Due to an unfortunate and unforeseen set of circumstances we are stuck in Sitka Alaska for an extra day. The boat we were supposed to journey upon blew an engine the day before we were to depart. Thanks to Greg at Expedition Broker, the best guy ever, he scrambled and got us on a different boat that leaves a couple days later from Sitka instead of Juneau. So we had to fly to Sitka and spend a couple days here. Wouldn’t you know it, Alaska’s first and oldest geocache is here in Sitka. I looked it up and saw that it was only 6 miles away from our hotel. Up a mountain called Bear Infested Mountain, or something like that. I knew I had to get there. Wifey gave me the go ahead to do whatever it took, she knew that once I found out about this I wouldn’t be normal again until I tried to find it. It was the 4th of July. The bike rental shop was closed. The rental car company had nothing available. Cabs were a pain because of a parade. I was running out of options and going crazy. I felt trapped and helpless, a very unusual and uncomfortable feeling for me. I considered walking but it would be about a 10 mile walk one way along the main roads just to get to the trailhead. I finally got a cab. A local kid named Matt dropped me off at the trailhead. I made sure I had cell reception to call for a cab to pick me up if I survived and needed a ride back to town. I had cell reception along the road but nowhere else during the day. I started my hike and knew I was in for a real treat. The views were beyond amazing. The geocache I was going for is found 2 maybe 3 times a year. As I started up a the mountain I ran into 2 other geocachers coming back down. What an odd coincidence! We chatted for a long time and then I kept climbing. The trails I strolled were lined with red and salmon berries the entire way. I stopped to eat these delicious candies of the land. My adventure was a complete success. I finished at Beaver Lake for a nice rest to take in the surroundings. Then back down I came. Since it was downhill I jogged a lot of it. I had no phone and wifey had no idea if I was inside a bear’s stomach or already turned into bear shit. I got to the bottom, called a cab and he was there surprisingly quick. A Hawaiian native and throwback to a different time. He dropped me at the hotel. $80 in cab far, 6.5 miles of walking in the woods, risking life and limb, just to sign a stupid piece of paper in the woods. Life doesn’t get much better.  

within feet

the prize

accidental discovery