The world through my eyes: Independence Mine State Park

My last day in Alaska was wonderful. I met a Facebook friend and she kindly drove me to places I never would have found on my own. I got the bigness I was looking for. I took enough photos that I'm dividing the day into two if not three posts.

We met in Anchorage and went north. Our first major stop was Independence Mine State Park, a gold mine that functioned from 1906 to 1943. It is now a place of tremendous views and marvelous decay.

Fireweed bloom. An important plant in Alaska; local folklore says their height will be deepest snowfall.
This was at my eye level.

Autumn

 

Ridge line. This doesn't capture the scale at all.

Independence Mine building.

I love this kind of decay and reclamation.

The gritty stuff in front is a pile of mine tailings.

Cotton grass.

There were people parasailing off of the mountain to the left.

Another grass.

The road goes ever on and on.

(c)2014 Laura S. Packer