June 25, 2015

We left Seward this morning after a visit to the laundromat and the grocery store. It was such a nice laundromat too with large machines so your visit was relatively short and sweet. The grocery store was a quick stop too…ice and fruit. On our way out of town, we decided to take the drive up to Exit Glacier. It was pretty amazing to see the markers along the road with the dates that the glacier was at each point. It has shrunk dramatically even in the last 10 years.

While we were hiking up to the moraine end of the glacier, some young men stopped us saying they saw a black bear just up the trail from us. Some German and French tourists were not too sure they wanted to chance a meeting however we all proceeded with loud talking, clapping and laughter and never saw the bear. It was probably heading for high ground! Anyway, as we left the park 45 minutes or so later, 5 Alaska trooper cars with lights, one Seward police car with lights and siren and two Fish and Game trucks with lights all came roaring into the park. I guess they planned on arresting that bear!

We continued on into the interior of the Kenai Peninsula and never saw any of the forest fire. We were, however, the first campers into the Hidden Lake Campground. We followed the rangers in as they removed the “closed to camping” signs. Hidden Lake is quiet and nice. Loons serenaded us all evening. It was finally warm enough to eat outside and enjoy nature for a change. After the chaos of camping along the beach in Seward, it was a very nice change indeed.