Thrive Outside

So, if you missed the group hike, this post will tell you all about our Moose Creek-Palmer Railroad trail. Park at the Moose Creek Campground heading down the Glenn Hwy a few miles out of Palmer, Alaska. **newly updated thanks Google but the trailhead has a point now on google maps. They have an outhouse but the gates are locked until the summer. The craziest thing is that there are two well worn 4 wheel trails to the Moose Creek.  However, DO NOT GO TO THE BRIDGE OR THE RIVER. Carefully cross the Glenn Hwy and you will see blue electrical tape around the birch trees and further down the trail will have the brown trail marker. Once you cross the Glen Highway looking back you can see the trail marker. The trail is unique and follows where the old railroad used to go to Sutton.  It is clearly marked until you get to a place when you look up and see some train tracks dangling from the cliff. At that point, our model Juli points the way down a little gravel slide

I was at the State Park office off of Finger Lake and I was happy to see this brochure for the new campground complete with 10 tent sites and 33 RV sites.  You can find  K'esugi Ken Campground  this on 135.4 George Parks Hwy.  They also boast three cabins for hire (Denali is for winter time only).  You can reserve it on  Reserve America  but be warned, the dates are slim for the cabins.  It is at the end our one of my favorite backpacking trails Kesugi Ridge Trail.  I will be going up here early in the season and will post about the trails that are nearby connected to the campground.  

In order to maintain and keep expanding our delicate footprint on the wonderful trails, we must be good citizens and pay the parking passes. Which one is the best for you?   We have all three beautiful parks:  National, State, and Borough passes.  I'm not aware of all areas, but in the Mat-Su Valley it is best to have both the State and the local Matanuska Borough parking pass. State of Alaska day parking pass is $50.  You can pay for it online or at REI.  There is a few other offices (Finger Lake Office and Backcountry Bike and Ski) Now, all passes run on the calendar year.  So, it is best to get them soon to ensure the best value for your money. **By the way, you CANNOT purchase an annual pass at the day parking area. As far as I can tell, Denali National park has fees, but the majority of the National parks are free-ish. The Borough pass is also available at every parking area plus online.  You can go to the borough building in Palmer 350 E. Dahlia Ave., Palmer,

realized my rainjacket was not rain proof  I love the snow and the sun, but rain can be a bit of a challenge to endure.  Once, I spent the afternoon hiking the Reed Lakes Trail (pictured above) and realized that the downpour for 6 hours had a saturation point of my rain jacket.  I decided then to research and look for a good rain gear that doesn't cost a TON of money. Introduce you to my favorite layer for rain, FROGG TOGGS.  Not only did they keep me dry, they are poofy enough to not create a sauna inside your jacket.  That allows you to be active (backpacking/hiking) and not get all wet inside because of sweat.  The con to this jacket, it is easily ripped, but a patch of duck tape will fix it.  Since it is under $30. You can't beat being warm and being outside. The other advantage is the windbreak option.  I have been on top of mountains where the wind can truly blow you over,  this is just the protection you need.  But, if you have the $ money consider buying t

   I’ve always been a downhill and backcountry skier. Skinning up a slope to hold true to the saying, “earn your turn”. Once at the top I’d enjoy the view, take off the skins, and then point my tips downhill, letting gravity do most of the work. My husband grew up skiing both downhill and XC, but has spent most of his time enjoying the freedom that backcountry and telemark skiing provides. I grew up doing neither until my Sophomore year when friends, who I thought cared about me :o), took my straight to the top at Alyeska!     This past October my eldest son joined the Palmer High Nordic Ski team. Since then a few of us in my family have quickly become enamored with XC skiing and are slowly gathering the gear needed for both classic and skate skiing. At the time of writing I personally have nothing since I sold off my older classic gear to fund my High Schooler’s Nordic dreams, but I’m on the lookout (yeah Craigslist). Now I know I posted a few months ago about the joys of snowsh