We are Mike and Courtney, and we make our home nestled amongst the mountains and the sea in Juneau, Alaska.
Courtney is a small-town girl, having lived in Juneau her whole life. Between all the hiking trails and so much wild land for exploring, she never felt the desire to pack up and move base camp to a new zip code.
Mike is far more worldly than Courtney, having lived in several different countries and hails from the East Coast. When the world was his oyster and he could pick any place in the world to live, he chose to move back to Juneau and start another chapter back in Juneau.
This is one of those disgustingly cliche love stories where it was their love of hiking and adventure that brought them together at a local fundraiser dinner. *Gack, I know.* As covid was starting to throw life into chaos, Courtney and Mike had a lot of #awkwardconversations and #realtalk, and decided to be all in.
Our fluff nugget is Cuvar, a very regal GSD Mike got while in Germany, who takes his protection lineage very seriously therefore he can be quick to peg out his stranger danger meter if you aren’t part of the pack (pro tip – consistent offerings of bacon and medium-rare steak might get you in the pack sooner, though more studies on the effectiveness are always welcome). His protective quality is an invaluable trait when in brown and black bear country, when tent camping, and generally adventuring in the dark winter months. If there ever was a dog that would battle a bear for anyone in his pack without a second thought, Cuvar is the snarky reluctant hero of that story (his inner monologue is probably the voice of Samuel L Jackson). We wish we could figure out the secret combination for turning off his protectiveness for situations we decide are safe, but we haven’t found it yet. Dogs like people, are always a work in progress.
Kiska 5/4/2012 – 5/11/2020
Courtney adopted Kiska at 8 weeks old and from that day on Courtney and Kiska were inseparable. Kiska saw more mountain peaks and alpine meadows than most people who live in Juneau. She learned to pick her own blueberries and was the tent MVP – always on a mission to eat all the mosquitoes when it was time to turn in for the night. The day after Kiska’s 8th birthday Courtney got the news that Kiska’s cranial bone tumor had come back and the kindest course of action was to euthanize her. Her ashes have been spread in her favorite spots from the mountain tops to the beaches, so she will always have those views she loved. Mike says that over time the deep sadness will shift to fond memories we laugh about, and remember all the love instead of just this loss.
Alaskan Adventures With a Dog Named Kiska 