Temptation in the bag.

     So a beautiful-weather-Sunday in Anchorage left me no choice but to go out for a hike and check another to-do off the list.  Today I headed out with a buddy I ski with but have never hiked with.  We were heading out of the Stuckagain Heights Trailhead with an unformulated plan.  Ultimately we decided to go for Temptation as it was one of few on his to-do list and I had only done Knoya in this area of the Chugach Front Range, it was new for both of us.
       Weather was perfect: breezy but not windy, sunny skies spotted with big white-and-puffy clouds with a backdrop of pure blue and mare's tails.  Temps were perfect, maybe a little warm below the treeline or out of the breeze.  Our route was impromptu, we hiked up to the dome and over to the north side of Kanchee, over a higher saddle and down into the drainage with the Snowhawk cabin.

     We had heard of the Snowhawk and seen it (from other peaks) but never investigated.  It is a 2-bunk hexagon in the valley bottom near the creek.  It is in a good position for over-nighters back in that area to save the legs.  It also was well-supplied.  I see potential for winter and skiing here although it lacked a stove/heater.  We continued on up the valley, following the creek and then cut up to the summit.  It took us an estimated 5 hours.  It was great to see the Ship drainage  from the non-South Fork side.  The tarn below to the West was amazing blue.  We could see the Tanaina couloir which will be on next years' spring-ski list.  The Chugach was spotted with cloud shadows.  Fabulous.

     The wildflowers were also amazing as they were all in full-bloom.  Such a great concentration of them all over as well as a huge variety.  It was like the whole backcountry was a garden of them.  I admire the little ones that are high up especially.  They look dainty, frail, and considering what they are growing in they sure are durable.  They put up with some stiff winds and conditions yet they thrive. 

 

 

     As we headed down we enjoyed the weather, the views, the flowers, relief from uphill, the satisfaction of climbing another new peak and exploring a new area.  No hike would be complete without some sort of Chugach bush-whacking.  Though it wasn't alders it still was less than fun.  We popped over a pass to avoid excess elevation changes and blazed a trail to the dome through some swampy, squishy, twiggy stuff.  I should have brought the bottom portion of my zip-off hiking pants because my legs took a scratching. 
     No moose, no bear, just a few ptarmigan and ground squirrels.  I also noticed that crowberries should be not too bad to eat soon.  I munched on a few blueberries, which were tart but I like them that way.  I also noticed some eager cranberries that had just a bit of green on their undersides.