The 17-foot, 45-pound beauty Nate Grinnell built for the expedition. (Photo by Julie Grinnell)

Refuge Notebook: The Boundary Waters to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge — A coyote among humans

May 1, Lachine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I finally found myself standing on a dock on the Saint Lawrence Seaway, above the Lachine Rapids, the traditional… Continue reading

The 17-foot, 45-pound beauty Nate Grinnell built for the expedition. (Photo by Julie Grinnell)
The cedar-built kayak Nate Grinnell built to follow the voyageur's journey. (Photo by Julie Grinnell)

Refuge Notebook: From the Boundary Waters to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge — To build a boat

Editor’s Note: This is the second of a four-part series. Now I have done a fair amount of whitewater kayaking and canoeing, but trying to… Continue reading

The cedar-built kayak Nate Grinnell built to follow the voyageur's journey. (Photo by Julie Grinnell)
A room in the process of being painted Ultra Pure White. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Ultra Pure White

I recently painted the living room of the house in which I am living. The wall had once been a pleasant silver, but (lesson learned)… Continue reading

A room in the process of being painted Ultra Pure White. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
This is the artwork, of the voyageurs "Shooting the Rapids," that hung in the author's family cabin that inspired his trip. (Credit: Frances Anne Hopkins / Library and Archives Canada)

Refuge Notebook: From the Boundary Waters to the Kenai refuge: The beginning

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a four-part series. Starting at the western tip of Lake Superior, the Quetico-Superior Country runs along 150 miles… Continue reading

This is the artwork, of the voyageurs "Shooting the Rapids," that hung in the author's family cabin that inspired his trip. (Credit: Frances Anne Hopkins / Library and Archives Canada)
A rainbow is seen on Aug. 28, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Out of the Office: Eye-opener

It’s a cliche that folks from Alaska take Alaska for granted. I know I definitely always have. I was never an outdoorsy person. The last… Continue reading

A rainbow is seen on Aug. 28, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Community soccer players after a special match celebrating the life of Drew Brown at Homer High School Field on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022. (Photo by Uliana Reutov)

OOTO: Our Soccer Community

Imagine a park ranger, a lawyer, a teacher, an artist, a fisherman, a student, an engineer and more all working together. The group possesses a… Continue reading

Community soccer players after a special match celebrating the life of Drew Brown at Homer High School Field on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022. (Photo by Uliana Reutov)
Aerial photo of the Kenai River in Alaska. (Photo by Dave Merz/FWS)

Refuge Notebook: Flying a remote sensing mission on the refuge

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth and final part of a series the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is doing on the history of remote sensing… Continue reading

Aerial photo of the Kenai River in Alaska. (Photo by Dave Merz/FWS)
The daddy longlegs Nelima paessleri is abundant in Kenai Peninsula forests. It commonly enters crawl spaces in the fall. (Photo by Matt Bowser/UWFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Daddy longlegs of home, garden and mountains

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2005. It is republished with some updates. Fall is the time of year when, like them or… Continue reading

The daddy longlegs Nelima paessleri is abundant in Kenai Peninsula forests. It commonly enters crawl spaces in the fall. (Photo by Matt Bowser/UWFWS)
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Out of the Office: Acceleration

Sometimes a standard run can feel incredible, and I now have a theory as to why. Sept. 1, I had one of those runs at… Continue reading

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Wetlands in the Selawik Refuge that were mapped in the USFWS National Wetlands Inventory. (Photo by USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Aerial photography exploration, innovation expands into remote sensing

Editor’s Note: This is the third part of a series the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is doing on the history of remote sensing and aerial… Continue reading

Wetlands in the Selawik Refuge that were mapped in the USFWS National Wetlands Inventory. (Photo by USFWS)
Nick Varney
Nick Varney
Kenai Peninsula Peace Crane Garden Trails Secretary Matthew Pyhala provides remarks at the grand opening and dedication of the trails on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Community celebrates opening of peace crane garden trails

The Kenai Peninsula Peace Crane Garden Trails are located on Marydale Avenue near Soldotna High School

Kenai Peninsula Peace Crane Garden Trails Secretary Matthew Pyhala provides remarks at the grand opening and dedication of the trails on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Jaimie Musen and visitors on a Skyline Trail guided hike after a rainstorm. (Photo courtesy of USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Physical therapist, park ranger connects health benefits with outdoor recreation

After camping on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge for a weekend, you return to work Monday feeling mentally recharged and refreshed. Your brain might feel… Continue reading

Jaimie Musen and visitors on a Skyline Trail guided hike after a rainstorm. (Photo courtesy of USFWS)
Fog rolls in on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022 at the Halibut Campground in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Out of the Office: Rain happens

As I write this Sept. 8, since July 1 Homer has had eight days of clear weather, 30 days of rain and 31 days of… Continue reading

Fog rolls in on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022 at the Halibut Campground in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Nick Varney
Nick Varney
Denali today, whose height was first calculated by Bradford Washburn at 20,320 feet. (Photo by David Merz)

Refuge Notebook: Bradford Washburn — an early explorer’s use of aerial photography over a century of exploration, science

Editor’s Note: This is the second part of a series the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is doing on the history of remote sensing and aerial… Continue reading

Denali today, whose height was first calculated by Bradford Washburn at 20,320 feet. (Photo by David Merz)
Nick Varney

Reeling ‘Em In: Target silvers at first light — wait: What light?

Well now, August has just about jetted through its allotment of solar days and should be deeply embarrassed about it. There wasn’t much “solar” during… Continue reading

Nick Varney
Kids playing soccer on a sunny summer day. (Photo by Charlie Menke/ Homer News)

Out of the Office: Coaching

Sport has been a well of vitality that has nourished me since I was a young child. Growing up in Homer, playing hockey and soccer… Continue reading

Kids playing soccer on a sunny summer day. (Photo by Charlie Menke/ Homer News)
Nick Varney

Reeling ‘Em In: Nick offers tips on how to fillet a silver

Its always great to receive emails from our out-of-state visitors, especially when it’s their first trip to Homer and they are trying to get some… Continue reading

Nick Varney
Pilot and biologist Dom Watts collects bees at Twin Lakes as part of the refuge's pollinator survey. (Photo by Matt Bowser/USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: A summer on the refuge — Valuing a wildflower to the value of a system

I’ve never been one to be partial to favorites. But, on an overcast and rain bath morning in mid-July, while walking with one of the… Continue reading

Pilot and biologist Dom Watts collects bees at Twin Lakes as part of the refuge's pollinator survey. (Photo by Matt Bowser/USFWS)

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