The mighty Matanuska River roars down the valley on its way to the Knik Arm. Note the second stream above that is a lighter color. The gray color comes from the pulverized rock (called glacier flour) ground down by the heavy ice of the glaciers.
We were delighted and amazed to see this mountain goat carefully picking his way along the edge of the cliffside above the Holgate Fjord. He is certainly safe from any predators here! This picture was taken from a boat with the maximum telephoto capability on my Nikon Coolpix 5700, so it is a bit blurry!
This plant is a pint-sized relative of our southern Dogwood tree. These pretty white flowers bloom on small herbaceous (non-woody) plants, not trees. The other name alludes to the cluster of red berries that ripen in the fall. The white "petals" are actually bracts, the true flowers are found in the center.
