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Fairbanks to Cripple Creek Campground/Steese HighwayJul 31, 2007
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Cripple Creek Campground on Steese Highway
Moose outside trailer at Cripple Creek Campground
Neat looking mushroom - not sure what kind it is or if...
| Hey - we're back! We spent the last 5 days dry camping about 60 miles up the Steese Highway which is a highway that goes north out of Fairbanks and dead ends at about 180 miles. We had gone up this highway the other day just to investigate it and to look for the couple we met earlier in our trip that our dredging for gold. Anyway we discovered this nice little BLM campground called Cripple Creek Campground that we decided to come back to. It was great! For the first 2 nights we were the only ones in this small campground. There are 12 camp sites with an additional 6 park and walk in tent sites. We have a site right on a creek that feeds into the Chatinika River. There are several walking trails around the campground and we have explored them all. The first evening while we were in the trailer the dogs ears suddenly perk up and he is looking out the back of the trailer, and there about 50 yards from our trailer and along the side of the creek was a moose. She was just grazing away and didn't seem to notice us. We didn't go out of the trailer, but stayed inside and took a couple of pictures. Pretty soon she ambled off. We have spent the last couple of days fly fishing on the Chatinika River and hiking. Monday, the 30th, we took a really nice hike that we found up the highway about 15 miles. The "trail" took us past a little creek and a trappers cabin. Mike took a look inside the little cabin and it didn't look like it had been used in quite some time. As we continued up the hill/mountain it opened up into a big meadow like area. As we were climbing we could see the mountains all around us. When we got to the top of the hill we were climbing I broke into song "The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Music". I seemed to be the only one who appreciated my singing!! After spending some time on the "mountain" looking through the binoculars at the other hill sides for any signs of wildlife, we headed back down the hill. By the way we didn't spot any wild life. This evening, still the 30th, two more campers showed up so we no longer have the place to ourselves. We have had a campfire every night so it has been nice to sit out in the evening. With the smoke from the campfire, the mosquitoes don't bother us too much. Of course, we have on long pants and long sleeves. The temperature the last couple of days up here has been a pleasant 65 degrees. Well here we are the morning of July 31st and it is raining. We woke to rain in the middle of the night last night and it has continued off and on all morning. The other two campers in the park have left so we have the place to ourselves again. Actually we didn't wake to rain in the middle of the night; we woke to the sound of something beeping about every 45 seconds. First we thought it was something to do with the trailer. Mike got up and went down in the main part of the trailer, but thought it was coming from outside. Finally after several minutes of listening to it and not being able to go back to sleep, I got up and went outside. It was 4:00 in the morning, but it looked like it was 8:00 am. When I got outside I could not hear it. So inside I went and we finally determined it was my cell phone beeping that the battery was low. Ugh!! Tomorrow we are going to pack up and head back towards Fairbanks, but take a road just before Fairbanks that goes out to Chena Hot Springs. It is a resort at the end of a 60 mile road out of Fairbanks and is part of the Chena River State Recreation Site. |
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