We woke to a gloomy, blustery day that looked ready to storm at any moment.  For some this could have been disappointing, but the colors and skies made for a glorious last day.  The wind, cold, and threat of storm felt like the tundra's natural element.

There was rain in the night, not heavy, and things were mostly dry apart from the typical morning damp.  Following the morning routine, we called in, had two hard boiled eggs and an apple each, packed lunch and gear, and decided where to venture today.  It was tempting to try for the river again, but that was a long, exhausting hike with no guarantee of success and a likelihood of getting rained on.  Neither of us mind weather, we have plenty of warm clothes and rain gear, but packing up a wet camp isn't ideal.  In the end we decided to start by climbing the ridge to the east of our lake.  The lake is far too long to seriously contemplated circumnavigation, which would have been cool.  Up on the ridge we had wonderful views of the expanse of tundra stretching to infinity (and Gates of the Arctic National Park beyond).  Tyler pulled out binoculars to search the distance, and spotted a mama grizzly and her cub, bringing the total for this expedition up to 9 bears sighted.  They were slowly drifting across the tundra, eating berries.  We sat on this ridge and enjoyed the different view of Long Lake for a while.  As we became chilled from sitting, we headed back down, around the south end of the lake near camp, then up the tallest point around, that big rocky outcrop at the western edge of our lake.  We looked around and photographed, then sat and watched small dapples of sunlight play across the distant mountains.  The effect was the reverse of watching cloud shadows dance on the landscape.  It was so cold and blustery, I had five layers on top, three on bottom, with full rain gear and winter hat.  The high today was maybe upper 40s or so.

We had lunch of dill triscuits and parmesan cheese, and sat some more, watching the landscape and investigating the details of small plants.  I could do this every day and be very happy.  After nearly three hours up there, we meandered our way back toward camp, taking almost two hours to do so in order to pick blueberries; nearly a gallon between us.  We settled in to eat right away, pulling out a couple MREs we'd saved so we wouldn't have to cook.  My kids have been fascinated by the idea of MREs, so I took a bunch of photos for them of the process.  I lucked out and had yummy treat after yummy treat.  I particularly enjoyed the jumbo sized, thick and soft molasses cookie, and the coffee, which I haven't had all week.  The self heaters didn't work after 30 minutes of fussing, so we gave up and boiled water to heat our stew and make my coffee.  It was pure bliss to sit in the little camp chair, nestled between tussocks, watching the clouds and light across the lake, sipping coffee.  I'm really not ready to leave.  This feels like home, just like Rainbow Lakes, only easier living without such a constant, close presence of bears.

While eating, a pair of tundra swans came close to our side of the lake, seeming to want to check out the action of our camp.  We also saw a juvenile northern harrier and rough legged hawk.  No northern shrike today.

It's been such a good week.  I am looking forward to a hot shower and a big Old Fashioned tomorrow night, but I'll be very sad to leave this lifestyle.  I love being out, exploring, with the edge of nerves while hollering "hey bears!", the need to be attentive on a different level than urban or suburban, even rural, life requires.  I love the efficiency of eating simple foods in order to get back to hiking and the endless blueberry supply.  The achingly beautiful views that make you feel whole and complete just as you are.  The company has been good too, glad I was out with someone skilled and knowledgeable that I already knew and trusted.  I would have come here anyway, but having a friend to hike with eases the experience.

Around 8pm, the  lower layer of clouds seems to be breaking up, the upper stratus clouds are thinning behind us.  Looks like it may clear up tonight.  Now that dinner is done, we decided to head back to the ridge to the south, our visit there was cut short by the threatening rain last night and it was a nice spot.  Indeed, it was gorgeous tonight. What  lovely bookend to the trip.  The sun was brilliant across the tundra, glorious golds and reds, rays of light, tumultuous clouds.  I love this landscape.

Morning practice time.  Funny enough, I found out that the back country ranger here learned how to juggle using rocks to kill time on a wilderness assignment.

Rangers can juggle, too!

An overcast, cold day.

Dark clouds over the tents.

The Kingasivik Mountains.

Antler from a juvenile caribou.

Headed for the eastern ridge.

New view of our lake from the east.

A raven among the clouds.

This long lake makes me think of scenes from the Scottish Highlands.

The south end of the lake, our tents, and Kingasivik Mountains beyond.

Panorama of Long Lake from the east.

Love lichens.

These little guys remind me of chicks and hens, but more colorful.

A standing rock, these were placed by people thousands of years ago who were using this area to hunt caribou.

Gloomy lake.

I think this is lichen among the other plants.

Lichens.

Mama and cub grizzly.

A closer view.

Grizzlies in the mid-distant left, expanse of tundra beyond.

Looking east from this ridge we had better views of these other lakes.

Looking east from this east ridge.

Looking south and west from this east ridge.

Fragment of skull, if I remember right is was a caribou.

Tundra plants.

Kingasivik mountains on the left, our rocky outcrop on the right.

Grass tussocks tangled with other tundra plants.

Tundra and our big rock.

Horsetails.

The horsetails were growing from the tops of the tussocks in this little area.

Always trying to catch up to Tyler, photographing slows me down.

I need to look up these plants.  Love the vivid red. The colors of the tundra have changed dramatically since we first got to Rainbow Lakes.

Sunlight hitting the distant mountains.

Unidentified flowers.

The ridge from our river hike is in the foreground, lakes, Tumit Creek, and Kingasivik Mountains.

Tundra closeup.

I love these plants.  Like a braided cactus, with flowers that grow from between the braids.

More light, closer to the Nimiuktuk.

More tundra closeup.  The tall thin leaves are about an inch or less long.

Looking northwest toward our hike across to the Nimi.

North along our lake.

These colors!

More great tundra plants and a better view of the west ridge.

Looking west, western ridge in center, Kingasivik Mountains beyond.

Looking east, Long Lake below, camp to the right.

South along Long Lake.  The grey circular shape it points to is the high area where our tents are.

Love the contrast as these plants intermingle.

Very distinct vole holes and trail.

Trail continuing the other way, more holes.  They're all over this tall rocky outcrop.  Like a huge vole condominium.

More vole holes.

Finger pointing to tiny vole scat.

Headed back down toward camp.

Mushrooms, caps turning out to release spores maybe?

A more rounded mushroom.

A mix of scat.  I think there are three here.

More distinct vole trails where the tundra is a little more open.

Bounty of the tundra.

Crowberries and cranberries among the tussocks.

Most of the blueberries now have very red leaves.

Thick tundra on the way to camp.

The colors, the mood...everything.

I know, you've seen this enough.  Call it pre-nostalgia for this place.

Meal and view.

MRE contents.

6pm means evening check in time via the satellite phone.

Tundra swans.

Another look.

Evening field journal entry documenting all we saw today so we can report back to the back country ranger.

Another camp shot.

Looking north and east from the southern ridge.

Looking west.

The warm glow from sunlight returns!

Sorry, more lake pics.  I love the shadow in the front right that echoes the big rock.

Tundra, tents, lake.

It looks so different in different lighting.  At least in person.

From the south ridge.

Another plant I need to look up.

Glorious sunshine.

Sun on the Kingasiviks.

Looking south to the start of the Grand Canyon of the Noatak.

Westward panorama.

This sucker hole, as Tyler put it, stayed over this same spot most of the day. There was a long dark cloud mass that hung over the Noatak, too. Fascinating to watch how land forms affect cloud patterns.

A variety of dramatic clouds today.

Tyler pointed out that we hadn't taken any group shots...

And the obligatory goofy shot for our Badlands friends: How Neat is That?

Sun retreating behind the clouds again.

Heading back to camp, I loaded up my pack, turned, and suddenly noticed these distant, rounded mountains that I didn't remember seeing before.  Thank you, sunlight!

We're back to a moody atmosphere at Long Lake tonight.

Looking south.

Looking north.

Looking up at the clouds from camp.