The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes

This week, I went to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, the site of the largest volcanic eruption of the twentieth century (June 6, 1912). It was amazing! It's a totally different world from Brooks Camp where I live. The valley is filled with volcanic ash and pumice, like a lunar landscape. Rivers cut their way through the thick layers of ash. The valley was named by Robert Griggs, a scientist who visited the valley in 1916. When he saw the valley, there were thousands of smoking vents and fumaroles throughout the valley, so he named it the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. One of my interpretive programs this summer will be giving a day-long guided tour and hike through the valley. I'm very excited to go back to the valley many more times.

On another note, life is going well for me at Brooks Camp. For all of you readers from the Midwest, I can now play Euker. I have been on a winning team twice now! I have also taught my favorite card game, Oh Hell, to some of my friends here.

I saw two bears this week from about twenty yards away. They are interesting to watch - they can be funny but also a bit scary. I was on an elevated platform watching them eat some vegetation below, and they were definitely watching us out of the corner of their eyes.

Well, thanks for reading!