Mt. Roberts Hike

Here's closer trail head - at the east end of 6th Street.  You go up the hill and then up the steps.  Turn right here onto a small dirt path. 

There's a fallen tree that has led hikers to blaze a new, muddy shortcut not far from here.  At this point, there are houses all around. 

About 20 minutes in I got to a small shelter in front of an opening in the trees with this view of Juneau.  Our place is the yellow house in the enlarged insert.  I called J from there and I could see her walk out into the yard, but even with the binoculars, she couldn't see me in the trees.

Here's the view she would have had from our doorway back up.  But I took this picture just now and the hill is in the shade.  But I'm guessing I was somewhere in the oval. 

There were lots of glimpses through the trees of Mt. Juneau and some of Juneau itself.  But mostly I was in in deep shade on this glorious sunny day. 

As I got higher up, it started getting icy on the trail

I saw snow shoe tracks as I was going up and eventually met the person wearing them on his way down.  As I went up, it seemed like a good idea since the trail was well packed.  As it turned out, going down was fine just in my tennies. 

And then I was in snow.  

And eventually I could see the top of the tram.  The sign said it was 2 1/2 miles. 

At first it looked like the trail ended on the back side of the building, but it wound down then back up and around to a big deck where I could sit in the sun and enjoy the warmth and the view.  This is the structure you can see from below in the first picture above.   PM ran up with Apollo and he caught up with me as I got to the tram building.  He took 36 minutes and I took 90.  But I did stop to take pictures and to try to get J to see me at the viewpoint.  (I know, lame excuses.  He's also 15 years younger and training to do the Chilkat in one day this summer.)

Shortly after these two delightful young women showed up and Apollo was very friendly with them.  They both grew up in Juneau and have returned after school Outside. 

PM decided to walk back down with me instead of running.  But Apollo kept us moving at a much faster clip than I would have alone.  The snow and ice were much easier to navigate than I expected. 

I think dogs may be the secret source of energy for the future.  This dog ran up and back carrying this huge stick all the way down the mountain.  Apollo probably did 10 miles to our 2.5 back.  And was still running hard when we dropped him off at his house.  (PM picks up Apollo whenever he goes running or hiking.)