vanessa’s turn to blush, eyes flitting down to her feet. “I took this video of him the other day, you gotta see it. He got stuck in all the pillows, look–”

Brooke leans in close as they huddle together and watch the video, dissolving into laughs and squeals. Vanessa almost can’t breathe with Brooke this close to her, smelling faintly of strawberry shampoo, her eyes bright and shining. Vanessa scrolls through some more Thackery pictures on her phone, and Brooke shows Vanessa pictures of her two cats pouting in Santa hats, the whole thing coming to a stop when a couple comes in with their kid, wanting to look at the cats.

“Sorry, Vanessa,” Brooke says quietly. “Ida’s still on break.”

“Don’t worry about it. You do your job, get another kitty a nice home.”

Brooke smiles. “I will.”

“I’ll be back if I have more questions and stuff. If that’s okay,” Vanessa says, holding her breath.

“Absolutely.”

Brooke brings the couple over to the kennels, and Vanessa starts thinking of cat questions she might need answered.

—

Vanessa doesn’t even pretend to have a question in mind when she heads back to the shelter. It’s been almost two weeks, and though she doesn’t want to look desperate, every day is a day Brooke might forget her, even though Vanessa doesn’t think that’ll happen from the wide-eyed smile Brooke has for her all the time.

She can’t even think of a reasonable question anyway. Thackery has been great, really settling into Vanessa’s apartment like he owns the place. He eats all the food she carefully pours into his bowl, and he even figured out how to jump across the couch without getting stuck in the pillows, an act that means Vanessa has to vacuum cat hair off her couch a lot more often. But when he purrs when she holds him and falls asleep curled up at her feet in bed, it’s all worth it. She doesn’t know how Brooke manages to work at the shelter without bringing home every kitty she sees.

Things are quiet when she walks in. Ida is back at the front desk, filling out a crossword puzzle and cursing under her breath.

Vanessa walks closer. “Um, is–”

“You’re the girl who was looking for Brooke before,” Ida says plainly, sharp eyes peering out from her turquoise glasses.

Vanessa blushes. She’s definitely not as slick as she thought, if even Ida remembers her coming here to see Brooke. “Yeah. Is she here today?”

Ida nods. “She’s in the back. We have a litter of kittens ready to be adopted. Brooke’s been taking care of them.”

Vanessa rounds the corner and breathes out a soft aww when she sees Brooke on the floor, stroking five fluffy kittens, their fur swirls of browns and whites and oranges. She loves how much Brooke cares about the cats, how her affection comes through in her soft whispers and gentle pets. Her movements are so soft and delicate, so careful and caring, and Vanessa wonders what it would be like to have Brooke’s hands stroking her hair, rubbing her back.

“Five new kitties?” Vanessa asks quietly.

Brooke turns to her and grins. “Yeah. Come see.” She motions for Vanessa to sit at her side, and Vanessa does, getting down on the white tile. The kittens nuzzle against each other, tiny paws outstretched. “We posted about them online and there’s two couples interested. They’re coming by in a bit.”

“I love them!” Vanessa squeals. “Have you named them yet?”

“Not yet. There are five, though, so maybe we should name them after the Spice Girls.” Brooke blushes. “My friends and I did a group costume of them one year. Somehow they convinced me to be Sporty Spice.”

Vanessa squeals. “First of all, you have to name them that, it’s adorable. Second of all, there better be a picture of you in that costume!”

Brooke sighs. “There is.” She pulls out her phone and surrenders it to Vanessa, who actually gasps. There are four other people in the picture, but Vanessa only has eyes for Brooke: bright red sweatpants clinging to her hips, blue sports bra showing off her toned stomach and every curve and muscle in her arms, eyes shining in her cheesy smile.

“Damn.” Vanessa whistles, hoping Brooke can’t notice how hot Vanessa’s face is. “Look at y’all all organized and stuff. I tried a cowgirl group costume with my friends and A’keria misheard and showed up in a freaking cow costume.”

Brooke bursts into laughter at her side. “Is there a picture of that?”

Vanessa obliges, and then she and Brooke are in a comfortable silence, their shoulders touching as they watch the cats snuggle and pet their heads occasionally. Vanessa could stay like this all day, and she’s wondering if maybe she should ask Brooke out, get to know her somewhere without cats meowing, when a shout makes them both jump.

“BROOKE!!! The first couple for the cats is here!!! I’m goin’ on break!!”

The couple by the reception desk is a lesbian power couple if Vanessa’s ever seen one. There’s a tall woman with dark hair and bright blue necklace proclaiming her to be Raja, with a shorter woman with big black waves at her side. They’re both definitely in fashion or art or something—aside from their delicate hands that are built for sketching, Raja’s leather jacket is covered in hand-painted swirls and the other woman’s Hostess cupcake earrings are clearly handmade. They look like the cool aunts who’d let you have wine at the family gatherings, and Vanessa feels a surge of pride when Raja nods at approval at her jean jacket.

“Which one should we get, Manila?” Raja asks.

“We have to get Posh.”

“Of course,” Raja agrees.

“Do you think I could sew cat clothes? I could definitely sew cat clothes,” Manila answers her own question.

Raja grins. “We’re gonna have the best dressed cat in the city.”

“In the state, Raja. Maybe even the country.”

They’re barely out the door when the next couple walks in, and Vanessa does a double-take, because apparently it’s lesbian power couple day at the cat shelter. These two are a little shorter than the first two, but no less impressive. The one with brown hair glides across the tile floor and squeals when she sees the kitties, the blonde in the royal blue power suit behind her waving and cooing at all the other cats.

The brunette strokes one of the kittens. “I want to take all four!”

“Denali, honey, we really only have room for one,” the blonde says.

“Four.”

“One.”

“Four.”

“One.”

“Two?”

The blonde pauses. “Okay, two.” She smiles and grabs Denali’s hand. “We’ll get Sporty Spice for you, Miss Figure Skater, and then Ginger Spice for that time I tried to dye my hair pink and it came out red.”

“That was more like Scary Spice,” Denali mumbles.

“Denali!”

“It’s true, Rosie. But I love you anyway.”

Vanessa fades back as she watches the couple grab their cats and fill out the paperwork Brooke gives them. She springs back to Brooke’s side once they leave, and all she can think is what it would be like to be with Brooke in that way, to have stories and jokes between just them. As much as she wants to ask Brooke out, the moment is gone. Ida’s still on break, and Vanessa sticks around a little longer, passing Brooke the bags of food for the cats and watching her organize paperwork. Vanessa heads out, vowing that next time, she’ll make her move.

—-

Today’s the day. Vanessa’s red skirt is a little–definitely–too much for a cat shelter, but this is the day she’s really going to go for it. Even in just minutes at the shelter, Brooke makes Vanessa smile in a way no one has for a while. She wants to have time to be with Brooke, time to talk as long as they want without cats needing food or people asking questions.

Ida looks up expectantly when Vanessa walks in, a smile on her bright pink lips. “Brooke’s in the back,” she says, before Vanessa can even ask.

“Okay–”

“BROOKE!!!! Your friend is here!! I’m goin’ on break!!”

Ida shuffles off with her crossword puzzle book under her arm, and Brooke runs out breathlessly, grinning when she sees Vanessa. “Hey,” she says. “Everything okay with Thackery?”

“Will you go out with me?” Vanessa blurts, ignoring Brooke’s question before she loses her nerve.

Brooke’s cheeks are bright pink, but she’s still smiling, and Vanessa doesn’t think she’d be smiling if the answer was no.

“I–I’d love to go out with you, Vanessa. I finish up here at four, do you want to get coffee or something?”

Vanessa’s smile is so huge she can hardly get the words out. “That’d be great, Brooke.”

“About damn time!” Ida’s voice soars through the break room wall. “I thought I’d be on break forever waiting for you two to get together already!”

[meirimerens]

If you're accepting fandom questions could we have some elaboration about those mgs jupiter family alaskan daydreams please? Also your amazing TEW art got me into the series so thanks, I'm liking it a lot!!

first of all, i’m so deeply honored that my art could get you into a game, and also : god i’m fucking sorry lol

second of all

oh god oh fuck alaskan daydreams time

okay so long /, the read mores don’t work, you’re gonna have to bear with it

so tldr i have… EXTENSIVE imaginated stories about dave, hal and sunny living in a little remote cabin in alaska. 

BACKSTORY 

i’d imagine it’d come somewhere post-mgs2 even though sunny is already a bit grown so maybe like just disregard canon OR imagine a different timeline i don’t know, and it’s from a place where hal and dave don’t have anything to do after the mgs2 incidents (so no mgs4 and love of god NO accelerated aging i can’t deal with this), and there is this atmosphere of… “we’ve been sticking together for so long, i can’t see ourselves just parting ways (plus we have a kid to raise and i can’t imagine raising her alone) so how about we make the rest of our lives together” and dave is just like… “hey, we’ve been running all across the country, jumping from shitty motel to shitty motel to shittier apartments, and i have this cabin i once lived in, how about we just all move into it and re-inhabit it” and that’s just how it starts. 

THE CABIN

it’s a cabin i have extensively thought about (because i’m obsessed with cabins and being a hermit, so that helps). it’d be near the shore of the Twin Lakes, Alaska (taken from the canon fact that this is where snake lived pre-MGS1), so they’d live off-the-grid and in almost-self-sufficiency (they become more and more self-sufficient as time goes on and they make more adjustments to the cabin). 

i imagine it would look similar to Proenneke’s cabin (which incidentally is also near Twin Lakes), maybe on the other shore, all wood with a vegetation/moss roof + a slight porch/elevation to protect the entrance from a bit of the snow. it’d be surrounded by wooden little dog kennels/crates for the huskies (more on that later) similar to the ones in [this video] around the 0:59 min mark (warning for animal death/general stuff that goes on in a trapper’s lifestyle for the vid).

it here’s a floor plan of the cabin, not to proportions because i’m just shit at it :

(good luck reading that)

not pictured : when sunny was smaller (before the addition), her bed was like a little shelf just above the big bed (that hal and dave share) with little like “walls” so she doesn’t fall and a thick mattress, which was discarded when she got her new room.

later would be added an outdoor kitchen and a chicken coop (more on that…….. later)

EATING THERE

as i said, they’d first be living in semi-dependency : every ¾ weeks they’d have to go to Port Alsworth/Anchorage or somewhere else to stock tf up. Snake would fish (you can fish for subsistence if you’ve been living in Alaska for over a year according to law) and hunt (seems to be the same type of law when hunting for food, YES i’ve researched this, leave me alone) for food. As he has done odd jobs to afford his cabin, I imagine he’d have done crabbing, and would show up to help on crabbing boats from time to time to get some of them crabs.

later, I imagine they would get 4 rescue hens to get some of them fresh eggs. snake would build a chicken scoop from forest wood. 1 of the hens wouldn’t be able to make eggs because she was traumatized from the industry but they still took her in because she was close friends with the other hens and they didn’t want to separate them. 

I imagine Snake had been growing his own herbs in the kitchen but maybe they’d get a greenhouse ready.

they’d go foraging for berries, fruits and mushrooms according to the seasons and make a SHITTON of jams and preserves.

LIVING THERE

i imagine there would be a lot of solidarity with the surrounding populations. for exemple, Hal would help set up and manage online dictionaries for Iñupiat, Yup'ik or Alutiiq languages with the local communities, maybe help wire up some schools, things like that, and as thanks some people would go check on them and give em veggies or something.

THE DOGS :

Snake is getting them.

since we don’t know what happened to his huskies around mgs1, i suppose/guess they were at some time confiscated from him, so first, he’s get a lovely husky female from a shelter (i also have long thought about how he’d never go to a breeder and only adopt, because the whole “creature created with a man’s ideal in mind” hits a bit too close for him you feel) that would later be revealed as pregnant with like 5 puppies (it will come back later as relevant as promise). Then he’d do his best to regain contact with his huskies, maybe setting up a call on social media (THIS WILL BE PART OF A BRAIN ROTTING DEGENERACY I WILL EXPAND ON IN A MINUTE) to find them again. i imagined he would get to see one of his old huskies, who has well aged, who was adopted by some nice nice people. then said nice people, after his visit, insisting on him getting his husky back because “since you left she hasn’t been herself, she refused to eat. we think she misses you too much. we love her tons and it breaks our heart to let her go, but we think she would be so much happier by your side” type of deal, i’m fucking crying just thinking about it.

of course, once his team is back in shape, he’s run the Iditarod again. Hed keep contact with hal over walkietalkie during the race. hal would jump in his arms when he crosses the finish line, the pic would circulate in the news. it’d be cute i’m saying.

THE HENS :

as I said, adopted, in a little scoop snake built himself. they give eggs. sometimes they let them roam free and they bully hal when he peels vegetables (i’ve drawn smth about this). sunny feeds them in the mornings. things are good.

MORNING ROUTINE :

Snake wakes up around 5AM because he don’t need no sleep and goes to his huskies. feeds them. then make them run. when he gets back around 8 to 8:30, hal is still asleep. snake makes breakfast. the scents wake hal up. things are good.

SUNNY?

Sunny is taught by snake how to chop wood. he makes a tiny axe for her tiny hands. he and hal teach her how to swim in the Twin Lakes. the waters cold but she grows immune to it, strong and stronger. she learns how to differenciate which mushrooms and berries are edible.

they try to send her to school but she’s WAY too advanced and is bored to death. she stays at home. she’s outside all day or she learns astrophysics with Hal, who’s taking online classes in his free time. she learns some Athabaskan languages at a community class once in a while, she makes some friends.

HOW’S THE WEATHER

They go on hikes a lot. Often, and long ones. At first, sunny is in a little baby back carrier (i have drawn about this), then she walks just right. Alaska has gorgeous national parks, they explore them, year after year. They arrive in a town, exhausted and beat, they find a hotel room. It has a bathtub and warm water. Hal is OVERJOYED.

in the earliest hints of spring, snake takes them to Fairbanks through the beautiful alaskan railroad. they see the most beautiful and powerful of northern lights during the full season. hal and sunny can’t tear their eyes from the skies.

THIS IS WHERE I GO CRAZY GO STUPID.

ok…. so bear with me.

i mentioned an internet/social media presence.

it’s because in a deviation of this daydream, snake has a little youtube channel (and an instagram to go with it).

it’s not much. it’s really not, but hal has a few cameras and more that he finds and fixes.

it’s mostly lowkey, chill vlogs. stuff like 

“slow alaskan winter day (no talking)” 

“sprintime berry picking ( + jams recipes!)”

“alaskan summer outdoor fire cookout ( + wild moose and caribou near the lake)”

“denali national park hike (day 1)”

stuff that like you know. as well as some more…

“i ran the iditarod (and won)”

“we got hens (building a chicken scoop, meeting the rescue hens and more)”

“musher’s morning routine (i’d recommend you didn’t try this at home if you are not the genetically engineered clone of a super-soldier, for your sake)”

and as you guessed…

“so our rescue husky was pregnant… (i’m an idiot who didn’t notice, trip to the vet, building a whelping pen, whelping, bottlefeeding tiny pup + all the puppies’ pictures!)”

where dave would teach hal how to bottlefeed a puppy and you’d be able to hear hal’s “oh god oh god oh god oh god”s from out of frame as the camera focuses on dave’s hands holding his to have him perfectly cup the puppy in his palm and carry the bottle. this type of deal.

then follow-up videos of the puppies climbing the bed where hal is, playing on his gameboy. he chuckles nervously and then heartily when a puppy licks his face.

some winter days, the videos have snake bringing all the huskies in the small cabin. some of them sit calmly on the wide bed where hal studies his astrophysics.

and an instagram with wilderness pictures… all except a few taken by hal. some of snake posing in front of the snowed in cabin. some of warm drinks made on winter days. you know the deal.

and they’d have such a nice… positive… lowkey and easy-going comment section. dave would reply to a lot of them. 

he’d get quite a share of “hey man, i love your vids so much, thank you for posting this content. i was wondering, sorry if it’s a bit too personal, are you and your roommate dating? you two seem very close, but i don’t want to assume anything 😅 absolutely love your content either way, you’re the only youtuber i have notifs on” to which he’d reply “thank you so much, really appreciate it. and we’re not, we’ve just known each other for a long, long time. we’re aware two straight guys raising a child and living together isolated makes for a bit of confusion, but it’s totally platonic between us. thanks for sticking around.” but one day he uploads a vid that’s like 

“crabbing in juneau ! + life update (please read description)”

and the desc + the first 20 seconds of the vid is a text superimposed over embarassing pictures of hal and it reads “hey all / quick personal update, i’ll make it quick / otacon and i realized we loved each other / (as more than friends that is) / so if we seem just a bit closer in the videos from now on this is why / no idea how this is going to turn out for up / but yeah. if he seems a bit more affectionate it’s because we’re dating now, or something like that / and to everyone whom i told ‘it’s just strictly platonic between us’:  / well. ha ha. whoops. / anyway thank you for reading / enjoy the video” and all the comments would be like “that’s so dope i’m so happy for you” and other “tbf we saw that coming” and snake would smash that like button on these comments.

and he’d have a video of the whole iditarod race as taken from a camera on his jacket/on his sled… and he’d have videos of him filming hal film the landscape through the window of the train during their trip to fairbanks… and of hal and sunny in said train sharing a tangerine… and of him building a little axe for sunny…. and he’d always ask her if she is okay with being on camera, and when she’d say no he’d make sure she doesn’t appear on here or add a cute husky sticker on her face so she’s not seen.

just lowkey. chill. upbeat. simple life moments. he’d disappear off the internet for a month because he’s just enjoying the life and when he’d come back everyone would be very understanding and glad to see some cool pictures or vids. you know? just chilling. just chilling. just living.

one day before a “hiking through lake clark national park” he has the same little life update thing and it goes “hey / so otacon and i got married / sunny and aksinya [rescued pregant husky] were our flower girls / otacon cried / i cried / anyway, enjoy the video” over pictures of the tiny alaskan wedding. and it’s well.

[3kw3dogs]

Birthday Week!

It’s my birthday week! And it’s the weirdest birthday week. Normally, my birthday is like national holiday levels of excitement! I actually forgot Monday that this was my birthday week. Granted, I was excited about other things Monday. (More on that later!) I haven’t been to the office for work at all this week. I keep meaning to go in, get a coffee on my way. But then I just wake up and feel like staying home instead. I think I like the choice. Wake up and decide, work from home or go to the office. I mean, the office is nice in some ways, but most days I just want to stay home with the dogs instead.

We went out for a beer Tuesday night, to one of our local breweries who has tasty beer and a nice outdoor patio! Wednesday, our friends asked if we wanted to go to the same brewery, we declined. I keep having to remember how old I’m turning. Is this just a getting older thing? Ha! I’m excited for Sunday, but more for the Denali park road than for my birthday. 

Monday was awesome though! Okay, so most of you know these things... but in case you don’t, a little backstory. I have always admired working dogs. In particular, sled dogs. Balto! Oh man, I loved that story as a kid. (As an adult, I know that Togo was actually the lead dog for much of the run, but Balto was just the one who ran into Nome on the final stretch, and he got all the credit!) I found out about the Iditarod, and I was just enthralled with the sled dogs! A race to honor the original medicine run! How cool! (Now, living in Alaska, I think the Iditarod is a little too publicized and famous. The Yukon Quest is more true to mushing roots, and is my preferred long race.) I never stopped loving sled dogs. I always thought it’d be so cool to have working dogs, doing a job. When we decided on moving to Alaska, that was my big thing. I want land outside of town, close to trails. Enough for kennels. That’s a big part of the reason we chose the land we did. Just in case I had a sled dog kennel of my own. I took a break from my IT job in California, to work with dogs for a while. I took a course on dog training, to get more knowledge and skills. I apprenticed with a trainer friend. Last winter here, I tried to find a kennel to volunteer at. Everyone wanted full time help. So, I volunteered at hte Yukon Quest. Oh man, that was one of the best experiences. I absolutely loved it! So spring rolled around, and I tried again to find a kennel. But that’s right around when covid started, so I had no luck again.

Fast forward... I saw a request from a local kennel, asking for help a few days a week, a few hours a day for a couple months. I took a chance and reached out. Told her it was my dream to work with sled dogs. And... we met! We planned for me to join them on a run, and learn some basics. So, now we are caught up... Monday! My first sled dog run!!!! Now, in case it isn’t obvious, sleds only work in snow. So for now, they are getting hooked to a 4-wheeler and running that way. It’s summer training runs, so the goal is to keep them running at a consistent pace and to gradually increase the miles they run to increase their stamina. It was AMAZING! I learned about the gang line and the tug lines, and I harnessed and hooked some of the dogs to the lines on my own. I learned basic mushing commands, and watched the dogs in action. I helped unhook and unharness them when we got back. I helped with basic yard chores. It was absolutely amazing and I cannot wait to go help more! It has been a dream for so long. And I gotta say, it is absolutely amazing to be working with sled dogs! Maybe one day I really will have my own kennel! :)

So I don’t know, maybe it’s an odd birthday week because I’m excited about life in general? Okay, that’s super cliche. But honestly, Alaska has been the best move for me. People talk about soulmates in people. But I’ve been wondering, is it possible to find a “soulmate” in a location? A place where your soul is at peace and where you just KNOW you’re supposed to be? This really is that place for me. 2020 has been such an awful year in so many ways. But.. even in that, I’ve had major exciting life events. Even in all the awfulness, I’ve followed my dreams. And it’s paying off! It’s truly amazing!

Alright, that was a bit of a novel. I suppose as a thank you, if you made it this far. Recent pup pictures! They are loving me staying home more, and yes, they are all crowded around my “work desk” (aka kitchen table). Now we just need to find a job for Holden where he can also stay home!

[theputterer]

Sled Dog Kennels at Denali National Park in Alaska, USA

the Sled Dog Kennels are free to visit in Denali National Park! a short shuttle ride from the Denali Visitors Center, the dogs put on sled demonstrations three times a day, by pulling the “summer sled” as seen in the top two pictures. the lead ranger asked if we wanted to see the dogs pull the sled, and everyone cheered, and the dogs FREAKED OUT. barked and whined and jumped, like, five feet in the air. everyone wanted to get to Go. 

they don’t work in the summer, so they’re bored, I think. in winter, they help rangers traverse the park, carrying supplies and materials to places that trucks can no longer reach, due to snow and ice.

the dogs are all Alaskan Huskies, which surprised me, but I am used to a regular Husky, and these guys are different. they are bigger, and their fur is THICK. we got to pet a couple of these babies and they had super thick fur; and these are their summer coats! they get hot in 10 degrees F, so summer is A Lot. their paws are MASSIVE too, to help balance their weight so they don’t sink in the snow.

in the summer, everyone eats dry kibble; in the winter, they get more food, including dietary supplements. the dogs were given their food in play containers, so they had to work for it. some of them carried the containers into their houses. each dog had their own house with their name on it. the majority of the dogs came from the same litters, with themes. for example: Party, seen above in his house, was from the litter born in 2017, named in honor of Denali National Park’s 100th year of existence. his litter mates include Cupcake and Birthday.

a nine week old puppy had recently come to the Park, and she had her own big enclosure to play around in. I didn’t get any pictures of her, but suffice to say, she was PRECIOUS.

we heard about one dog who is All Business unless offered a cookie; he will then flop onto his back and stick his paws into the air. (this is a helpful move for when they need to put booties on the dogs to protect their paws.) the ranger warned us before the demonstration that the dogs have been known to be distracted by and chase after squirrels while pulling the summer sled. they are dogs with jobs, but still dogs. 

(see photo captions for more)

c.c. @i-am-slain

[blueeyesspitfire]

Warmer Days

I write this as warm temperatures and rain begin eating away at our snowpack. We’re nearing 300 miles for this season, which is good compared to last year’s 175, but no where near the 500 miles I had hoped for. It’s frustrating. Mid-distance and distance kennels run that distance over the course of a week. They run races as long as my entire training season. 

There are a lot of factors that limit what we do. I’m running this team on my own while working a full-time job. The weather has sucked. It’s not as easy to build up miles in the northeast compared to the midwest and Alaska. Don’t get me wrong, I have some amazing trail systems here, but they require repeating loops to get more miles. The dogs get bored.

This season also saw Denali and Knox slowing down slightly, while Laika picked up speed. I don’t want to push the older dogs beyond their comfort zone, so we stayed at their pace. Now that our racing season is over, I’m focusing on training Sagan and Hopper to run with the team. Since they’re still young, we’ve been doing short, slow runs. They’re mainly learning the hookup procedure, how to maneuver around the lines, and what commands mean. This works well for the older dogs, too, but it also means I’m no longer building up miles for the core team (Willow, Laika, Blitz, Hubble). If I had more time, I’d run the older dogs and puppies, and then do longer runs with the other four. But, ah, time is flying.

Next season I will push for longer miles. The older dogs can join us for short runs around the property, but I’ll be taking the younger six out to Winona as much as possible. The goal is our first mid-distance race (a modest 30-miler), so we’ll need the practice. But the sights I had been setting for 50 or even 100 milers seem less possible with my current location, resources, time, and energy.  Oh, and climate change doesn’t help.

You know though? That’s OK. I don’t think I need it.

I realized while out on a short, trail-breaking run this weekend—I don’t have to justify having a sled team by going certain distances or competing in prestigious races. We were traveling slow and I wasn’t looking at the speedometer or checking our distance. I was smelling the pines and watching the dogs working together. They were happy and so was I. That’s the reason for all of this. That’s more than enough. 

March means springtime, my least favorite time of year. Mushing season dwindles down. The beautiful snow melts into endless mud. Everything is cold, but not too cold, and forever damp. The awful, biting flies return. 

Instead of moping, I’m filling my time with more projects. Last season’s focus was getting up the play yard. This year I can zero in on turning this property into the homestead I’ve always wanted. I’ve got a chicken coop in my garage waiting to be assembled. There’s materials for four large raised gardens on the way.

Then there’s the usual end-of-season chores. The dog carts need to be power washed and brake pads replaced. The sled needs to be tidied up. The dog truck and van need deep cleaning, inside and out. There’s a season’s worth of dirt and debris that needs to be blown and swept from the barn and garage. The snowmobile and snowblower will be “summer-ized”, the ride-on mower will be prepped for duty. 

The cycle continues. And we’ll keep on rolling on.

[americasgreatoutdoors]

Happy National Dog Day from Denali National Park in Alaska! 

Denali is the only park with a working dog team. Since the 1920s, sled dogs have worked with rangers at Denali National Park and Preserve to keep the grounds of this Alaska park safe. Visitors can see sled dog demonstrations in the summer, view the dogs at work in the winter and visit their kennels year round.

Pictured here are Pinata (the little grey pup), Party (the Golden girl) and Cupcake (the one with sprinkle feet) from the park’s litter in 2016. Photo by National Park Service.

Pictured here are Annie and Party in the perfect pose. Photo by National Park Service.

[shrutitrivedi11-blog]

Top 6 places for a family excursion

Posted on May 6, 2019 by administrator

The new year is having new possibilities and brilliant spots where you can design your family excursion. Arranging and visiting the ideal goal in the midst of a furlough is the blessing you can provide for your family. In the event that you have an arrangement to go to the best spot for a family excursion in your basin list this blog will assist you with accomplishing it

6) Bali

Picture of Ulun Danu Beratan Temple in Bali

Bali is a well known spot which is a heaven to visit. Situated in Indonesia Bali gives you a chance to visit the superb Hindu sanctuaries, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, and numerous different shorelines, renowned nightspots become animated offering energizing clubbing and stuffed move floors, Inland, transcending volcanoes and immaculate wildernesses, and so forth. Bali is home to 3 astounding waterparks, Waterbom Bali in focal Kuta, Splash waterpark, and Circus waterpark. Bali's waterpark is the best spot where family and companions can go appreciate the time.

5) Alaska

Picture of Alaska and The Mint Hut

Gold country harbors countless visiting locales which is overwhelmed with visitor consistently. Denali national park is one of the biggest national stops in the U.S. The spot has in excess of 167 types of flying creatures, the Sled Dog Kennels, which offer exhibitions, Huskies, wild bears, wolves, reindeer, elk, and numerous other. 2019, is the 60th commemoration of the statehood of Alaska. So Alaska is commending its 60th commemoration by opening its entryway for traveler in a progressively simpler manner by offering non-stop flights from Newark to Anchorage. Individuals who have a connection towards social expressions can visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center which gives communication with music, workmanship, and individuals.

4) Island of Hawaii

Top perspective on Hawaii's best Island

The Island of Hawaii, which is likewise well known as the Big Island, has unbelievable charms. The Island was shaped by the 5 volcanoes, presently it is as yet developing, as Kilauea blows magma into the seas. Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea are the 2 biggest volcanoes on the island. Other than volcanoes The huge island is additionally well known for its shorelines, shocking cascades, and woodlands. The Hawaii Volcanoes National park is the most fascinating spot to investigate. The national park is a visitor hotspot of U.S., it harbors two dynamic volcanoes and the traveler can appreciate the amazing perspectives on volcanic ejections. Individuals who have an extraordinary association with nature and are enamored with normal delights, Island of Hawaii is the spot they ought to design go.

3)Guanacaste

Picture of Guanacaste

Guanacaste is the most lovely region in Costa Rica. It has a lovely scope of mountains and springs of gushing lava. This colorful region is home to the absolute most wonderful shorelines where individuals appreciate surfing, climbing, horseriding, zip line, and so forth. Rincon de la Vieja National Park is a stunning spot to visit. For any natural life bug, this national park is an absolute necessity to investigate. It is an excellent spot which is home to dynamic wells of lava and profound dark soils to its fantasy like cascades. Tenorio fountain of liquid magma and Miravalles spring of gushing lava has Panoramic perspectives, colorful creatures, cascades, and so forth. So Guanacaste is an ideal fit for any individual who is intending to have a family get-away.

2) New Orleans

Picture of French Quarter in New Orleans

New Orleans is a merged city-area situated in the U.S. conditions of Louisiana. French Quarter which is otherwise called the Crown Jewel of New Orleans is a lovely spot renowned for its Steamboat travels, Bourbon road fun, Old-world Architecture, Century-old eateries, Bohemian Charm, Jackson Square history, and numerous other amazing spots. New Orleans is the origin of Jazz and mixed drinks has the best bars that woken up around evening time. The individuals who have a preference for Cultural expressions New Orleans have theaters and dramatization on a regular premise.

1)Grand Canyon

Night shot from Grand Canyon National Park

Fabulous Canyon is a precarious sided gully, which is situated in the United States. It is 450kms long up to 30kms wide and around 1mile profound. On the off chance that you are intending to go for a family get-away in 2019, Grand Canyon will be the ideal goal. As Grand Canyon is commending the 100th birthday celebration of Grand Canyon National Park. The festival is colossal and they are arranging a great deal of surprising occasions which you would love to do with your family. Generally likewise the spot merits investigating, as separated from touring, other visitor exercises are additionally well known there like boating, helicopter visits, climbing, and so on.

[laurenwestrom]

The 4 best Alaska road trip ideas

The 4 best Alaska road trip ideas https://www.graylinealaska.com/blog/the-4-best-alaska-road-trip-ideas/ Did you know Alaska is twice the size of Texas? It’s huge! Locals and visitors rely on motor transportation in order to get around the state with ease. From getting to know the road better, and exploring the quaint Alaska communities more intimately, buckle up and fill the gas tank for these fun Alaska road trips. Whether you’re heading north or south, we recommend starting in Anchorage where the beauty of the wild meets urban amenities. Take a wildlife tour, check out the cities trail system, and learn about the culture at the Anchorage Museum. After you’ve explored the city, it’s time to hit the road. 1. Anchorage to Denali 237 miles | Four hours About the trip Have you ever wanted to have a chance to witness the tallest mountain in North America? Take a trip north from Anchorage where you’ll arrive at the George Parks Highway. Commonly called the Parks Highway, this road stretches 323 miles to the Interior of Alaska. Around mile 160, you’ll come across Denali National Park and all its glory! This is a great first place to stop and spend a few days. Things to do once you’re there Check out our Denali Travel Guide and some of the top tours to embark on. Denali Back Country Adventure Sled Dog Kennel Tour Denali Park Zipline Adventure Denali ATV Trailblazer 2. Denali to Fairbanks 126 miles | Two hours About the trip Continue the scenic adventure on the Parks Highway about 125 miles to reach Fairbanks, Alaska’s second-largest city. Things to do once you’re there Our Fairbanks Travel Guide will give you good points of interest and we recommend setting your sights on the following. Northern Lights hunting Midnight Sun ATV Chena Hot Springs and Ice Museum 3. Anchorage to Seward 126 miles| Two and a half hours About the trip Head south on the popular Seward Highway that connects Anchorage to other small towns south of the city. The road coasts along the Turnagain Arm where you can pull over for picturesque views and try to spot an array of wildlife. It’s the perfect mix of urban and wild! Things to do once you’re there Once you arrive in Seward, one of Alaska’s oldest towns, there is no shortage of activities to keep you busy! Visit the Alaska Sealife Center. Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise. Explore Exit Glacier. 4. Seward to Cooper Landing 104 miles | One hour  About the trip About a one-hour drive from Seward, pass through the charming town of Cooper Landing along the Kenai Peninsula which locals call “Alaska’s playground.” With seemingly never-ending areas to explore, this is the perfect route for all nature enthusiasts. Things to do once you’re there Check out accessible fishing spots and wildlife experiences that will leave you wanting to come back for more! Explore Kenai Fjords National Park. Go fishing at Russian River Falls. Wildlife viewing a whale watching. Road trip planning tips to know before you go: We know Alaska is big, but your packing list doesn’t have to be! While we do recommend packing your clothes like an onion — lots of layers — we also have some must-haves to keep your trip successful. Sunglasses: Alaska is bright, and you don’t want to miss out on any views because you are always squinting. Jackets: Prepare for the weather by bringing a rain, fleece, or down jacket. Always check the weather before you go! Reusable water bottle: Stay hydrated and love the environment. Bug repellent: If you are planning to spend time outside, you’re going to want this. Sunscreen: Don’t let a low UV index fool you, summer days see around 20+ hours of daylight! Roadside emergency kit: You can never be too prepared with jumper cables, flares, and a first aid kit. Snack: No road trip is complete without something to munch on! The post The 4 best Alaska road trip ideas appeared first on Gray Line Alaska. via Gray Line Alaska https://www.graylinealaska.com September 14, 2022 at 03:39PM

[sheldonchalet]

Best Reasons to Visit Denali at Least Once in a Lifetime

Denali is the tallest mountain in North America

Denali, at 20,310 feet, is a lofty summit. The Department of the Interior changed the mountain's name from Mount McKinley to Denali in 2015 since it has been known by this name for many years among the local Koyukon population. The term is also a slang for "huge mountain" or "the towering one.

The Park is Greater than New Hampshire 

Only a minor portion of Denali National Park & Preserve is mountainous. The park's six million acres of land is home to amazing species, rivers, glaciers, tundra, and boreal forests. In Denali, a sizable portion of the wilderness is untrammeled or unaltered by human activity.

Nature lovers adore it

Denali was designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1976. Numerous wildlife, including beavers, snowshoe hares, brown bears, moose, marmots, and of course, the recognizable Dall sheep, are frequently seen in this area. And if you enjoy watching birds, you won't be dissatisfied. As they soar over the treetops, look for waxwings, tundra swans, owls, arctic warblers, and golden eagles.

Viewing Glaciers

Glaciers cover around sixteen percent of the park. Denali contains 881 glaciers, covering 1,540 square miles, or one million acres, roughly the size of Rhode Island, according to a 2010 count.

Puppies!

The only operational kennel for sled dogs in an American national park is in Denali. Additionally, there are several possibilities to observe some adorable and devoted puppies because Alaska is the location of the renowned Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. After your Summer Vistas of Alaska trip, if you choose to participate in the Go Next Denali Post-Cruise Program, you'll get to witness Martin Buser, a four-time Iditarod champion, delivering the Huskies & Puppies Iditarod presentation!

One of the most picturesque locations on Earth

Denali is only accessible by plane, the Alaska Route 3, or the Denali Star Train, which adds to its attractiveness. There's no way you'll regret traveling there, whether you're taking a flight over Denali's summit or enjoying the fresh air on a brisk trek.

So, if you are looking for unique places to stay in Alaska, make sure to get in touch with Sheldon Chalet, which can provide you with exceptional touring experiences at amazing prices. 

[lavishpink]

Sabbatical Essay #Day 25: A Day at Denali

On the 25th day, we were at the Denali National Park & Preserve

We were on a bus - looking out into the wild - spotting wild animals.  

We also were at the Denali dog kennels.  Dogs are always such a bundle of joy. 

It seemed like there really isn’t that much of a choice in transportation in Alaska in the winter.  Especially back in the days I mean...

Man I miss those super open space views.

I am pretty confident Denali is someplace that I will definitely return to one day.