Monashka Mountain Loop

Friday, day after Christmas, or Boxing Day for those in Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom, I went to work in the morning and then ducked out just after mid-day to take advantage of the glorious sunshine. Home for a quick meal, warm clothes, water and flashlight - then off to the northern terminus of the Kodiak road system. The road was frozen for most of the eleven miles as I traveled at a safe speed for the conditions, occasionally testing the bite of the studded tires against the surface of the road.

The afternoon's route.

Elevation change.

A sliver of new moon cresting above a passing airplane, bound for Anchorage, perhaps.

I arrived at the parking lot from where the willing may access Two Bear Cove, White Sands, Termination Point, Monashka Mountain, and Reservoir Ridge. The trail was supposed to be well hidden, but I had the following resources to aid me. First, an excellent description on the Kodiak Snow/Trail Report forum, complete with pictures of the first portion of the trail. Second, a Garmin GPSmap 62s. Third, the waterproof Kodiak Audubon's Hiking & Birding Guide, by Stacy Studebaker and Hans Tschersich, available at the local visitors center in front of the ferry terminal.

A view back the way I have come, towards Monashka Bay, but occluding the ridge on which I entered this valley.

Holding items two and three in my hand, I set off across the frozen swampy land. My starting time gave me about two hours and fifteen minutes before sunset, which made me a bit nervous, considering the trail was supposed to be about 8 miles in total and involve 3000' of elevation change (with shortcuts, the route only totaled 5 miles, but totaled 4000' of elevation change). After the last point along the route pictured on the link above, the trail devolved into a crashing bushwhack through varieties of neck and chest-high cane. I was happy when my stumble encountered low-lying brushy trees, because I could squeeze through the spaces in their branches easier than the other growth. I wandered into game trails wherever evergreen's grew tall, and then shortly lost them on the other side.

Deer observes my fumbling progress up the hill.

Summit gained, with twenty minutes of sunshine remaining above the western peaks.

Vantage point from which to view this stunning landscape.

After an hours travel, I pushed down to the ravine and charged up the opposing slope to reach Monashka Reservoir Ridge. Charged is a charitable description for someone who needed to grab hold of cane and lunge himself forward and upward, yelling like a madman on occasion. About 100' from gaining the ridge, I looked up to see a large deer observing my progress. A good excuse to pause and breathe. Five more minutes of scrambling and I summitted. Jogging when I could, I made it to the highest point prior to reaching Monashka Mountain with twenty minutes of sunlight remaining visible above the distant western peaks, frozen in chilly repose.

Spruce Island

Afognak

Spruce Island, again.

The view was stunning. Spruce Island to the northeast, which contains the native village of Ouzinkie on the most northwest corner, and the Monastery of St. Herman on its southwestern end. On my ferry ride to Kodiak a few weeks ago, I met Michael, a young man who attended St. Herman's academy, and now works for the academy in their coffestore/book shop, Monks Rock. He told me that the Monastery is still occupied by monks. According to their webpage, pilgrims can still visit as well.

Monashka Bay, the origin of this trip nearly visible at the end of the road.

Monashka Reservoir

The downhill portion of this trip, with Kodiak City ahead, and Near, Woody, and Long Islands in the distance.

Afognak Island was visible far to the northeast, a distant light barely visible at some unknown, illuminated location. I made it down the depression in the ridge, and then back up to top out at Monashka Mountain, at somewhere between 1600 and 1800' elevation. From this vantage point, I could see the parking lot far below me and, noting the time as five pm, nearly a half hour past sunset, I sped off down the steep slope, doing my best impersonation of a mountain goat. The lights of Kodiak city beckoned me onward.

Spruce Island, a third time.

Distant light on Afognak.

The trails returned to their murky state once most of the descent was complete, and I retrieved my new flashlight, a recent parental present to light the remainder of the way. I picked up the Termination Point trail along with a creek running through its middle. Soon the mantra of "Hey bear", turned into "Hey car!" and I was back in the car, warming up. On the route home, a darkly lit view of the range I had just traversed presented itself, a fine ending to an outstanding hike.

Good night, Monashka Mountain.