Cascade Creek & Petersburg, Southeast Alaska
The forests of Southeast Alaska represent a precious national resource – the last extensive, uninterrupted stands of Old Growth Temperate Rainforest. The forests have developed to the Old Growth condition over time ranging from hundreds to thousands of years following the retreat of glaciers that once covered and carved the landscape. Yesterday we saw the process as it begins with the recent retreat of the Dawes Glacier in Endicott Arm exposing bare rock, new substrate for colonization by plants. Today, in Thomas Bay, we walked on the boardwalks and up the steep steps of a Forest Service trail that follows Cascade Creek into the Old Growth forest. A thundering waterfall on Cascade Creek brought many tons of water per second from the melting snow pack in the mountains above us, creating a mist that dampened the forest and the trail and, when seen from the right vantage, a rainbow in the forest. Soon the water of melting snow will be replaced by summer rains and the waterfall will continue to enthrall visitors. Above the waterfall we could hear the sounds of the stream, of a tiny winter wren bursting forth in exuberant song, and of a distant blue grouse drumming on a fallen log. We could gaze into the forest to see the multiple layers of green: moss, lichens, ferns, and small herbs on the forest floor and covering fallen logs; shrubs of blueberry, huckleberry, and salmonberry promising delicacies to come; and fragrant skunk cabbage pushing up in damp swales, providing food for hungry bears and deer. Both of these mammals left their marks along the trail.
Over lunch we moved to Petersburg, a small town where fishing dominates the economy and the lives of residents. Today, on Memorial Day, residents and visitors alike were enjoying the warm and sunny weather that is all too infrequent in Southeast Alaska. There is a reason it is called a rainforest, but that was certainly not evident today. The afternoon activities were several. Some took a walk on the dock to look at the various kinds of Alaskan fishing boats and engage locals in conversation about their lives and occupations as commercial fishers. Some boarded a floatplane (an experience in itself) for a flight over the nearby Stikine Ice Field and LeConte Glacier, North America’s southernmost tidewater glacier. Some took a Zodiac across Wrangell Narrows to Kupreanof Island for another forest walk, this one leading to a bog habitat just bursting forth with flowers. The “flower” of dwarf dogwood is actually a composite of many flowers; each dark spot contains all of the parts of a complete flower. Some borrowed bicycles to test the old adage (you never forget…). And some simply strolled along the few blocks that comprise the main street of Petersburg. As we were engaged in our activities, boxes of Petersburg’s principal products arrived aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion (we get our fish and seafood here). Some of it appeared on the evening menu as we feasted on king crab (following the graphic directions of our Hotel Manger, Judie Blewitt.)
The forests of Southeast Alaska represent a precious national resource – the last extensive, uninterrupted stands of Old Growth Temperate Rainforest. The forests have developed to the Old Growth condition over time ranging from hundreds to thousands of years following the retreat of glaciers that once covered and carved the landscape. Yesterday we saw the process as it begins with the recent retreat of the Dawes Glacier in Endicott Arm exposing bare rock, new substrate for colonization by plants. Today, in Thomas Bay, we walked on the boardwalks and up the steep steps of a Forest Service trail that follows Cascade Creek into the Old Growth forest. A thundering waterfall on Cascade Creek brought many tons of water per second from the melting snow pack in the mountains above us, creating a mist that dampened the forest and the trail and, when seen from the right vantage, a rainbow in the forest. Soon the water of melting snow will be replaced by summer rains and the waterfall will continue to enthrall visitors. Above the waterfall we could hear the sounds of the stream, of a tiny winter wren bursting forth in exuberant song, and of a distant blue grouse drumming on a fallen log. We could gaze into the forest to see the multiple layers of green: moss, lichens, ferns, and small herbs on the forest floor and covering fallen logs; shrubs of blueberry, huckleberry, and salmonberry promising delicacies to come; and fragrant skunk cabbage pushing up in damp swales, providing food for hungry bears and deer. Both of these mammals left their marks along the trail.
Over lunch we moved to Petersburg, a small town where fishing dominates the economy and the lives of residents. Today, on Memorial Day, residents and visitors alike were enjoying the warm and sunny weather that is all too infrequent in Southeast Alaska. There is a reason it is called a rainforest, but that was certainly not evident today. The afternoon activities were several. Some took a walk on the dock to look at the various kinds of Alaskan fishing boats and engage locals in conversation about their lives and occupations as commercial fishers. Some boarded a floatplane (an experience in itself) for a flight over the nearby Stikine Ice Field and LeConte Glacier, North America’s southernmost tidewater glacier. Some took a Zodiac across Wrangell Narrows to Kupreanof Island for another forest walk, this one leading to a bog habitat just bursting forth with flowers. The “flower” of dwarf dogwood is actually a composite of many flowers; each dark spot contains all of the parts of a complete flower. Some borrowed bicycles to test the old adage (you never forget…). And some simply strolled along the few blocks that comprise the main street of Petersburg. As we were engaged in our activities, boxes of Petersburg’s principal products arrived aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion (we get our fish and seafood here). Some of it appeared on the evening menu as we feasted on king crab (following the graphic directions of our Hotel Manger, Judie Blewitt.)
