{"id":14999,"date":"2018-09-25T08:10:39","date_gmt":"2018-09-25T14:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=14999"},"modified":"2018-08-01T22:50:48","modified_gmt":"2018-08-02T04:50:48","slug":"bodenburg-butte-near-palmer-alaska-9-1-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=14999","title":{"rendered":"Bodenburg Butte near Palmer, Alaska (9-1-17)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 2 of Day 33 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!<\/em><\/p>\n

The drive out of the Kenai Peninsula was lovely, but frustrating.\u00a0 Due to uncooperative weather, Lupe was leaving most of the great adventures she’d had planned here undone.\u00a0 Yet SPHP sensed that maybe conditions were actually starting to improve?\u00a0 Even as the Carolina Dog rode in comfort through a series of rain showers, she could always see patches of blue sky out the window of the G6, too.<\/p>\n

The decision had been made, though.\u00a0 Lupe was leaving the rainy Kenai Peninsula.\u00a0 Loopster had limited time left for adventures on this Dingo Vacation.\u00a0 SPHP wasn’t willing to hang around the S Alaska coast any longer on no more than mere hope for a sunny day.\u00a0 No matter where Lupe had gone, she had faced rain virtually every day in Alaska.\u00a0 Seemingly bright prospects had been dashed too many times already.<\/p>\n

After exiting the Kenai Peninsula, the drive along the Turnagain Arm was spectacularly beautiful.\u00a0 Rays of sunlight streamed dramatically through holes in the cloud cover to illuminate the sea.\u00a0 However, it was raining again by the time Lupe reached Anchorage.<\/p>\n

Beyond Anchorage, the rain ended.\u00a0 The pavement on Glen Highway No. 1 was actually dry.\u00a0 Lupe was only going as far as Palmer this evening, and would arrive with several hours of daylight left.\u00a0 SPHP tried to think of something Loopster might be able to do in these few hours.\u00a0 Suddenly an answer sprang to mind.\u00a0 Why Bodenburg Butte<\/span><\/a> (886 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, of course!\u00a0 It would be perfect!<\/p>\n

SPHP took the exit for Old Glen Highway.\u00a0 A L turn onto Bodenburg Loop Road appeared 3 miles after crossing the bridge over the Knik River.\u00a0 0.5 mile farther on the R was a gravel parking lot on the S side of Bodenburg Butte.\u00a0 A big, faded wooden sign confirmed that the American Dingo had arrived at the Bodenburg Butte trailhead.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
0.5 mile W on Bodenburg Loop Road off Old Glen Highway SE of Palmer, this sign by a gravel parking lot confirmed that Lupe had reached the trailhead for Bodenburg Butte.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A wide, well-worn trail left the parking lot climbing aggressively through forest.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP started up.\u00a0 (7:15 PM, 52\u00b0F)<\/em>\u00a0 At this rate of climb, it wasn’t going to take long to gain the 770 feet of elevation necessary to reach the top.<\/p>\n

Situated several miles SE of Palmer, Bodenburg Butte is a lone hill on otherwise flat ground near the junction of two broad river valleys.\u00a0 A few miles to the SW is the convoluted confluence of the Matanuska and Knik rivers.\u00a0 Bodenburg Butte is a mere bump compared to peaks of the nearby Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains, but was expected to provide Lupe some great views of the two rivers, surrounding mountains, and perhaps even the Knik Arm of the North Pacific Ocean off Cook Inlet.<\/p>\n

The trail remained quite steep nearly the entire way.\u00a0 Bodenburg Butte is a locally popular hike.\u00a0 While pausing to catch breath, SPHP visited briefly with several people on their way down.\u00a0 When Lupe was more than halfway to the top, she emerged from the forest.\u00a0 The trail became braided here, offering Looper several paths to choose from.\u00a0 Which path she took hardly mattered.\u00a0 They were all going to the same place.<\/p>\n

At the top of Bodenburg Butte, Lupe found a ridge of solid rock.\u00a0 This summit ridge looked like it had been scoured by glaciers once upon a time.\u00a0 In fact, Loop could still see the toe of the likely culprit to the SE.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe reaches the summit of Bodenburg Butte<\/strong>. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking up the Knik River valley<\/strong>. The toe of the Knik Glacier<\/strong> (Center) is seen at the far end of the valley. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe checks out the view of the Knik River valley<\/strong> from Bodenburg Butte<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Zoomed in on the toe of the Knik Glacier<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe instantly saw why the hike up Bodenburg Butte is popular.\u00a0 For the amount of effort expended to get to the summit, the visual rewards were fantastic.\u00a0 Looper had splendid views in all directions!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe had splendid 360\u00b0 views from Bodenburg Butte<\/strong>. The Matanuska River<\/strong> is seen below on the L. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wearing a wispy veil of clouds, Pioneer Peak<\/span><\/a> (6,396 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> in the Western Chugach Mountains was the closest high peak.\u00a0 Between Bodenburg Butte and Pioneer Peak, Lupe gazed down upon forests and green fields in the Knik River valley.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Pioneer Peak<\/strong> (L) beyond the forests and green fields of the Knik River valley<\/strong>. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Loop on Bodenburg Butte<\/strong> with Pioneer Peak<\/strong> wearing a wispy veil of clouds beyond her. Photo looks S with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Farther up the Knik River valley, Lupe saw what SPHP presumed were Hale-Bopp Peak<\/span><\/a> (5,800 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> and Big Timber Peak<\/span><\/a> (6,772 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
SPHP believes the bare peak seen straight up from Lupe’s head is Hale-Bopp Peak<\/strong>. The higher white peak just to the R of Hale-Bopp is likely Big Timber Peak<\/strong>. The Knik River and toe of the Knik Glacier are on the L. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Another look with help from the telephoto lens. Hale-Bopp Peak<\/strong> is the bare peak on the L. The first white peak to the R of Hale-Bopp is Big Timber Peak<\/strong>. The even higher white mountain at Center is Devils Club Peak <\/span><\/a>(7,240 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To the W, the Matanuska River was in view.\u00a0 The Matanuska flows SW to join the Knik River shortly before reaching the Knik Arm of the North Pacific Ocean off Cook Inlet.\u00a0 The confluence of the two rivers was difficult to pick out, but Lupe could clearly see the Knik Arm.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking W toward the Matanuska River<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Another look at the Matanuska River<\/strong> with help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Matanuska River<\/strong> (R) flows SW towards its confluence with the Knik River<\/strong> (L). The combined river then flows into the Knik Arm<\/strong> of the North Pacific Ocean<\/strong> (far R). Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Another look with help from the telephoto lens. The Matanuska River<\/strong> is seen in the foreground, with the Knik Arm<\/strong> (L) beyond it. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe could see the Talkeetna Mountains to the N and NW, where she had recently climbed Hatch Benchmark<\/span><\/a> (4,811 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> and taken the Reed Lakes trail to Lynx Peak<\/span><\/a> (6,536 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 The sky was quite cloudy in that direction, so the Talkeetnas didn’t show up as well this evening as the closer Chugach Mountains to the E.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Plumley Road (R) heads E from its intersection with Old Glen Highway toward the Chugach Mountains<\/strong>. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The top of Bodenburg Butte included a fairly large area.\u00a0 Although Lupe had met people coming down on her way up, no one else was on top of Bodenburg Butte when Lupe arrived.\u00a0 An empty bench sat near a trail a little W of the true summit.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The top of Bodenburg Butte<\/strong> from the summit. A bench is seen beyond Lupe. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The sun hadn’t set quite yet, but the sky was cloudy enough so the light was already beginning to fade.\u00a0 The trail to the bench continued W beyond it, and apparently went down from over there.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe lingers at the summit of Bodenburg Butte<\/strong>. With all the clouds around, the light was already fading. Soon it would be time to go. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why not try an alternate route down?\u00a0 When Lupe and SPHP were done enjoying the views, the Carolina Dog proceeded over to the bench to see if the trail really did go down the W side of Bodenburg Butte from here?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking back at the true summit from the trail W of the bench. Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It did!\u00a0 In fact, the trail going down the W side of Bodenburg Butte was far better than the steep route Lupe had taken up from the S.\u00a0 The W route had steps where the trail was steepest and a cable railing.\u00a0 This was going to be easy!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The trail down the W side of Bodenburg Butte was far more developed than the steep dirt path Lupe had taken up the S side.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP expected the W trail to loop back toward the S.\u00a0 It didn’t.\u00a0 Instead, it eventually turned N.\u00a0 The American Dingo arrived at a 2nd trailhead N of Bodenburg Butte.\u00a0 This one had a much larger parking lot.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Map of the W trail up Bodenburg Butte posted at the N trailhead. Directions on this map are reversed. N is down, and W is R.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe had made it down, but was now on the wrong side of Bodenburg Butte.\u00a0 She had to follow roads circling around the E side of the butte to get back to the S trailhead.\u00a0 This added more than 2 miles to the return trip, making it a far longer loop than SPHP had envisioned.\u00a0 It was dark when Lupe finally arrived at the G6.\u00a0 (10:31 PM, 51\u00b0F)<\/em><\/p>\n

Other than the assistant manager, who was in the process of getting ready to close, no one else was at Subway in Palmer when SPHP showed up at 10:55 PM.\u00a0 SPHP purchased a footlong sandwich, and was about to leave when the assistant manager offered SPHP unsold cookies that were about to be thrown out.\u00a0 For free!\u00a0 The price was certainly right.\u00a0 Sure, why not?<\/p>\n

To Loopster’s delight, SPHP returned with a dozen large cookies.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog’s evening ended with an unexpected Subway cookie feast.\u00a0 A different kind of adventure, but a delicious one!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Bodenburg Butte<\/strong>, Palmer, Alaska 9-1-17<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose\u00a0from\u00a0Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>,\u00a0Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe adventures<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 2 of Day 33 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska! The drive out of the Kenai Peninsula was lovely, but frustrating.\u00a0 Due to uncooperative weather, Lupe was leaving most of the great adventures she’d had planned here undone.\u00a0 Yet SPHP sensed that maybe conditions were actually starting to improve?\u00a0 Even … Continue reading Bodenburg Butte near Palmer, Alaska (9-1-17)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14982,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[835],"tags":[8,704,105,957,106,26,104,958,11],"class_list":["post-14999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2017-yukon-alaska","tag-omniten","tag-alaska","tag-american-dingo","tag-bodenburg-butte","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-lupe","tag-palmer","tag-peakbagging"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMG_7229.jpg?fit=1651%2C1238&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14999","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14999"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14999\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16377,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14999\/revisions\/16377"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}