Grace Ridge Hike Across the Bay

Jackie, her friend Megan and I set off at 9 am to drop off our gear and food at kayak beach yurt then the water taxi continued down to let us off at the South end of the Grace Ridge Hike. We hiked one way 8.9 miles, 3,100 feet up and down back to the yurt to camp the night. We started around 10:30 and got to the yurt at 7. We took our time, had lunch, rested in the meadows, picked and niblle on some wild low bush blue berries. Jackie had to be pulled away as she is a berry nut!

It was steep once you got near the top and a little muddy so i was mindful not to slip and fall back onto my friends. I was worried about my knee; it has been aching again this summer when i walk some times. Knee was fine but my heels burned and I was wearing the hiking boots I wore for a year all over the US...I borrowed one of Jackie's hiking poles, which I do not like to use b/c your hands are even less free for pix, but I am sure it helped.

The day was cloudy in Homer and started raining but it stopped and later in the afternoon we even saw patches of blue sky and some sun rays! I felt like i was on one of my out of country travels, which I use to do yearly and now its been almost 2 years since i left the US. There's so many great things to do in AK and even in Homer, but visually speaking this was the most epic for me. I would love to do this at least annually just  should get more in shape beforehand to avoid ache legs. Click here for pix.