Spring at last

I snapped a Panoramic of Anchorage sitting in the foreground of the Chugach range in mid March.  I was sure spring had sprung on that day.

But, it turns out I was wrong, and this is how much snow can fall in a couple of hours in my part of the world.

Me and the cat felt the same way about this.

Bur a few weeks later, winter finally gave up, and so I headed to the Eagle River Nature Center for a long overdue outdoor walk.

The first walks of the season are always a bit mucky, and a bit silent as hikers and animals are just waking up and finding their way around again after a few months tucked away.

I was feeling pretty good about my walk.  I figured it was too early in the season for bears, and the knee was holding up better after last summer's surgery.

The skies were blue, and while the mountains were still snowy, they looked hopeful that they would soon be green and full of life again.

We look at these streams and tend to think about in a few more months, when the salmon return.  But it's easy to overlook that the salmon are actually there right now.  The eggs spend the winter maturing under the ice.  This is the time of year the eggs hatch and the little alevin's begin their journey downstream, where they will eventually grow into big salmon and spend a couple of years in the big ocean.

The southern faces slopes lose their snow much faster than the northern facing slopes.

I was being cautious on my solitary spring walk.  I stopped to note the pawprint in the mud.  4 toes, small print consistent with dog.  Carry on.

And a few short paces later, a new print.  5 toes, a claw on each, fair size, possible bear.  And that was the end of the road for this short hike.  Guess I didn't beat the bears to the trails this year after all.