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Submitted: August 29, 2010
Image Size: 514 KB
Resolution: 1150×647

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Comments: 34
Favourites: 23 [who?]
Views: 518 (0 today)

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Make:Canon
Model:Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Shutter Speed:1/1244 second
Aperture:F/2.8
Focal Length:5 mm
ISO Speed:80
Date Taken:Aug 20, 2010, 4:21:25 AM

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PORTAGE VALLEY REFLECTIONby `1arcticfox

Photography / Animals, Plants & Nature / Landscapes

About a week ago I took off and drove to Portage Valley, around 50 miles from here turning off the two-lane “highway” and driving up the 5 mile valley on a small, road to capture a few photos that I will be sharing with you. It was the middle of the week, school was back in session, and most of the tourists were gone - there was almost no traffic.

Portage Glacier and small visitor center are at the end of the road. The glacier cannot be seen on the lake from the parking lot anymore. One must take a boat tour across the lake and around a bend to see it up close. It was very different, years ago. I have a photo of my 10 year-old daughter taken in about 1978, with the face of the glacier in the background and big blue icebergs at her feet!

The valley was carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago and contains 5 glaciers, numerous ponds, marshes, streams and lots of wildlife. Rising mountains with glaciers surround Portage Valley and the mountains retain a bit of a snowcap even in summer. It is not populated. There are only a handful of small structures at the turn-off from the main “highway”, a small visitor center at the end of the road, some campgrounds and a trail system.

There is a sizable black bear population, brown bears, moose and other smaller wild animals and wetlands birds. Did I mention the awesome beauty? Daunting, ferocious storms come blowing through here each year, with winds so strong that some trees are left with limbs growing only on one side but when it’s calm, it’s paradise! In winter there can be very heavy snow. It is a stunningly gorgeous place to see! However, it is not only wise to come prepared for wildlife if you want to camp or hike around – it is imperative! See my Bear Story here: [link]

My images may not be edited, published, transmitted, borrowed, duplicated, manipulated, added to, reproduced, cropped, used as a backgrounds for your art, or altered in any way unless you make a written request to me and I give you written permission.

These photos are NOT STOCK ART….they are NOT FREE and they are NOT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN…..They CANNOT BE POSTED ON ANY OTHER SITE FOR DOWNLOAD

c. 2010 by 1ArcticFox – All Rights Reserved.

*desmo100 Sep 2, 2010

This is postcard perfect. Alaska is still beautiful, despite global warming. Wish people would wake up to that fact, though.

`1arcticfox Sep 2, 2010

Awwww....thanks Jean! I'm so lucky to live here.

There are people who close their minds to much new information - and it baffles me to no end! It's right in front of our eyes!

*desmo100 Sep 16, 2010

I know what you mean. I get mad when people deny obvious truths like that. Makes me think of Nazi Germany and their denial that concentration camps existed. Some things never change.

~Pumakitten Sep 1, 2010 Hobbyist Digital Artist

Beautiful!!! I remember when I was there in 1982...you could still see the glacier from the center then.

`1arcticfox Sep 1, 2010

Thanks so much! Yes you could! And people don't believe in global warming? No matter what the cause, it is happening - even our permafrost - which supports some roads and structures is starting to disappear - it's beginning to be a problem out in the bush villages.

~Doublecrash Aug 31, 2010

What a gorgeous show of nature and wilderness...

I've read the bear story on your journal... whoa. No words... I could have died of fright :^^':

`1arcticfox Aug 31, 2010

I'm so happy you liked it! It's one of my favorite places and the bears love it too! I'm always very cautious there! lol.....It's really weird.....I was more anxious and resigned to the situation (and focused on how to get to my car safely) rather then frightened. I've been here enough years to know this is ALWAYS a possibility! Even just going out my front door it could happen! I live about 250 yards from a small stream, where the salmon will be starting to spawn in about 2 weeks! I've seen bear scat on my walks through the woods here in town and there was a black bear across the street a year ago! And I live about a mile down the street from a very large unpopulated tract of woods where there are brown bears who have challenged (and injured people) before. I DONT go there alone unless I'm only 10 feet from my car! I've read a lot about how to react - and NOT react when faced with a bear and I always carry bear (pepper) spray! But I still don't want to have to be in a position where I would have to use the spray or the information!!

~Doublecrash Aug 31, 2010

Wow. 250 yards from a salmon-spawning stream... something I only saw (so far) on Discovery Channel...

So, can you imagine how I could think of someone confront a black bear?

`1arcticfox Aug 31, 2010

I'm thinking about opening a YouTube account - only to post my little nature videos for my friends here. I have a short one of the salmon spawning in the creek by me - last year. I'll let you know if I do. Yes.....I can imagine!!

~Doublecrash Aug 31, 2010

By all means let me know if you do!

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