Wild berries!!

There were berries on every hike we took in the Kenai Wildlife Refuge area Aug. 10-14, more in the open, fire areas than in the closed woods. There were watermelon berries and raspberries (regular red and trailing) fully ripe and delicious. The low and high bush cranberries, currants and rosehips were not fully ripe. The kids avoided the bunchberries (which I love) and timberberries because our Alaska berry book does not recommend them. Elderberries grew in profusion, but are poisonous until cooked, so we couldn't eat those (they contain a glycoside related to cyanide). And then there were the devil's claw (nasty prickers) and baneberries (a few berries can kill a small child).