Reconnecting with Nature in Alaska

Movement off to the side of the clearing caught my eye, and then a caribou bounded across the trail in front of us.  We had seen all sorts of tracks over the past few days — wolf, moose, lynx, wolverine, and fox — but this was the first live caribou of the trip.  Later that day, we’d see a large group of them within ½ a mile.  My ski partner and I were on day 6 of a week-long trip through the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve and we’d seen some amazing landscapes.  Adding wildlife sightings into the mix made our trip that much richer.

Photo courtesy of H. Eisen

As a public interest environmental attorney, I’ve dedicated my career to protecting land and wildlife like I was experiencing in the Wrangell Mountains.  Most of the time, that work keeps me in an office, firmly planted in front of a computer or on the phone.  I try to spend just about every evening and weekend reconnecting with the natural world that means so much to me to protect.  But after a while, nights and weekends aren’t enough anymore, and I need to immerse myself in wilderness for long enough to get lost in the rhythms of just being.

This was my second trip in the Wrangells, and they captured my heart within hours.  Now, I can’t quite imagine how I would feel if they weren’t protected.  Trustees has worked for 40 years to keep Alaska full of these special places, including efforts specific to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.  I’m grateful for my time away from the office to recharge and re-inspire myself for the important office time required to protect wild places in Alaska.

The Russell Glacier. Photo courtesy of K. Strong

Katie Strong is a staff attorney at Trustees for Alaska and recently completed her second ski from McCarthy to the Old Tok Cutoff as part of the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Ski Classic.