Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Alaska 2011 - Hyder, Alaska to Whistler, BC (FINAL Alaska Post)



"INUKSHUK"


Our trip down the Cassiar Highway (Hwy. 37) was a beautiful drive. Our goal was to get to Hyder, Alaska. We were starting to think about getting back home as well. However, there were still some places and things that we wanted to see and do. The weather was great and the scenery spectacular. We wanted to stop and look around at Jade City which was very interesting. They say that 70% of the worlds jade still comes from this area. In the slideshow below, look for the Jade sculpture of the INUKSHUK (In-ook-shook). This means "in the image of man" and were lifelike images of man erected in stone. They were unique to the Canadain Arctic and along Canadian's most northern shores. The original purpose of the Inukshuks was to act as a compass or guide. The ancients used them for safe trips and to guide them to the hunting grounds and home again. They were also used during winter snow storms where 30' to 60' of snow fell and drifted. As seen above, it was the symbol used on the 2010 Winter Olympics Logo. We saw more black bear on the Cassiar Highway than you could ever imagine.

We arrived in Hyder, Alaska with overcast sky's and a very thick cloud of “skeet’s”. There really is not much to do in Hyder, especially if the weather is bad. This area is very beautiful with its rugged mountains, waterfalls, and glaciers none of which we were able to see clearly due to the low hanging clouds and weather. We found a campsite at “Camp-Run-A-Muck” campground. We knew that we were too early to see the grizzly bears feeding on salmon, but drove up to the viewing site anyway. The highlights of our Hyder experience were seeing Bear Glacier and having the halibut stuffed dinner at the SeaAlaska Inn restaurant. We were not disappointed and would highly recommend this family kept recipe.

The weather forecast was for more rain, so we decided to bag Prince Rupert and visit the ‘Ksan Historical Village in Hazelton, BC. “Ksan is a reconstructed Gitxson village located at the confluence of the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers in northwest British Columbia. Gitxsan “People of the River of Mist” are a thriving, active First Nation community who still display the richness of their culture and heritage. There are approximately 13,000 members with 70% still living in the territory. It is the desire of ‘Ksan to preserve and truthfully portray the lifestyles of the people who have always lived here. All of the dwellings and totem poles are created from Red Cedar trees, as well as all other things: canoes, storage boxes, hats, cedar bark clothing, ceremonial masks, and tools. Cedar rope is still used to hoist totem poles and beams. Fishing is still a very important part of their survival and they look forward to visiting their many fishing camps in the summer months. We stayed at the very nice campground located in the village. To get to the village, you must cross the famous Hagwilget Bridge (single lane suspension) over the Bulkley River canyon. This bridge is 459’ long and is 262’ above the river. It is still one of the highest suspension bridges in North America.

Our next stop was the Treasure Cove casino in Prince George where we spent the night in the parking lot. The next morning we headed south through Clinton, BC to the Hwy. 99 junction and to Whistler, BC. This is a paved over logging road that takes you down the Fraser River and through the coastal range mountains to Pemberton and Whistler, BC. This is a single lane road in many places, crossing single lane bridges, with grades up to 17%. The scenery is spectacular and well worth the “white knuckle” experience.

Whistler Village and the surrounding area is a recreational paradise. After making several attempts in our past to visit Whistler Mountain, we finally got the opportunity. We stayed at the Riverside RV Park, which was within walking distance of Whistler Village. Historically in 1877, the Pemberton Trail first connected this region to the Pacific Ocean. It quickly became the inland route for prospectors and trappers into this untamed frontier area. In 1914, recognizing the immense recreational potential, Mrytle and Alex Phillips from America, bought 10 acres near Alta Lake and built the Rainbow Lodge. Soon after, the railroad came into Whistler Valley and this area became British Columbia’s top tourist attraction. Alta Lake is at the base of both Blackcomb and Whistler mountains. Today, it is an internationally-renowned four season destination and will be remembered as hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics.

We stayed two very enjoyable days, had beautiful weather, and did some hiking. Before departing Nancy and I looked at each other and said, “What a fantastic adventure and opportunity to share together in our lives”. This was a life-event never to be forgotten and we headed home to Fox Island.

We would like to thank those of you that followed us on our “Alaskan” adventure. Putting the blog together in a timely manner is a lot of work, but well worth the memories that you can share with those that you love – family and friends. THANK YOU!

CLICK HERE to view our slideshow traveling the Cassiar Highway to Hyder, Alaska.

CLICK HERE to view our slideshow of the 'Ksan Historical Village.

CLICK HERE to view our slideshow traveling Highway 99 to Whistler, BC.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011



The Alaska State Flag and Song
written by Maria Drake

Eight stars of gold on a field of blue
- Alaska's flag. May it mean to you
The blue of the sea, the evening sky,
The mountain lakes, and the flow'rs nearby;
The gold of the early sourdough's dreams,
The precious gold of the hills and streams;
The brilliant stars in the northern sky,
The "Bear" - the "Dipper" - and, shining high,
The great North Star with its steady light,
Over land and sea a beacon bright.
Alaska's flag - to Alaskans dear,
The simple flag of a last frontier.


There is nothing that will compare to driving your own rig and experiencing the interior of Alaska. The people, huge vastness, wildlife, perseverance of life, history, and absolute beauty is true and exciting. Living in Alaska is not for the timid or light-hearted. They are very proud people who still choose to live their lives in a very traditional manner.

They fish, hunt, grow enormous vegetables to winter themselves through cold, cold temperatures. The symbol on the Alaska Flag (Big Dipper and North Star) truly reflects what Alaskans are all about. Many times Alaskans cannot and will not depend on materialism or new technology, but choose to survive through self-sustaining relationships with mother-nature, a determined will and spirit, family, and friends. They depend on strong work ethics, helping each other, and generational survival techniques. Understandingly, many young children are home schooled.

This truly has been a life-time experience that both Nancy and I will never forget. When you consider the population of Alaska (approximately 725,000) living in a state that is almost 2 1/2 times bigger than Texas - there is something to be said about those numbers. You either make it through a winter in Alaska or you don't! The time clock has been turned back over 100 years now with the excitement and challenge of a new generation of gold seekers. This is truly "The Last Frontier" in America. We hope that you all have an opportunity to enjoy it someday soon.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Alaska 2011 - Haines/Skagway, Alaska


The Original White Pass Trail of 1898

After some very exciting times in Fairbanks, we headed to Haines Junction and down the beautiful and scenic Haines Highway. Haines is located at the most northern end of Lynn Canal, which is the deepest and longest fjord in North America. It is located in the heart of the Chilkat Valley with both the Chilkat and Chilkoot Rivers filled with all five species of salmon during the spawning months (May to October). Also in the fall months, it is a gathering place for approximately 6,500 bald eagles who feed off the salmon run. Commercial fishing is the primary industry, but Haines was also in the Discovery Channel’s hit show “Gold Rush Alaska” and Dalton City, where portions of “White Fang” were filmed. This was a book made famous by Jack London. We departed onto the Alaska Marine Highway, with a 45 minute ferry crossing through Lynn Canal to Skagway, Alaska.

The history of Skagway, Alaska is very complex. We have come to know Skagway as the jumping off point for thousands of gold seekers in the late 1800’s. Like so many other places throughout the United States, what is viewed as the discovery for opportunity and wealth is in reality the invasion of the traditional territory of the indigenous populations. This is exactly what happened in this area of Alaska. People do not recognize the suffering, loss, and onset of oppression experienced by the "First Nation" people. First nation tribes are slowly trying to bridge the gap that still exists around this community regarding their history and the Gold Rush Era.

The 33-mile Chilkoot Pass Trail was the starting point for many. The trail started in Dyea, which is 9-miles west of Skagway. Today, Dyea (Alaska) is a one man “Dyea Dick” town. Before the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898, this trail was controlled by the Tlingit Nation and was a trade route over the coastal mountains to the interior First Nation peoples’ land. Over 30,000 gold seekers stumbled up this trail and the last ¼ mile known as the “Golden Stairs” which had an elevation gain of 1,000 feet. At the top of the pass was Lake Bennett which provided water passage to the Yukon River and Dawson City, still 550 miles away from the gold fields. Once at the summit, over 7,200 wooden boat were built to navigate the connecting lakes. This water route only provided about 3 months passage as the lakes would freeze up and the miners would need to winter tent camp at the top of the pass until the lakes thawed. They suffered through 40 below temperatures and more. Most had to scale the pass 20-40 times (3 months) to get their required 2,000 lbs. of supplies over the pass and be given final approval by the Canadian government before they could go on. Gold was discovered on Bonanza Creek (Dawson City) in 1896. Traveling this route it would take the gold seekers 1-2 years to ever get to Dawson City, which in most cases proved to be too late for any prosperity. Upon there arrival, many turned around and went back home. Word that gold had been found in the Yukon Territory was first announced in Seattle, WA on July 17, 1897 when it was touted that more than 2 ton of gold had been found in the Klondike. A list of the "Gold Rush Miners" supply list can be accessed by clicking on the link below.

Because the well-known foot trail, Chilkoot Pass, was so rough and rugged an alternate route was discovered and became known as the White Pass route. One of the original pioneers of this route was "Skookum Jim" Mason. He and two of his friends were the first to find gold and filed the first mining claims on Bonanza Creek in 1896. He arrived far ahead of the others seeking gold treasures. This route was longer, but not as steep. The White Pass Yukon railroad was started May 28, 1898. By July 6, 1899 construction was finished to Lake Bennett and trains were running to the White Pass Summit. The railroad was completed to Whitehorse on July 29, 1900, some 26 months after it was started in Skagway. This was a remarkable effort This offered a direct route to the Yukon River from the water port of Skagway. People could now travel by ship from Seattle, WA to Skagway, by train from Skagway to Whitehorse, and by riverboat from Whitehorse to Dawson City. The tight curves through the mountains called for narrow gauge track which was 3 feet apart on a 10-foot wide road bed. The total cost of the project was $10 million dollars and was built with thousands of hands, 450 tons of explosives, - 60 degree temperatures, and with of loss of 33 workers. Many of those lost are buried in the Skagway cemetery. It is estimated that over 100,000 men and women headed north with only about 35,000 reaching their goal. By the time many of the gold seekers arrived in Dawson City, the gold rush was over. Today, Skagway is a cruise ship/tourist town only 4 months out of the year!

CLICK HERE to view the Gold Rush Miners Supply List (One Year)

CLICK HERE to view the Haines, Alaska slideshow

CLICK HERE to view the Skagway and White Pass Yukon Railroad slideshow. Come on board and take the train ride with us. We are on the back of the caboose on the way back to Skagway. Enjoy the ride up and down the mountain.

CLICK HERE to view our slideshow of the Skagway Cemetery and climbing out of Skagway to the top of the Chilkoot Pass and the connecting lakes. You will get an idea of what is was like to hike the Chilkoot Pass trail and then jump into your home-made boat and paddle your way to Whitehorse and catch the riverboat to Dawson City.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Alaska 2011 - Chena Hot Springs/Fairbanks, Alaska









You will not want to miss this post and all of the pictures that we would like to share with you. We were very busy and enjoyed all of the outdoor adventures in this area of Alaska. This is what makes all of our travel quests so exciting and educational.

This portion of our trip was one of the highlights. We left Denali and headed to Chena Hot Springs, which is 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks. Prospectors started using this spring fed hot water bath to cure their aches and pains in 1905. In 1911, a trail was established from Fairbanks for mushers and the “Hot Springs Stage, which took 20 hours to get to the hot springs. The chemical content of the hot spring water makes this comparable to the famous springs at Carlsbad in Bohemia. Chena Hot Springs will continue to welcome people from all over the world to bathe in the curative powers of hot water.

We spent one night enjoying ourselves at the hot springs and then headed back to Fairbanks for three days. Along the way we got to see the Alaska Pipeline which was very exciting. Here we visited the University of Alaska “Museum of the North”, enjoyed the famous Pioneer Park “Salmon, Halibut, Cod, Prime Rib BBQ” dinner, toured the El Dorado Gold Mine, and traveled the Chena River on the Riverboat Discovery. At the El Dorado Gold Mine you travel by narrow gauge train through a working gold mine, explore historic drift mining in a permafrost tunnel, and pan for gold. In a very short period of time panning, Nancy and I were lucky enough to get $30 worth of “flower gold”.

We traveled down the Chena River in the Riverboat Discovery stopping by Iditarod Champion and Alaska Legend “Susan Butcher” and her family. Susan not only won the 1,100-mile Iditarod Dog Sled Race (1986, 1987, 1988, and 1990), but she is the only dug musher to summit Mt. McKinley with her dog team. Susan’s life was cut short on August 5, 2006 when leukemia claimed one of Alaska’s brightest stars. Her family (husband and two daughters) keep Susan's legacy alive. One daughter is preparing to compete in the 2012 Iditarod race. While on the river we also got to visit Chena Village, which was on the original site of an Athabascan Indian Village in the early 1900’s. These people still carry on their traditional hunting, fishing, and gardening ways. Today, the Alaskan "First Nation" communities still use the entire "catch" in a useful, functional, and practical manner. There leave NO WASTE!

The University of Alaska “Museum of the North” was spectacular. Exhibits focus on Alaska Native cultures, wildlife, geography, and history of each of Alaska’s five major geographic regions.

Below there are four (4) slideshows for your enjoyment. Each one has some great pictures to share with you. We hope that you enjoy them as much as we had fun!

CLICK HERE to watch the Chena Hot Springs and Alaska Pipeline slideshow.

CLICK HERE to watch the El Dorado Gold Mine and Pioneer Park slideshow.

CLICK HERE to watch the Riverboat Discovery (Susan Butcher's Kennel & Athabascan Village slideshow.

CLICK HERE to watch the “Museum of the North” slideshow.