Alaska

As promised, I have poached some of the great photos my mom took on their recent 3 week road trip to Alaska.  Since I wasn't there, I can't give a good itinerary of where these were taken but they are worth sharing.  Without further ado:

Spirit Bear.

Elusive and very rare, hence the obscured face.

Spirit Bears are not albino bears.  They are the result of a rare genetic combination that produces the white coat.  They have a special place in the culture of the Native Americans.  A good, short explanation of their significance can be found here.   Needless to say, due to their rarity, it's remarkable that my parents were so fortunate to have seen one.  They spoke with several native Alaskans have never seen one in their lifetime.

 A beautiful fox.  All the animals in Alaska seem to be slightly larger than their southern cousins and in excellent health.

Who can't smile when looking at an otter lounging on the water!

Majestic.

And also dangerous.  Lots of crevasses out there.

Kissing swans.

Perfect plumage for blending in.

The beauty of fall which comes much earlier in Alaska.  This was early September.

Mr. Moose

Caribou.  So stately.

Imagine the weight of those antlers!

I will post the remainder of the Alaska photos every so often.  Having heard the stories of the abundance of the wildlife as well as seen the photos and the majestic mountains, I foresee a trip to Alaska in my future!