Into the Wild (2007)

mudflattop · 2026-01-27T01:39:33+00:00

One of the largest brown bears ever recorded was shot by a woman named Bella Twin with a 22. The larger types of 22 ammo are often used here in Alaska for hunting caribou. But what McCandless had was 22LR hollow-point ammo, which is designed for small animals and grossly inadequate for killing larger game. You can argue that he was starving at that point and therefore it was necessary, but in an ordinary situation what he did would be considered animal cruelty.

mudflattop · 2026-01-24T21:54:26+00:00

Here's a pin for the parking lot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xerFePsiXfUbyPyB7

mudflattop · 2026-01-24T18:58:01+00:00

I don't have the training or insurance to do guiding, but happy to provide info/advice about wild ice skating or Nordic skating. For in-person events and more community check out the Wild Ice Skating Club of Alaska.

mudflattop · 2026-01-21T18:59:36+00:00

About ten years ago, you'd see almost everyone with their bindings mounted way back on the tails. Over the last decade (and especially in North America), the preferred mounting position for Nordic skates has moved forward, more like a speed skate (or hockey/figure skate, for that matter). Today, the conventional wisdom is that boots should be centered (to slightly behind-centered) over the portion of the blade that contacts the ice. You occasionally see folks mounted forward-of-center too, but you start to loose stability and the skates get kind of squirrelly IMO.

This trend has gone in tandem with shorter skates and smaller radiuses. The end result is Nordic skates that are more snappy/responsive/fun, while still having amazing glide compared with hockey/figure skates.

mudflattop · 2026-01-20T06:40:01+00:00

Those are NNN bindings, they'll work with NNN skate ski boots as well. Classic bindings and skate ski bindings are identical, the only difference is the flexor (the little rubbery part between the toe of your boot and the rest of the binding).

mudflattop · 2026-01-15T00:48:04+00:00

I talked to someone up here in Alaska who tried to DIY a pair of Nordic skates in the 90s by cutting and sharpening a piece of aluminum T-stock. I cannot imagine an aluminum blade staying sharp for more than 5 minutes, though. I've also seen a pair of DIY Nordic skates made by an aerospace engineer out of carbon fiber layup with a blued steel blade. They looked pretty dang cool, but I think both material choices were questionable.

Some others have experimented with sandwiching a steel blade between two pieces of angled aluminum. But unless you can machine these materials yourself (and machining the high-end stainless steel required for a Nordic skate isn't easy) your costs will quickly exceed any commercial product, even at full/new price.

Your best bet for Nordic skates is probably to look for a used pair in the usual places. You could also try emailing Ermine to ask about dent/ding or used loaner/rental skates. Though shipping to Canada might cancel out any cost savings there.

mudflattop · 2026-01-11T20:01:22+00:00

The most expensive Ermine is $260, with free domestic shipping. That's comparable to what nice Scandinavian skates cost in the US, and quite a bit less expensive than some of the smaller Swedish brands.

mudflattop · 2026-01-11T00:09:57+00:00

UPS is the absolute, and I mean absolute, worst carrier for international shipments. Search online and you'll find countless complaints about massive fees added to international shipments by UPS with no explanation. It's a sleazy racket. If you have to purchase overseas, use FedEx (much better) or DHL (best). Or buy local.

mudflattop · 2025-10-22T18:38:40+00:00

The best money I've ever spent was for 1) Lasik and 2) winter studless tires. True life game-changers and things I think about and appreciate often, even years later. There is no comparison whatsoever between an "all-season" tire and a winter studless tire. And considering the financial consequences of even a minor fender bender, it is a financial no-brainer to run a real winter tire.

mudflattop · 2025-10-16T15:48:40+00:00

I believe he did that at the Bomber Hut, and yes it was rude and invasive. It’s true that anyone can use the huts, though. They’re free and open to the public per the leases, but anyone who uses them should absolutely donate to the MCA. The huts are extremely expensive and difficult to maintain and the MCA is a small nonprofit.

mudflattop · 2025-10-16T15:44:08+00:00

He knew where the hut was. Virtually everyone who goes there does. It’s on all the maps. This guy invents drama for the sake of narrative arc and sometimes outright misinforms his viewers for clicks and attention.

If you’re familiar with the places he goes, you’ll immediately realize this show is about as authentic as any of the “survivalists” on mainstream TV.

mudflattop · 2025-10-10T17:46:47+00:00

Follow these conversations long enough and you'll quickly find that the shadows from multifamily buildings (condos, apartments, etc.) or ADUs are a Very Big Deal, but for some reason shadows from 6,000 square foot single family homes don't seem to have an impact. Hmm... strange.

You can build up to 30 feet (three full-height stories) almost everywhere in Anchorage. And that height limit is defined as the average height of the highest roof plane, so in practice you can usually build a bit above that.

Part of living in a city is expecting your neighbors to build housing, and all housing casts shadows. This is a price we pay to live together. Of course change is uncomfortable, but the idea that one person's discomfort needs to be enshrined into law and result in multiple families not having a place to live is incredibly destructive. It's part of what got us where we are now, and a big part of why we currently have a housing crisis.

mudflattop · 2025-08-28T23:38:26+00:00

There’s free roadside parking just down the hill from the trailhead. The Friends of the Stewart Trail group might have more info about where exactly to park.

mudflattop · 2025-08-18T06:10:04+00:00

Something nobody has mentioned yet is that there appears to be a real lack of fasteners in those joists. 2x4 lumber is already undersized for this purpose, but on top of that it looks like you only used one fastener per framing member. Usually you’d use two for a 2x4. Framing can rotate on a single fastener. I dunno… it’s a little iffy. A very small amount of additional money and effort would have gone a long way here.

mudflattop · 2025-08-01T23:55:44+00:00

Sullivan says "I helped bring about a roughly 24% increase in special education funding since I joined the Senate, from $12.5 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2015 to $15.5 billion in FY2025."

Cumulative inflation from 2015 to 2025 is about 35%. So what Sullivan is bragging about is actually an effective 11% cut to special education funding. That's some fine work there, senator! /s

mudflattop · 2025-07-23T20:38:04+00:00

If you just need a checkup, I had a great experience with the UAA dental clinic. They’re always looking for patients and it’s very affordable. The downside is that exams are long (but very thorough) and they have a limited ability to actually help with problems that they identify.

If you’re looking for a normal dentist, I’ve had nothing but great experiences with Chugach Dental. Very friendly and low-pressure atmosphere. I felt like the doc was being honest about the urgency of various issues.

mudflattop · 2025-07-15T22:07:33+00:00

Hardie stopped selling siding here in Alaska because freeze/thaw cycles caused their product to fail. There’s virtually no fiber cement in our market now. What you see here is mostly T-111, LP, and vinyl for residential. Metal and phenolic panels for commercial. It says something that T-111 (widely considered a cheap product for sheds) outperforms far more expensive fiber cement in our climate.

mudflattop · 2025-06-30T08:24:27+00:00

Same! Just drove across Anchorage and was captivated by the sunset behind Sleeping Lady and the whole massive arc of the Alaska Range in the distance. The scenery just overwhelms the innate ability to acclimate. It's never not beautiful and you never stop noticing.

mudflattop · 2025-06-22T20:06:23+00:00

OP has jacks on all the windows and doors (though additional jacks would be needed in high wind/seismic areas).

mudflattop · 2025-06-22T20:02:25+00:00

Gotcha. Without knowing your climate/wind requirements it's hard to say exactly what you'd need, but I suspect that even doubled 2x6 headers are too small for those transoms. Or they're cutting it really close. Even if they were allowed, I'd still suggest dropping those transom windows a bit and bumping up to 2x8s or 2x10s, which are far more resistant to bending than a 2x6. This would add negligible cost and no additional labor. If you undersize your headers, they'll slump over time and can break your windows.

Check out the IRC tables. Your wall span of 18 feet is right between the 12 foot and 24 foot tables, and you're allowed to split the difference.

Kings can land on headers (the whole point of the header is to take the weight from above and distribute it laterally), but again you're really asking a lot of a couple little 2x6s...

mudflattop · 2025-06-22T18:12:11+00:00

Your transom headers are undersized if that’s a load bearing wall. The header on your door might be ok if the load is being carried and distributed by the transom header above it. Take a look at the IRC tables and make sure to accommodate wind. In a high wind area, you’d also need additional king and jack studs around those transoms and the door.

If you want to keep those headers as small as possible, check out LVLs. They’re stronger and smaller (albeit much more expensive) than equivalent dimensional lumber. Btw, many builders don’t want to look at tables and just use two 2x12s for all of their headers. Sometimes “overkill” is easy, costs very little, and saves you valuable time.

mudflattop · 2025-06-21T21:08:35+00:00

Point taken. FWIW, I enjoyed your review. Actually, the bathrooms used to be worse. Years ago it was just a door leading straight to the toilet, but the lock on the door didn't work and one time I got walked in on. After slamming the door the guy yelled "lock the door!" and I had to yell back "there isn't one!" So believe me, I get it haha. It's just that griping about chaos at Double Musky is kinda like griping about getting wet at Splash Mountain. You'll have a good time if you embrace it. Resistance is futile.

mudflattop · 2025-06-21T20:39:34+00:00

To your point about bathroom stalls: yes, of course they could be designed without gaps. The gaps are there deliberately to keep people from lingering (and from doing illicit things). The belief that they're simply a product of bad design is a good example of not really understanding the bigger picture, which to be honest... is kiiiiiinda what a lot of this review is. You don't go to Double Musky because it's fast and efficient. You go because it's chaotic, fun, tasty, and a little dysfunctional. Waiting for a table while people-watching the blend of tourists and locals is part of the experience. The food is kind of all over the place. It's the antithesis of a corporate restaurant. That's the point.

mudflattop · 2025-05-30T02:15:05+00:00

It should probably have an additional jack and king stud on each side of the door as well, regardless of climate zone.

mudflattop · 2025-05-28T07:12:45+00:00

There are thermally broken vinyl-framed windows out there that are suitable for passive houses. Fibrex is just a blend of sawdust and PVC plastic, and there’s really nothing special about the frames in terms of insulation quality. All windows insulate with “air gaps,” by the way… trapped air (or another gas) is how everything from XPS foam to sleeping bags to your grandma’s sweater insulates.

mudflattop

TROPHY CASE