Treadwell Mining Complex Ruins Vol. 1, Juneau, AK

Central Power Plant and New Office Building

The old Treadwell Mining Complex ruins at Sandy Beach are one of my favorite things to photograph. It’s so easy to take a moment and imagine what it must have been like when Treadwell was operating at full capacity, with some 2,000 mine employees working to crank out tons of gold each day.

Here are some photos of a couple of the first large, recognizable ruins you come across as you head down the trail from its start near the recreational shelters – first, the remains of the Central Power Plant and then what was known as the New Office Building, which served as a temporary hospital after a fire wiped out Douglas and Treadwell in 1937.

In the weeks to come, I hope to post more photos of ruins further down the trail. Stay tuned!

Growth on the Central Power Plant.

Growth on the Central Power Plant.

Central Power Plant remains.

Central Power Plant remains.

Creepy Clown

Creepy Clown

Radiator

Radiator

New Office Building.

New Office Building.

Colorful

Colorful

fool?!?

fool?!?

Inside the New Office Building.

Inside the New Office Building.

New Office Building interior.

New Office Building interior.

Graffiti

Graffiti

Salmon Inspiration

Salmon Inspiration

Wharf and Warehouse pilings.

Wharf and Warehouse pilings.

Growth on the Central Power Plant.Central Power Plant remains.Creepy ClownRadiatorNew Office Building.Colorfulfool?!?Inside the New Office Building.New Office Building interior.GraffitiSalmon InspirationWharf and Warehouse pilings.

Mt. Juneau, Juneau, July 2012

A break in the seemingly constant summer rain here in Juneau meant it was time to ditch work and head up a mountain.

The mountain of choice was Mt. Juneau, topping out at 3,576 feet. I learned a bit of Mt. Juneau trivia from its Wikipedia page, like that it’s been known as Gold Mountain and Bald Mountain in the past and that it receives 300% more rain than downtown Juneau. Crazy.

Not too many photos to share this time, as it was cold, windy, and the next wave of rain was quickly heading in, but snapped a few good ones nonetheless!

Alaska's State Bird, the Willow Ptarmigan

Alaska's State Bird, the Willow Ptarmigan

A Flock of Mountain Goats

A Flock of Mountain Goats

Juneau from 3,576 Feet

Juneau from 3,576 Feet

Juneau International Airport and Chilkats

Juneau International Airport and Chilkats

Mountaintop Snacks

Mountaintop Snacks

Summit Construction

Summit Construction

Mt. Juneau Shack

Mt. Juneau Shack

Alaska's State Bird, the Willow PtarmiganA Flock of Mountain GoatsJuneau from 3,576 FeetJuneau International Airport and ChilkatsMountaintop SnacksSummit ConstructionMt. Juneau Shack

Brew Fest 2012 @ Haines, AK, May 2012

Whew. Haines. Brew Fest. Crazy!

There are not many photos from the event itself… it’s hard to hold a camera and sample at the same time. I did at least manage some nice “out & about” shots of Haines. Enjoy!

Brew Fest 2012!

Brew Fest 2012!

Packed Dalton City

Packed Dalton City

Battery Point

Battery Point

Yellow Daisy

Yellow Daisy

Bemused Boxer

Bemused Boxer

Honey Moon Hotel

Honey Moon Hotel

MV Partner

MV Partner

Artsy boat.

Artsy boat.

Haines in black and white.

Haines in black and white.

Lackadaisical Lab

Lackadaisical Lab

Brew Fest 2012!Packed Dalton CityBattery PointYellow DaisyBemused BoxerHoney Moon HotelMV PartnerArtsy boat.Haines in black and white.Lackadaisical Lab

Barrow, AK, May 2012

What a trip!

Barrow, Alaska, is a pretty dynamic place this time of year – above-freezing temperatures and nearly 24 hours of sunlight kick starts the breakup of snow and ice that accumulated over a long winter. In just 3 days, lagoons that were buried beneath a layer of white ice suddenly burst into open bodies of water that some locals found irresistible (see the photo below of the snowmachine on the water!). Ditches that were empty were now nearly overflowing with meltwater and driveways turned from great places to park your car into front yard lakes. Again, all this happened in less than 72 hours. Incredible.

I did not have the (mis)fortune of encountering a polar bear, but I don’t think this will be my last trip to the “Top of the World”! Enjoy the photos!

Sun Dog

Sun Dog

Naval Arctic Research Lab Housing

Naval Arctic Research Lab Housing

Pink Van

Pink Van

Post-Apocalyptic Playground

Post-Apocalyptic Playground

Two Boats

Two Boats

Bowhead Whale Jaw and Midnight Sunset

Bowhead Whale Jaw and Midnight Sunset

Umiaq

Umiaq

Furthest North Mexican Restaurant

Furthest North Mexican Restaurant

Boxer Ocean and Sky

Boxer Ocean and Sky

Discarded Bunny

Discarded Bunny

Discarded Scout

Discarded Scout

Barrow Terminal

Barrow Terminal

Discarded Muktuk

Discarded Muktuk

Duke on a Pink Bike

Duke on a Pink Bike

Common and King Eiders

Common and King Eiders

No Kids in this Area

No Kids in this Area

Barrow Snow Bird

Barrow Snow Bird

Success

Success

Snowbird in Flight

Snowbird in Flight

Rippie's Pull Tab

Rippie's Pull Tab

Snowmachine Crossing

Snowmachine Crossing

Barrow Sunshine

Barrow Sunshine

Barrow Lake Fun

Barrow Lake Fun

Enjoying the Sunshine

Enjoying the Sunshine

Whaler Love

Whaler Love

Save the Whales... for Dinner

Save the Whales... for Dinner

Polar Bear Escape Technique #23

Polar Bear Escape Technique #23

Black Eye

Black Eye

No Cutting Corners

No Cutting Corners

The Plane has Arrived

The Plane has Arrived

Sun DogNaval Arctic Research Lab HousingPink VanPost-Apocalyptic PlaygroundTwo BoatsBowhead Whale Jaw and Midnight SunsetUmiaqFurthest North Mexican RestaurantBoxer Ocean and SkyDiscarded BunnyDiscarded ScoutBarrow TerminalDiscarded MuktukDuke on a Pink BikeCommon and King EidersNo Kids in this AreaBarrow Snow BirdSuccessSnowbird in FlightRippie's Pull TabSnowmachine CrossingBarrow SunshineBarrow Lake FunEnjoying the SunshineWhaler LoveSave the Whales... for DinnerPolar Bear Escape Technique #23Black EyeNo Cutting CornersThe Plane has Arrived

Exhibit: December 2, 2011 @ 2nd Street Heritage Coffee Company

It’s been a long, long time since my last photo exhibit, but I’m proud and very excited to announce that I will have a collection of glacier cave photos on display at the Heritage Coffee Company’s location at 216 2nd Street in downtown Juneau.

The exhibit will open for Gallery Walk, this Friday, December 2nd, and will remain up for the remainder of the month.

If you are interested in purchasing a print you see on the wall, the large rectangular (16×20) and large panoramic (10×30) prints are $60/ea, and the square (12×12) and small panoramic (10×20) prints are $40/ea.

Here’s the official show blurb:

“Beneath the Mendenhall”

Glacier caves are formed when water runs through or under a glacier, the warmth of which melts the glacial ice to form an air-filled cavity. Having the Mendenhall Glacier right in our backyard provides a unique opportunity to discover and explore these deep-blue voids, provided you are willing to take the risks associated with wandering around underneath a massive, constantly shifting slab of ice and snow. This show presents photos taken over two trips to the same glacier cave this summer and highlights the cerulean glow and patterns that make glacier caves so mesmerizing.

So if you’re out and about in the downtown area for Gallery Walk this Friday, stop by the 2nd Street Heritage and say hi!


Mendenhall Glacier Cave, Juneau, AK, October 2011

A crisp, clear October morning turned into another hike out West Glacier Trail to the face of the Mendenhall Glacier, then on and under the glacier for a repeat visit to a glacier cave I was last at this past July. The interior of the cave has opened up and is much wider and taller at points, while the arch at the entrance looks significantly less substantial than it did – I have a feeling that this winter’s snow will be too much weight and it may collapse at some point. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

In any case, the cave was just as exhilarating as it was three months ago: the colors, the sound of the water echoing off the walls, the temperature, everything. I definitely noticed that upon exiting the cave, my heart rate was up and I had a bit of an adrenaline rush going! All in all, this was an awesome way to spend a sunny October Sunday.

Hard to stay inside on a Juneau day like this.

Hard to stay inside on a Juneau day like this.

Closing in on the Mendenhall Glacier.

Closing in on the Mendenhall Glacier.

Iceberg viking ships!

Iceberg viking ships!

Standing where the glacier one was.

Standing where the glacier one was.

Looks like fun!

Looks like fun!

Sunny valley behind Mt. Bullard.

Sunny valley behind Mt. Bullard.

Nondescript ice cave entrance.

Nondescript ice cave entrance.

Looking into the depths.

Looking into the depths.

The ceiling can be very aurora-like.

The ceiling can be very aurora-like.

Some idea of perspective here. The ceiling was anywhere from 20 feet high at the entrance to less than 4 feet as it got deeper. About 9 or 10 feet here.

Some idea of perspective here. The ceiling was anywhere from 20 feet high at the entrance to less than 4 feet as it got deeper. About 9 or 10 feet here.

Frozen water and rushing water. Oh the juxtaposition.

Frozen water and rushing water. Oh the juxtaposition.

Ice cave waterfalls.

Ice cave waterfalls.

Ice cave abstraction.

Ice cave abstraction.

And more abstraction...

And more abstraction...

Got the blues.

Got the blues.

Going towards the light.

Going towards the light.

End of the tunnel.

End of the tunnel.

Let there be light!

Let there be light!

On the glacier looking back towards the valley. Not a usual view.

On the glacier looking back towards the valley. Not a usual view.

Hard to stay inside on a Juneau day like this.Closing in on the Mendenhall Glacier.Iceberg viking ships!Standing where the glacier one was.Looks like fun!Sunny valley behind Mt. Bullard.Nondescript ice cave entrance.Looking into the depths.The ceiling can be very aurora-like.Some idea of perspective here. The ceiling was anywhere from 20 feet high at the entrance to less than 4 feet as it got deeper. About 9 or 10 feet here.Frozen water and rushing water. Oh the juxtaposition.Ice cave waterfalls.Ice cave abstraction.And more abstraction...Got the blues.Going towards the light.End of the tunnel.Let there be light!On the glacier looking back towards the valley. Not a usual view.

Totem Pole

Image

This is an oldie, but I stumbled across it last night and remembered working on it years ago, so I thought I’d share it… again! I shot this photo at Sitka National Historical Park (a.k.a. Totem Park) in Sitka, Alaska. This park is Alaska’s oldest national park, created in 1910 to commemorate the 1804 Battle of Sitka, and has dozens of totem poles and other totemic art lining its pathways. It’s really a beautiful park to walk through and I’d highly recommend visiting it if you ever find yourself in Southeast Alaska. The original photo was shot on medium format film with my old Yashica-MAT LMcamera, then I scanned it and added the color digitally based on the original colors on the totem, with a few artistic tweaks here and there.