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Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska is the largest park in the national park service. Also known for having the continent’s largest assemblage of glaciers and the greatest collection of peaks above 16,000 feet, the park offers extreme adventure for the stout of heart. Mount St. Elias is the second highest peak in the United States at 18,008 feet and presents ample mountaineering opportunities. The park’s remoteness has resulted in little human occupation in the past, preserving its primitiveness.

 

The park is located a days drive east from Anchorage and lies adjacent to Canada’s Kluane National Park. There are three ways to view and get into the interior of the park. The 61-mile McCarthy Road is a dirt and gravel road that can take up to 3 hours to traverse. The Nabesna Road is a 42-mile gravel road from Slana to Nabesna that traverses the headwaters country of the Copper and Tanana drainages. The third way to view the park is by airplane where you can fly past massive peaks, over jagged glaciers, and endless expanses of wild Alaska.

 

The park and preserve encompasses four mountain ranges, the Chugach, the Wrangell, the Saint Elias, and the end of the Alaska Range on the northern borders. This in turn holds some of North America’s most remote wilderness. The terrain runs the gamut of mountains, glaciers, coastal and intertidal communities, rivers and lakes. Mountain climbing and ice climbing are big options to consider.

 

This truly wild Alaska is waiting to be explored by kayak, rafting, hiking, backpacking, mountaineering and mountain biking. Mountain biking can be done on the McCarthy and Nabesna Roads, some dry creek beds and a number of trails in the Glennallen, Copper Center-Chitina area. Sea kayaking can be done in Icy Bay on the coast and along the 150 miles of rugged coastline. Keep in mind that the coastline is for experienced sea kayakers as the coastline is wild and exposed to the open waters of the Gulf of Alaska or Yakutat Bay. Most kayakers are flown into the area to start at Kageet Point on the eastern edge of Icy Bay or Pt. Riou, located on Chugach Alaska Native Corporation land southeast of Icy Bay. Rafting opportunities are available in the rivers.

 

Hiking and backpacking can be done almost anywhere in the park, but conditions can often be muddy. Better hiking is available on the trails and routes that lead into the Mentasta Mountains north of Nabesna Road or past mile 36. You can also charter a plane to drop you off in the more remote interior. The landscape offers tremendous scenery and wildlife viewing. During the summer there are a wide variety of beautiful butterflies to be seen.

 

There are ample opportunities for fishing in the park and preserve. With the numerous lakes and rivers it can be a fly fisherman’s dream. Grayling, whitefish, Dolly Varden, lake trout, rainbow/steelhead trout, cutthroat trout, sculpin, burbot, lamprey, smelts, and suckers are all found in the park. The Gulkana River is a good place to catch salmon.

 

Sport hunting is allowed only in the preserve and in accordance with Alaskan regulations. It probably offers one of the biggest varieties of animals to hunt in the state. There are opportunities to hunt bear, Dall sheep, mountain goat, muskoxen, moose, waterfowl, and caribou. Off-road vehicles (ORV) can be used on established routes.

 

Winter also offers its share of outdoor adventure. Ice climbing, cross country skiing, snow skiing, snowmobiling, and snow shoeing are all options to enjoy if you love the cold weather. Remember that it can get minus 50 degrees F. in the dead of winter.

 

So no matter what your outdoor pleasure is, if you enjoy solitude and ruggedness, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the place for you. With the numerous shorebirds and two passerine migratory routes, the numerous wildlife, dragonflies and unique butterflies along with the rugged beauty of the terrain, you will experience something you won’t get any where else. This is definitely a park that should be on your must-see list.

 

Mammoth Cave National Park has recently opened a new hiking and biking trail called, Mammoth Cave Railroad Hike and Bike Trail. A nine-mile gravel and wooden boardwalk trail, it was opened in December 2007. We stopped at Mammoth Cave on our way home from our vacation and spent some time on the trail. Although better known for the famous caverns, what we discovered above ground left us wanting to come back again and again and see this beautiful path in all the different seasons. A little over 6 hours away from Chicago, off of I-65, makes this a very feasible weekend adventure.

 

Old railroad lines make great biking and hiking paths, but this is not a trail for a beginner bicyclist. There are numerous hills and three areas that are so steep, they recommend you get off your bike and walk it up the hill. It was a recommendation we thought highly of as we attempted to ride part way up the hill before hopping off the bikes and walking. Even that was strenuous! We did, however, have great fun riding down those steep hills!

 

The path winds through some awesome forests and deep ravines. Since we were there in the Fall, we caught gorgeous fall foliage. We also got to see several deer including an amorous buck. The valleys and hills were well worth the ride with new glimpses of fantastic fall color as we rounded a bend. Pictures just never do it justice. We had the trail all to ourselves although we did see some other people biking it as we arrived in the park.

 

The trail passes a couple of cemeteries where several of the original settlers in the area are buried. You can also stop at Sloan’s Crossing Pond where normally you can see wildlife, but the water levels were way down when we were there so there was mostly mud to see. There are also several historic places and a privately owned cave, Diamond Caverns that you will pass by as you travel this path.

 

You will be sure to get a workout as well as see some great landscapes while riding or hiking the Mammoth Cave Railroad Hike and Bike Trail. Be sure to bring plenty of water, snacks and a repair kit as this nine-mile one-way trail could leave you stranded with a long walk back if not prepared. My back tire went flat while we were on the trail and we would have had a long walk back if not for my husband’s forethought to bring a repair kit and not just an air pump.

 

Trail Specs:
Length: 9 miles, one-way
Difficulty:  Moderate
Elevation Change: 12% steepness grade for hills

Stage 11 of the Tour de France was a lot like Stage 10. Sure, the route was a bit different, as was the scenery along the way, but at the end of the day, the results were the same, as Mark Cavendish sprinted past everyone else to win his fourth stage of this year's Tour, and reclaim the Green Jersey from Thor Hushovd, who was able to maneuver into position coming down the stretch, but couldn't quite get past the "fastest man in the world."

Today's route rolled through the hills between Vatan and Saint-Fargeau, a distance of 192km (119 miles) that offered little for the climbers to do. The Peloton played it safe most of the day, although there were a few crashes along the route, and a late breakaway had to be reeled back in by Team Columbia-HTC once again. And just like yesterday, George Hincapie and Mark Renshaw delivered Cavendish to the finish line, where he powered his way up hill to claim the stage. Previously, many had said that he hadn't ever won on an uphill finish, but he silenced those critics today, pulling away from the field.

Otherwise, nothing else is changed. Nocentini is in Yellow, six seconds in front of Contador, and eight in front of Lance. Egoi Martinez holds on to the Polka Dot Jersey and Tony Martin is in White. As I've said several times before, nothing will like change in that department until next Tuesday, when the Alps make their first appearance, and they can't come quick enough at this point. These by-the-numbers stages are not very exciting to watch, unless you're into the sprinters and following the Green Jersey points.

Tomorrow, it's on to Vittel by way of Tonnerre. The stage is 211.5km (131 miles) in length and offers a bit more in the way of climbs, although there is still nothing more than a Category 3 to deal with. The only real excitement will be whether or not anyone can challenge Cavendish, either out on the route or at the finish line.

Stage 10 of the 2009 Tour de France was a fairly easy, by the numbers, affair today. In fact, Lance Armstrong called it one of the more relaxed days he had ever experienced on the tour. The course was a 194.5 km (120 mile) ride through the rolling hills between Limoges and Issoudun that offered the climbers few chances to flex their muscles but gave the sprinters some time to shine.

An early breakaway by a group of French riders looking to celebrate Bastille Day provided a bit of intrigue to the proceedings, but the Peloton wasn't ready to grant them their independence just yet, and the break was run down, mostly thanks to some good work from the Columbia-HTC team. At the end of the stage, George Hincapie and Mark Renshaw helped to propel their teammate, Mark Cavendish to yet another stage win (his third this year), with "the Missile" finishing just ahead of Thor Hushovd and promising young sprinter Tyler Farrar.

The standings remained unchanged for the Jersey holders and the top of the GC. Rinaldo Nocentini remained in the Yellow Jersey once again, as expected, with Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong content to remain seconds off the pace, lurking, and waiting for the Alps next week. Hushovd kept the Green Jersey despite losing out at the line to Cavendish, while Egoi Martinez stayed in the Polka Dot Jersey, with little more than Cat 4 climbs to challenge the climbers today. Tony Martin is still the top newcomer to the race, and as a result, he keeps the White Jersey as well, and if I were willing to bet, I'd say he'll be riding into Paris with White on his back.

Tomorrow, the riders will face a 192km (119 miles) jaunt from Vatan to Saint-Fargeau that will, much like today, favor the sprinters. The terrain will mostly be rolling hills once again, with a few Category 4 climbs mixed in. Don't expect any movement in the General Classification once more, while the top speedsters vie for sprint points to apply to the Green Jersey. For now, all eyes are focused on next Tuesday and the coming of the Alps.

After racing hard for a week an a half, today is the first rest day of the 2009 Tour de France, and after three tough stages in the Pyrenees, the riders are welcoming the reprieve.

The standings remain exactly the same coming out of the weekend, with the top riders shadowing each other over the mountains on Saturday and Sunday. Italian rider Rinaldo Nocentini remains in the Yellow Jersey, and while he looked shaky on Saturday, just one day after he was part of a major breakaway that put him in yellow, on Sunday he rode with more confidence and looked strong. The big guns of the tour are sitting just behind him, with Team Astana's Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong just six and eight seconds back respectively.

Norway's God of Thunder Thor Hushovd took the Green Jersey off the back of Mark Cavendish on Saturday, and now leads in the points for the sprinters. As a former winner of the Green Jersey, Thor could hang on to the lead for some time, but with several fast, most flat, stages ahead, I expect that this will be very contested in the next few days. Cavendish is the fastest man in the world when it comes to riding a bike, but his Columbia-HTC team has worked hard in the first week of the Tour.

The competition for the Polka Dot Jersey heated up in the Pyrenees with a number of riders going after the title of "King of the Mountain". Spain's Egoi Martinez took the lead in that category over the weekend, with two very strong days in the mountains. He'll likely hang on to the Jersey until next week when the race moves into the Alps, and things get very challenging for the climbers once again.

Finally, the White Jersey is currently on the back of German Tony Martin, who looks to clearly be the top new rider in the Tour this year. He's sitting in seventh place overall in the General Classification, and while he isn't expected to be a threat for the Yellow Jersey this year, he looks like quite a promising rider for years to come.

Looking ahead, I don't expect to see any major changes to the leaderboard until next Tuesday when the race wanders into the Alps. Barring any unforeseen issues or accidents, Nocentini will ride into the next mountain stages with the Yellow Jersey still in place, and while he has proven himself to be a strong climber, I don't think there is any way that he can hold off both Contador and Armstrong, who will have the full strength of Astana helping them out.

Some of the other contenders, such as Cadel Evans and Carlos Sastre looked for opportunities to make moves in the Pyrenees that would put them back into contention, but weren't really able to make up any ground. They will have to try again in the Alps, but it's really looking like this is going to turn into a two man race, with Armstrong and Contador battling it out. How the team dynamics work into this should be interesting to watch, and we'll see if one or the other is forced to take a backseat or if they'll just work it out amongst themselves on the course. Either way, it's going to be fun to watch!