A Rainy Day Adventure in the Portage Valley, Alaska

This was our first day in Alaska, as we made our way down the notorious Seward Highway, we planned to stop and capture aerial glacier footage from a nearby recreation area that on a sunny day would usually offers mirrored lake views that reflect the mountain valley, but Mother Nature had other plans for us this day as the fog and bands of rain kept us grounded.

As we pulled the RV into the parking lot of the Portage Valley recreation area, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. The rain was coming down in sheets, and the clouds overhead looked dark and foreboding. I had been looking forward to spending the day shooting and exploring this beautiful part of Alaska, but now it seemed like my plans were going to be ruined. But as we sat in the RV, trying to decide whether or not to turn back, I remembered something a mentor once told me: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing." With that in mind, I dug out my rain jacket and boots from the closet of the RV and made the decision to brave the elements. Sans the drone of course. 

As I stepped out of my car and into the rain, I was immediately soaked to the bone. But despite the cold and the wet, I found myself enjoying the experience. There was something exhilarating about being out in the wilderness in the rain, with the sound of the water pattering all around me. We set off down the trail, my feet squelching in the mud as we made my our through the dense forest. The rain had turned the path into a slick and slippery mess, and I had to be careful to avoid slipping and falling. But the scenery was so beautiful that I didn't mind the extra effort. The trees were shimmering with raindrops, and the air was fresh and clean. This is Alaska after all. 

As I hiked deeper into the valley, the rain began to ease up, and by the time I reached the end of the trail, to the stunningly beautiful glacier valley lake, it had stopped altogether. The clouds overhead were breaking up, and shafts of sunlight were starting to peek through. As I turned to head back, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. We had braved the elements and come out on the other side, and I had seen some of the most beautiful scenery in the process. It was a day that I would never forget despite not being unable to launch the drone. We didn't waste the opportunity to spend time on the glacial lakeshore and our reward was enjoying the untamed wilderness that surrounded us.