Eastern Fairbanks

This was a great area that we had not explored before, only 3 miles from our home! It was very steep and narrow canyon with a fast running stream at the bottom. Then a second steep and narrow canyon!! Up to the top where there was a water tower for all the new developement that will be built all too soon. On the second climb we had stopped , me for a rest, S to let me catch up, when just 30 feet in front of us and flying very low, a huge owl silently flew by and down in to the valley below us scaring several birds out of their bushes!! Very beautiful bird. We carrried on and made our way along a tarmaced road to the watertower and then up to a rocky viewpoint. S found the cache. We could see all the way to the sea but to the north east a devasted scene of flatterned earth waithing for the new houses that will be built. I just hope that these steep canyons will be preserved and the few remaining birds and animals will survive the upheaval. On the way back we saw two redtailed hawks and could hear some california quail in the bushes.
View back to our van parked on the ridge.