The fall season exploded in fiery colors and almost overnight the mountains were warmed with a blanket woven in a swirls of orange, copper, burgundy and yellow. Like a fire that rages in full fury and then settles into a soft, low flame until only the shimmer of the coals remain, the landscape changed rapidly and soon the last shimmering embers on the mountains in the north extinguished. Winter crept over the peaks and down into the valleys shaking the last of the leaves clinging to the branches with icy fingers in the winds.
We realized that as soon as we inhaled the fall air we would have to exhale it's warmth into the cold of winter and we wanted to make the most of those short weeks we had to play in the colorful landscape. September is an amazing time to explore Alaska. While the seasons are rushing through in a hurry much of the state begins to slow. Visitors depart for warmer climates, businesses lock their doors and board the windows taping up signs that say, "See you next year!". Seasonal workers celebrate their unemployment packing up their bags and saying goodbye as they scatter across the world in a variety of adventures. Berries sweeten with the first frosts, birds migrate in noisy yet graceful dances through the sky, animals prepare for the long cold winter months and the wilderness becomes even more wild as a deep quiet sets in.
We took advantage of the slowing season and peaceful wilderness by exploring many of the trails, mountains, lakes and beaches through out the state. We visited some of our favorite places to play and also explored wilderness we had never seen. We slept late in cabins, had coffee in our tents, soaked our shoes crossing rivers, dried our socks by the fire, watched the auroras dance in the sky, pushed against the winds, slipped across ice, waded through snow and soaked up the sun. We played games, drank beer and whiskey, helped build a cabin, danced at a music festival, skipped rocks, picked berries, meditated, gathered herbs, watched movies, listened to music, paddled a kayak, practiced yoga, visited and traveled with friends. We balanced our days and nights with lots of play and plenty of relaxation.
We followed the sun and the birds as they headed south in order to extend the fall season as long as possible. The colorful shoulder season ended as quickly as it had arrived. We are settling into the onset of the long winter ahead but not planning on hiding out indoors. A quick change over to our winter gear and clothes and we are ready to head back out for another month of playing in the woods. We will slow our pace as nature does the same. We will welcome the next season, the longest of the Alaska seasons, where we can continue to feel the change in the air and hear the silence sweep over the woods. We may yearn for longer warmer days but we will also embrace the opportunities that winter brings and continue to adventure outdoors through all of the changing seasons. Eternally grateful for a life lived outdoors.
