Out on the Chikat River ice after work today sees the sun dipping behind the omnipotent peaks of the mighty Chilkat Range and spindfift blasting from it’s summits. The wind must have been over 60 mph up there. Out there on the frozen river, the temps were close to zero with the windchill. Alaska in winter is spectacular to say the least…
Videos
OK In The AK
2016 has been a good year. There has been much activity on my end regarding photography and video production and the hope and dream of one day not having to build houses for a living are just a teensy bit closer. There have been many small adventures in the form of day hikes, or stomps, as I like to call them, generally along the forested Bear trails along the Chilkat and Tsirku Rivers. Often is the case when I simply head out into the Alaskan forests and thickets and stomp, off trail, to glorious and unheralded spots for my own simple pleasure.
There was even one big adventure this year when I embarked on a pedaling trip aboard the omnipotent Surly Ogre and rode from my house in Haines to Skagway via Whitehorse. A mere eight day voyage that was over far too soon. Next year there are tentative plans for a ten day trip down a portion of Alaska’s magical and seldom visited outer coast, AKA the Lost Coast. A trip that will involve both legs, packraft, and bush plane. Also planned is a mountaineering trip somewhere locally with a friend from down south coming for an adventure in August.
Unfortunately, writing has been on the back burner, but capturing the Alaska world on video has been my focus. This latest video “OK In The AK” is all footage from the venerable Autumn here in Haines, and compiled as both a show piece for selling stock video as well as an artistic expression of the wilderness prevailing.
I hope you enjoy!
The Fairweather Range
Ever since I heard about my friend Cameron Lawson’s adventure of riding a fat bike and packrafting the entire length of Alaska’s Lost Coast over the course of two summers, I have been somewhat infatuated by the place. Now, having moved to Haines three years back, the magical Lost Coast is in my back yard, so to speak. It was time for a re-con trip. Our group, consisting of Gene and Michele Cornelius, Angela Carter, Paul Swantsrom, and myself meet at the landing strip about 9 am, mount Gene’s new stabilized gimbal cam to the wing strut, and off we go in the 1956 DeHaviland Beaver, bound for Alsek Lake and the Lost Coast.
This mission was one of gathering aerial footage for financial and artistic gain, but for me it was far more, My insane love for this country out there has me on the constant lookout for opportunity to explore. Out past the Takhinsha Peaks and into the bowels of the icefields and glaciers flowing into Glacier Bay, we finally come around face to face with Mt Crillion and Mt Fairweather… the Giants. Mt Fairweather, at over 15,000 feet high, and rising less then ten miles from the Gulf of Alaska, is one of the highest Coastal peaks in the world, enshrouded in massive glaciers and reputed as to having some of the worst weather on the planet.
Cruising up the desolate coast, we see far below to Alsek lake, where mighty Glaciers congregate into a freshwater bathtub of icegergs, is engulfed in a sizable wind storm. The massive curtains of dust clearly visible from the confines of the plane. We opt to land on the whimsical darkened sand of the Lost Coast itself, just north of the La Perouse Glacier, and Wolf and Grizzly tracks are spotted immediately. We do some shots of the plane landing and taking off, shoot a time lapse or two, and before you know it we are flying again upwards of 11,000 feet on the flanks of Fairweather itself.
This trip strengthened my desire for a trip out here again, this time armed with a pair of legs and a pack raft.. Coming in April or May of 2017.
Here is a quick edit of that day… Enjoy!
Brownie and ‘Lil Dickens
Brownie and ‘Lil Dickens playing in the Chilkoot River near Haines, Alaska
The Chilkoot Bears
It had been some weeks since I had been out Chilkoot way… The summer hoards of tourists hoping to catch glimpses of the beautiful Chilkoot Bears has kept me away. Now, in September, the weir has been taken down, and the masses are at bay. I decide to head that way in hopes of seeing Speedy, Brownie, and ‘Lil Dickens on their home turf. Lucky for me, they are all there frolicking and catching the last of the year’s Chilkoot Salmon run. Here’s the footage from today…
Fade To Alaska
Today’s edit of recent shots compiled… Most of the shots in this short have never seen the light of day till now.
If you enjoy this, please visit Pond 5 and check out my portfolio of stock video.
Enjoy!
An Unfortunate Moose
Heading up to Klukwan today to stomp about, I came across this poor, hapless young Buck Moose standing upon an island in the middle of the mighty Chilkat River. His rear left leg badly broken and dangling about, pondering how he may cross the torrent upon three legs amidst unbelievable pain. Poor, poor baby. Broke my heart to see him in such a state. I can only imagine that the injury occurred given pursuit by Wolf or Bear…
I wish you love and luck my friend
Alaska Moods of Winter
Here is a short edit of some of the video I have been shooting this winter for stock video sales on Pond5, VideoBlocks, Fotolia, etc. It was shot entirely in the Haines area in the Chilkat Valley of Alaska’s northern panhandle. We actually got some snow here this winter, yet still not enough, but it sure was beautiful!
I hope you enjoy it!
The 59th Parallel
As winter marches forward, I am finally beginning to have a little more time to shoot and edit video. The shots in the following film were taken entirely in the Haines area of Alaska, which is where I live. Ninety percent of the shots were taken with the Sony PXW-X70 with a handful of shots from my old Canon 60D DSLR since they were on hand for the content I needed. Plus maybe one shot from the Sony FS-700. The purpose of this short is both as an artistic expression, and to show the stock video clips I sell in action.
The 59th Parallel (2015)
The Need For Speed
Last week while my Mom was visiting Haines, we decided to head out to Chilkoot and check in on Speedy the Bear and her new cubs. Angela joined us and we were treated with a nice viewing of one of Haines’ most beloved and well known Bears. Last winter she birthed 2 new cubs and seeing them for the first time frolicking in the river and eating Salmon was really something to see. Here’s a short video of what we saw…
Alaska Short
Battery Point Cove Time Lapse
True North
Here is the short piece I produced from footage, timelapse, and photos from the Alaskan trip back in ’11.. I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed pedaling it..
True North: A Man in Motion (2013)
Just Rolling By 