Across Alaska- Part II The Moon Mountains

After arriving in Nome the plan was to unpack the plane, take what we would need for the next few days, and set off to explore the peninsula. This was the part of the trip we were both really looking forward to.  Before we had set out on this trip we had sat down with our good friend Will Vacendek who lived and flew in the area for many years. After our short visit with him, our map looked like a treasure map full of scribbles, circles and X’s scattered over the peninsula.

Of all the places he had told us about I was most excited about a placed he called the Moon Mountains. As Will had zoomed in on Google Earth this little area by the coast jumped off the map and seemed to glow white, I didn’t know what exactly to expect but I knew it was going to be unique. He also told us about a little lagoon nestled in the mountains that sounded like a personal paradise complete with a beach. This needed to be our first stop, so we took off from Nome and followed the coast to the Moon mountains.

We didn’t fly more than 30 min before the landscape dramatically changed and it was unmistakable that we had arrived.

We began our search for the lagoon.

Then we saw it.

Oh man, this had to be it. We had seen a spot about a mile away where it was obvious planes had been landing but Woodsen hates to walk and schlep gear so we did a couple low passes and ended up landing just to the right of the lake then taxing up to the beach. I’m not complaining 🙂

After a short but hot ride in the airplane, the water was calling our names

So we did the only logical thing to do. Go for a swim!

Sitting on the beach wondering if this is real.

The only minor problem we ran into was trying to keep Woodsen from completely frying in the sun. Ginger problems.

Good thing we brought a tarp.

The next day we set out to explore.

We saw all sorts of rock formations, water pools, and flowers and wondered how this crazy landscape came to be. We will have to ask will if he knows.

 

 

Always time to be Queen of the mountain!

Yep, this is pretty much the emotion that the Moon Mountain evokes every time I look at pictures and think about our time in this magical spot.

We hated to leave this paradise but the rest of the peninsula was waiting to be explored.