Summit Lake in Hatcher's Pass

I looked up into the mountains and saw thick cloud cover sitting in the pass.  I was to meet my new friend, Mindy, and her baby boy, Jasper, up in that high pass for a babywearing outing in just a few hours.  It sure wasn't going to be a glorious day, but we decided to head up the mountain anyway.  If us Alaskans always waited for nice weather to do anything, we would be some very bored people!
As I drove up the windy road that leads to the pass, the clouds became thicker and darker.  I took in the beauty of the bubbling and churning creeks and the beautiful green slopes, dotted with large snow patches, as Kelley played with my keys in her carseat. 
Hatcher's Pass is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, and is typically filled with people hiking, berry picking, sightseeing, snowmaching, skiing, snowshoeing and skijoring, but on this yucky day there were few people around.  As we reached the end of the pavement and turned left onto the bumpy dirty road that leads over the mountain by way of a high pass, I looked back down upon Palmer and the Cook Inlet, feeling a touch of vertigo at our extreme elevation.  I switched to four wheel drive and entered the thick clouds, which closed in around me like a fluffy, down comforter.  I couldn't see more than 30 feet ahead of me, but pressed on, hoping that some of these clouds would be burned off as we reached closer to the sun.  I traveled slowly, trying to avoid the shear dropoffs, unprotected by any type of barrier. 
My heart fluttered a bit as we traveled higher and higher into the sky, weaving and trying to avoid not only the bumps and pits in the road, but also the numerous ground squirrels and marmots dashing across the driving surface.  We finally reached Summit Lake, a spectacular little body of water whose depth has never been discovered.  The clear water looked ice cold and was still dotted with patches of ice.  It was still early spring at this elevation and large snow patches still grasped the snowy slopes.  The clouds were still thick and low, but the weather brought welcome quiet to this normally busy mountain top.

Summit Lake as the cloud cover lifted

I released the dogs and Mindy and I both strapped our babies in, Kelley in her ring sling and Jasper in his stretchy wrap.  We started off, wandering here and there over the alpine tundra, sometimes following little trails, but often veering off onto the caribou grass to investigate beautiful little flowers and hidden water falls.  I picked numerous different flowers for Kelley to hold and investigate and she would often do a taste test.  I though about how I wouldn't be able to adventure here with a stroller and reveled in snuggling with my girl in this damp, cold weather.
Mindy and I shared stories and our experiences as new moms as we made our way over to a large snow patch on the far side of the lake.  I let Kelley taste the snow as I daydreamed about the winter.  Chuck and Crosby tore up and down the mountain, taking time to cool off in the lake.  I heard a boy holler and realized we were no longer alone.  A group of kids had joined us and were hiking up the mountain and sliding down the snow.  I laughed and longed to join them, but sledding with Kelley would have to wait until next year.
We headed back to the vehicles and sat on a rock to take some time to feed our little adventurers, absorbing the amazing scenery as the clouds began to burn off. 



Looking down toward Willow.  You can see the road to the right.

 By the time the little ones' were full, the clouds had lifted enough to allow for a beautiful view of the valley below.   After walking back up the hill for a few photos, we decided that it was time to depart.  We loaded up and descended the mountain slowly, but surely, back into the real world.