Vol. Eleven Issue Three 'l\vo Dollars The McCarthy Road-what will be its fate?
WSEN Slott photo Ironically, we shot this photo of a hapless tourist's vehicle as we were heading home to attend the Department of Transportation meeting in McCarthy after a night's stay at the new Princess Hotel in Copper Center. At the meeting it was announced that the Chitina Highway MaintenHnce Station will be closed July 1. This past mon th \ve also learned that the state may lack sufficient property interests in the righ t-of-way to complete proposed project. Details inside. PAGE 2 WRANGELL ST. ELIJ\B NEWS .IUJ.Y & AUGUST 2002
BY BONNIE KENYON t is summ ertime in t he us. listening to campfire stories of Wrsmgells! In spite of t he I want to thank you the youth staffers. I think she did I fact t hat our 81 degrees subscribers who have been an excellen t j ob! feels like ] 00, I run thr illed to see sending in your recipes! Judy Wrangell St. ELias News t he wildflowers in bloom, the Fulton from Cordova is welcomes aboard the following tree swallows feasting on our contributin g to this issue (page new s ubscribers: Deen n Hunvitz plent iful crop of mosquitoes, and 32) with a few rhubarb recipes. and Doug li'ord, C'l'; Chet Randall the garden is beginning and Joan Fortin, OR. to lool{ like a garden. I hope each of you are enjoying your f1 Um.mer season wherever you live WrangeU St. Elia.~ and taking full advantage News of the blessings this time VOL. Eleven, Issue Three, of year brings. July & August 2002. I want to t hank Inger Published every tV\10 months at Jensen Ri cci for her write McCarthy, Alaska. McCarthy, up this issue on another PO Box MXY, Glennallen, AK WSEN otolt pboto 99588-8998. Ph one (907) 554- Kennecott Kid Reunion B A RBARA AND R ICHARD OSBORN E 4454. FAX (907) 554-4494. (page 21). Rick and I AN D S ISSY LOMMEL K LUH were so pleased to find WSEN @starband.net. several of those "kids" on our door step one d ay. Barbara I've already t ried n couple of "Copyright © 2002 by and Richard Osbocne and Sissy them more than once! Thanks, Wrangell St. Elias News. No part of this publication may be Lommcl Kluh dropped by to say Judy! reproduced by any means hello and we had a great time We have subscriber Kim without the express permission visiting. Ri chard and Sissy were Williams to thank for submitting of the publishers." both born in Kennecott. You may the Ballad of Bobo on page 23 Contributors to th is issue: recall the article which was George Cebula, Ned Rozell, entitled, George written by a Kenny Smith, Emily (Morrison) Ftawers - teacher Bass, Gene LaBerge, Inger friend , Jensen Ricci, Ainee Seaman and friend by Aimee and Judy Futton. Richard which Seaman, appeared in the while Subscription price is $10 for September & visiting one year in the USA. Canada $12.50. Other countries $20. October 1999 McCarthy Advertising rates upon request. WSEN. Sissy has the end of Deadlin e for publication in next written her May. We are issue is October 15. m emories BS a WSEN staff photo sorry we Kennecott Kid in HAZEL BROWN A N D N ELS didn't have PERIODICALS POSTAGE a b ook coiled K O NNERUP room for PAID AT GLENNALLEN, Born in Kim 's letter AK. 99588. Kennecott. of intro POSTMASTER: Send Nels Konnerup and his friend duction to Aimee's poem . The address changes to Hazel Brown nlso stopped by. Williams' cabin in McCarthy was Wrangell St. Elias News, Nels grew up in Kennecott. His the bll8e camp for t he junior high McCarthy, PO Box MXY, father opemted the company school youth group from Bethel Glennallen, AK 99588- store un til the mines closed in Church in Fairbunlcs. The Ballad 8998. 1938. He is a regular visitor to oj'Bobo was penned by Aimee, the area and never fails to visit one of the adul t leaders, after WRANG~LL ST. ELLO.S NEWS .JULY & AUGUST 2002 PACF. 3
BY BONNIE KENYON Doran Ward, Roni English a great time and even landed a their gardens and greenhouses and family: Ronl answered my King Salmon. Congratulations, going this year, including me.) In phone call. I asked if this was n Bccah! between Don's summer flying job good time to visit and collect an While Becah was fishing, the with Wrangell Mountain Air, he item of interest. She replied that rest of her family went flying. and Rick (I<.enyon) flew to Chiti she was just cleaning up after Doran flew Roni, Adam and Long na for an exciting and very pros finishing A. window trim project Lalce neighbor, Tyee Lohse, to perous fishing excursion. Be sore and could use a break. Roni nnd Cordova for an outing and a to catch their story on page 22. Doran's main summer project is surprise visit to Tyee's dad, Chris Epton: Our summer landscaping. (I guess l should say Ralph, who is a gill-net fisherman neighbors are arriving, some to landscaping "McCarthy style.") (during the swnmer). It appears open up their seasonal With their log home pretty much Roni and family are taldng full businesses, some to improve on finished now, Roni is pleased to advantage of their summer their cabins and property, others focus her attention to the vacation! just to enjoy the change of pace outdoors. Don, Lynn, Rene and Sarah the McCnrthy/Kennicott area Doran is presently out doing Welty: Daughters Snral1 and Rene offers. Chris, part owner of his usual stint as a pilot for returned from their missionary Glacier View Can1pground was a Alaska Airlines, but is due back trip to La Paz, Mexico on June 6. week late this year which got shortly where, I'm sure, he'll dig Shortly after arriving in quite a rise out of some of us. We into the outdoor project right Anchorage, Sar·al1 caught a flight are always eager to see the along with Roni. to South Carolina where she "Open" sign at the Glacier View Son Adam, 15, has taken on spent two weeks visiting a friend. Grill which announces those a full-time job with McCarthy (She should be back in delicious Glacier Burgers that Lodge. He has become "a man Chris is well-lmown for! As Rick of all trades." He started off as a and I were sampling one of those dishwasher b ut it sounds like he burgers the other night, I asked is venturing out into the area of Chris what his winter months general labor as well. It's even were lilte. possible you will find him Although he puts his name waiting your table if you stop in on the teachers' sub list in for a meal. His home, which is Anchorage, he spends a great located at the base of Fireweed portion of his time driving and Mountain, is approximately 8 delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut. miles (one way!) from downtown Last September he made his McCarthy. Rani estimates it annual pilgrimage to Washington RENE-SARAH takes Adam 3 hours round trip to attend a Husky football game. each day that he works. lie Chris says he has been doing this bicycles to and from work and on Anchorage as l write this.) Rene since he was 10 years old. Then occasion he gets a ride halfway came home and soon went to be made his way to Oregon where home with neighbor Andy work for John Adams at he visited his sister. October he Shidner. Adam is one serious McCarthy B & B, enjoyed the started delivering pizzas. 1'his young man. family fishing expedition on the year he bought a new Ford Focus Becah is enjoying her Gulkana River and then went to which is his new "Pizza Car." summer vacation doing projects Long LaJ{e where she assisted Delivering in style, I'd say! around the house and sampling Cliff Collins in banding his t1ock When Chris isn't traveling or various camping spots on the of swallows. worldng his delivery business, he fami\y property. In mid June Lynn says she is busy n.t participntes in Monday night jazz Becah was invited along on n summer projects which includes sessions with the Anchorage Jazz fishing/camping trip with Don, planting her garden. (Most Ensemble which meets at the Lynn and Rene Welty. Bccah had McCarthyites nrc late in getting Diamond High School. Chris says PAGE 4 WRANGB!.L ST. El.IAB NEWS JULY & AUGUST 2002
he had the opportunity to play gmbhed my notepad so I could and Kathy, who come from drums this year whi ch he squeeze an item out of our Milwaukee, arc in for n few week thoroughly enjoyed. When I famous "Potato" girl. For those visit to their cabi11. Peggy is a responded wi lh, "Not piano?" he of you who have not yet visited professional photographer and reminded me that he was a the McCarthy area, Denise owns Kathy is an Emergency Room percussion major. Sounds like and operates "The Potato," physician, who is tailing a well you had a full winter. No wonder which serves a delicious variety of deserved vacation . They dropped you didn't get back to McCarthy Mexican (and American) food. by t he other day and we had a on time this year, Chris! Spuds are a. maj or fare at "The nice visit. Kathy shared several Kermy Smith: Another late Potato" so Denise as well as her stori es of her ER experiences and arrival this year is Kenny. Now his help acquire nicknames that had us in "stitches.'' (Well, not excuse is "a lifetime chan ce" at a seem to stick. This year Denise literally!) cruise which took he and wife has hired (t familiar frtce to the I asked t he ladies what they Donna from Asia to the USA. "It locals- Stephanie Piekert- who were doing since their arrival. was a really, really good deal," is now being referred to as Peggy says they arc working on says Kenny, and one that took "Spuddy." (Stephanie was Bccab their cabin, painting, creating a them across the Pacific taking in and Adam Wards' tutor winter rock walkway, planting grnss, many of the Pacific World War IT before last. She is also giving the clearing brush and, of cour se, battle sites. Ile and Donna flew McCnrthy Lodge n hand nt visiting their neighbors. Thanks from Seattle to Tokyo where they baking this year.) for including us on your boarded the ship. The cruise AI .Tuntz, Denise's dad, is "rounds!" las ted 34 days and from Kenny's here vi siting for a couple of Doug Ford/Deena Hunvitz description of the food served on weeks so I'm sure he is filling and Chct Randall/Joan Fortin board, Rick and I expected him Denise in on he and Mona's and Michael: Next door to Peggy to b e on a major weight-loss cruise! and Rathy (and nc,.:t door to us) program this summer. (It Denise says she attended are two new couples who Rick appears he ate wisely and doesn't Claudi n. Haines and Steve and I met for the first time have to r esort to such measures.) Glasman's wedding in Homer yesterday. They w€mt i.n together To he and Donna's surprise this winter so I want to be sure to on a cabin and property a.nd arc was the discovery t hat another pass on big CONGRATULATIONS finally getting out to vi sit the couple with McCarthy area to Claudia and Steve. (Most of area and meet their neighbors. connections - Al and Mona Jantz you will remember Claudia for Deena and Doug arc from 't\ew - were also on board ship. (Most her work with St. Elias Alpine London, CT. where Deena of you know that AI and Mona are Guides the past several years.) teaches international human our famous Potato girl, Denise's, Another business venture for rights at Yale Law School. Doug pl.ll'ents.) Denise, that she says is up and works for Physicians for Human Kenny says the highlight of running for the season , is Swift Rights based in Boston . Chct and the trip was their s top at New Creek Cabins. Operating both Joan with t heir 9 month old son, Britain Island :u1d the town of businesses l BY KEN SMrrn he highway the heavy equipment and in other areas besides maintenance station at consumablcs will be returned Chitina. This reduces his T Chitina was one of the to the state equipment fleet overall staff to the point he oldest stations in the Alaska for deployment elsewhere. only has a couple of paving Highway maintenance system. It •Th e McCarthy Road will crews on the Richardson and dated way back to when the still be regarded as state Glenn Highways. An Copper River and Northwestern maintained although emergency on the McCarthy Railwaywas in operation. It was Levasseur cannot promise Road might mean closing originally located in lower much in the way of down one of the highway Tonsina. then moved to nearby maintenance. The following is paving efforts. Therefore it is Chi tina in the early 1960s. On what he can and cannot going to have to be a July first the Alasl BY KEN SMJTH he long awaited, but congressional act, which did rendered their 1993 decision the not surprising, opinion exactly that. Unfortunately, and DOT&PF appeared to acquiesce Ton t he right-of-way as the state now realizes, the to it as, for a few years anyway, it width of the McCarthy Road was same act also gave the Secretary acknowledged the 50-foot each issued on May 17, 2002 by the of the Interior discretionary side of center right-of.way in Alaska Attorney General's office. authority to re-designate road public documents. But in 1995 The opinion was not unexpected right-of-ways in Alaska. the DOT&PF reversed itself and since it essentially reiterates the The secretary used this announced at a public meeting decision rendered on August authority, three times, relevant in McCarthy th at once again it 25,1993 by two US Department to the McCarthy Road. Under was contending that it owned of In terior Law Judges. The law what the Department of Interior 100 feet each side of center, fee j udge finding resulted from a calls "Public Land Orders" the simple. Apparently, the Alaska Department of secretary first reduced the department fai led to ask the Transpor tation and Public right-of-way to 50 feet each side attorney general's office to look Facility (DOT&PF) appeal of a of center under PLO 601 which into the matter in 1995 as it was decision by the US Bureau of also withdrew all lands within only a year or so ago that this Land Management which the 50 feet of center from all occurred. As a result, it has declared that the State of forms of appropriation. This talwn ten years or more for the Alaska's property intercst(s) in withdrawal maintained the fee DOT&PF to face up to and agree the McCarthy Road amounted to simple property rights for the with an intuitively obvious only an easement. This width of McCarthy Road. PLO 601 also circumstance that is of para this easement is 50 feet each designated the McCarthy Road mount importance to all side of the centerline of the as a "local road" but not a mnintenance, capital improve road. The DOT&PF had been "through" or "feeder" road. ment or modification on the contending that it held fee McCarthy Road. Later, the secretary, under simple title to 100 feet each side PLO 757, revoked the PLO 601 An "easement" is a right or of the road center. withdrawal and consequently the privilege one party has to the The legal subtleties of the fcc simple status of all "local" use of land of another for a two decisions are fraught with roads in Alaska. However, PLO special purpose. In contrast "fee legalese mumbo jumbo, but 601 did maintain the withdrawal simple title" is the ma_ximum after sorting through all of it for "through" and "feeder" possible CA'i:ent of ownership one finds the end result not roads. At the same time the interest one can possess in real complicated and pretty much a secretary issued Department of property. It appears the matter of plain logic. Essentially, Interior Order, No. 2665, which easement bestowed upon the the DOT&PF had been claiming established a basic easement of McCarthy Road is classified as an that the federal government 50 feet each side of center for ensemcnt appurtenant and a transferred what was once the Alaskan local roads. This ruling typical nffirmativc easement old Copper River & included the McCarthy Road. allowing for people to only walk Northwestern Railway \Vhen Alaska achieved statehood or drive across someone else's right -of-way to it at the time of th e Department of Interior property. statehood. The department issued a quit claim deed to the To what extent this lack of contended that congress had new State of Alaska transferring property right(s) revelation is converted that railroad to it all federal interests in the going to have on the future of right-of-way to a fee simple McCarthy Road; these are the McCarthy Road corridor is highway right-of-way with a defined today by the secretary's open to specula tion. Obviously, width 100 feet each side of order No. 2665. regular maintenance is going to center. This opinion was based After the law judges had suffer, particularly since many entirely upon a 1941 gravel sources previously used WRANGELL ST. ELIAS NEWB JULY & AUGUBl' 2002 PACE 9 arc now on private properly that the ri ght-of-way between DOT&PF's preferred wayside (under an access only easement Chitina and McCnrthy was 200 altcrnalive necessitates that the the state is not even entitled to feet, fee simple. DO'l'&PF hold fee simple take gravel within the allotted What is going to happen at property interests if it is going width). Any planned amenities, the cast end of the McCarthy to develop and operate camp such as wayside pullouts, Road is another interesting grounds, vehicle parking, etc. viewpoints, campgrounds and question. The Attorney If the Attorney General parking lots, are going to be General's oifice will be addres makes the same determination much more costly and difficult sing the width issue on the small for the McCarthy West Sub to provide. The largest blow portion of the McCarthy Road, division as it just did on the rest however is going to be suffered which traverses the McCarthy of the road then the DOT&PF by those who have long West Subdivision, in a future could be placed in an embarras supported safety upgrades and memorandum. For the past two sing predicament regardless of overall enhancement of the road years the DOT&PF has been what it wants to do \vith a future since right-of-way acquisition is conducting McCarthy Road vehicle parking/camping lot. In a time consuming and expensive Kcnnicott River Wayside Project 1995 the DOT&PF began efforts process. The DOT&PF bas long meetings. At these meetings to construct a narrow bridge held to a policy of securing the various alternatives for a state across the west channel of the entire bundle of property rights owned and operated parking and Kennicott River. Funds for this (fee simple) before engaging in campground facility have been project came from federal capital improvements upon fl. reviewed. The DOT&PF's highway trust fund money road or runway. preferred alternative is a camp administered by the Federal The Alaska Legislature ground and parking lot inside Highway Administration. A began planning for the McCarthy the subdivision, which utilizes requisite for securing these Road in 1960. A major upgrade one hundred feet of land on each funds is adequate property on the McCarthy Road was side of the ceo ter of the road. interests. If it is determined that scheduled to commence in 1996 In 1977, the DOT&PF told the DOT&PF holds only a 100- but was postponed. This surveyors representing the foot casement across the \Vest planned construction was owners of this subdivision, McCarthy Subdivision then it replaced with further studies of Lester and Alvin Syren, that the might have built part of this the overall project. width of the McCarthy Road wns bridge on private property. Unfortunately, plans resulting two hundred feet. Based upon In addition, the DOT&PF has from a number of these studies this misinformation the Syrcn also maintained that its fee were established on the premise brothers submitted their simple property interest in a two that the state held fee simple subdivision plat to the state hundred foot right-of-way within property rights 100 feet each Division of Lands for approval. the McCarthy West Subdivision side of center on the McCarthy Now that it has been determined has allowed it to allow others to Road. Furthermore, the state that the Syrcn surveyor's park vehicles, place signs, etc. If has currently retained a \ information was erroneous, will the DO'l'&PF docs not hold fee contractor to develop an the DO'l'&PF still claim simple status to this property "Environmental Impact ownership of the two hundred then it has been in error Statement" on the McCarthy feet of roadway based upon the allowing activities other than Road. The contractor has stated reference to it in the McCarthy access since those property that this EIS will conform to the West Subdivision plat? If so, will rights arc retained by owners of McCarthy Road Scenic Corridor the DOT&PF then contend that the underlying property, in thjs Plan released in 1997. However, it retains more than an ingress case: the McCarthy\Vest the corridor plan was established and egress casement? The Subdivision. under a land status assumption "lhe real democratic American ideal is, not that every man shall be on a level with every other man, but that every man shall have liberty to be what God made him, without h indrance."-Henry Ward Beecher PAGE 10 WRANGELL ST. !!:LIAS NEWS JULY & AUGUSr 2002 Clearing the right-of-way In our last issue most of you told us lhat if an individual did quandary. One offi cial told me saw the half-page advertisement not act promptly, DOT&PF that we could write the story tal\en out by the DOT&PF, would contract with Mr. Randy ourselves. Right-of-Way division, advising Elliott to have the offending We would be h:tppy to write people that they must clear material hauled off. the story, but we don't know "illcg.al encroachments, After Lhe Attorney Gcnentl what the story is. ry.le suspect including abandon ed cars, illegal opinion that the right-of-way is DOT&PF doesn't lmow what the signs, etc., from the 200' actual1 y only 1 00', not 200', and story is, either.) So, if you are McCarthy Highway right of way." the fact that it appears to be an wondering if your sign, car or (The half-page ad cost $3 7 .50.) easement, we went bacl\ to etcetera is in violation, and in At that time we tried to get DOT&PF and asked if they would danger of being haul ed away by some guidance from the right-of Ul\e to clarify what they want 11.r. El1iott, you can phone Pete way department as to what people to do in another Eagan, Pat Thayer or Sig constituted illegal, as opposed advertisement in this issue. They Strandberg and ask for a to legal, signs or parked cars. declined, saying we were just personal analysis of your They would not give us any trying to soli cit business. Given situation. Calll-800-475-2464, details, o nly advise us to have the financial problems of tile or if you want to save the state a each person personally phone state, we would by happy to run bit of change, use the toll them to see if their car or sign a clarification at no cost, as our number (907) 451-5400. was legal or illegal. They also readers have been left in a Wayside proied forging ahead amid opposition BY RICK KENYON manngcment of the parking lot rather than h urt them? Officials from the Depart and facilities, which would be • No c01mnunity needs met ment of Transportation and built in the McCarthy Road right by project. Public Facilities (DOT&PF) came of-way adjacent to the present • Could state lease existing to McCarthy June 5 to present Copper Point parking facilities in parking lot instead? their "preferred alternative" for the area now used for camping. • Current parking is the Kennicott River Wayside Some of the comments unobtrusive, new lot would block project. Also present was the raised by those attending the vi ew. consultant who hilS been hired to meeting were: • Many CtUTent wayside parks stru:t oo the Environmental •Community already has are being closed, why build Impact Statement for the parking facilities, with local another now? McCarthy Road upgrade. m ~mage ment, project would pit • Litigation issues about Project Manager J a.net Brown state agninst local businesses. right-of-way. Project lil(cly would gave a broad overview of the • Proposed parking lot is end up in condemnation proposed wayside project, but undersized, doesn't address proceedings. the details were quite sketchy. In comrmwity needs. •There wns discussion of the a nutshell, they include parking • NPS and D01'&PF had possibility of leasin ~ the existing, for 94 cn.rs nod 12 "large jointly sponsored toilets at the parking lot, rather than building vehicles," toilets, trash, end of the rond in the past- it new facilities. interpretive signs and a was a disaster and they pulled Although it was not turnaround/ loading zone. A funding. mentioned at the meeting, wayside shelter similar to the one •Why build wayside when documents handed out by the in Chitina is also proposed. The road is so bad? DOT&PF showed that the parking aren would be short-term • How would stnte enforce preferred alternative includes a only, no overuight pnrldng day parldng only? small parldng lot on the east side allowed. The proposal is for the • fmpnct is too great on of the river, ubout tile size and in National Pnrk Service (NPS) and privnte business. How can DOT the same general area as that DOT&PF to jointly fund t he 'and NPS help local business ctirrent ly used for parking. WRANGELL ST. ELIAB NEWS JULY & AUGUST 2002 PAGE 11 New York City firemen visit McCarthy · -:, BY EM ILY MORRISON n early June, Sam Gregory compliments of Jay Doyle with Thursday night wus a ni ght of hosted five NYC firemen; Chugach Outdoor Center. Three socializing in town at the Pizza I Andy Serra, Kevin Dillon, of the firemen traveled out to Parlor and the bar. They enjoyed Larry Rooney, Sean Halperin, and McCarthy with Sam and stayed at meeting everyone and felt very Bob Mastrano, from Engine his cabin on Bonanza Ridge. Bob welcomed. The day th~y had to 279/ Ladder 131. The firemen Jacobs of St. Eli as Alpine Gu.idel:l leave they were able to take were directly involved \vith donated glacier gear for an advantage of the sunshine and go rescue efforts on September 11 adventure and Andy, a guide for flightseeing with McCarthy Air and spent a long winter working St. Elias, volunteered to take for a great ending to their on the clean-up and r ecovery them out on the glacier. They McCarthy stay. The firemen s:1id effort. spent the rest of the time it was very hard to leave and were When they arrived in helping I CLASSIFIEDS Property Wanted- Lookjng for property in the McCarthy Kennecott area. 5+ acres, with or without a cabin. 314-849-8419 or 314-369-84] 9 Email [email protected]. Subscribe to the Copper Valley Weekly. S15.00 for one year, 25 issues. Keep up 'vith what's going on in the Copper River Area, everywhere north of the Million Dollar Bridge. Call 907-822-3927, write Copper Valley Weekly, HC 60 Box 229, Copper Center AJ( 99573, e-mail [email protected] or stop in at Lightwood's Mile 6 1h Edgerton Hwy. For Sale- Prime Location in Downtown McCarthy. Cal Eva@ 835-3274 daytime or weekend and evenings at 835-2003. Yard Sale- July 2-Augustjust past MP 50 McCarthy Rd. See display ad this issue. Back Issues- We have many back issues of the Wrangell St. Elias News available. They are $2.50 each postpaid, or any single year (1993 to present) for only $10. WSEN, Box MXY, Glennallen AK 99588. Call (907) 554-4454 or email WSEN(ii)stHrband.net. Web Sites- Web site design and hosting from $100/ page/ ycar. Free layout and design. Or link to your current web site from mccartby-kennicott.com. Text link only $25/ year. WSEN {evst~trband.net. PAGE 12 WRANGELL ST. ELIAS NEWS .IUI..Y & A UGUST 200 2 Geologists in Alaska- part two BY GENE LABERGE You may have noticed that I Highway to a smelter in eviden tly ran a saloon and a haven't mentioned McCarthy or Washington (Spolcnne, I think). bawdy house. She told us how Kennicott. Although the road The road from McCnrthy to some of the young miners who from May Creek was open most Chitina was not open during this lived in the bunkhouses (I ~ u ess of the time we were in May time. \Vhcn we fl ew out to most of them did) would ride the Creek, we never did drive over Chitina I took a picture from the aerial tram down to the mill, there. The bridge over the chopper of a caterpillar hogged then walk the five miles to Nizina-actually the McCarthy. They'd causeway out to the spend som e time in steel bridge- did get the sal oons, or \vi th washed out both the women, t hen summers I spent in wall< back to May Creek When Kennicott !Lnd ride Skolai Lal{C would the trrun bucket burst through along back up to the the Nizina Glacier mine. l'\l bet they the high water took were sober by the out the causeway, time they got back but it was repaired to the bunkhouse!! within a few weeks. As I recall, she said As I recall there were this activi ty went on about a dozen people all year ' round, not living in McCarthy at just in the good the time, however, I Photo courtc11y the author weather. When the was never actually in NIZINA R IVER BRIDGE WITH THE CAUSEWAY WASHED mines closed in the McCarthy. I did fly OUT. late '30's she over it quite a few decided to stay on times in the in t he area. I don't helicopter when we were working clown in the mud along the old recaJI her telling how or when up by Donoho Peak and in the railway. The en tire tracks of the she and Walt got together. Fourth of July Creek and Welden caterpillar were buried in t he We were not the only Creek areas. I was in Kennicott swamp, so the ore had to be geologists worldng in the only once briefly, and took some flown out to Glennallen . Wrangells during this period. pictures of the buildings. I don't But back to May Creek. Several other companies had recall t hat ~myon e actually lived When we first set up our camp by explor·ation crews campe d out. I in Kennicott then, although the airstrip May Creek had a lmow t hat one group was worldng there may have been folks living population of two-Walt and out of Nabesna. During str etches there. There was some small 'l'ess Holmes. They lived about of b:ld weather, when we couldn't scale mining up nt the Bonanzn half a mile north of our camp. fl y up into t he mountains we had Mine but I never met any of the They can1e over to our camp visitors in camp. On ce I b elieve people who did the mining. occasionally, or some of us would we had fi ve helicopters at May There were a number of ladders go over to t heir home in the Creek from several different at the mine site that were used evening. As I recall, Walt was companies. It was ni ce to see a to carry the ore down from the "guarding" some placer gold new face once iu a while. We worltings. The ore was all claims on Dan Creelc at the time. never ran into them when we hand-picked, and very rich- over T hey liked to tallt about " the old wer e worlting, but then, the 50% copper. The ore was hauled days." I bcJi c,·c thnt Tess had Wrangclls nrc a hrrgc areu. down to the McCarthy airstrip worked in some of the saloons in There were also several crews and shipped to Glennallen on the Yukon ns n. you ng woman, from the U.S. Geological Survey Cordova DC.J's, and then carried and then came over to McCarthy working in the area. They did not by truck down the Alaslw. in the 1920's, where she have helicopter support, and I WRANGI!LL ST. EI,!AS NEWS JULY & AUGUST 2002 PAG&l3 know t hat they spent countless the worlt done. So, again, on of the wolf. It never moved when hours in climbing to get TO the L(tbor Day weekend 1 flew buclt to he went past.·Wc had almost the areas where they were mapping. I Anchorage with Jack Wilson and sam e crew back again, so, in recall that Ed MacKevett and took the jet home. By t he f~11l of large part we continued the another fellow had a camp in the 1961 I was about done with the geophysical studies we had begun Nizina valley near "Mile Hi gh course work I needed, and was the previous summer. Cliff." They were One notable mapping the area difference in from our claims camp was the (Nikolai Ridge) appearnnce of north to West Forlt two dogs Creek They left sometime over for work early in the winter. One the morning and was a black, climbed for more Spaniel-Scotty than six hours to mix named get to their "Willy" and the mapping area. other was an old 'Whenever we wer e Samoyed named in the area we'd "Chocko" who have the chopper was supposedly fly them up to a former sled where they wanted dog that used to to go-in about Photo courtesy tho author JACK WILSO N'S PLANE AT MAYCREEKTOTAKE METO bring mail into five minutes! I still ANCHORAGE IN SEPTEMBER 1961 . V IRG MANN IS AT L EFT. McCarthy. They hear from Ed were both occasionally. And friendly, and David Jones, a paleontologist, concentrating mainly on the provided a nice diversion around was studying the fossils in the research for my thesis. Also, by camp. Texas Gulf Sulfur was area. Davy Jones was one of the this time, Sally and I hnd become establishing their camp up on geologists who fi rst r ecognized very good friends, but neither of the claim area. They had moved that many of the rocks in the us were contemplating marriage their drilling rig up to t he site by Wrnngells had fossils that "didn't just yet. But I t hink she was helicopter- one part at a. time. fit." Also, the magnetic definitely "on the scene" by this It had been flown Into May Creelt properties of the rocks indicated tim e. in pieces, carried up onto Nikolai that they h ad actually formed Late May of 1962 saw u Ridge by helicopter and was thousands of miles away, in the revival of activi ty nt the cump in assembled t here. site of present day Indonesia. May Creek. Ed Berdusco and I made two visits to the They must have "drifted" Hixon told t tS their stories of 1\ennecott mines during 1962. n orthward to collide with roclts wintering over in the tents at On one of them we went to the farther north, in the Yulwn May Creek and there were some Jumbo and Bonanza Mines, Valley. This was especially true of exciting ones! For example, Ed where we did some geophysical the lava flows of the Nikolru told of going out of the tent to measurements. \Ve went into the Greenstone, which is a major relieve himself and maltc a yellow bunkhouse at the Bonanza (I rock w1it on the south flanlt of hole in the sn ow. When he think) and looked around. There t he Wrangclls. We carried Davy turned to go back to the tent was still a lot of old clothing and nround in the chopper about a hundred feet away, a other items scattered around. occasionally, too, and helped large wolf stood between him and The building was rather rim transport fossils back to his the ten t, and a pack was howling rnekcd from being hit by camp. in the distance. Since it wns avalanches. There weren't ::tny As August drew to a close, :1bout 40 below zero, he reolizcd "souvenirs" that were of the snow was movi ng progres t hat he had to get past the wolf, interest- or that were small sively down the mountains, and it so he walked back to the tent, enough to carry-so we left becnme ever more di fficult to get passing within about fifteen feet everything as it was. Well , that PAC& 14 WRANGELL ST. ELIAS NEWS J UJ..Y & AUGUST 2002 isn't quite true, I did find one adventure- to ~et back into a We'd land with the chopper item that I took. It was a hovering heli copter! First, we had and climb out on the skids and page-size blue ozalid copy of the to approach i I from underneath, unload our pucks, t he snow shoes local "telephone directory" on to keep away from that rotor and the trnnsit from t he cargo the wall, indicating t he long and blade again. 'l'hc task of actually rack. The first piece of short rings used with the old wall getting aboard was rather tricky, equipment we put on was the because we snow shoes. One time I thought couldn't I'd put my pack on fi rst, and upset the stepped off the skid. In a spli t balance of t he second I was head-deep in snow, chopper by and had to grab t he skid to pull jerldng on the myself back up. We finAlly got ttl! sld d. We first our gear assembled, and 1 toolt put our packs the stadia rod and went out in on the cargo the lead down the slope. As we rack, and were worlting in t he ci rque, a next, with small avalanche came sliding some rather down the slope toward us, but acrobatic never really threatened, and we maneuvering continued rUtming our line . The Photo oourtesy tbo RtJlhor managed to next day we were going to do nn BUILDINGS AT THE BONANZA M INE 1 962. pull ourselves EM traverse along out surveyed onto the skid, line. However, when we flew into telephones with the crank. We and then into the cabin of the the cirque we were runazed to sec also found several outcrops of chopper. Thanks to Bob Nokes' that a LARGE avalanche had the ore and loaded our packs ability as a pilot and some luck, come down after we left the with about 80 pounds of we completed chalcocite, which we had to carry t he exit and quite a distance through the reentry of a snow to get it to the helicopter. hovering My visit to the Erie Mine was helicopter on qui te memorable. The chopper our first try! could not land on the narrow But I'll bet my ledge by the portal, so the pilot, fi nger prints Bob Nokes, told us that he would are still on hover as close-in as he could, and those skids!! we should jump from the We also did helicopter on to the ledge! This some work in was a brand new experience for the Mother us, but we threw our paclrs out Lode Cirque, first, and then , stm1ding on the but not as Photo courtc.y the author skid, managed to summon the much as we THE ERIE MINE AT THE CONTACT BETWEEN courage to jump the si.x feet or so originAlly THE DARKER NIKOLAI GREENSTONE AND THE C HITISTONE LIMESTONE. to the ledge - making sure we planned. Our didn't go up hill into the rotor first tasl\ W:l.S blades. We went into the portal a to survey a line down toward previous day, totally \vi ping out ways, but didn't ha.ve adequate McCarthy Creek, along which we our surveyed line. We were lucky li ght to do much exploring, so we were going to do some geophysi that we were not in tbe cirque left again. I do recall wondering cal studies. Bccnuse the snow when that big one came down, how in t he world they got the was quite soft, we bolted two believe me. After talking things huge ~'b ull-whee l " for the aerial 12-inch planlts between the skids over with other members of tbe trnmway up on that mountain, to support the chopper. They crew we decided that maybe we and I still wonder how they did it! worked fine , nnd we used snow weren 't nll th nt interested in Now we hud the next step of our shoes for our own support. doing n.n EM traverse down Mother Lode Cirque after all ! WRANml LL ST. ELIAS NEWS JULY & AUGUST 2002 PAGE 15 ln July, pilot Bob Nokes Halvorsen and Neil Finnosand, the summer. Of course we had received a communication from who wanted to show us some of hi gh hopes of finding a the Army that he was to meet their prospects. So Ed Berduseo spectacular copper deposit, with a delegation in Anchorage. and I flew out to their camp to maybe even as big as the Jumbo So he missed several days of worli tall{ with them and to look at or Bonanza. After all , several while we all wondered whnt this some prospects. After the geophysical techniques had was all about. All we knew about introductions and some indicated that there was a him was that he flew the KING discussion, we Ieft-on foot-to "conductor" where the drilling 'copter for the television station one of their prospects. One of was being done . Now, a in Seattle. When he returned to them was 78 and the other wns chalcocite ore body like those at May Creek we learned that the 84 years old. I was 30, ru1d the Kennecott mines would purpose of his trip was to receive considered myself in pretty good certainly be a great conductor of the Silver Star electricity. However, for gallantry in after drilling several action in Korea! core holes through Then he told us our "target zone," that he had we found absolutely joined the Army nothing! Not only when he was 16, was there no ore ru1d was nctua.Uy body, there was in Korea when nothing that we they discovered could find to account that he was for the anomaly that under age and prompted us to drill sent him home. there in the first As soon as he place. The company was 18 he had invested m·any enlisted again, hundreds of this time in the thousands of dollars Rangers, and Plooto court.,.ythcnutltor in the exploration went back to OLD PROSPECTORS NEIL FINNOSAND AND O TTO and the drilling, and Korea again. It HALVORSEN AT THEIR CAMP IN 1962. we were left with a was during his puzzle for which we tour of duty as a Ranger that he shape, but I had all I could do to had no answer. So, terribly was awarded the Silver Star. lt keep up with them. Their disappointed, we decided to close was near the end of the I When th ey were finished t here, require more like three days. when they signaled to be picked the n ext part of the plan was for When 1 came back t he next up the next day, was that I knew me to fly them to the head of the afternoon, I couldn't find them. what was ahead of them, and Kiagna and they would then usc I also didn't find t he raft at that they maybe didn't. First, there the raft for the purpose origiually time. T was light on gas because were canyon walls that they could intended. During the 30's, there I was expecting to pick t hem up not get around without getting was an airstrip up towards the off a short sand bar so I bad to go in the water . Second, about a head of the Ki nga n and the to May Creek for gas. I didn't mile or so below where they were assumption was that it was still burry back as I wtmted to give camped was n huge boulder in usable. I checked it out and due them time get to some place the middle of the stream with to brush and wash outs I where I could spot them. My water pouring around it on both determined t hat I could not assumption then was that they sides and dropping at least six make a safe l:10ding there fUld had climbed out of the canyon feet. If they rode t he raft, which I went back and told Don as much. and wet·e in the brush. When T think we can riSsume they did, Don said maybe he could get came back, I immediately their odds of surviving the trip Fremont to fly them in and t hen spotted the raft deflated and around t hat rock was about nil. I would check on them at upside down with a bunch of Now for the rest of the story: specified times and we worked cooking utensils tied to it, less A couple of yea.rs ago, the out a signal system for than half a mile from the Chitina Clauses contacted me and communications. I didn't even River. requested that I fly up t o their have to contact the Fremont I very soon found a partially Lodge to meet Bob McColl's guys because they stopped by exposed body about half a mile sister and her husband who were Dan's camp for a visit and the upstream. At that point I went there visiting. This is her story arrangements were made. 1 to May Creek and request ed now; I hope I can relate it don't remember just how much assistance. I flew the Cub b(tck accurately. Bob was either fresh time they spent on the Kiagna to the bar and the helicopter out of college or close to it when but I know I checked on them at pilot picked me up. It took quite he took the job with USGS and least three times. The last time I some time to find the second wanted to go to Alaska. found their camp, they were body but as it was late in the day, However, his father did n ot down in the canyon about 7 the water was going down and it approve. In fact he was so miles (that's a guess it could be finally became exposed. After distraught over the death of his 10 or more) from the mouth of picking up the bodies I decided it son t hat he would not allow the the river . They signaled for me was best to haul them to May subject to brought up or allow · to pick them up the next Creek in the Chopper as I bad to any of the fnmi ly to visit the area. afternoon at the mouth of the go back and get more fuel for the He has now passed on and Bob's river. I was greatly troubled by Cub anyway. The rest is history, sist er came, fl ew over t he area, that signal because I !mew they however, there is an interesting, visited, and I think the couldn't waUl along the river thru recent sidelight, whi ch I will experience was a closing for her. some of that c:111yon and there relate for what it's worth. But McColl Ridge is named after Bob was no way they could climb out before we get into that, I'll McColl. A mountain in the of the canyon, go around these speculate ~IS to what really Chugach Range between the places and make it to the river in happened to Don and Bob. The Chitina River fUld the Coast is one day. To walk around these reason I had a troubled mind named after Don Miller. places and tluu the brush would De there. or be square! OUR TOWN March 22, 19 3 8 The Kennecott Stnr Jo h n P y tel i ro m t hat won'l s tand up for Co~·ot c Chases Hotmd Publishe r! , Edited :md ~fcCn r t hy , sta)ing "·i th itself. He says he o n ct: On ~J .m. .:h 11 Cia is Printed By Pupi ls of the IIoolts iamily so he had a trnined egg t hat J e nson saw Tam, Charlie Blackburn School could go to school, was would roll over a.t the Llooks' sleek greyhound, No. 1 11 Kennecott, quarantined b y the \\'Ord of command. (.;Orne ch~L r gin ~ ou t of the Alaskn, Tuesday March doctor for a week . lie spent a loug winter bmsh with a coyote 22, 19J8 Price, 25 Cents Tommy O'Neill's pare nts, training the egg but behind him. Whe n Chris in ~fcCnrrhy , decided while showing it off to came out of his house to t hat Tommy should also some friends one day, he watch the excitemen t, Charlie C h ~mg Goes to made it roll over so rnnny !lis Final Rest go h orne, so that he t he coyote rnn back into wouldn't spread the r im es i t becam e Charlie Chnng died two t h e wood s.Tam rhe measles around. scramble d. As it had been weeks rtgo. A short while bloodhound fl ed for Pat is now well and n pet he couldn't ent it before he pnssed away, Farley's h o u se and running around again himse lf, but, being shor t Cliff Ciyonct went over wouldn't le ave until Mr. and Tommy and Johnny of grub, he gave it to his and saw him and found Ken Farley t ook · hi m are back in school. malemute dog. Later in him s ick. So he chopped hom e. He was as pale as the san1e evening he was som e wood for him and 100% of the pupils of a ghost. thinking sadly of his lost left. Blackburn school found pal and happened to say Wh e n Ciyonet called to be free from T. B. the same words he used ''Vic" On Vacation again a few days later, he germs in the lungs. with the egg. The dog C. W. Vickery left for found the body. Charli e Ch[1ng was well rolled over just the s~un e Seattle on ~ht·ch 19. known in rhi s section , as Kennecott Gets Eggs as the egg had done. "Vic" left to see his family John felt. better after thnt :Uld also for a short he has been in the region Weekly us, he says, he knew th e since the very early days. THEY LACI( OLDTIME vacati on . lie hopes · to . egg had found n good return about t he first of He had been living and FLAVOR home. - Fond Parem worlting for the past few SOURDOUGHS ~lay. Mr. Vickery was the years on some private COMPLAIN first person to order a KENNECOTT RTA R claim s in th e By Our Poultry Editor Because of bad wcrtther A few weeks ago Pilot gotten out on the press. McCnrthy-Dan C ree l' and poo r l andin g Smith of the Cordova Air section. co nditi o n s, Pi l ot Ser vice la nde d the Kirkpn tric k of the Water Thawerl Out biggest cargo of fresh Cordova Air Senice was The Kennecott water Jim ~loore lcnves middle eggs ever fl own t o of April for Tennessee & held up in McCarthy on supply from Nation al McCarthy, thirty cases at family. the 25th, 26th and 27th C reek, fr ol!.c n i n one lick of February. Pi lot Smith Last yeor the boys were February, has just been wns also held there a willing to bet that the t hawed out. The shop Quarantine Nips Measles shor t while, but borh eggs could make the trip gang went up and put in At Start Smith and I\jrkpatrick a new boiler, and from under their mv"Il power. About the middle of finally got back to John Le tendre says he below t he yard gang February Pnt Hooks was Cordovn. likes t he m t hat way, nnd thawed out the pipe by sick. Dr. I. S. Egnn found he has n o use for an e~~ t urning steam in to it. he had t he mcnsles. So Reprinte d fro m the Kennecott Star, ;\larch 22, 1938. Alionse i'J ilw laus is a hraltemcn , Tim 8kstrelll ni rch came out anrl we nt down to tlw hospi t :ll on frequent wecl; end \'isitor and Charles ll:l\Vldns. 10 the store. S he lwd the t ruck. to Kennecott. AI is bee n quarantined \\i t h The doctor was pulli ng timekeeper at the mine. the mumps for six weeks. the coo[,'s teeth nnd he He comes down the .Jim ;\·lurr:ty Leaves When she came out t.h e 0 11 had t o leave him on the .Jim Murrny left last tram. sun was shining. She saw operating t:1blc nud fix Jan u ary t or Sa n her shadmv and hasn't Hcnrv Stewart's fooL - Francisco. Ife we nt for been seen since. ur Sig \\"old, cX - LL~ Jri\ er mcdi-.:al Lft::atlllt:: IH . t'rom .HcCnrthy is back ~ lurr ay has been 111 for a visit. Sig expects to McCarthy and at his Dan .Joe i\leloy Visits i\ IEN BATTLE AGAINST go to Fairbanl1 s nnd open Creel< road house by the J oe Meloy, from the FU RY OF RUTHLESS N:\TURE H transier service. i\izina Ri ve r t'or :J lon g Bre mner mine, wns in time. He owned The McCart hy for supplies the H erb Roge r s, t he Colden. in McCarthy, for early part of February. electrician, and Bob Foot Frozen awhile. Then he sold t hat He came for food stores Cnll un, assistant, went E~o Izison froze his foot to Steve Pytel and got and for his aerial up the !~ric trail the and had to come up to The Club. Mrs. Murray is tramway mad e of other dny to fix a power the doctor on l"eb. 2 7. still in McCnrthy, 1\cnnccotc tram pnrts. line where the fu ses Joe came on his small Dr. I. S. Egnn operated wo rlti ng in The Club . - wo uld not stay in. on him the next morning. Ul tractor. He had to Jcnvc After st ru ggli n g !lis farm is about four as soon as be could so as franticall\' ior hours mil es down the rnilrond to set up d1e tram ou hi s thr ough dril'ts nncl slush, track fr om McCarthy. - Bowling Gal e Causes claims. they managed to get to Chaos Ul the trouble. The cross CII.A'JTERING STEVE Boss Butchers, Butcher arm on a pole was FACES BLAST IN burned oft because the ! !Unbeaten 'Terror! ! PAJAMAS Bru>es insulator was gone. The tennis court was r\ big \vi nd st orm up at "Scotti' Inoye, t he haker, 'fhey got back to camp had all his teeth pulled opened ~1arc h 6. The Angle stntion blew over a t hat night, completely out on Feb . 16. Frnnl< snow shoveling \\'OS done tower thirty feet high worn out. by Herb Rogers, \Verner thnt was two towers do\\'n Uycharn, the butcher , Hensch e l , C la r e n ce from the station. It was wns the baker while luoye Oneal, and J ohu Cope. No. 25. was in the hospital, while The l Re printed from the J(ennccn( t S tar, Mnr<.: h 22, 1938. PAGE 20 WRANGEt,t, S1'. l':t,lAS NEWB JUI.Y & AUGUI>'l' 2002 Glaciers No Obstacle for CR & NW Railway 'l'his column is pro'Vided as a public service by the Geophysical Irr.stitute, University ofAlaska Fairbanks, in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer at the irr.stitute. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. ome of the trans-Alaslca pipeline, HAlaska has been the setting for a few epic engineer ing battles rendered against nature. The Million Dollar Bridge, standing almost intact on the lower Copper River, is a reminder of another improbable Al3Ska construction project. Completed in 1910, the MiJiion DoJiar Bridge WllS the crux of the Copper River and photo by Ned RoT.ell Northwestern Railway, built to THE MILLION DOLLAR BRIDGE, BUILT FOR $1 .4 MILLION AND carry copper ore 196 miles from COMPLETED IN 1 91 0, WAS THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION Kennicott to Cordova. Along CHALLENGE OF THE COPPER RIVER AND NORTHWESTERN that route were some of the RAILWAY. THE NORTHERN SPAN FELL IN 1964 DURING THE greatest obstacles Alaska GOOD FRIDAY EARTHQUAKE. offers-steep canyons, rivers, hurricane-force winds, mosquitoes, and dozens of Geologists had found that glaciers. Glacier for five-and-one-half the glaciers had fused during the A fortune in high-grade miles, according to my two past several centuries, and the copper locked deep in the sources for t llis column, The leader of a U.S. Army expedition Wrnngell Mountains inspired Copper SpiJle by Lone Jru1son and up the Copper River in 1885 Outside investors, including the Iron Rails to Alaslwn Coppe·r by reported that the nose of Miles Guggenheim family and J.P. Alfred Quinn. Glacier was then about 120 yards· Morgan, to risk building a raHway '1\vo of the largest obstacles from the site of the bridge. By from an ice-free port on Alaska's on the route were .Miles and 1908, both glaciers had receded southceotral coast to the rich Childs glaciers, both of which to provide a gap of about three copper deposits at Keonicott. In calve icebergs into the Copper miles. 1906, planners recommended River from opposite banks. Starting in April1909, four possible routes to the Eri.IStus Hawkins, the engineer in workers scrambled to complete copper-including two from charge of the railroad project, the Million Dollar Bridge, Valdez to tl1e Copper River via and Michael Heney, the spurred on by a U.S. law that 2,000-foot passes-but railroad construction con tractor, gave railroad developers four builders chose a route from preferred to run the railroad years to complete a designated Cordova that would fo llow t he nlongsidc the Copper River, but route . After four years, the Copper River north to Chitina, the Mi les (Uld Childs glaciers government would tax them then continue 60 miles to sprawl over both shorelines at a $100 per operating mile per year. Kennicott. pinch-point about 15 miles from Contractors finished the bridge Glaciers stuck out their the river's mouth. Not listening by midsummer of 1910. to other engineers who thought tongues in defiance along the Soon after construction of the problem was insurmountable, entire route, but the pull of the Million Dollar Bridge (which Hawkins designed :L 1,550-foot financial gain and human c.:ost $ J .4 million to build) , the steel bridge to spnn the Copper ingenuity overcame them. In one glaciers t hreatened the railroad. case, workers laid tracks across River nt H river bend between the the debris-covered ice of Allen two glaciers. WRANGI!:LL ST. ELIAS N&WS JUlY & AUGUST 2002 PAGE 21 In August 1910, 1:\vo glaciologists, speculated on what have since retreated , sparing lbc glaciologists from t l~c National would happen if the glacier Mi lli on Dollar Bridge, which Geographic Society studied the continued to advnnce in .1 911. served the railway from 1910 sudden advances of both Mil es "It is nbsolutely certain lhnt until 1938, when low copper and Childs glaciers. A northern no corps of engineers could save prices forced the shutdown of the lobe of Childs Glacier began the bridge and railway if the Copper River and Northwestern creeping toward t he bridge in glacier should advance t hat far," Railway. The bridge sunTivcd .June, and by August it was he wrote. nature's whims until Mnrch 27, moving eight feet per day. On 1964, when the Good Friday 1 Childs Glacier did not engulf August 17 h, the 200-foot face of the bridge, but the glacier crept Earthquake knocked the the glacier was 1,624 feet away to \vithin 1,475 feet in .June northernmost span from its from the bridge. concrete piling. 1911. Childs and Miles glaciers Ralph Tarr, one of the KennecoH Kid Reunion BY INGER JENSEN RICCI It was the morning of McCart hy, or just reminiscing. born in Kennecott, attended Monday, May 20th at 7:30a.m., Husband Charlie took his usual school or worked there at various fi nally! A group of excited seniors flightseeing t rip and yours truly jobs for shorter or longer met, hugged, exclaimed and took the usual hike to McCarthy periods. Only on e te~•cher WHS in laughed. This occurred at the by the Wagon Trail Road. There attendance, Jim Busey, the lnst Millenni urn Hotel in Anchorage. were five on th e hike and the one before the mine closed A lovely hretLkfast buffet quieted heat ovenvhelmed a couple of us, down. Many brought family them dmvn for a short time. slowing us down so we arrived members to enjoy the peace and Three vans were loaded , just in time to view the museum beauty of this paradise. There luggage in a pickup, and the and get on the bus to shop at the were also several Kennecott Kids caravan took off for Kennecott, Fireweed Mountain Arts and who h ad never been to a reunion several stops being made on the Crafts gift shop, about 3 miles before and some who had not way- one of which was a stop at out of .McCarthy. A pi cnic buffet been contacted before. Ron Simpson's bar at Copper was served at the McCarthy The food at t he Lodge was Ge nter to view the Diorama of Lodge to a bunch of hungry outstanding, as always, and the Kennecott, with its two trains people. service exceptional. All those encircling the picnic area. Lunch Wednesday dawned with the attending appreciated all that was provided by t he Kennicott same cloudless sky and the was done for t hem and"this ' . Glacier Lodge. The weather was fan tastic scenery. Pictures and wonderful time of sharing and fantastic! memori cs were shared nnd every renewing old friendships, as well Dinner awaited the hungry one did their own thing. A trip to as new ones. travelers just after eight at the my old home was on my agenda, Thursday morning the vans Lodge. Those who had arrived as well as viewing the new lodge filled wit h reluctant Kennecott earlier by plane or driving in that is in the process of being Kids returning to Anchorage. themselves, greeted them joyfully built. Following a delicious They were treated to a short vi sit \vith more hugs. All enjoyed the turl;:ey dinner with all the trim to the new Princess Wilderness delicious dinner. It was difficult mings, story night was the even Hotel at Copper Center. All to retire amid all th~ renewed ing's entertainment at the Rick arrived back at the hotel in good .. friendships and t he beauty of the Jurick Building just across from time. \Vhat a tremendous · area. the Lodge. This was enjoye d by reunion at one of the most Tuesday, following n lovely local r esiden ts, as the Kennecott beau tiful areas in Alaska. It will breakfast buffet, guests signed Kids shared their stories and told b e a long r emembered up for the many activities how and when their parents had experience. planned for the day. These arrived in t he area. included fli ghtseeing, a glacier Total attendance was about wal k, tour of the town, hiking to 48, but only 23 of t hese had been PAGF. 22 WRAl•lCELL ST. ELIAS NEWS JULY & AUGUST 2002 Publisher goes fishing BY RICK KENYON ' '% better shut tllis thing off-we're catching fish faster than we can clean them!" I have to admit, this was the first time I had heard that ltind of statement while fishing. But it was true. l!,\ren with two of us cleaning sockeye and chinook salmon, the fish were accumulating in the fishwhccl box faster than we could empty it. If we didn't stop that wheel from turning we would never reach the bottom of the box. It had started earlier tills spring. On a trip to Valdez, Bonnie and I stopped at the Chitina Ranger Station to visit with Ranger Neil. We got to talking about salmon , and Neil showed me the list of fishwheel operators in the Chitina area. WSEN ota rr photo Several familiar names came up, and W S EN PUBLISHER R ICK KENYON OPERATING A FISH when we returned home I gave one of WHEEL NEAR CHITINA. LOOK CLOSELY AND YOU WIL L SEE A SALMON JUST ENTERING THE "BOX" ON THE them a call. N EAR SIDE OF T HE WHEEL. "Sorry, the wheel is booked until August." of wheel I had ordered. "The fishwheel," said the "Well , if you get an opening give me a call." voice on the phone. About a week later we were awakened from "Oh, right, I'll be there as soon as I can," I sleep at 6 am to a voice on the phone saying, "Do replied. Apparently the person who had been using you still want that wheel'?" Being a bit groggy, I the wheel overnight caught all they could use and didn't recognize the voice and wondered what ltind had pulled out. Bonnie and I talked it over, considering the nearly 3 hour drive to Chitina over a road that bad not been graded in some time. She suggested I call friend Don Welty and see if he would like to go "£isl1ing," and I readily agreed that was a good plan, especially since Don has a Super Cub and an aversion to driving the McCarthy Road, preferring to fly whenever possible. Don had the day off and we made plans to meet right after a quick breakfast. Actually there was one more obstacle to overcome , since I had to get a permit from the Cllitina Ranger Station which didn't open until ten and is about 5 miles from the Ranger Station. A call to the Chitina One Stop gas station and WSEN otnll photo grocery secured a prom.ise from mun ~1ger D O N W ELT Y WITH N IC E K ING S ALMO N . W E HAD TO Daniel Boone, Jr. to pick me up flt the CLIP T HE CO RNER OF THE TAILS TO S HOW THES E FISH airport at 9:30. In short order I had WERE TAKEN FROM A FISHWHE EL. WRANGELL ST. EI.IA:i NEWS JUI,Y & AUGUST 2002 PAGE 23 permit in hand and was back at t he airport where s tarts afccr the hunt. We spent the rest of that day Don was waiting ncar the wheel. vacuum-scaling t he chinook salmon for the freezer, It was a new experience for both of us, and we and the entire next day putcing up pint jars of just happened to hit it nt exactly the right time. delicious sockcyes. But what rewarding work. An Copper River Reds and Kings were both running entire year's fi sh supply laid up in just two days. strong, and were fresh, looking as though they One would think we would be entirely spoiled, and were still in the ocean rather than having just content to lay aside fi shing for a while. Not really. come up the Copper River from Cordova. We were The next week I got a call from Don. "Want to getting one king for every four reds. By shortly run over to Teabny and see if the kings arc in?" nftcr noon we had all of the fi sh we could handle "Sure." nnd had to thank our host and head for home. Well, the kings were not in, but we did catch It didn't take long to realize that running a dinner- two n.ice rainbow trout each. It's a tough fish wheel, at least when the fish are running real job, but someone has to do it! good, is a lot lilw shooting a moose-the real work The Ballad of lobo BY AIMEE SEAMAN JUNE 1, 2002, McCAJmiY, AlASKA Early in the summer of twenty-aught-two With shivering anlclcs and trembling knees the Bethel youth staff went camping. the campers confronted the bear, Over hill, over dale, through rain and through wind But he snorted and grunted and thus signified the intrepid staff went tramping. his intention to stay right there. Now, Beth, Jim and Richie arc uncommonly bright, With shouts and loud noises and, finally, gunshots, and Jeff surely isn't a fool , they endeavored to send him away, But, on the fateful day of the Nizi.na bike trip, But the bear just sat back in anticipation they neglected to stow the cooler! of renewing his scrumptious buffet . They pedaled off happily into the woods, Despite the best efforts of .Jim, Jeff and Richie with nary a thought of provision, he lingered a night and a day. - And a wily old, !;>lack bear came sni ffi.ng about, The bear wntched and waited rutd bided his time, his nose tuned with bearish precision. but the goodies were Joclted up to stay. "Aha!" thought the bear, "here's a savory snack! " The campers went hiking and planned their return, us the burgeoning cooler he opened. determined to even the score. "There should be some hrunburger here in this box, As they girded their loins and reentered the crunp and some sausages, too, I'm a-hopin'." they discovered the bear was no more! Sausages, h11mburger, hotdogs and more Beth, Jim, Jeff, and Richie then started up thinlting, some lettuce and turkey and ham! deciding he needed a name. As he nibbled some cantnloupc he licked his chops Jeff christened him "Bobo" and, from that time on, and thought he, "How lucky I run!" they vowed he would live in fame! He snt on his haunches :md then licked his paw, Thus ends our talc, the Ballad of Bobo, a singularly contented beast, this chapter of Bethel youth lore. And had started to tl1ink of the upcoming course May the exploits of Bobo, Beth, Jim, Jeff, and Richie I when Beth int~:::rrup ted the feast! be sung of forevermore! PACE 24 WRANGELL ST. ELLAS NEWS JULY & AUGUST 2002 Copper River Princess Grand Opening BY BONNIE KENYON and Chitina. giving guests everal days prior glimpses into the history to t he Grand of the Valley - mining, SOpening of the subsistence bunt ing and Copper River Princess fi shing - nod talces in, Wilderness Lodge on first-hand, the lifestyle of June 5 , Rick and J how Alaskans live today. received a phone call Suzanne, who is doing from A representative of most of these tours Princess inviting us to herself, encourages attend the celebration. everyone to take their Part of the welcome cameras so they can package included a capture this scenic and night's lodging, dinner picturesque journey. The WSEN oiJli! photo and breakfast the next local people here in morning. Needless to say, McCarthy know we decided to attend the Backcountry for their scheduled festivities and get a good look van service to our neck of the at our new neighbor down the woods. road. In the booth next to By the time we arrived that Backcountry was a wcU-lmown Wednesday afternoon, the lodge business name but a new face. was quickly fi lling up with a Copper Oar, who has an office variety of locals, area business WSlNrtaffphot.o here in McCarthy, was people partnering with ED AND S UZANNE WILSON- represented by Kathy Mackay. Princess, media, Park Service (The first clue we hud that and Ahtna representatives, and Copper Oar was on the scene Princess executives. We found was the impressive canoe that our room simply elegant with was sitting out front of the touches of Alaskan decor that lodge.) After malting our made me feel right at home. I acquaintance with Kathy, she was impressed. described the Wrangell Laltes Dinner wasn't until 6:45 pm Canoeing excursion that they so Rick and I walked around the wer e doin g with the Princess grounds, inspected the awesome guests. It is a half-day guided views of the Wrangell-St. Elias WSEN at..lf photo tour that explore~> Willow or mountAin range as well as the KATHY MACKAY-cOPPER OAR Pippen Lake by canoe. confluence of the Copper and Interesting and unique natural Klutina Rivers. Breathtalting! history is also provided with We decided to talte a closer great opportunities to view look at the inside of the lodge wildlife. and hoped to find at least one We met Dave and Carla frunilin.r face in the crowd. That Parmenter of Copper Valley Air was accomplished when we Service, based at Gullcana discovered Ed and Suzanne Airport, who arc offering a one Wilson at their Backcountry hour and a three hour flightscc Connection booth. They arc of the Wrangell-St. Elias handling the Historic Copper National Park, including vi ews DAVE AND CARLA PARMENTER Valley Si~htsee i ng Tour which of .Mt. Drum, Mt. Wrangell and COPPER VALLEY A IR SERVIC E, maltes stops in Copper Center Mt. Sanford. They also fly over WRANGEl-l. ST. El-IAS N ~; w s JULY & A UGUST 2002 PAGE 2 5 ·• the Nadina and Sanford Glaciers where it is li kely was on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony as their passengers will spot shee p, caribou and well as Gary Candcleria, superintendent ot the grizzly bear. Wrru1 gcii -St. !':li as Nati onal Park and Preserve . The Among t he several new acquaintances we Ahtna Dancers performed and musician Ear l made, was Doug Vollman, Staff Writer fo r the l lughcs from the El Dorado gold mine in Fairbanks Copper Valley Weekly. Riel{ !Uld I arc avid readers played a variety of stringed instrum ents. of the newspaper and had a great t ime comparing After visiting t he gift shop, sampling the notes and the challenges of keeping deadli nes! chocolate-covered strawberries, a cup of coffee, As Rick and I made our way to the 1\vo Rivers Rick and I decided it was time to call it a day and a Restaurant dining room , we were pleasantly long one it had been for thi s McCarthy couple! The surprised t o see Carol an d Sy Neeley of Glennallen king-sized bed was calling and , in spite of the fact heading in t he same direction. Carol owns and we r egretted seeing t he day end, we headed for our operates Carol's Bed and Breakfast !Uld Sy, Copper r oom. Basin Sanitation, which makes several ann ual trips The nex t morning we thoroughly enj oyed the in and out of McCarthy. We enj oyed spending t he b uffet breakfast and on our way out of the dining rest of the evening visiting and enj oying the room, Rick made sure Jim Bankson, General entertainment that followed a deli cious buffet . It Man ager, had a sample copy of the recen t WSEN was hard to choose between reindeer, buffalo, which led to us leaving a batch in the gift shop. shrimp, and several other dishes that rarely fi nd It appeared al l 85 rooms in the lodge were their way to our McCarthy h omestead dining t able! filled fo r the even t . The service was excellent and The president of Princess Tours, Charles Ball , we counted it an honor to have been invited. "H istory fails to reco rd a s ing le precedent in w h ich n ations s ubject t o moral d ecay h ave not p assed into polit ica l a n d economic decline. The r e h as been eit h er a spir it ua l a wakening to o ver come the m o ral lapse, or a progr ess ive deterior ation leading to . ult imat e nationa l disaster." --Gener a l Doug las MacArthur Ylllll) Sil l~l~ .JUST PllS'l' :ttP. 50, CIII1' INA-Mf~C llR'l'IIY Ill) (Sit;N l JP) 3 Phose Detroit 20KW Generator w/250 gal. oil tonk- $3 750 All steel l owbo~ dual oxle-$550 .458 Bolt Action Rifle, w/shells- $900 45-70 Bolt Action Rifle, w/shells, c ustom - $1150 12 Go. Pump Shotgun w/shells - $500 Satellite dish, aluminum ladders, vises, c or trailers, sleds, skis, rubber boots, aluminum boot, oil heaters, c hain sow, cabinets, pic kup box, wagon ti res) grilL water pump, suitcases and hand tools. Muc h more from 25 c ents and up. Make offer J.D. 450 Cot Ford 1/3 yard loader 7 6 Chevy Flat Bed Dump Truck 400 gallon Tonk of Diesel Fuel Open July 2-August 2 ., . PAGE 26 WRANGELl, ST. ELIAS NEWS .JULY & AUGUST 2002 Memorial for Chris Richards well aHended WSEN o!JtU photo n Saturday, June 15th, approximately 100 friends, Ofamily and area residents spent the afternoon at Cru·is' property in downtown Kennicott to share memories, stories and photographs. A traditional Kcnnicott potluck dinner followed. Duston (Chris' brother) and Ann Richards of Berkeley, CL\.and Judy Richards (Chris' mom) from Marina Del Rey, CL\. hosted the Memorial service. Other family members in attendance were: Mr. and Mrs. Ray Richards (Clu-js' father) of Toledo, OH along with Mrs. Richards' son and grandson, and Ml·s. WSEN "nlf photo and Mrs. Mark Richards (Chris' brother) ANN, DUSTIN AND JUDY RICHARDS from Sacramento, CL\. ROWCON SERVICES Keith Rowland, Owner GENERAL CONTRACTOR Lifetime Alaskan 4 ·t Mcca~h;;~:~t~~~ ; Gravel Products > DEC-approved septics f Over the r\ver and . h the woods, ~ throug .,, go we W\ • a-{retg . ht\ng ··.: '1 ' YOijf .. . eway to adventure ... . ·· loat~veh Me C a r t h y L o d g e . Ma J o h n s o n 's _H o t e 1 ... - ---. -...... • 4Ift. ~ •••• ~ ~ __...... ~ , - ..-. , ~ s~~sewtee~~~ ~ euid~t«-~1 Now you can leave Anchorage at 8:30 on Gulkana/McCarthy $80 Wednesday or Friday morning and arrive in Gulkana McCarthy/Gulkana $80 at 9:45, McCarthy at 11:00. Or, you can leave McCarthy at 11:15 and be back in Anchorage by Gulkana/May Creek $85 2:00pm the same day! (Leaves Gu/kana at 12:45) May Creek/Gulkana $85 This service is year around. Anchorage/Gulkana $160 Gulkana/Anch orage $160 http:www.ellisair.com Space available only Baggage allowance 40 lbs. (charge for excess baggage) tax included RESPONSIBILilY FOR OEPARTIJRES. ARRIVALS, CONNECTION S. Ellis Alr will not be responsible IO< damages resulting from lhe failure of flights to depart or arrive at times stated in this timetable. nor for errors &UU ~ 7au, ?~~e. herein, nor for fllilurn to makl! connections to other airlines or of this compa ny. Sc hedules are su bject to change without notice. Schedules Phone 822-3368 shown are based on eJ Copper River Cash Store Everyday We handle BUSH ORDERS LOW PRICED ITEMS: with SPECIAL CARE! Drive a little & SAVE $$$$ PO Box E Copper Center, AK 995 7 3 Stop by and Check for the Weekly IN-STORE SPECIALS We take VISA Master Charge Alaska Option FAX 822-3443 Downtown Copper Center 822-3266 Store Hours 9 am to 7 pm, Monday - Saturday Chevron W Service Oil & Gas RESIDENTIAL e COMMERCIAL Service sometimes e Heating oil means going more than e Gasoline and Diesel Fuel the extra mile. "We appreciate all our e AvGas and Jet Fuel BUSH CUSTOMERS" ' : e Chevron Lube Oils and Greases ,______, i iI e Fuel Tanks and Accessories l For the First Name In Service, Call SERVICE OIL & GAS PHONE:822-3375 chevron Chevron Mile 188.5 Glenn Highway Box 276 ===----- Glennallen, AK 99588 Getting tired? Stop at the Caribou Hotel! The coffee pot's always on! Warm atmosphere- Hot Tubs- Satellite TV Full Menu Restaurant Mile 187 Glenn Hwy 822-3 302 Glennallen, AK Spruce Hen Enterprises IB ~aldez Reupholstery REALTOR• l~ealli Fabrics "The Dirt Merchant" WALTER M. WOOD Cor. EGAN & HAZLET Wicker and caning BROKER P.O. BOX 868 (907)835-2408 VALDEZ, AK 99686 fax (907)835-5462 [email protected] Mile 5.75 Edgerton, HC 60 Box 227E Copper Center, AK 99573 Chokosna River Tracts, Mi. 27 McCarthy Hwy. Recreation lots from 1-1/4 acre up 822-5149 Kenny Lake Mercantile RV Park-Water & Sewer Dump for Campers-Hotel Laundry and Showers - Cafe Propane-Hardware-Gas-Groce~·Auto Parts-Feed -Phone------907-822-331 3 Mile 7.5 Edgerton-- Hwy------. May 31-Sept. 30 Hours 9-9----- 7 days a week HOMESTEAD SUPPlY Lumber, building materials and hardware delivered to the McCarthy area at Anchorage prices! Give us a call or come in and browse our new ACE Hardware store. NEW! Greenhouse and potting supplies! 1-800-4 78-3987 or FAX 822-5209 Mile 115.5 Richardson Highway (Box 49) Glennallen KENN/COTT/?/VEl? L odge a11dH ostel Welcomes You to SECURITYfi~VIATION Comjorta6/e Accomoclations 1uith Glacier andMountain ,. Views p. C\1'P.'TION • CONQUEST * NAVAJO • CEss $25 per person. Walk-ins always welcome. c~ssN NA 310 Pri'vate cabins with Queen Size beds now available. Accommodations include: Direct Air Service to/from * Bunk or bed ·with mattress ~' Usc of commons area Anchorage, McCarthy/Kennicott ~' Usc of cooking area with gas grill * Usc of cooking pots and pans You will need to bring: For your Added Safety - ~ Sleeping bag or blanlwts All Twin Engine Aircraft ~, Food - dry or canned (non· perishable) '!.' And a Frontier Spirit! 3600 W. International Airport Rd. Anchorage, AK 99515 http://www. ptialask..'l.net/-grosswlr Kennicott River Lodge and Hostel (907) 248-26 77 PO Box 83225, Fairbanks, Alaska 99708 (907)479-6822 Winter (907)554-4441 Summer Lodge Location: End of McCarthy Road, Serving Alaska, Canada,& Lower 48 600' before McCarthy, Alaska I Footbridge Turn left by sign, head toward the Kennicott Glacier Copper Valley Cellular welcomes visitors t;o the McCarthy-Kennicott area. We're proud to serve your communication needs in this remote & spectacular corner of the world. Copper Valley Cellular-from tlte 1Nilderness t:o t:he "W"orld! 1-800-235-5414 PACE 32 WRANCW, S1'. ELIAB NEWS .JULY & AUGUST 20 02 BY JUDY FULTON years ago. Because rhubarb was am the Collections so accessible that summer, Bake at 3 75 degrees Manager at the Cordova everyone who celebrated a Long approximately 45 minutes. ! Historical Museum where Lake Birthday had a Rhubarb we subscribe to WSEN. Each Birthday Cake. (My Favorite - in fact, I just issue we receive, 1 bring home (In memory of .Judy Collins) took a batch out of the oven and share with my husband Al. before sitting down at the We enjoy reading it, and often Rhubarb Cake computer!) discuss articles afterwards. 1 % cups brown sugar In 1983, m y good friend, 1h cup shortening Rhubarb Muffins Judy Collins, invited my two 1 egg 2 cups finely chopped rhubarb children and I to spend the 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/ 4 cup loosely- packed brown summer at Long Lake. The 1 cup sour mHk sugar, divided Collins' guest quarters was a. 1 cup chopped nuts 1 teaspoon grated orange peel little log cabin near the banks of 1 teaspoon vanilla (fresh is best) the Lakina River. % teaspoon salt 2 % cups flour My husband worked long 2 cups flour 1 % teaspoons baking powder hours at the cannery in Cordova, 1 1h cups chopped rhubarb 2 eggs, beaten and flew his Super Cub up to Topping: 3/ 4 cup low-fat sour milk spend the weekends with us. We 1h cup sugar 3 Tablespoon oil (or melted took a dozen chickens, and % cup chopped nuts butter) planted a little garden. I have 1 teaspoon cinnamon ] teaspoon baking soda many fond memories of that Cream sugar and shortening; lh cup chopped nuts (optionaJ) particular summer. My son add egg. Combine baking soda, Combine rhubarb and orange Russel learned to ride a bicycle and sour millt, add to creamed peel with 1/4 cup of the sugar at Long Lake. My daughter rnL'rture. Add remaining and let sit while mixing rest of Nicole celebrated her birthday at ingredients. Pour into 13" x 9" batch. Long Lake. We had many pan, and sprinkle with topping. Blend % cup sugar, b aiting outdoor cookouts at the laJ{e, Bake @ 350 degrees for 35 · 40 powder and soda with the flour. and made friends with Harley and minutes. Combine beaten eggs, sour milk Jo Ring. and oil. Add all n.t once to the One particular memory that I My husband Al's favorite "well" in dry ingredients, stir have is when Judy's daughter, Rhubarb Pie until moistened. Very carefully Karen, and my daughter named Beat 3 eggs. fold in sugared rhubarb and nuts. a.ll the chickens, and painted Into beaten eggs add: Fill paper-lined or greased muffin their toe nails with different 2 cups sugar cups 2/3 full. Bake at 3 75 degrees color polish so they could 1!4 cup flour for 20 · 25 minutes. remember who was who. 3/ 4 teaspoon nutmeg In closing, I wanted to say I now have Long Lake Then add 4 cups cut up rhubarb. that my son Russel enjoyed hi s rhubarb growing in my yard here Pie Crust summer at Long Lake so much, in Cordova. Ea.oh spring when it 2 cups flour that when it was time to come comes up, it brings back Long home to Cordova, be ran into the 2/ 3 cup shortening Lake memories. I would like to woods and hid himself. It was a share some rhubarb recipes with 6 - 7 Tablespoons cold orange juice (can usc cold paradise for a li ttle boy, and he you. The first one is a recipe that still taJks about it to this dRy. .Judy shared with me many, ma.ny water) "I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress a nd grow brave by reflection. It is the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death."-Thomas Paine WF\ANClELL ST. E:l,li\8 NEWS .JULY & AUGUST 2002 PAGE 33 A LQQK AT THE WEATHER BY GEORGE CEBULA in the past, April snw McCarthy stnrtcd the month snow was obseroed at Silver 31 c end of a long winter with 27 inches of snow on the Lake on the ] • May Jnl saw the A! d t he last of the ground nnd ended April with 9 icc on the West Fork of the snow. April 2002 wns the third inches. McCarthy was clear of I< cnnicott Hivcr begin to brenk coldest on record. The high snow by May 10'". Silver Lahe had apart and water was moving over temperature for the month was 32 inches of snow on the ground the top. The river was clear of 1 1 61 on the 29th and 30 " (52 on as April arri'Ued and was reduced moving icc by May 15' ' and all Apr. 23, '01 and 56 on Apr. 27, to trace by the end of April. the shore icc was gone by the '00). The low was -17 on the 1st The temperature stayed 17th. The ice on Silver Lake was (0 on Apr. 2, '01 and 8 on Apr. rather cool the first 10 days of too soft for travel ·in late April and 10, '00). The average Moy with highs in the SO's and it was completely gone the temperature for April was 24.9, lows in the 20's. Then summer momir,g of May 21'1 (Nfay compared to 34.4 in '01 and 34.6 arrived rather suddenly. The high 15,'01) . in '00. 'l'he lowest average tcmpcn1turc for May was 80 on The first part of June was temperatures for April were 22.4 the 25'" (68 on May 28, '01 and warm and wet \vith highs in the in 1972 nnd 24.7 in 1986. 67 on May30, '00). The low 70's. The lows were in the mid Silver Lake had a high of 60 temperature was 15 on the stb 30's to low 40's. Summer should on the 29'h (53 onJ\pr. 27, 'OJ (18 on May 18, '01 and 20 on be in full swing by late June. and 55 on Apr. 28, '00) arul a May 11, '00). The May avcmge June and .July are the warmest low of ·1 8 on the Ja (13 on Apr 1, temperature wns 45.9, this months \vith the highs usually in 'OJ and 10 onJ\pr. 10, '00). The compares with 41.8 in '01 and the low 80's. The temperature April a'CJera.ge temperature at 42.7 in '00. There were 10 days begins to cool in August with Silver Lake was 22.8 (33.9 in '01 with a. high of 70 or above. Silver highs only getting into the low and 34.3 in '00). Lake had a high of 80 on the 26111 70's. The all-time high recorded The precipitation for April (68 on May 29, '01 and 65 on at McCarthy was 87 0 11 June 21, was below average with 0.39 May 29, '00), a low of 14 on the 1991. Freezing temperatures 11 inches of liquid (0.07 in '01 and 5 ' (18 on May 5, '01 and 24 on should be bnck by the end of 0.56 in '00). Snow was observed May 8, '00) and ancroerage August, although they can be on 7 days with a total of 7 .1 tempe-rature of 45.0 (42.0 in '01 observed at any time. Average inches, this compares with 1.2 and 43.3 in '00). monthly r ainfall is about 2 inches inches of snow in '01. Silver Lake The May precipitation at (June-August). Hidden Lake had only a trace of liquid (trace McCnrthy was about normal with should empty sometime in J uly, in '01 and 0.20 in '00) and a 1. 79 inches of liquid. This with a rapid rise of the water trace of snDw. compares with 2.13 inches in '0] level in the Kennicott River and The total sn owfall for '01-'02 and 0.34 inches in '00. A trace of some possible flooding. The first was 74.2 inches (85.2 in '00-' 01, snow was recorded on the 1st. snow usu ally arrives sometime in 65.8 in '99-'00 and 38.9 in '98- Sil'Ver Lahe recorded 0.96 inches late September. '99). Silver I..al "Most Americans are so steeped in egalitarian thinking that they like to delude themselves that they share in running the country. We ordinary folies, in fact, don't run the country and have a slim-to-none chance of even influencing its direction ....S o the individuals who occupy t hese 7,000 positions of power are the elite who run the country. Therefore, it is the character of these members of the elite tbat will determine the character of the country. What you sec in government policies, in cul tural products and in education policies arc the direct result of the decisions made by thi s relatively small eli te .... Our problem is that most of our elite hHve become corrupted. Many nrc nihilistic and hedonistic. The leadership of n country always lends the masses, and they can lend them to hi gh ground or into the swamps. And there's not much I cnn see that ordinary people cn n do nbout it. "-Charley Reese PAGE 34 WRANGELL ST. EL!AB NEWS .JUIX & AUGUS'I' 2002 FOR YOUR CONSKDEIRATKON p,e/e,retltrflemtdive nil/p.l'elenetl his past month the property and it wouldn't pass in that camping would not be epartment of court, as there is already an allowed during the months that Tiransportation and existing alternative, which is the the local campgrounds were Public Facilities (DOT&PF) current parking facilities." (It is open. (Why they built t he issued their "preferred alt erna almost certain that the state campground in the first place is tive" for the Kennicott River does not have sufficient land a mystery, since the NPS Wayside prqject after several ownership of the right-of-way to management plan calls years of the "public process." build the proposed facilities, and specifically for private enterprise One can only wonder why the will eventually h ave to embark to handle camping and parlting public has been subjected to upon condemnation proceedings needs west of the Kennicott endless meetings and pleas for to complete the project.) And River.) Now, the logic coming input, since nearly all of the this one: "DOT&PF should not from NPS and DOT&PF both is, public comments have been be competing against private "yes, things are working pretty pretty much ignored in this final enterprise that is already well now, but what if the current proposal. providing parking facilities." businesses stop providing their Take, for instance, t he The Wayside project was services." In other words, we "Issues and Options" question nominated a number of years need to dri'Ve them out of naire sent out last year. Over ago by the National Park Service business because otherwise they 130 people responded to this (NPS) and the McCarthy Area might someday decide to go out appeal for ideas. The largest Council (MAC). There was some of business'? number agreeing on any one need for additional facilities at In light of alJ of this, why is option, 48, opined "make the t hat time. Remember, this was the DOT&PF determined to bridge a vehicle bridge, with before the :'-l'PS began providing forge ahead and spend a half parking on the east side." The free day parking near their million dollars on something second most popular theme was kiosk, and before Glacier View almost no one wants'? Especially for the state to purchase the Campground opened their free after they have spent a hundred existing parking lot, with 41 or minimal charge par.king area. thousand or so on meetings and respondents. Only one person Perhaps just as importantly, correspondence to learn that was in favor of building a before the owner of the parking almost no one wants it'? parking lot in the right-ofway, yet lot at the river took over Obviously someone must-w~t it! this is the state's preferred management and started clean We can only speculate that pres alternative. ing up the area. Now NPS says sure is being put on the planners A publi c m eeting in they still want some additional in Fairbanks from the governor's Anchorage last September amenities, but even they arc not office, or perhaps from the showed little support for the happy with the preferred planning bosses in Juneau. project, and plenty of alternative, particularly the Efforts to redirect the focus to a opposition. By far the most daytime restriction on parking. Wayside midway between Chitina popular theme was to use any Most of the support from MAC and McCarthy, where it clearly is available monies to upgrade the seems to have evaporated also, needed, (and well documented in road rather than for additional with the announcement that the the recent McCarthy Road parking facilities at the new parking lot would provide Scenic Corridor Plan), have been Kennicott River. Meetings in short-term parking only. rigorously opposed. Likewise the McCarthy last November and J\rpS was chastised several · considerable public support fo r again this past week showed years ago for competing with upgrading the bridge to vehicu strong opposition to the prqject local businesses when it opened lar traffic has been ignored. and li ttle support. Typical was its free campground across the Which brings us full-circle. this comment documented in road from Glacier View Camp The current debate over parking the DOT&PF May 2002 news ground. Senator Murlwwslti sent would never have occurred had letter: "Everyone in attendance an aide to investigate, and a the state built the right bridge is against condemnation of short time later NPS announced in the first place. After all, in \VRANOEJ.I. ST. ELIAS NEWS JULY & AUGUST 2002 PAC& JS 1979 the Alaska public had which the Department of Lnw They say they cannot change the ovcrwhelminglyvotcd to fund a found to be unethical if not sta.tus or design because of the vehicle bridge across the t Hi WSEN, ' I'm writing from a "chilly" (record low temperatures 4 days in a row) Pennsylvania. I had a good laugh when I sat here looking at the frosty rooftops and heard on the weather channel that AK was enjoying 75 degree plus in some areas. Please make the change in my address, we'd hate to miss any news. We especially enjoy your [terns of Interest and were saddened to hear about the passing of Chris Richards. Sincerely, Connie Lanning JUly 2001 90 "!· 80 MAX I MIN TEMPERATURES 70 ~ 60 ~ 50 ~ 40 ~ 30 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 5 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 3 1 ~ :: ~ 60 • 50 I 40 30 August 2001 MAX I MIN 20 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 ''Kennecott Colors'' New Color Photograph Release by Todd Salat Shots Call Toll-free 1-877-277-4711 for prices & ordering or visit me online @: www.salatshots.com