To the mountains

If you've been to Anchorage, then you know about Flat top. It is a mountain just east of town that is among the most travelled hiking routes in the US. It took us until Febuary to finally get around to climbing it, and it was a really cool experience. These pictures will show that you can really feel like your in the high mountains within sight of downtown. Its pretty incredible.

The mountains just east of town are the front edge of the Chugach range. They get beat with tons of wind. The moutains in this picture look pretty bare because the snow never stays on top once the winds come. Its pretty crazy to see the mountains white one day and brown the next.

I'll answer the question that is in your mind: No, Wes and I aren't really hard core, but this picture may lead you to believe we are. Off to the right in this picture is a glacier that is pouring out of the interior range.

Downtown Anchorage sits snuggly beside the Cook Inlet in the background as I climb up the rocky face of Flat top. The mountain provides a breathtaking view of the city, the inlet and the mountains on the distant Aluetian Islands. I felt pretty spoiled on this hike.