Alaska Purple Karma Comes Through - Moose, Mountains & Purple Skies

[Alaskawildkat]

Here is this year's first moose sighting. The Purple Sky over the Mojo Moose has to be a good omen!

It was accompanied today by some scenic sightings of Mt. McKinley and other Purple Mountain Majesty phenomenon.

Hopefully good mojo for solidarity of this year's recruiting class in the immediate days ahead.



(Purple Mountain Views are from the office deck this afternoon. Mt. McKinley a/k/a Denali is the peak on the right in the 4th photo showing two peaks peeking above the horizon. It is approximately 175 miles distant.)

Edited to Add: Scroll down for Signing Day Eve's Purple Omen accompanying Flynn Nagel's welcome addition to cap off this year's 20 man recruiting class.


Further Edited to add: It is now official, with 20 Shades of Purple now one!



CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE:

This post was edited on 1/23 5:24 AM by Alaskawildkat



This post was edited on 2/4 12:21 PM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: 1st Moose and Big Miracle movie trivia

Point of Trivia:

The third photo in the original post shows the view today of the location where the "ice field set" for the trapped whale movie "Big Miracle" was constructed as captured in my photos below taken concurrent with the filming. Today it is a parking area for tractor trailer trailers. Several of the lower photos are on set and include a view looking back toward the "office balcony" identified in the original post.

Below is a link to the trailer for the Big Miracle film starring Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson, John Krasinski, and Kristin Bell.

(Merits a DVD rental if you are looking for a diversion between now and spring training.) Apart from actual TV footage taken in 1988 at the time of the international event chronicled in the 2012 movie, all of the included scenes of the whales above the ice in the movie were filmed on the "ice field set" pictured below.

Huge water filled tanks were erected and life sized animatronic whales built in New Zealand were shipped in for the movie. One of the animatronic whales is seen during the set's construction in one of my photos below.)

An interesting footnote - Alaska's former Governor and Vice-Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin was a sports newscaster here in Anchorage at the time of the actual whale rescue effort in 1988 and archival footage is included in the movie showing her commenting on the whale rescue as she signs off to her media cohorts in a news broadcast.


CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE:

This post was edited on 1/21 10:36 PM by Alaskawildkat

Big Miracle trailer including "ice field" scenes

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: 1st Moose and other Mojo Musings for the New Year


Looks like we need some added karma from somewhere to help the Mens' Basketball Team get past the heart breaking streak of "almost" wins.

A bird of prey joined the fray today:

CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Purple Mountain Mojo

For what it is worth, the Purple on the horizon continues to glow. Today's views from the office:

(Temperatures though have dropped below Zero (F) for the first time in over a year. Now creeping back up from -10 F below earlier this week.)


CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

 

[stpaulcat]

Maladroit Mojo

Alaska, you're going to give moose a bad name if we keep loosing. Why don't you wait until we win a few, in something, and then bring back the moose--maybe it's better if they get credit after the fact.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: Maladroit Mojo

Originally posted by stpaulcat:
Alaska, you're going to give moose a bad name if we keep loosing. Why don't you wait until we win a few, in something, and then bring back the moose--maybe it's better if they get credit after the fact.

In the meantime keep that Purple blanket under the saddle on your hopefully "lucky" for the Wildcats horse. Come to think of it have you considered getting the clearly lucky horseshoes painted purple?

 

[EvanstonCat]

Re: 1st Moose and other Mojo Musings for the New Year

Alaska, I used to believe in the moose mojo, but no more. What was the moose this year, something like 1-7? It seems better if the moose doesn't show up?

I'll take Clucko the Chicken over the Moose any day of the week.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: 1st Moose and other Mojo Musings for the New Year

Originally posted by EvanstonCat:
Alaska, I used to believe in the moose mojo, but no more. What was the moose this year, something like 1-7? It seems better if the moose doesn't show up?

I'll take Clucko the Chicken over the Moose any day of the week

Overcoming the negative karma that followed last year's pre season demise of The Rally Moose was apparently too tall an order. Hopefully the purple sky that signaled this year's inaugural appearance of The Mojo Moose will bring a return of the Moose karma of yore.





This post was edited on 1/29 2:23 PM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Added Purple Karma

Adding to the purple karma ….. Here is yesterdays view with the purple clouds reflecting onto the icy waters as birds of good fortune fly overhead.

This bodes well for the continued solidarity of the recruiting class.

(At the far left is the point of land that represents the north end of the runway for Anchorage's International Airport.)

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE:

This post was edited on 1/30 12:22 PM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: Added Added Purple Karma

Capping off this week's sightings, the purple tinged clouds in the sky as seen from my office shared witness to an unusual number of the mammoth C17 Troop/Cargo Transport planes landing at the airfield of Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson just to the East of Anchorage's port.

It is not unusual to see a C17 land on an occasional basis, but to have at least half a dozen of these monster planes all flying in together, while accompanied by support aircraft including fighters, was a rare event and may well signal a major movement of troops somewhere in the world. (Each of these 218 million dollar aircraft has a payload of 170,900 pounds and can fly 2,400 miles without refueling.)

The last time I recall seeing two similarly sized aircraft flying in together to land at the military base it was a pair of Air Force One planes transporting Obama and in fact when the second plane first came into view, at first I thought it might be the President returning from his recent overseas visits.

CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

Here are some photos I caught of Air Force One on a previous Presidential stop over here.

This post was edited on 1/31 5:02 AM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Gladeskat]

Re: Added Purple Karma

We just lost Allen to BC. Most be the wrong shade of purple. Too pink.

 

[EvanstonCat]

Re: Added Purple Karma

Alaska, I say the next time you see that damned Moose, shoot it in the head and kill it dead. Damn that inferno moose.

 

[Cat In The Cradle]

Re: Added Purple Karma

Or give that moose a preferred walk-on offer. We could use a Bulwinkle or two on the offensive line. I wonder how the high school football scene is up there. Has anyone ever received a scholarship offer to play football? Just read about the QB from New Mexico who blamed sparse settlements within the capacious geographic landscape for the absence of any D1 scholarship offers. But just look at Alaska.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: Alaskans who went on to play college and pro football

Originally posted by Cat In The Cradle:
Or give that moose a preferred walk-on offer. We could use a Bulwinkle or two on the offensive line. I wonder how the high school football scene is up there. Has anyone ever received a scholarship offer to play football? Just read about the QB from New Mexico who blamed sparse settlements within the capacious geographic landscape for the absence of any D1 scholarship offers. But just look at Alaska.

In recent years Northwestern had two Alaskans on the football team, the most recent of whom was Adam Crum - a link to his Northwestern bio is attached.

Pictured below is Alaska high school player Brandon Drumm being pursued by my son. Drumm went on to Division I Colorado where he switched from his high school position of running back to become the leading blocker for the infamous NU commit Chris Brown who followed Coach Barnett to Colorado. Drumm ended up catching a touch down pass in the Fiesta Bowl and my son ended up on the wrestling team at Northwestern.

Football players just from Dimond, the high school here in Anchorage that my own kids have attended include Chris Kuper who played for the Broncos after a college career at University of North Dakota and Chad Adams who played for Air Force.

Northwestern fans will well remember another Alaskan, Cole Magner, who while with Bowling Green ran a conversion in with 36 seconds left in our November 17, 2001 game where his heroics stunned the Wildcats with a 42 to 43 loss.

Probably the most noted Alaska football player is Mark Schlereth, who played for cross town rival Service, currently an ESPN analyst who played for the Redskins and the Broncos after attending college at Division I Idaho.



This post was edited on 2/3 2:28 AM by Alaskawildkat

Alaska's Adam Crum at Northwestern

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: 1st Moose and Big Miracle movie trivia

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:
Point of Trivia:

The third photo in the original post shows the view today of the location where the "ice field set" for the trapped whale movie "Big Miracle" was constructed as captured in my photos below taken concurrent with the filming. Today it is a parking area for tractor trailer trailers. Several of the lower photos are on set and include a view looking back toward the "office balcony" identified in the original post.

Below is a link to the trailer for the Big Miracle film starring Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson, John Krasinski, and Kristin Bell.

(Merits a DVD rental if you are looking for a diversion between now and spring training.) Apart from actual TV footage taken in 1988 at the time of the international event chronicled in the 2012 movie, all of the included scenes of the whales above the ice in the movie were filmed on the "ice field set" pictured below.

Huge water filled tanks were erected and life sized animatronic whales built in New Zealand were shipped in for the movie. One of the animatronic whales is seen during the set's construction in one of my photos below.)

An interesting footnote - Alaska's former Governor and Vice-Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin was a sports newscaster here in Anchorage at the time of the actual whale rescue effort in 1988 and archival footage is included in the movie showing her commenting on the whale rescue as she signs off to her media cohorts in a news broadcast.


CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE:

This post was edited on 1/21 10:36 PM by Alaskawildkat

A better view of "Ice Field Set" site from today - complete with purple hued skies to hopefully stem the flow of any more defectors:


CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Twenty Shades of Purple - and an Alaska Welcome to Flynn Nagel

Originally posted by Gladeskat:
….. Most be the wrong shade of purple. Too pink.

Since the appearance of Monday's much more "purple hued skies" looks like the commits have jelled and solidarity now reigns.

Then Tuesday the skies here in Alaska blazed purple almost on cue as 3 star recruit Flynn Nagel made the decision to become a Wildcat! A Welcome to Flynn [and his family again] in joining the extended Northwestern Family.

Tuesday's morning sunrise as seen from my house was bathed in a solid purple sky and of course the distant purple mountains are now apparently doing their karmic part in belatedly bolstering the Wildcat cause.

CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

This post was edited on 2/4 12:15 PM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: Twenty Shades of Purple Now One - It is Official

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:

Originally posted by Gladeskat:
….. Most be the wrong shade of purple. Too pink.

Since the appearance of Monday's much more "purple hued skies" looks like the commits have jelled and solidarity now reigns.

Then Tuesday the skies here in Alaska blazed purple almost on cue as 3 star recruit Flynn Nagel made the decision to become a Wildcat! A Welcome to Flynn [and his family again] in joining the extended Northwestern Family.

Tuesday's morning sunrise as seen from my house was bathed in a solid purple sky and of course the distant purple mountains are now apparently doing their karmic part in belatedly bolstering the Wildcat cause.

CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

IT IS NOW OFFICIAL, WITH ALL 20 SHADES OF PURPLE NOW ONE! WELCOME TO EACH OF THE NEW WILDCATS.

This post was edited on 2/4 12:29 PM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Alaskawildkat]

2015 Recruiting Class Now Landed and Iced

With the full 20 man recruiting class now landed, a purple cloud streaks along the horizon here on signing day along with a symbolic aircraft landing -

as well as a metaphorical "icing" as this year's recruiting class is placed on ice.

CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE



This post was edited on 2/5 4:29 AM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Cat In The Cradle]

Re: Twenty Shades of Purple Now One - It is Official

Let's say I have a wife and 8 year old daughter who I'd like to take on an exotic wildlife trip to Alaska per the following criteria:

They can handle steep sloping terrain but not much more and have overall limited hiking skills;
When I'm in nature, I don't like being around people, especially other tourists, or near anything man-made;
I prefer out-of-the way restaurants best emblematic of the local food over four star fare - i.e., a purveyor of Alaskan crab and other seafood delicacies;
I like to be somewhere for a week on the margins of the out-of-season period for reasons ranging from prices to privacy;
I'd like to maximize the chance for my two ladies to see a moose outside captivity from a safe distance.

Only a local like yourself is trustworthy to lend me advice. Is there such a time and place that fits all that criteria?

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Exotic Wildlife and hiking terrain available just down the block

Originally posted by Cat In The Cradle:
Let's say I have a wife and 8 year old daughter who I'd like to take on an exotic wildlife trip to Alaska per the following criteria:

They can handle steep sloping terrain but not much more and have overall limited hiking skills;
When I'm in nature, I don't like being around people, especially other tourists, or near anything man-made;
I prefer out-of-the way restaurants best emblematic of the local food over four star fare - i.e., a purveyor of Alaskan crab and other seafood delicacies;
I like to be somewhere for a week on the margins of the out-of-season period for reasons ranging from prices to privacy;
I'd like to maximize the chance for my two ladies to see a moose outside captivity from a safe distance.

Only a local like yourself is trustworthy to lend me advice. Is there such a time and place that fits all that criteria?

Fall would be perfect for you. After mid September all of the tourists have headed back to warmer climes. Below are some Fall Scenes I captured just minutes away from my house. For wildlife, I have to recommend you include a visit to Denali National Park though you will want to plan it before the snows start in early October. Your chances of seeing Denali a/k/a Mt. McKinley close up are enhanced at that time of the year as well.

Otherwise, or in addition, the newly opened Campbell Natural Estuary just down the street from my house would fit all of those criteria perfectly any month of the year except for the food part which can be taken care of by a stop in my backyard so I can fire up the grill on my deck and throw on a salmon from the freezer. Here is a corner of the deck with a Moose waiting for an invite.

The steps pictured below join a pathway that extends up to Campbell Creek's entrance to the ocean. Although the site is right in metropolitan Anchorage there is rarely ever a person on the trails and you have a view for miles that is devoid of the presence of people or structures.

 

[60202cat]

Re: Beware of the Moose




Moose tramples dog
POSTED: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 4:30 AM

By Jason Suder Jackson Hole Daily | 4 comments



Three moose trampled a dog to death in front of a group of Colter Elementary School students.
Just before 8 a.m. Thursday, a cow with two calves crossed the school grounds and came upon Chris Eastburn's 15-year-old terrier mix, Larz, relieving himself.

Larz was off leash and doing what Eastburn claims he did nearly every morning.

The old dog did not notice the moose and calves until they were close to 10 feet from him, and then Larz began to bark.

"The mother just did him in pretty quick," Eastburn said. "They stomped him until he stopped moving, and then they stomped him some more."

The moose then turned on Eastburn, who was able to escape by jumping in his truck and reversing to the other end of the parking lot.

A Colter teacher was the first person to respond to Larz after the incident.

"I asked if he was alive, and she started to cry," Eastburn said.

Eastburn took Larz to Spring Creek Animal Hospital, but the dog was dead on arrival.

"It came in just for cremation services," Sumayah Emmons, a registered veterinary technician at Spring Creek, said.

Animal Care Clinic head veterinarian Ernie Patterson generally sees a couple of similar cases each year. He estimates that these incidents are limited.

"Its not surprising, just knowing the behavior of moose," Patterson said. "It happens a few times every year, and it is almost always instigated by the dog."

Owners can lose voice control of their off-leash dogs when wild animals are near. The dogs become excited and fail to respond to calls.

"In most instances," he said, "an owner was not intending to have their dog chase the moose."

Patterson recommends keeping one's dogs on a leash, even when they are answering nature's call. He also recommends carrying bear spray while walking pets.

Bear spray can deter a moose that is having an altercation with a pet and can also stop wild animals when they chase a dog back in the owner's direction.

Also, be aware, said Wyoming game and Fish Public Information Officer Mark Gocke.

"It's a winter range," he said. "It always has been. These animals are going to come down to the valley floor."

When in proximity to wildlife, give the animal as much room as possible and make sure it has an escape route.

"Moose can show up in about any neighborhood around," Gocke said. "The best thing, like I said, is to give the animal plenty of room, control your pets."

This post was edited on 2/5 3:00 PM by 60202cat

 

[Cat In The Cradle]

Re: Exotic Wildlife and hiking terrain available just down the block

Most obliged.

 

[Cat In The Cradle]

Re: Beware of the Moose

One moose, three moose. I can never understand the English language. Why does the plural of mouse = mice and goose = geese but moose does not equal meese?

 

[60202cat]

Re: Beware of the Moose

Why isn't the plural of house...hice?

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: Exotic Wildlife and hiking terrain available just down the block

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:

Originally posted by Cat In The Cradle:
Let's say I have a wife and 8 year old daughter who I'd like to take on an exotic wildlife trip to Alaska per the following criteria:

They can handle steep sloping terrain but not much more and have overall limited hiking skills;
When I'm in nature, I don't like being around people, especially other tourists, or near anything man-made;
I prefer out-of-the way restaurants best emblematic of the local food over four star fare - i.e., a purveyor of Alaskan crab and other seafood delicacies;
I like to be somewhere for a week on the margins of the out-of-season period for reasons ranging from prices to privacy;
I'd like to maximize the chance for my two ladies to see a moose outside captivity from a safe distance.

Only a local like yourself is trustworthy to lend me advice. Is there such a time and place that fits all that criteria?

Fall would be perfect for you. After mid September all of the tourists have headed back to warmer climes. Below are some Fall Scenes I captured just minutes away from my house. For wildlife, I have to recommend you include a visit to Denali National Park though you will want to plan it before the snows start in early October. Your chances of seeing Denali a/k/a Mt. McKinley close up are enhanced at that time of the year as well.

Otherwise, or in addition, the newly opened Campbell Natural Estuary just down the street from my house would fit all of those criteria perfectly any month of the year except for the food part which can be taken care of by a stop in my backyard so I can fire up the grill on my deck and throw on a salmon from the freezer. Here is a corner of the deck with a Moose waiting for an invite.

The steps pictured below join a pathway that extends up to Campbell Creek's entrance to the ocean. Although the site is right in metropolitan Anchorage there is rarely ever a person on the trails and you have a view for miles that is devoid of the presence of people or structures.

For those following the saga of the Alaska Rally Moose (yes plural) here is an article that just came out on "We Alaskans" that provides interesting details about the 700 some Moose that reside here in the City of Anchorage:

700 Moose on the loose

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Looks like the Alaska karma of the "Purple" Mountain Majesty has come through finally for the Mens' Basketball Team with its two consecutive wins and for Womens' as well:

Edited to add: OK, now make that three consecutive wins now!



CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE:

This post was edited on 2/20 12:38 PM by Alaskawildkat

This post was edited on 2/22 1:08 AM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:
Looks like the Alaska karma of the "Purple" Mountain Majesty has come through finally for the Mens' Basketball Team with its two consecutive wins and for Womens' as well:



CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE:

OK, make that THREE Consecutive wins now! Hats off to Coach Collins and Crew!

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Congratulations to Coach Collins and Crew

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:
Looks like the Alaska karma of the "Purple" Mountain Majesty has come through finally for the Mens' Basketball Team with its two consecutive wins and for Womens' as well:



CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE:

OK, make that THREE Consecutive wins now! Hats off to Coach Collins and Crew!

This post was edited on 2/24 3:40 AM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: Congratulations to Coach Collins and Crew - YET AGAIN!

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:
Looks like the Alaska karma of the "Purple" Mountain Majesty has come through finally for the Mens' Basketball Team with its two consecutive wins and for Womens' as well:



CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE:

OK, make that THREE Consecutive wins now! Hats off to Coach Collins and Crew!

Amazing! It is now four in a row with traditional basketball powerhouse Indiana the latest victim.

Quoting grafcat:

"2-1 in final 3 plus 1-1 in BTT would put us at an even 16-16 so no go there

Win the last 3, then 1-1, and that's 17-16., or win 2 of 3 then 2-1 in BTT is 17-16. Gotta believe that NIT would take a NU team that had won 7 or 8 of their last 9.

Seems like it will take 4 more wins... so we are halfway there."

This post was edited on 2/26 12:07 AM by Alaskawildkat

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: 1st Moose and Big Miracle movie trivia

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:
Point of Trivia:

The third photo in the original post shows the view today of the location where the "ice field set" for the trapped whale movie "Big Miracle" was constructed as captured in my photos below taken concurrent with the filming. Today it is a parking area for tractor trailer trailers. Several of the lower photos are on set and include a view looking back toward the "office balcony" identified in the original post.

Below is a link to the trailer for the Big Miracle film starring Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson, John Krasinski, and Kristin Bell.

(Merits a DVD rental if you are looking for a diversion between now and spring training.) Apart from actual TV footage taken in 1988 at the time of the international event chronicled in the 2012 movie, all of the included scenes of the whales above the ice in the movie were filmed on the "ice field set" pictured below.

Huge water filled tanks were erected and life sized animatronic whales built in New Zealand were shipped in for the movie. One of the animatronic whales is seen during the set's construction in one of my photos below.)

An interesting footnote - Alaska's former Governor and Vice-Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin was a sports newscaster here in Anchorage at the time of the actual whale rescue effort in 1988 and archival footage is included in the movie showing her commenting on the whale rescue as she signs off to her media cohorts in a news broadcast.


CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE:

This post was edited on 1/21 10:36 PM by Alaskawildkat

Today's view of the once "Ice Field Set" from the Big Miracle movie - with air power overhead:

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Re: The Purple Karma Continues - Purple tinged clouds frame golden sunset

Originally posted by Alaskawildkat:
Looks like the Alaska karma of the "Purple" Mountain Majesty has come through finally for the Mens' Basketball Team …..

The purple karma continues ….. scenes from today:


CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE:

And here is the bird of good fortune sharing the private "air show" with me from his branch on the tree:

This post was edited on 2/26 11:04 PM by Alaskawildkat