Crevasses on the Alyeska Glacier

I guided a fun glacier hike this morning with some colorful folks... we found this cool deep crevasse which recently opened up.

~Matt

Yellow Monkey Flower & Fungi in Girdwood Rainforest

Gill shot of the Aminita. All these photos were taken on my iphone under the overcast skies and rainforest canopy. Sorry for the poor quality :(
http://www.mykoweb.com/gallery.html

Small, fat stemmed, Purple Mushroom that we found in the Rainforest in Girdwood. It was under ferns and devils club growing out of sphagnum moss. The habitat is temperate coastal Rainforest: dominate plant species: Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, High Bush Blueberry, Alder, devils club and Salmonberry bushes. I cannot seem to identify it. Any help would be much appreciated :)
Aminita Mushrooms are coming out in Girdwood. Beautiful but poisonous.
Beth & I found this beautiful Yellow Monkey Flower and Forget-me-nots while blueberry picking in Girdwood the other day. Monkey Flowers are edible and were used medicinally. See website link. ---Heather Szundy
http://montana.plant-life.org/species/mimu_gutta.htm

Flat Top Half Day Hike

Bright and sunny 6pm Hike at Glen Alps trail head to Flat Top. My two clients, mother and son, were from Mexico City. The mom had never hiked before but she was very physically fit. With encouragement, she made it to the upper saddle just below the last 600 ft to the summit of Flat top. Her son and I ran/hiked up to the summit and back down while taking photos of the awesome sunset. It was an accomplishment for the mom that she was marveling about the entire car ride back to downtown, Anchorage. I knew that the mom could do more than she thought. So, it was very gratifying to me to know that she pushed her limit just a little higher. Her sense of accomplishment was overwhelming to her. I love my job!!! I have a feeling she will become a hiker as she loved the bonita vistas!!! They have headed up to Denali and Fairbanks but they might come out on a Glacier Hike or Ice Climbing on their way back through Anchorage :) Yahooo, it is great bonding with clients and having an extraordinary time in the Alaskan mountains. For some, Flat Top is not wilderness but for others it can be the most wilderness they have experienced. They get a taste and then they get hooked :) ----Heather Szundy

Video of Summer Ice Climbing in AK

Tram Rock, more local flora

Goldenrod

Alaska Cotton

Baneberry - beautiful, but POISONOUS!!

Kerisa nears the top of tram rock

Matt explains technique

Matt and Kerisa watch as Shamarcus climbs

07/28 3 Day Private Ice Climbing & Camping trip Byron Glacier

Hi there it's Ruth and Allan Conway here. Thanks again to Ryan for the fantastic trip that he gave us ice climbing as part of our honeymoon! I wondered if it would be possible to reach Ryan to ask for copies of the photographs that he took of us during the trip? he mentioned that we could perhaps e-mail them to us but we forgot to exchange e-mail addresses.
If it is possible to get this request to Ryan that would be fantastic!
Kind regards
Ruth Conway

Rainforest Hike to Hand Tram

First salmon berries of the season! And Brown Bear on the bike path. . .

Salmon Berries! Deep red, orange, and yellow - found in a very secret location . . . . . Why are they named Salmon Berries? You will have to join us on a Rain Forest Hike to find out!

This young brown bear was foraging in the greenery along a remnant snowslide next to the bike path/highway out of Girdwood.

Valerian, a popular nighttime sleep aid, is growing like crazy on many of the alpine slopes around Girdwood. This flower sports a pretty companion. (pic from Crow Pass)


Fireweed is in full bloom now. . . . (pic from Resurrection River)

. . . . and so is the beautiful (but very poisonous) Monks Hood. (pic from Bird Ridge)

Ryan Davis and two happy ice climbing clients on the Byron Glacier in Portage Valley. (pic by Ryan Davis)

Gluten Free Family Glacier Hike

So, I have been dealing with Gluten allergies for a few years and I was booking clients from Florida who were also Gluten free. They requested me as their guide since we talked on the phone for about and hour about all the places in Anchorage and in Alaska they could eat and buy groceries. We had a stellar day and the family really enjoyed the glacier hike. The 12 y/o girl said it was "the coolest thing she had ever done with her family!" It made my day :) --Heather Szundy

I Didn't know moose could read signs?

This Juvenile Moose was terrain trapped near the tram terminal. He started coming my way as if he/she was going to come into the yurt. I thought this photo op was funny :)

Guest Comment from Ben Benson

Hi Aubrey, Matt & Heather,
Thanks you so much for helping me get up to stay at Crow Pass! I would not have been able to stay up there without your professional help. I was very happy with how well everything went and I will definitely recommend you to any friends of mine that are going to Alaska. Feel free to have any of your guides contact me if they need a place to stay in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Thanks again-Ben Benson

Cute Moose in Girdwood

Forth of July in Girdwood

click on the link above to see a video

07/02 Wolverine Peak Day Hike Anchorage

Dear sirs,

I am writing to you to say that I was very satisfied with your services.

The full-day hike on July 2nd, with the tour guide Beth, was really pleasant.
We went all the way up to Wolverine Peak and it was a real learning experience. Besides mentioning interesting information about the vegetation and animals of the region, she also tought us how to recognize animals footprints and type of plants/trees.

I hope to go back to Alaska next summer and enjoy some more of this beautiful state.
Next time, I would like to do Ice Climbing, Rock Climbing and Glacier Hiking!

Have a nice summer!

Ana Licia Sudo
São Paulo, Brazil

Midnight Sun Glacier Hiking

June 27th, 7:30pm. Ryan and I sat in the yurt listening to the pounding rain on the yurt canvas and watching sheets of water come down the plastic windows and tried to remain optimistic about our upcoming 8pm glacier hike. Half hour later, though, just before the Van Duren party arrived for the trip, the rain stopped and the clouds started moving out. The rest of the evening in the midnight sun was sun-streaked and gorgeous.

Ryan points out the various types of glaciers surrounding the Girdwood valley to Matt and Mark Van Duren.

Approaching the Alyeska glacier.

Carefully treading toward the open blue ice at the top of the glacier.

Looking down into a moulin and crack in the glacier.

The Van Duren party and guide Ryan Davis.

Coming off the glacier at 11:30pm, the sunset on Turnagain arm is breathtaking.

Rafting 6-mile with Nova

The employees of the Ascending Path were offered a raft trip down 6-mile Creek with Nova, a rafting guide service based out of Hope, Alaska. Five of our crew took Nova up on their offer, and we had a really exciting run down the class 5 rapids on a spectacular sunny day.
Along the way we got to see a fresh eagle-slain king salmon, an owl, and tons of white water!

Matt, Heather, Herbie (our guide), Aubrey, Jeff, Heather

Taking the rapids!

Herbie decides to take this rapid backward - wheeee!!