Thrills on Blueberry Hill - Northern Lights with Layla <in Progress>

Hiking up the Blueberry Loop Trail to photograph Alaska Northern Lights, Layla and I were aware of the possibilities that might cross our paths.  Winter weather, wildlife and ice topped the list.  I had prepared for this midnight adventure as much as possible though the thought “Why are we not back home snuggling in our warm bed?” briefly crossed my mind.”  That thought was erased each time we stopped to catch our breath and take in the silence.  When standing on a mountainside in the dark of night, stars sparkling and crystalized, it’s silence but it isn’t.

A flurry of Alaska memories dance in my mind while gazing above.  The ice, slope and nip in the 10° air intensify that music and rouses the senses.

At the same time, we pause to listen to the woods for any sounds of moose steps in the snow or the munching of alders. Other animals, wherever they might be, were certainly more aware of us than we of them.

Then, Layla intervenes. She reminds me of the hill we have ahead before reaching our favorite place on the hill.  She’s looking up to me, wearing her purple snow booties, wondering why we’re not moving along to new sights and smells.  We launched ahead with our march.

The trail was dark and our eyes were still adjusting to the trail.  Layla, somewhat visible thanks to a marble-sized locator bulb, pranced up hill.  She lit the path with gentle, flickering glimpses as light bounced from the neckline of her fleece jacket. The scenery was not remarkable at this hour but I knew the route well from previous adventures.  We were bordered by thick spruce trees.  Their branches stretch into the trail like arms, hands and fingers pointing the way.

My eyes were straining and my head was bent down to see the ground, fearful of any misstep on the steep ice. The stillness of the evening was overwhelmed by the crunch-crunch-crunch percussion of ice grippers strapped to my hiking boots as we trudged upward.  The tempo of each step was accompanied by the satisfying sound of the yellow bear bell that Layla always wore when we hiked.  She never strayed and never barked.  But I loved hearing that reassuring ringing sound by my side.  Crunch, crunch, tinkle tinkle, crunch, tinkle crunch.  It was an inspiring chorus as we climbed upward.

Planning and Packing

Planning and packing for a late night hike is a detailed process. While we can usually predict favorable months for northern lights we don’t always know when they might happen specifically. October and February are predictable months for the aurora. Then, it’s a matter of weather conditions including temperature and clouds. When aurora activity is predicted to be high pack more than either Layla or will need. There are three elements to this: Layla, me and camera gear.

For Layla, I pack extra booties and form fitting dog jackets. She wears a fleece jacket on the hike. I pack extras based on the weather conditions and as replacements in the event she finds a creek and gets wet. Her supplies, carried in my pack, include water, a collapsable water bowl and dog snacks. Strapped to the top of the back pack with bungie cord is a 6x6 blanket that will sit next to me and my tripod. Layla sits on it while we wait for the skies to light up.

————-More to come—————