Have you ever wondered what Sheridan or Child’s Glacier looked like 30 years ago?  Everyone has tried to either remember or imagine how the landscape has changed over the years.  David Rosenthal has been painting landscapes as the changes occur and has created a historic record with his paintings.  The amount and quality of his work is impressive to the point of being mind boggling.  We took a tour of David’s studio the other day and came away in awe of the history preserved as well as the high quality of the  art work .  David began slowly showing us his paintings, but then as we asked questions, he quickly warmed to our enthusiasm and taught us a great deal about the history of glaciers and terrain around Alaska and many other parts of the world. It was a very enjoyable mini educational vacation! So much so, that we now have tons of questions that spur conversation and research every day.  The paintings seem more real than real life views somehow.  David has small water colors, small and medium size oil paintings as well as very large oil paintings.  A few of the watercolors in frames would make an amazing gift that anyone would love to have at home or to give.
call David Rosenthal at 907-429-5613 for your own tour appointment, learn and be amazed.  Paintingattheendoftheiceage.com
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Amanda Williams is writing a great column about the Chugach National Forest. You should read it! Here is a link. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2021/04/11/chugach-corner-an-adventure-on-the-cordova-ranger-district/

Cordova Gear is proud to announce a new program to donate used bicycles throughout the community of Cordova, Alaska.  In partnership with the Cordova Police Department, we will be finding new homes for abandoned bikes. Throughout the year the police department is tasked with collecting and storing abandoned property until it can be claimed or auctioned. These items include bicycles, many of which are in need of refurbishing to be safe and functional on the road.  Police Chief Nate Taylor graciously agreed to assist in helping Cordova Gear put this program into action.

Through the bicycle sales and maintenance department of our retail shop, our mechanics will be selecting abandoned bikes with the potential for more life ahead of them. These bikes will be cleaned, repaired, refurbished, and put back into the community for those who are in need of them. This will be an ongoing community service project. We are excited and grateful for the opportunity to use our time and resources to help give back to our generous and supportive community. Stay tuned for more details on how new homes will be selected for each bike!

Located above a grid of occasionally dead-ending and non-continuous streets, it can be more tricky to find the Mt. Eyak trailhead then simply "heading up". From Cordova Gear at  104 West Davis Ave., turn right onto main street and head downhill into the middle of town. Stop by Nichols Front Door Store on the left to grab any last minute snacks and hydration for the walk. Though not a long distance, the rest of the walk is up and up, and can raise your heart rate quickly. Continue on until you come to Browning Ave. Turn left and start the climb.
At the first intersection with Second Street you will see the historic Forest Service building across from you on the right. This is a great place to stop for information concerning the trails and flora and fauna surrounding Cordova. Alternatively the Kayak Cafe is located across the street to the left where you can find a variety of locally made food and beverages. Continue up Browning past the decommissioned historic elementary school until you reach the intersection with 4th St. Turn left at the Nettie Hanson Memorial Park, or stop and let the kids play in the green space. At the apex of 4th St. you will reach Council Ave. making a steep climb on your right. At the top of the hill you will need to turn once again to your left at the intersection with Orca Ave. Follow the winding road the rest of the way to the trailhead parking lot, past the community water tower on the right, until you reach the base of the ski hill and the ski lift. The view continues to open up the further you climb up the trail. No matter the season it is always a great place to enjoy the calmness above the busy town.

Cordova, Alaska is a great place to spend time exploring on a bike, it is a good fit for independent travelers who want to get off the beaten path.

The paved roads along Orca Inlet are beautiful rides.  From town to Orca Cannery and back then out Whitshed road to Hartney Bay (a great place to see shorebirds) and back is a beautiful ride with amazing world class views, similar to biking along the water in Victoria, Canada.  Whitshed road continues after Hartney Bay, but is gravel so a gravel, mountain or fat bike would be better than a road bike for the end of the road.  A great way to add paved mileage would be to ride 13 miles out the Copper River Highway to the airport and back.  The reward will be beautiful views of glaciers, the Copper River Delta and wildlife.  Take a look at a map for mileage for different versions of this ride.  Continuing past the airport on the gravel, you can take a left and visit Sheridan Glacier, or continue on and explore numerous side roads all the way to the Copper River.

Cordova is bike friendly.  Many, many Cordova people and families enjoy biking!

Cordova Gear Offers bike rentals, it is a good idea to reserve in advance if you are on a schedule, also a good place to get some current information on possible riding itineraries.

Mountain and fat biking opportunities abound and a person is only limited by imagination.  Winter biking is very popular and frozen ground opens up unlimited winter biking opportunity.  As with any outdoor activity, be prepared, wear functional clothing, make good decisions and carry appropriate safety gear.  

A great resource for improved trail information for bicycle use is the Forest Service. There is an abundance of trail info. available from the Chugach Forest Service.

The Sand Trail is a Forest Service trail that is a fun ride on fat or mountain bikes. Especially in fall through spring when alders are leafless.

Power Creek road along Eyak lake is a beautiful ride any time of the year.  Riding out Sheridan road to the Sheridan Glacier trail always offers the reward of an amazing view any time of the year.

Saddlebag trail with mountain or fat bikes is a more technical ride with a wonderful view at the end.  

Riding to hiking trailheads is always fun.  Biking offers easy quick access to the Ski Hill (an up hill work out), Crater Lake Trail, Power Creek Trails at the end of Power Creek Road, a quick ride from town on Whitshed Road gets you to the trail to our amazingly beautiful Frisbee Golf Course!

There are other trail options on Native owned land, contacting the Native Corporations to get trail permits and trail information is recommended.

Sheridan Lake and Glacier is a popular winter destination for ice skating, kick-sledding and studded biking riding. But opportunities abound for other forays as well. For those who want to enjoy the beautiful glacier scenery while remaining firmly on land, the edge of the lake skirting down towards Sheridan River offers new and unique vantage points of ever-changing icebergs and vistas. When winter brings more snow accumulation than can be easily traversed with hiking boots alone, the addition of snowshoes or short snow trekking skis will help you easily stay on top, instead of bogging down and post-holeing. Start from the Sheridan Glacier parking lot and continue down the Lake Trail as it loses and regains elevation, meanders through light forested areas, and eventually ends down by the side of the lake. From there continue along the beach on the right-hand side. Eventually the noise of the Sheridan River outlet will start to grow as you get closer and you will be able to watch the water leaving the lake to stream over a shallow river strewn with rocks and boulders of varying sizes from small to medium to one giant!
An alternative snow trekking route is to start at the parking lot and head up the Mountain Trail. Winding upwards through the woods, the trail eventually breaks out into open exposure with beautiful long views of the surrounding countryside and of the glacier itself should you choose to continue through to the top. As the trail gains elevation it also gains more snowpack and increases in steepness. As on all adventures, be your own best judge of your abilities and limits. Use snowshoes and snow trekkers to take you as far into the wild as you want to go!

Today is a day of simple thoughts and smiles.......
Watching my sunflowers grow tall
Seeing a beautiful, bright, fish that has a million colors reflected in its scales
Gliding down a hill on a bike
Seeing the smile of a child who just mastered riding and balancing
A smile and wave from a neighbor
​Listening to the birds before opening my eyes in the morning
Feeling the warmth of the sun
Trying to solve the puzzle of  how to fix a bike and get it rolling again
Touching and holding a warm cup of coffee while waking up
Listening to people laughing, and laughing myself even though I did not hear the joke
Happily looking at fireweed and realizing it is not yet fully bloomed
Losing my balance while looking at a reflection of ice, mountains and water
Talking to a friend and customer who finds joy in reusing and repairing bicycles too
Working with people who are doing their best with a smile and warmth
Music and melody and trying to learn more about making it
Birds, feeding them, watching them, learning about them so many amazing colors and shapes
Listening to someone talk about what they love with passion
A quick ride to the Ski Hill and a hike to the top before work
Hearing the voice of someone I love
The unfiltered comments of a child, positive or negative
Memories of holiday x-c skiing wearing bowling shoes, on tooth picks with golf clubs
Walking on the beach with a friend and showing off my favorite spot
Realizing I have my shirt on inside out….. duh
Watching the trees sway while listening to the breeze

    Sitting on the bench halfway up the trail to Crater Lake, I glanced at my watch, and made an unplanned decision to continue up to the top.  The morning had been spent indoors, waiting for the clouds to clear off as predicted.  It was after noon before I even stepped outside, and there were no lofty mountain climbing plans on the table for the rest of the day. Heading out of town towards Power Creek, the sun continued to warm up the sky, and a tentative destination of hiking up to the bench was decided.  At Skater's Cabin a group of boisterous young women and dogs was just heading up. I hung back for a while, letting them clear the path of anything grumpy in our way. When I checked the time at the bench, even despite my late start and leisurely pace following others, it was still early and I seemed to be making great time.
      With no other plans for the evening, the sky blue and gorgeous, and a storm system moving in the next day, there was no good reason not to go to the top. Just before the trail flattened out I ran into a hiker on their way down and stopped for a uplifting conversation and kind words. The lake was a beautiful rainbow of colors, from the deep blues of the sky to the multi-colored reflections, shadows, and the clouds just starting to peak over the mountain tops. The decision to visit this awesome place today was the right one. After wandering around enjoying everything except for the increase in bug population, I again checked on the time. Time had stopped. Not just metaphorically, but really. My watch read the same as it had halfway up here. I smiled, now understanding how I had been able to make a world record breaking timed ascent of Crater Lake. There was no longer a reasonable time to stay or to head back down. Time was no more.

Cordova has been getting hit hard with snowfall this winter! The usual thaw and melt-off hasn't been keeping up with the freezing temps, and as a result, the drifts keeps inching upwards. The back-country is beautiful. Blanketed with new snowfall almost every week, it seems like a brand new adventure every time you head out. The ski-hill has been open and running with regularity, and the lift is the most popular road in town. The actual roads in town have been getting slippery with vehicles compacting snow on top of lower layers of ice. Removable ice-cleats are a great item to have for walking around in town or for farther outside of it, as is pre-studded footwear. Studded bike tires help you travel farther when you don't feel like digging out the car. Whatever your snowy adventure, from skiing to hiking to biking, Cordova Gear has the items to help you get out there.