Hatcher Pass, Willow and Fishhook: Picked berries for last several days in different alpine and subalpine areas. Blueberries of all 3 kinds ready now and some getting really tasty. (In some spots earlier the early blues were ripe while the dwarf blues were completely green.) Crowberries perfect. Alpine highbush cranberry patches red and crispy.
August 28
Talkeetna Lakes, Talkeetna: Picked lots of very nice forest blueberries, at the perfect ripeness level. Also picked a couple bog blueberries here and there. The highbush cranberries were good, and actually there were quite a few nice red currants too.
August 19
Alcantra, Wasilla: Highbush cranberry in these woods and all over the Valley are turning clear, ripe enough to pick, though later is better. Rosehips are pretty good everywhere. Some old red currants, watermelon berry, etc. are still available.
August 1
Winner Creek, Girdwood: Salmonberries are ripe, with plenty still unripe. Picked some blueberries. Highbush cranberries are about half red.
July 26
Nordic trails, Girdwood: Forest- Picked Alaska and Early blueberries. Enough berries are ripe to go picking, but plenty are still green. Trailing black currants and trailing raspberries are plentiful and almost ripe. Perfect watermelon berries, elderberries, and reddening highbush cran plentiful here (like everywhere). In the meadows- cloudberries are plentiful and perfect/tasty! Really good bog blueberries too. Bog cranberries red but not ripe.
July 18
Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge, Wasilla: Lots of perfect nagoonberries! Also ripe black currants and a few good red currants still. Highbush cranberry early red.
July 3
Matanuska River Park, Palmer: Highbush cranberries have big green berries. Serviceberries are half green/blue.
June 1
Woods: Wasilla: found lots of very happy/good morels to get. Highbush cran, lowbush cran, and watermelon berries flowering. Rose blooms just starting. I’ve seen them fully out blooming in other Valley places.
August 15
Woods, Wasilla: picked lots of ripe highbush cranberries. Basically nice berries, most ripe enough.
August 3
Ester Dome, Ester: Picked highbush cranberries (still tart) before the rain wrecks them. Also picked some ripe rosehips.