May, 2012 - Alaska Coast Magazine

Transcription

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May 2012
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Welcome to the tribe
Snowpocalypse levels field for sourdoughs, cheechakos
Distributed free throughout Alaska
PUBLISHER
By Craig Medred
A
laskans long ago defined who was and
who wasn’t part of the tribe by a simple
fact: wintering over.The would-be gold miners
who rushed north at the end of the 1800s sort
of set the standard. From the gold-rush days
on, there would be two classes of Alaskans –
the real deal, those sourdoughs who wintered
over or “wintered in’’ – and everyone else.
The “Arctic brotherhood,’’ Robert Service,
the bard of the north, he of “The Cremation of
Sam McGee’’ and the “The Shooting of Dan
McGrew,’’ called it.“When out
of the night, which was 50
below, and into the din and
the glare, there stumbled a
miner fresh from the creeks,
dog-dirty, and loaded for bear,’’
Service wrote in the latter
poem.“He looked like a man
with a foot in the grave and
scarcely the strength of a
louse.’’
Which sort of describes your pasty, snowwhite, average Alaskan in winter.The winters
here are tough.Alaskans take them so seriously
they codified the idea that you need to spend
one in-country to officially qualify yourself as a
resident.
That’s right.To qualify for many of the state
benefits available to “Alaskans,’’ you must first
spend 12 consecutive months in the state,
which forces folks to winter-in at least once.
This is by no means a national norm for residency. In many states, and most especially
those that impose an income tax, you are considered a resident if your primary home is in
the state or you spend a significant part of
your time there.The latter standard in many
states is 183 days, a number first pulled out of
the sky by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service
when trying to determine how long one could
stay in the country before his income became
subject to tax.
If you just arrived here from somewhere
else, you might make note of the rather odd
and unique 12-month requirement for Alaska
residency because the Alaska Wildlife Troopers
are very touchy about the purchase of resident
fishing licenses.To legally purchase a resident
sport-fishing license, you must have done your
time. Every year, there are people ticketed
who thought six months or eight months or
even 10 months was enough. It’s not.
Alaskans love visitors to the north, you see.
They just don’t cotton to them taking advantage of the benefits awarded to those who
endured the indoctrination required to join
the tribe.
If you are a new arrival, looking now at a
landscape awash in sunlight for 14 hours with
the length of every day still growing by more
than five minutes, you might
not understand this possessiveness. If you have, however, just spent your first winter
in the state, you now well
know the burden of wintering over.You may, indeed,
know almost as much about
it as any old Alaska sourdough, because most of the
Craig Medred
state is now emerging from
the winter from hell.
Anchorage witnessed more than 134 inches of snow fall. Let’s do the math: ten feet of
snow is 120 inches.That’s the regulation
height of your standard basketball hoop. So
134 inches would be a foot above the rim.And
that was only the snow measured down low
in what local residents call the “Bowl.’’ Up
above the Bowl, in the Front Range of the
Chugach Mountains, even more snow fell. So
much came down the topography changed.
Cliffs and valleys disappeared beneath a
smooth blanket of white.
All things considered, however, residents of
the Anchorage area were lucky.Almost 10 feet
of snow fell on the Prince William Sound community of Cordova in just a few weeks in late
December and early January. Buildings collapsed under the weight. The road to the airport, the city’s only regular winter connection
to the rest of the state and the world, was
snowed under.The National Guard had to be
called in to help people dig out.A disaster was
declared.
The snow didn’t stop, though. It kept coming. More than 20 feet fell before the weather
continued on page 90
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DIRECTOR
Jill Tillion
BUSINESS
MANAGER
Kathy Seward
MANAGING
EDITOR
Justin Matley
FISHING
COLUMNIST
Chris Batin
BIKE ALASKA
Janice Tower
TRAILSIDE
GOURMET
Mark Bly
AK
ON THE
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COLUMNIST
Erin Kirkland
APRÉS
COLUMNIST
Susy Buchanan
FIELD
EDITOR
Craig Medred
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MATTERS
Debra McGhan
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CONTRIBUTORS
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Brian Okonek, Korey Cronquist,
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Phone: (907) 677-2900 • Fax: 677-2901
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The opinions expressed in the articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the magazine’s
management or owners. Many of the activities covered in
Coast magazine are sports that carry significant risk of personal injury or death. Coast, including its owners, managers,
writers, photographers, and other staff, does not recommend that anyone participate in these activities unless they
are experts, seek qualified personal instruction, are knowledgeable about the risks, and are willing to personally
assume all responsibility associated with those risks.
COAST
CONTENTS
Vol. 12, No. 1 • May 2012
Cover photo:
A hiker relaxes on the shore
of Lost Lake near Seward.
Photo by:
Michael DeYoung / AlaskaStock
35
Features
19
35
12
75
ADVENTURE UNLIMITED
Your guide to Alaska
ALASKA AIRLINES CUP
Official soccer tourney guide
Regulars
4
6
7
14
61 NORTH
Welcome to the tribe
TOAST
Respect your mother
TRAILMIX
Viva revolution • Fishing vets •
Oceans Day • Port party •
Slam’n Salm’n • Bear
encounters
SINGLE-TRACK MIND
Share the road
17
75
78
80
82
AK ON THE GO
Bear aware
ALASKA ANGLER
10 commandments
RUNNING WILD
Fit for life
SAFETY MATTERS
Opportunity in challenge
APRES
Summer music
TOAST
Not all mothers want flowers
Wild moms should be avoided at all costs
By Justin Matley
M
other’s Day will be here on May 13. Don’t forget; be sure to
treat your mom to something special. Flowers are usually a
good bet, or perhaps you’ll take her someplace special. But my reason for even bringing it up isn’t to keep you off the s@#&t list. It’s
because I finally realized that Mother’s Day
falls in spring when much of the rest of the
animal kingdom experiences a lot of mothering. Animals with babies are all over the place.
Your neighbor is almost as likely to have a
moose give birth in the back yard as they are
to have a hummingbird show up at the feeder
(a bit of an exaggeration but it happens) and
there are bear cubs, lynx kittens (that you’ll
Justin Matley
likely never see), wolf pups, otter pups, whale
calves and millions of hatching migratory bird
babies.They all have moms.And boy can they be mean.
Quite in contrast to spoiling our own mothers, it is imperative
that mothers in the wild be left alone. Do not, I repeat, do not give
flowers to a mother moose.Yes, I realize you might be trying to
feed her, but you’re likely to get a swift trampling before she ever
endless
gets around to eating your offering. Our wild moms can be fierce
and defensively aggressive.
This is all coming to mind just days after a woman in
Anchorage was getting a slap on the wrist for having patted a wild
moose on the nose.A video landed on YouTube and the entire
community had someone to pick on for a day. I feel for her a little
because I understand the draw to connect with nature so badly
that you want everything to eat out of your hand and appreciate a
good scratch behind the ear. But, as an intelligent human being,
you have to exercise a bit of restraint. Moose are not horses.
We should also pay attention to animal body language.The
YouTube moose almost instantly began putting its ears back and
heavy breathing ensued. I don’t know about the rest of the world,
but that tells me someone is a little bit anxious their space is
being invaded.And that moose wasn’t even a mom.
Bear and moose mothers in particular do not like anyone near
their young.They will protect them at all costs.And that cost
might be your very life.And it’s important to keep in mind that
you might not even know you’re standing near a mother with
babies. In springtime we all have to keep a sharp lookout for signs
winter
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COURTESY AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION
TRAILMIX
Viva revolution!
Clean Air Challenge supports American
Lung Association’s missions
T
HE CLEAN AIR CHALLENGE HAS BEEN DEDICATED
TO SUPPORTING THE MISSIONS OF THE AMERICAN
LUNG ASSOCIATION FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS.
Riders head out on the Clean
Air Challenge. This year’s ride
is slated for May 12-13.
matter of pedaling.
“A lot of people I know that have done it or it’s been their
first year say it was easier than they thought,” says Schroder.
“They tend to break it down at rest stops along the way –
about an average of 15 miles apart – so they take one rest stop
at a time instead of thinking of the big picture.”
Participants can register online at www.aklung.org. Find
Clean Air Challenge listed under Local Events. Registration costs
are $50 for the 60-mile ride (must raise $400) and $60 for the
120 (must raise $500).
—Justin Matley
Fishing veterans
Coolers, anglers ready for Combat Fishing
Tournament
SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2007 the Combat Fishing Tournament
held in Seward has focused on providing enlisted military members, E1 through E5, returning from a deployment overseas or
soon to ship off, with a dream day of Alaska halibut fishing.
Scheduled for Thursday, May 24, the event provides an experience they’ll never forget.
“These guys don’t forget
anything,” says event cofounder Keith Manternach.“I
mean, I have these guys coming around all year long that
have been on this trip and they
stop to do nothing but say hi.”
Proof of Combat Fishing’s
The Combat Fishing
Tournament is on
success and appeal within the
May 24 in Seward.
community comes from financial support and specifically
the March fundraising auction.
“This year’s auction went extremely well,” says Manternach.
“It was held at the Petroleum Club and they really bang it up big
for us.”
continued on next page
JUSTIN MATLEY
“This is our twenty-seventh year and it’s on May 12 and 13,
which is Mother’s Day weekend,” says Nellie Schroder, development manager at Alaska American Lung Association.
In legs of 60 or 120 miles, participants enjoy a route
between Houston and Talkeetna, a winding and lightly rolling
section of the Parks Highway, while breathing the fresh, spring
air of Alaska.
With an entry fee of $50-$60 and the requirement of raising
additional sponsorships, Clean Air Challenge funds ALA’s mission to improve outdoor and indoor air quality, fight lung diseases and help improve the lives of individuals with lung and
breathing ailments.
That can only be done with monetary support, but having
fun is certainly a priority for this cycling tour. The route alone
makes the Clean Air Challenge all the more enjoyable.
“It’s a really good route and the road is just getting better
and better because they keep doing improvements to the road
and widening the bike path or shoulders,” says Schroder.“The
route’s just great. Hopefully there won’t be snow on it this year,
but in the past, generally, it’s just been the best weekend of the
summer.”
Participants will find the 2012 ride planned out just as it has
been in previous years.
“We’ll still be starting at Houston and going to Talkeetna
lodge,” says Schroder.“We still have the 60- or 120-mile rides so
people can either do one or two days, and I think things have
stayed the same for the last few years. We haven’t changed the
course or anything for a while.”
According to Schroder it couldn’t be changed even if ALA
wanted. Participants are adamant about enjoying the Talkeetna
Alaska Lodge where a majestic view, comfortable accommodations, dinner and live music await.
Dinners are served at 4:30 p.m. and again at 5:30 p.m. for
remaining cyclists. Mission and support discussions take place
later, followed by music and relaxing on the viewing deck with
entertainment. ALA is expecting Jimmy Sandy with Denali
Cooks to once again perform live.
“It’s nice,” says Schroder.“We’re on the back deck with the
sun shining just listening to the music and enjoying ourselves
and views of the mountain, of Denali.”
It’s a perfect way to end the long ride, which Schroder
points out isn’t as difficult as many think. She recommends riding in fun groups, even putting together a team who can motivate each other to raise funds and make riding more enjoyable.
For those who are unsure if they can endure the mileage, every
year less-than-confident cyclists find the ride to be a simple
TRAILMIX
Combat Fishing reminder, May 24
An Alaska sport fishing license is required for all service
men and women to partake in the event. Be sure to purchase
a license before leaving the docks. Charter boats depart early,
and morning activities leave little time to purchase a license on
the day of the event.
www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=license.main
According to Manternach, prior to April the tournament
already had half of the funding goal needed to pull off the event
as a result of the auction, and key contributors were still in line
to give support.Those contributors are not only making enlisted
member’s fishing dreams come true; they’re providing winnings
and prizes for what is a derby like none other.
“Our goal is to do the $50,000 cash prize for the overall winner,” says Manternach.
However, the weight of the fish is not going to be much of a
factor in the decision process this year.
“This year it’s not going to be a largest fish prize,” says
Manternach.“We trying to get on the fish conservation bandwagon – which I think is important to do – and we’re going to discourage the guys from doing a lot of catch and release and keeping more than one fish. We’d like them to catch a fish and then
let’s go home and have a banquet.”
Fish weights will be registered, then during the banquet
weights will be pulled at random with the first weight pulled
winning the grand prize.Tournament organizers are also considering decreasing the drawn prizes so that winnings get spread
out among more service members.
No matter what, everyone walks away a winner, and Combat
Fishing Tournament has been met with admiration and interest.
“I think we’re getting lots of people’s attention as far as different ways you can do things to show the guys you appreciate
what you do,” says Manternach.“It’s getting national attention and
people are calling asking how it is we put on the event.”
He’s proud to be spreading the idea around the country and
being associated with other similar programs that provide fishing
experiences in Naknek for wounded warriors or on the Kenai
River for veterans in wheelchairs.
This event honors – for lack of better words – the average
Joe.
Average Joes and Janes interested in attending Combat Fishing
can check with the local Armed Services YMCA of Alaska. Other
information can be obtained first by visiting
www.thankthem.org. Other inquiries such as donations and charter volunteers can be directed to Keith Manternach, (907) 2446231 or Mary Jo Imig, (907) 552-9622.
—Justin Matley
The world is your oyster
Bivalves blossom at SeaLife Center
during World Oceans Day
WORLD OCEANS DAY has been unofficially celebrated since
JUSTIN MATLEY
A puffin stretches its
wings at the Alaska Sea
Life Center in Seward.
A uniquely
t
Alaskan gif
1992 after being suggested by Canada at an Earth Summit. More
recently the United Nations recognized it as an official world
event in 2008, and as a globally active research facility the Alaska
SeaLife Center has joined the many institutions now participating
in this impactful program.
“World Oceans Day was initiated by the United Nations to be
held on June 8 every year,” says Kimberley Hellmers, Alaska
SeaLife Center sales and marketing manager.“It’s a global event.
You can find events happening all around the world basically at
the same time and trying to stay close to the same theme;
although, everybody kind of has their own twist on it.”
The theme for 2012 is “Youth: the Next Wave of Change,”
which encourages event hosts to gear their activities for young
minds. Locally, kids and families will find activities they wouldn’t
normally get to do on any normal day at the SeaLife Center.
“This year our event is a two-part process where during the
day, during normal business hours, our educational department is
going to be having activities for children and family-oriented
activities,” says Hellmers.“I believe they’ll be doing some marine
debris art projects as one of the activities.”
These activities come complimentary with the regular admission cost of entering the SeaLife Center. Additional fundraising for
ASC will take place during the second part of the June 8 events.
“In the evening we will be having a fundraiser for the Alaska
SeaLife Center with an art auction as the highlight,” says Hellmers.
“We’ll have a mural unveiling, a new exhibit that will be unveiled
that evening, and then the art auction with seven or eight Alaska
artists who are creating works specifically about the ocean and
specifically Alaska’s coastline and Alaska’s connection to the
ocean. Funds will be put back into the SeaLife Center for our
ocean research,” she says.
Tickets to the art auction will be limited to 150 people at $50
a piece or $30 for ASC members.The event includes a sustainable
seafood appetizer offering provided by Alaska Seafood Marketing
Institute and Captain Jack Seafood Locker.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.alaskasealife.org.
For more on World Oceans Day visit the official website,
www.occeansday.org.
—Justin Matley
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TRAILMIX
Port party
Seward Harbor Opening Weekend
set for May 19-20
THE SEWARD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE says their local harbor
opening weekend has been a tradition for years. Locals celebrate
the new season of seaside life and invite visitors to join in on the
first days of boating on Resurrection Bay. It may seem like an ordinary weekend for some, but in Seward harbor opening is just as
important now as it was in the early days of the settlement.
“The big deal is it’s such a long winter and finally people are
actually able to get out on their boats and go out and enjoy
Resurrection Bay,” says Cindy Clock, Seward Chamber of
Commerce executive director.“It’s like, thank goodness, spring
actually did arrive again.”
Harbor Opening is also used as an opportunity to reach out to
visitors about safety on the high seas.
“Because there’s the Coast Guard Auxillary and people like
Deborah Altermatt – who owns a boat brokerage – who want people to be safe, they’re always putting on classes, seminars and
workshops to go along with that weekend,” says Clock.“So it’s not
just about having fun, but let’s have fun in a safe way.”
Also taking place is a little spring cleaning.
“The harbor crew is out in full force definitely to prepare for
business,” says Clock.“There is a lot of labor going on.”
Under the careful watch of Seward’s new harbormaster, Matt
Funk, they’ll be cleaning, inspecting and preparing their fleet of
personal and private vessels, and inspecting the docks.A blessing
of the fleet will commence followed by an annual boat parade.
Visitors can join in with their craft as well.The first step is to contact Altermatt of Sailing, Inc. with a request to get involved. She can
be reached at (907) 224-3160.
Boat owners may also want to have their vessel inspected by
the Coast Guard for safety. Or, enjoy a role reversal and tour one of
their elite vessels.
Businesses will have open doors and open houses, too, in
preparation for the new season of tourists. Clock recommends taking advantage of shoulder season rates on lodging and potential
sales that help clear out older stock to make room for the new season of goods.
Seward has a number other sites and activities worth exploring
during the visit.The popular trails will still have some snow, but
during Harbor Opening Weekend the water seems like a more fitting place to explore.
“They should check with the sea kayaking companies, because,
weather permitting, they’ll be going out.” says Clock.“The day
tours, Kenai Fjord Tours and Major Marine Tours will be operating
by then, and the Alaska SeaLife Center has a new display.”
For more information on Seward harbor Opening Weekend
visit the Seward Chamber of Commerce’s online calendar,
www.seward.com, or call Sailing, Inc., (907) 224-3160.
—Justin Matley
JEFF SCHULTZ
Slam’n Salm’n Derby
back on the event calendar
FANS OF THE SLAM’N SALM’N DERBY held on Ship Creek in
downtown Anchorage can rejoice:The event is back on! The event,
hosted by Downtown Soup Kitchen, will be held again June 8-17,
and this eighth year of the derby will be absolutely free to the
public.
“Roughly 1,000 people participate each year,” says Angelique
Miller, Soup Kitchen director of outreach and development.“But
this year we’re expecting more people than ever because the tickets are going to be free.”
Incredibly, the Soup Kitchen is relying on donations only and is
hopeful that the huge turnout will not only mean more awareness
for their services, but that the donations given by participants will
be adequate to support their daily operations.According to Miller,
past derbies raised enough money to support the kitchen for an
entire year. However, they like giving more than receiving.
“We just feel that the soup we serve daily is free and, yeah, we
should just also offer free tickets for the derby,” says Miller.
This is made possible in part by event sponsors like Microcom,
Days Inn,Alaska Sausage and Seafood and others. Businesses and
sponsors also provide the prizes.
Last year’s teen winner with the heaviest fish walked away with
a new boat, and there are multiple opportunities to walk away a
winner including $1,000 for whoever lands a particular tagged
fish. Multiple tagged fish will be released in the creek just prior to
Urban anglers pose with their king
salmon caught in Ship Creek, which
flows through downtown Anchorage.
the event start.
Adding to the fun, a film crew working on Animal Planet programming is expected to join the fishing festivities.Anglers may
find their moment of fame even if they don’t make a winning
catch.
Like Animal Planet, Downtown Soup Kitchen’s Slam’n Salm’n
Derby is family friendly. Folks can walk away a winner and at the
very least leave with some fresh fish, and downtown businesses
can rest assured the event is back and drawing folks to their area.
Everyone’s a winner.
“They like this event a lot, so it’s something we do for the city
as well and for the tourists that are coming,” says Miller,“It’s an outreach in a sense.”
Donations are encouraged during the event. Fishing licenses are
required as always, and full event details and rules can be research
online, www.shipcreeksalmonderby.com.
KARAOKE every Monday and Wednesday
FREE POOL and OPEN JAM every Tuesday
DJ DANCE PARTY every Thursday starting May 17th
LIVE MUSIC LINEUP:
Fri & Sat, May 4 & 5: Kevin Worrell
Fri & Sat, May 11 &12: Merrill J. Miller & the Harmonica Guy
Fri & Sat, May 18 & 19: Melissa Mitchell and Spiff
Fri & Sat, May 25 & 26: The Eternal Cowboys
Sunday, May 27: Hobo Jim
C&C BEAR IMAGERY / ALASKASTOCK
TRAILMIX
Close encounter strategy
Bears don’t know any better, but you do
By Justin Matley
B
ecause humans share the environment with bears, and
because we have our similarities, there are bound to be conflicts. We both feel comfortable living in this particular environment. We eat similar foods such as berries, fish and moose. In
fact, each of us is at the top of our food chain, competing for
space in the very same ecosystem.The most significant difference is we have a far superior intellect (usually), making us all
the more responsible for conflicts. We have to be preventative
and on guard for the safety of ourselves and the bear.
Jessy Coltrane, Anchorage area biologist for the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game says,“The reality is bears are large,
potentially dangerous predators, so they have the ability and
anatomy to injure you if something goes awry.”
Fortunately conflicts resulting in injury are not very common.
“If you actually look at the number of people that are living
and recreating in bear country throughout Alaska and other
parts of North America, the astronomical number of people
doing things outdoors in bear country every day, the reality is
very few people are ever mauled or injured by bears on any
level.”
Potential danger is present, however, and requires action just
like your other daily activities.
“You have a way higher risk of getting hit walking across the
street or getting hit on a bicycle,” she says,“so it’s putting that
risk in perspective with day-to-day activities.”
Still, we have the opportunity to reduce risk of bear encounters and that begins with making good choices just like looking
both ways before crossing the street.
“The biggest things we tell people are you’re more safe in big
groups of people which tend to make more noise,” says Coltrane.
“You’re most negative encounters occur with brown bears in
defensive attacks where people surprise the bear, so when you
travel in groups or make noise you reduce the potential for startling them.”
She also recommends picking routes and activities carefully.
“Sneaking down a salmon creek during salmon spawning
SINGLE-TRACK MIND
HAYLEY SORBEL
Share the road;
it’s the law
Anchorage making improvements toward
being a bicycle-friendly community
J
ust as sure as a swarm of June mosquitos, May cyclists will
stream onto multi-use paths and the shoulders of city streets.
Since May is typically the kick-off of a jam-packed summer of
cycling, this column is mostly dedicated to bicycling safety.
I recently had a conversation with Brian Litmans, president
of the Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage (BCA), a nonprofit
organization whose mission is “to make Anchorage bicyclefriendly and get more people to go by bike.” According to
Litmans, May can be the most dangerous
month for cyclists. Much like the first
snows of winter catch motorists off
guard and send many into the ditch,
drivers aren’t necessarily watching out
for cyclists who, except for the hard
core winter bike commuters, haven’t
been seen in numbers for nine months.
Litmans said that “probably the number-one misunderstood cycling law is
that bicyclists are allowed to be on the
road. Motorists must share the road with Janice TOWER
bicyclists.” If everyone were to follow
the rules, motorists and cyclists alike, there’d be fewer motor
vehicle-bicycle encounters and fewer cyclists hauled off to the
emergency room.
“When motorists can predict what you’re going to do it’s
very unlikely you’re going to get hit,” said Litmans.
The BCA recently worked closely with the Anchorage Police
Department and the League of American Bicyclists to come up
with provisions in Title 9, the Municipality of Anchorage’s
Traffic Code that would make our road system safer for cyclists.
One important change to Title 9 is the addition of the threefoot buffer zone. Motorists must give cyclists a minimum of
three feet when passing, a clearly defined safety margin.
One of the most dangerous scenarios occurs when cyclists
are traveling on a sidewalk or a multi-use path that crosses
driveways, intersections and crosswalks. Cyclists may proceed
across them without stopping but they must slow down to a
reasonable and prudent speed. The bottom line is, motorists are
simply not looking out for cyclists and don’t expect them to
cross in front of them while they are looking for opportunities
to turn.
I had my own close encounter with the hood of a cab when
a friend and I were riding on the multi-use path heading north
along Lake Otis Parkway. The southbound cab driver saw a gap
Commuting to work in Anchorage
COURTESY PHOTO
By Janice Tower
Bike to Work Day commuters fuel up at one of
many aid stations. This year’s event is on May 18.
in traffic to make a left hand turn onto Tahiti Street. The only
problem was, my friend and I occupied the entrance of Tahiti
and the cab driver got himself a two-for that day.
This situation is what BCA calls the “left cross” whereby a
motorist fails to see a cyclist and makes a left turn. The BCA
suggests that to avoid the left cross, if you have enough warning and can see a car turning into your path, turn right into the
lane with the vehicle. Chances are anyone who rides a bike
long enough in Anchorage will have his or her own story of a
near or actual collision. For more information on how to make
a cycling experience safer, visit the BCA website, www.bicycleanchorage.org.
May is an excellent month to become familiar with the new
traffic code and to participate in the Municipality of
Anchorage’s Bike to Work Day on May 18. Bike to Work Day has
gained rapidly in popularity. Participation increased by 130 percent between 2007 and 2011.
But why stop with Bike to Work Day? Bike to Work Week is
May 14-18 and the BCA is promoting the Summer Bike
Challenge, which kicks off on Bike to Work Day and ends at the
tail end of August. The Bike Challenge is a friendly competition
among businesses to get the highest percentage of employees
to bike to work.
Litmans says that Anchorage has come a long way toward
becoming a cycling friendly town. The new Bike Plan is being
COURTESY PHOTO
SINGLE-TRACK MIND
Anchorage School District Employees Bike To Work.
SINGLE-TRACK continued from page 14
implemented, the Title 9 revisions make cycling safer, more bike
lanes are popping up, and more people are commuting to work.
As more people ride, motorists will become accustomed to be
on the lookout for cyclists.
“Still,” Litmans says,“we have a long way to go to make
cycling safer and more convenient, easier to get from Point A to
Point B on roads you’re comfortable biking.”
Bike safety tips
Always wear a helmet. Children under age 16 are required
to wear a helmet. Adults should do the same. A helmet is much
less expensive than a trip to the emergency room.
Be visible. Wear bright, reflective clothing and use lights on
your bicycle.
Be predictable. Follow the rules of the road, just like
motorists. Ride in a straight line and use hand signals to signal
stops or turns.
Obey traffic laws. Stop at traffic lights and stop signs, just
like cars and motorcycles. Always ride in the same direction as
traffic.
Be assertive, but courteous. Stay to the right but “take the
lane” when necessary. When roads are too narrow for a car to
safely pass you, you are safer if you take the lane.
Seek quiet roads. Quiet streets with few cars traveling at
slow speeds are more comfortable for cycling.
Don’t get “doored.” Give parked cars a wide berth to avoid
the possibility of a motorist opening their car door in front of
you.
Ride defensively. Be aware of your surroundings. Anticipate
what drivers might do and act as though they do not see you.
Make eye contact: Make eye contact with motorists and
pedestrians, and be especially alert when a motorist is talking
on a cell phone.
Source: Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage
Being bear aware
Viewing Alaska’s bruins with kids
B
ears are Alaska. For many of Alaska’s one million visitors and
most of us residents, catching a glimpse of the state’s largest
land mammal means checking off another item from the bucket
list.
Brown and black bears are part of an
intense circle of life in southeast and
southcentral Alaska that’s worth explaining to kids. Despite game management
issues, despite “nuisance bears” seen roaming around our neighborhoods, bears
remain an integral part of the 49th state,
for better or worse.
Thousands of hopeful bear-viewers
flock to Alaska each summer in the hopes
Erin KIRKLAND
of spying a bear living the way bears do;
feeding, eating, breeding, and raising
young. Most of these folks are indeed adults, since parents, understandably, are a bit leery about exposing their offspring to such
wild and often unpredictable scenarios.
Last summer I spent multiple days immersed in brown and
black bear habitats through a concentrated effort to reduce my
ERIN KIRKLAND
By Erin Kirkland
www.AKontheGO.com
A bear family rests in a tree
at Anan Bear Observatory
near Wrangell.
own “bearanoia” and in an effort to find a better way to teach parents and kids practical, useful, non-panicked methods of understanding and responding to bear behavior. Could we actually pull
off a bear-viewing experience with a child in tow?
My first stop was at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game
office of bear biologist and educator Elizabeth Manning, who has
taught an AKontheGO-sponsored “Bear Safety for Families” class
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JOHN HYDE / ALASKASTOCK
4
The intense blue hue of this melt pond on the Juneau
Ice Field contrasts sharply with the snow covered surface of the ice and the yellow kayak drifting on the
surface, Inside Passage, Tongass National Forest,
Alaska. Melt ponds form primarily where the water
from melting snow and ice collects on the surface in
depressions or crevasses.
Adventure
Unlimited
A sampler for exploring
The Last Frontier
By Justin Matley
There’s a world here unlike any other. A vast ecosystem of
clashing terrains and varying climates supports an abundance
of wildlife and breathtaking landscapes. Mountains rise to the
highest reaches of our lower atmosphere and the seas and
rivers – teeming with life – sculpt our shores and valleys. In a
land with such diversity and millions of acres of untouched
wilderness, Alaska truly is the adventure capital of the world.
Some might call it the world’s playground, for there are so
many ways to explore and enjoy this state that it would take
two lifetimes to get the full effect.
Much of Alaska’s 663,268 square miles is accessible via some
form of transportation whether on foot, ATV or in a small aircraft. Alaska is also surrounded by more coastline than all states
in the Lower 48 combined. Our fjords with calving glaciers and
marine wildlife make kayaking and day cruises unforgettable.
Fishing in Alaska is second-to-none and a priority on many an
angler’s bucket list.
Unless you’re planning to stay put on a tour bus, Alaska is
not for the faint of heart. Yet it’s due to Alaska’s effect on the
heart and spirit that inspire so many to visit, and oftentimes the
most difficult part of the trip is taking that first step to getting
here.
If you’ve made it to our remote corner of the globe, congratulations!
Now, how do you intend to maximize your adventure?
Land
If you don’t get your feet dirty, you haven’t been here. To
truly experience Alaska you need to explore the terrain, dip
your hands in a stream, maybe hike to a high ridge for a view
you’ll never forget. Have you ever panned for gold or ridden a
horse on a mountainside? Well, here’s your chance.
Beginning with places to visit and activities nearest to
Anchorage and stemming out from there, here are a few locations and activities for adventuring on land.
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
If you haven’t much time and plan to be in the downtown
area, then take a stroll or rent a bike to ride on the Coastal Trail.
It skirts the coastline around Anchorage providing views of the
Alaska Range and Cook Inlet in one direction and downtown
Anchorage in the other. Surprisingly it’s also a good place to walk
up on a moose (please keep your distance) at certain times of
the year and passes Westchester Lagoon, the home of some
unique fowl. Kincaid Park is the most heavily wooded region on
the trail, while Earthquake Park and Point Woronzof provide
beach access and open views to the west and northwest. On a
clear day, you may even see Denali or the closer Redoubt
Volcano.
Although not related to wildlife and adventuring, the Coastal
trail also provides a unique view of jets as they fly in low overhead for a landing at the Ted Stevens International Airport.
This trail is accessible at multiple locations, is paved and can
be used for rollerblading, biking, walking and jogging and dogs.
RON SANFORD / ALASKASTOCK
5
A wolf eats a ground
squirrel during a successful
hunt in Denali National
Park and Preserve.
ACCESS: 5th Ave. west of L Street, Westchester Lagoon,
Earthquake Park, Point Woronzof, Kincaid Park
MAP: dnr.state.ak.us/parks/aktrails/ats/anc/knowlsct.htm or
coastaltrailrentals.com/Images/CoastalTrail.pdf
TOTAL DISTANCE: 11 miles
DESCRIPTION: Paved path with flat and hilly sections within
walking distance of downtown Anchorage
Pick up the pace with a bike rental from Coastal Trail
Rentals (www.coastaltrailrentals.com), or Downtown Bicycle
Rental (www.alaska-bike-rentals.com).
Watch jets take off and land right over your head from
Point Woronzof.
Catch a view of Denali from Earthquake Park.
Certain sections of the Coastal Trail are close to the airport.
Consider a visit to Earthquake Park before catching your return
flight.
Chugach State Park
Chugach State Park can be found on the eastern edge of
Anchorage. Ridges of the Chugach Mountains run at oblique
angles to Anchorage offering a layered view of multiple, accessible valleys and mountain tops.
As you drive around town you might notice a bumper sticker that reads,“I Love the Chugach,” and there’s a good reason so
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Windsurfers enjoy a sunny summer day along
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Photo by Chris Arend / AlaskaStock
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6
many people do. It’s the third largest state park in America at
roughly 500,000 acres containing numerous trails, passes, and
the most highly summited peaks in Alaska.
On the edge of town, and with an elevation gain of 1,300
feet in 1.5 miles, the Flattop Mountain Trail, for foot traffic only,
leads hikers to the summit of Flattop Mountain, so named for
its distinct plateau appearance. You can’t miss it.
Popular trails include the historic Iditarod-Crow Pass Trail
connecting Eagle River to Girdwood, Thunderbird Falls Trail to
the north of Anchorage, Powerline Pass Trail accessible from the
Glen Alps parking lot, and McHugh Creek Trail or others located
south of Anchorage on Seward Highway along the body of
water known as Turnagain Arm.
ACCESS: Multiple access points and trailheads available from
Anchorage, Eagle River, Eklutna, Indian and Girdwood. Road
access from Glenn Highway in the north and Seward Highway
in the south. Anchorage parking and trailheads at Prospect
Heights and Glen Alps.
WEBSITE: http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/chugach/
MAP: www.anchorage.net/library/chugachstatepark.pdf More from park website.
Backpack the Crow Pass Trail from Girdwood to Eagle
River for an unforgettable two days and 26 miles of wellmarked trail, glacier views, wildlife, river crossing and waterfalls.
Plan for a cab or shuttle. This is not a loop trail.
Want a short drive for a breathtaking view of Anchorage
and possibly Denali? Head to the Glen Alps parking lot.
Hatcher Pass and Summit Lake
Hatcher Pass, located out of Palmer or Wasilla (Willow on the
west side of the Talkeetna Mountains), is a recreation area just
far enough from Anchorage to limit the visitors yet accessible
enough to give even novice outdoor enthusiasts an elevated
mountain experience.
Follow a winding road along the Little Susitna River and
through a canyon to eventually rise to the higher elevations
where roadside parking provides trailheads, picnic opportunities and wondrous views.
Summit Lake is located at Mile 19 on Hatcher Pass Road, just
two miles past the turnoff for Independence Mine State Park,
another worthwhile stop. Take a hike from Summit Lake or
nearby to get a taste of mountaineering and a view of some
seriously rugged peaks of the Mat-Su Valley.
ACCESS: Follow Glenn Highway to Palmer and turn west on
Palmer-Fishhook Road. Follow the road to the summit of
Hatcher Pass.
WEBSITE: http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/summit.htm
Hiking can be short yet strenuous and makes even the
novice hiker feel like a real mountain climber. And, nobody is
stopping you from taking a dip in the lake…
Glacier Park and Matanuska Glacier
This is the scenic drive you’ve been looking for!
continued on page 8
MATT HAGE / ALASKASTOCK
8
mile to feel the chill of the ancient ice.
Skiers tackle the Eklutna
traverse in Chugach
State Park.
For a real thrill check with resident experts MICA Guides
(www.micaguides.com) and NOVA (www.novalaska.com) for
Matanuska Glacier ice climbing, hikes and guided tours.
Beginners welcome!
Chugach National Forest
Follow Glenn Highway, a National Scenic Byway, northwest
out of Palmer. You’ll discover river crossings, sheer cliffs, and
curves of highway overlooking a deep drop to the Matanuska
River.
The Matanuska River is fed by an enormous glacier, the
largest accessible by road in Alaska. Find the Matanuska Glacier
in Glacier Park at Mile 102.
Access to the glacier does come with a small pricetag of
$15, but it’s worth the cost to see the ice up close, walk along
its melting pools or even on top of the blue ice.
ACCESS: Follow Glenn Highway to Mile 102. Many choose to
view the glacier from scenic pullovers. Others can go the extra
This forest region covers much of the southern Chugach
Mountain Range and surrounds Prince William Sound. It covers
much of the Kenai Peninsula and much of the coastline and
islands heading toward southeast Alaska. This region includes
rain forest, glaciers, alpine mountains, Pacific shoreline and
aquatic life like whales, sea lions, harbor seals and sea otters.
You’ll discover the dramatic clash of upheaved mountains
and the rolling sea.
The Chugach interior can be accessed by foot, boat and
kayak within the many fjords, or by aerial taxi. More than 40
cabins ranging from $25-$45 per day are also available. Many
require the use of a boat or aircraft to be reached; although,
some are accessible with a mere hike. Resurrection Pass Trail is
perhaps one of the most popular hiking and biking trails
around. Other trailheads, lakes and campgrounds are spread
along Seward Highway.
ACCESS: Multiple access points. Forest Service offices located
in Girdwood, Cordova and Seward. Begich Boggs Visitor Center
is located on Portage Valley Road, 50 miles south of Anchorage
JUSTIN MATLEY
10
recreational and protected lands exist as part of the Kenai
Peninsula. They offer world-renowned views of migrating birds,
seals, whales, sea otters and other marine life. Consider these:
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge with camping, canoeing,
hiking trails, cabin rentals, fishing and wildlife viewing. Discover
a vast wetlands quite different from the surrounding mountains,
explore the Kenai Mountains, and find some of the world’s
most active fishing streams.
ACCESS: Wildlife Refuge headquarters are located in Soldotna
off the Sterling Highway, north of Homer. Hope Point Trail and
Rock Trail from Hope also lead to the refuge.
WEBSITE: kenai.fws.gov
MAP: kenai.fws.gov/pdf/kenai_map.pdf
Enjoy the refuge from roadside camping to deep wilderness fly-ins or canoeing.
Most communities will have a local pilot or two for deep
penetration into the wilderness.
Kachemak Bay State Park can be explored from Homer with
a licensed air or water taxi service. Public mooring buoys also
exist for private boats. The park boasts over 80 miles of trails,
which can be explored leisurely or used for multiday trips. In
fact, multiple guide services use this park exclusively for their
wilderness adventures. Public-use cabins are available for rent
through the park office for those who like creature comforts,
and views of glaciers, Kachemak Bay and the shoreline will
have you longing to take up permanent residence.
ACCESS: From Homer via private watercraft, air or water taxi
service – No roads to this park
WEBSITE: dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/kbay/kbay.htm
MAP: dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/kbay/kbaymap.htm
Hikers explore the rich
coastline of Halibut
Cove near Homer.
off Seward Highway. Find nautical access in Whittier, Seward,
Valdez or Cordova with service and guide providers present.
WEBSITE: fs.usda.gov/chugach
Resurrection Pass Trail can be hiked or biked in a couple
of days and cabins, lakes, creeks and wildlife are just a hint of
what to expect. This is a local favorite.
Forest Service trails are well marked with brown trailhead
signage along major roadways through the forest.
Consider stopping by or hiking at Exit Glacier on the outskirts of Seward. You won’t be disappointed.
Kenai Peninsula Parks & Public Lands
The Kenai Peninsula offers a wide assortment of terrains,
coastline and beaches, rivers, campgrounds and pretty much a
little of everything. It’s a good representation of most of Alaska,
shrunken down to a size you can enjoy during an extended
weekend or week or two.
Seaside communities are known for their annual festivals,
and wildlife viewing opportunities are extraordinary. Multiple
For a spectacular loop hike consider Emerald Lake Trail
with camping at Humpy Creek, Grewink Glacier Lake (undeveloped), Emerald Lake, and Mallard Bay.
Take the opportunity to dine, shop and sightsee the
unique coastal village of Halibut Cove, where most of your
walking will be on elevated boardwalks overlooking the water.
Kenai Fjords National Park is located along the southeast
coast of the Kenai Peninsula, stretching from Seward and the
nearby Exit Glacier down through the Harding Ice Field and
includes many fjords until the opening of Nuka Bay. Ferry tours
operate out of Seward, giving the casual explorer a grand look
at the coastline and marine life such as humpback whales and
harbor seals. Private water and air taxis from Seward and
Homer also provide access, giving explorers the opportunity of
a lifetime. The fjord’s primary draw is the dramatic coastline
with sheer cliffs and waterfalls, beaches, ocean life, migratory
birds, hiking trails, cabin rentals and the removal from all things
human. More than 600,000 acres can hold a lot of secrets waiting to be discovered. This is glacier viewing paradise!
ACCESS: Land or air taxi service out of Seward or Homer. One
12
road to Exit Glacier near Seward.
WEBSITE: www.nps.gov/kefj/
MAP: www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/upload/KEFJmap1.pdf
Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge is Alaska’s newest eco-lodge
located in Aialik Bay. It is the only lodge on the Kenai Fjords
coast. Plan a trip online at kenaifjordsglacierlodge.com. Two
public-use cabins are also available on the coast for $50 per
night.
You’ve discovered glacier viewing paradise. Take a daylong boat tour.
Katmai National Park is home to the world’s highest concentration of coastal brown bear (the big ones). Despite the lack of
road access, getting there is easier than it would seem as long
as you don’t mind flying. The designated parklands include remnants of volcanoes, beaches spliced by glacier-fed rivers, lush
greenery and amazing ocean views. At times the landscape
looks tropical. Aside from Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes – a
40-square-mile and 100- to 700-foot deep ash flow deposited by
Novarupta Volcano – the bears are probably the largest draw.
Find them on the coastline near rivers when the tide runs out
and fish are easy prey, or near Brooks Camp, which allows up
to 60 visitors per night.
ACCESS: Katmai can be visited by air taxi service. Most major
Homer air service providers have predetermined trips and rates
to visit Katmai.
WEBSITE: nps.gov/katm/
MAP: nps.gov/katm/
This is one of the world’s remote treasures and requires
you to be safe at all times, in good health and practicing excellent outdoor ethics and bear safety. That said, be sure to have
plenty of memory space for your photos. Katmai is awesome!
Consider a private flight with overnight guided camping.
You only live once!
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
Denali National Park and Preserve gets a lot of press for having North America’s tallest mountain and tour bus access into
the depths of the wilderness. However, Wrangell-St. Elias
National Park and Preserve is larger in acreage, contains a
steaming volcano, Mount Wrangell, and lends itself to a more
secluded wilderness experience.
This protected land is larger than Vermont and Rhode Island
combined – the king of parks. Hiking is phenomenal and one
could get lost (quite literally) for days, weeks or indefinitely.
Consider mountain biking, mountaineering, backcountry cabin
rentals, and some ATV use on designated trails. Flightseeing
from a nearby provider or horseback riding is also an option.
Wrangell–St. Elias is 13.2 million acres of untamed, northern
wilderness. It is home to nine of North America’s 16 tallest
peaks and nearly all the wildlife inhabitants one might expect
to find in Alaska.
14
JUSTIN MATLEY
Swamp
thing
It’s not a nickname most of us
want to encourage
By Justin Matley
With record snowfall all around the state, breakup was better
referred to as muck up. Moreso in spring than any other season,
it’s necessary to tread lightly in the backcountry as the turf is soft
and easily eroded.
The simple truth is muskegs and marshlands are full of hidden
holes and seemingly solid ground that is actually a mass of floating
moss. River and creek banks can be newly eroded away by spring
runoff leaving overhangs that could collapse.Trails are saturated
and conditions are ripe for making huge ruts that may never go
away if not filled right away.And woodland bogs and mud holes
are going to be deep and sticky.
The best advice is to not travel in wet areas at all. But if you
must, consider the following advice to keep from becoming a
swamp thing.
Staying out of the muck
Simply looking far ahead of yourself while traveling can make a
huge difference. Notice changes in terrain and avoid sticky situations before it’s too late.
Stay on or alongside trails whenever possible. If muddy areas do
exist, use rocks, logs and other material to protect the trail before
causing further damage.
In open spaces, alter your route when traveling back and forth
to keep from creating deep ruts. On the other hand, when in sensitive vegetation, keep from plowing it all down.
If in a vehicle, keep your wheels on the highest ground possible and stay out of ruts. However, don’t continue to make new ruts
and really churn up the surface. In this case, find the most solid
ground, usually closer to trees.
Discover the thrill of zipping along backcountry trails on
an ATV, just don’t bury yourself in all that mud.
If hauling a load or trailer, watch ahead and plan your maneuvers in advance. Get off your machine, discern the best path by
walking it first, and commit to it. Nothing will halt progress like
trying to back up with a trailer on soft terrain.A jackknifed trailer
acts like an anchor.
When crossing water or
The simple truth is
mud is unavoidable, walk it first.
muskegs and
Don’t assume the depth is all
marshlands are full of
the same. Feel for rock or roots
that will give you traction.
hidden holes and
If there is a choice between
seemingly solid ground
a watery area and mud, stick to
the water as long as the ground that is actually a mass
below it is firm. Even deep
of floating moss.
water provides far less resistance than sticky mud.
Be sure your vehicle has the proper tires and power for the
job.
Use low gearing, 4x4 and differential locks before you get stuck,
not after.
If stuck, do not spin your wheels. Use a slow, consistent speed
to maintain traction. Spinning usually makes matters worse.
When walking or driving across flowing water, keep in mind
SWAMP THING continued from page 14
that deep pools and cuts can come out of nowhere.Walk
your path or use a pole to check the entire width of your
vehicle or ahead of your steps.
Useful tools and supplies
Shovel
Come-a-long or electric winch
A minimum of 100 feet of rope
Steel stakes or bar to act as an anchor in case there are no
trees or rocks to attach the rope or winch cable
Hammer or mallet to pound the stake
Hand or chainsaw to fill holes with dead wood (also useful
for clearing trees that have fallen across trails)
Headlamp
Gloves
Knee-high rubber boots or waders
Carry dry clothes. You’re going to get wet, or muddy, or
both.
Food and shelter saves lives when there’s no hope of
recovery.
Even a footprint in the mud will remain all season long
and fill with water during every rain. Keep trail damage to
a minimum for everyone’s sake, and be mindful of damage to foliage that affects local wildlife.
15
ACCESS: Glenn Highway to Richardson Highway, Mile 106.8
(Ranger Stations also in Slana, Chitina and Yakutat)
WEBSITE: www.nps.gov/wrst/
MAP: www.nps.gov/wrst/
Looking for backcountry comfort amidst all the wilderness action? Consider the very unique experience of Kennicott
Glacier Lodge, www.kennicottlodge.com.
The Copper River Valley is an incredible view and provides world-class fishing for all our five species of salmon.
Denali State Park
Where the national park may have greater numbers of
wildlife in packs and herds (and tourists), and a big budget for
tourist amenities, Denali State Park provides easily accessible
and unsurpassed vantage points of Denali, the Alaska Range and
Talkeetna Mountains.
From multiple staging areas along Parks Highway, begin a
day or multiday hiking trip, explore an alpine ridge for mile
after mile of uninhibited eye candy, and find a hard-core adventure within a few miles of your parked vehicle. Denali State
Park also provides lakes for fishing and wildlife viewing, and
even a few cabin rentals. The entire park is a whopping
325,240 acres on either side of Parks Highway and is adjacent
to Denali National Park.
ACCESS: Find a Denali viewpoint, trailheads and park facilities
A L A S K A
R A I L R O A D . C O M
You can only
get there
by train.
Spencer Glacier Float Tours.
Alaska Railroad t 1-800-544-0552 t (907) 265-2494
Chugach Adventure Guides t (907) 783-4354
Tour operated by Chugach Adventure Guides under permit, Chugach National Forest
2
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SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Welcome to Anchorage
and to the 22nd Annual Alaska
Airlines Cup Soccer Tournament
Welcome to the 2012 Alaska
Airlines Cup presented
by Alaska Rush Soccer Club!
The Alaska Airlines Cup competition features 110 soccer
teams – 2,500 boys and girls from ages 9 to 19. This year’s
tournament features a Boys
All Star team with players from British
Columbia, Hawaii, Juneau, Fairbanks,
Homer, Chugiak, Eagle River, Kenai,
and the Mat-Su. It is truly a BIG WILD
soccer tournament!
Firstly, I’d like to offer a very special thank you for our
Tournament Director and to all of this year’s volunteers.
Their tireless work and dedication to the
game make this tournament the most
prestigious and competitive soccer tournament in the State of Alaska. I would
also like to thank all of the teams participating in this event and wish them the
best of luck. Last, but certainly not least,
I would like to express my appreciation
to the title sponsor Alaska Airlines for its
support of this event. Alaska Airlines has
time and time again demonstrated its commitment to the
kids in our community.
I would like to thank the Kincaid
Project Group for creating the soccer
complex at Kincaid Park – it truly awesome to see eight fields together in Anchorage. And, the
Alaska Airlines Cup will be the first tournament to play
on the De la Vega Complex fields since the first-rate sprinkler system was installed. Both improvements will make
Anchorage a more viable option for future state and
regional tournaments, which is great because we all know
that Anchorage loves soccer games!
Have Fun!
Dan Sullivan
Mayor
Alaska Rush is very excited about this year’s tournament.
To a greater extent, the ideals of fair play and good sportsmanship that exemplify the Alaska Airlines Cup are the
same Core Values that the coaches from Alaska Rush instill
in their players. Alaska Rush is also proud to be a part of
an international community of Rush Soccer clubs which are
passionate about the beautiful game. All of our Rush soccer
players, over 40,000 of them worldwide, share these same
Core Values – Accountability, Advice, Empathy, Enjoyment,
Humility, Leadership, Passion, Respect, Safety, Tenacity,
and Unity. It is with this Core Values in mind we kick off
the 2012 Alaska Airlines Cup!
Best of luck and enjoy the tournament!
Sincerely,
Jason Leonardis
Technical Director, Alaska Rush Soccer Club
2012 Alaska Airlines Cup
Soccer Tournament
www.rushalaska.com
ON THE COVER: Ben Breun, in blue, vies for the
ball during last year’s Alaska Airlines Cup
Tournament. Photo by John Hitchcock, TSS
Photography
2012 Alaska Airlines Cup Soccer
Tournament official guide produced by
COAST MAGAZINE
[email protected]
(907) 677-2900
Project managers: Joe Dinneen and Lisa M. Maloney
Photos courtesy John Hitchcock, TSS Photography,
unless otherwise noted
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Soccer
mania
Tournament kicks off season
with flair
By Lisa Maloney
Watching soccer doesn’t get any more rustic than sitting in
a camp chair at the edge of an Alaskan field bordered by
spruce trees. But the 2012 Alaska Airlines Cup hasn’t completely dodged the 21st Century; thanks to behind-the-scenes volunteers and generous sponsors, you can check your smartphone
for near-instant game results, or duck into a motorhome donated by Alaska Mining & Diving Supply to check out the action
on several big-screen TVs, courtesy of Best Buy.
This is the largest soccer tournament in the state, and last
year it drew local teams (in the Alaskan sense of the word)
from Kenai, Homer, Fairbanks and Juneau; a team from Hawaii;
several more from the Lower 48; and three teams from the
Yukon Territory, for a grand total of 110 teams and more than
2,000 players.
As of press time organizers expect about the same level of
involvement—and the logistical challenge that accompanies
it—for 2012. But things will be a notch easier this year thanks
to the nearly-completed Kincaid Soccer Complex which, with
its seven natural-grass fields, finally eliminates the need for
players, officials and parents to hurry from one far-flung playing field to the next. An eighth Kincaid field—artificial turf,
complete with stadium—isn’t quite ready for play yet, but will
hopefully be available for use by the end of this summer.
The U10 age bracket—children that wouldn’t typically get
to participate in this type of tournament play—will play at
the nearby Javier de la Vega complex, and each player will
receive a participation award. (This youngest bracket doesn’t
advance to semi-finals or finals, but the older brackets continue all the way to championship trophies and scarves, roundrobin style.)
Another familiar sporting venue, The Dome, will host the
tournament only briefly this year, housing the opening ceremonies and a series of all-stars preview games. The preview
games don’t just mark a high-energy start to the tournament,
they’re also an opportunity for juniors and graduating seniors
to be seen by visiting college coaches without having to leave
the state. In terms of logistics for Alaskan players considering
their college options, that’s huge—and it all started out as a
way of honoring one remarkable young woman.
Love for life and soccer
Ina Kristiansen passed away on May 22, 1992, after a battle
with leukemia—but not before getting her soccer start at the
Samantha Castle keeps her eye on the
ball during last year’s tournament.
Boys & Girls Club, then blossoming into a career with a competitive Anchorage club, playing in Colorado and Europe,
earning all-conference honors in all four years of high school,
and becoming team captain in her senior year.
The Alaska Airlines Cup was originally known as the Ina
Kristiansen Memorial Cup, conceived to honor Kristiansen’s
life and celebrate her passion for soccer. The event was
renamed in 2010 at the request of Kristiansen’s parents, but
the tournament’s original intent lives on through the Ina K
Medals. These medals are awarded to one player on each team
at the close of the tournament; each team’s coach chooses the
recipient that they feel exemplifies Kristiansen’s spirit of
drive, determination, and passion.
The Alaska Rush Soccer Club also continues a tradition of
donating to the fight against leukemia, and offers two $1,000
scholarships (formerly known as the Alaska Goldstrikers
Soccer Club Scholarship Fund) to graduating seniors. The
scholarship is funded by proceeds from past tournaments.
AJ McCoy battles a pair of defenders
during a game last year.
Big budget travel
If you’ve lived in Anchorage for any length of time you
might think of this as the big city, Alaska’s largest transportation and community hub. But we’re undeniably isolated in comparison to the Lower 48 ideal of having another competitive
soccer club—or even clubs from another state—just down the
road. Title sponsor Alaska Airlines solves that by donating tickets
for bringing Outside clubs up for the tournament, and also
offers discounted Anchorage fares to encourage more spectators.
“It’s a great event,” says Scott Habberstad, director of sales
and community marketing for Alaska Airlines.“We love to get
people out there to see it, because kids put so much effort into
this.”
“It’s a good competition,” agrees tournament director Terry
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5
Carter Christopherson, a member of the Alaska
Rush 02B Nike Tiempo team, focuses on the
ball during a 2011 Alaska Airlines Cup game.
Curran. He listed the three things any quality soccer tournament
requires: Good fields, good teams that’ll give you great competition, and top referees. The first two are solidly in place, thanks
to the Kincaid Project Group’s work on the new soccer complex and Alaska Airlines’ aid with travel. They’ve got top referees,
too; Maggi Curran has been the tournament’s referee assignor
for years, making it a point to bring up level 7 or better referees
from out of state to both officiate and train local refs.
The Alaska Airlines Cup has grown steadily since its inception nearly 20 years ago as the Ina Kristiansen Memorial, and
doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.“Many people have
stepped up to run things over the years,” says Joe Dinneen,
director of business development for Rush Alaska. Maybe the
rolling influx of new hands is what keeps the tournament fresh,
or maybe it’s just the unbridled enthusiasm for soccer—the
fastest-growing sport in both Anchorage and the nation.
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Lasting bond
Commitments of sponsors, organizers go beyond playing field
By Lisa Maloney
“I want you to play soccer, Mr. Bond.”
If Joe Dinneen, Terry Curran, Maggi Curran, and Nathan
Hunt were Bond villains, they’d create a mojo-concentrating ray
to beam all Alaska’s soccer energy into Kincaid Park for a weekend. In fact that’s pretty much what they’ve done over the last
year, minus the dastardly side effects, as the core organizers
behind the Alaska Airlines Cup. The mojo ray is aimed straight
at Kincaid Park’s new soccer complex, and set to go off from
May 31-June 3.
The rest of the local soccer scene grinds to a halt during
that time, says referee assignor Maggi Curran. Even the adult
leagues, which kick their season off just before the tournament
begins, go on hold for the weekend. You just can’t get referees
for anything else—but why would you want to? If you’re a part
of the local soccer community, odds are good that you’ll either
be at the tournament or know someone that’s playing in it.
That’s just the way Alaska works, forming super-concentrated
communities around a common passion.
Of course there are a few other quirks to staging a tournament in our fair city, like convincing visiting Outside referees
that it’s not a good idea to try and haze moose off the playing
field with their penalty flags, or dealing with the occasional
bear scare.
Swag bags don’t fill themselves
If you’re a soccer player, you make sure to eat right and
hydrate well before the game; you probably pack your bag with
all your gear the night before, making sure to add extra layers
in case of Alaska weather. But if you’re a tournament organizer,
you start planning for next year’s event just about as soon as
the previous year is done.
Things kick into high gear when invitations to visiting referees, coaches, and past participants go out in November and
December. That’s also when organizers reach out to form teams
of volunteers (or “voluntolds,” as the Alaska Rush director of
operation, Nathan Hunt, joked with a grin). He says that it takes
a group of anywhere from 50 to 75 people working throughout the year to draw all the tournament’s details together.
Some of the details are predictable, like arranging for PortaPotties during the tournament and trash pickup both during
and after. Somebody has to line the fields and trim them, secure
t-shirts and championship scarves for teams, and make sure
that there are flipping coins for the referees. (The collectible
coins become hot items for trading out of state.)
Other elements may be less obvious to the casual onlooker,
but are still critically important: For example volunteers run the
credentialing process, making sure there are no older teens
slipping into younger age brackets, or boys dressed up as girls.
Joe Davidson (in blue shirt) and Paul Stoufflet
from OPA consult during last year’s tournament.
(“Boys in wigs? Really?” I asked Terry Curran, the tournament
director—he nodded.)
An event like the Alaska Airlines Cup can’t happen without
significant sponsor involvement, too. Title sponsor Alaska
Airlines plays an enormous role, donating free airline tickets to
bring visiting teams up from out of state, and sometimes even
out of country.
“Bill MacKay, Scott Habberstad and Alaska Airlines have
made this a better tournament,” says Dinneen.
Dinneen also credits Orthopedic Physicians Anchorage’s
sponsorship of the Alaska Rush, and the presence of their certified athletic trainers Lynne Young and Paul Stoufflet on the
field, for putting the tournament on an elite level. Because cell
phone reception in the Kincaid area is weak at best, the trainers carry two-way radios with them as they zip from field to
field in a golf cart and a four-wheeler, assessing injuries and
providing on-the-spot care as appropriate.
Ultimately it’s those tight, continuing partnerships—
between organizers, sponsors, and dedicated volunteers—that
make it possible to pull off what really matters: Giving the kids
room to play.
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Above and beyond
Event success soars with Alaska Airlines
By Lisa Maloney
There’s a reason why you see the Alaska Airlines
logo so often at youth sporting events. As Scott
Habberstad, director of sales and community marketing in Alaska, says:
“We are often the school bus that brings kids to
their sporting events.” Whereas in the Lower 48
youth athletes can just hop on a bus to get where
they’re going, in Alaska taking a plane is often the
fastest—and sometimes the only—way of getting to
a match.
That makes Alaska Airline’s sponsorship of local
sporting events, often donating a substantial number of tickets to bring up visiting teams, officials, or
coaches, even more of a boon. They’ve done it for
basketball by means of the Alaska Airlines Classic,
bringing nationally ranked high school basketball
teams in to play with locals. And since 2010 they’ve
been doing it for the Alaska Airlines Cup (formerly
the Ina Kristiansen Memorial Cup) as well.
Habberstad is quick to emphasize that Alaska
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CUP
Fans and players alike cheer
on the teams on the field.
SOCCER TOURNAMENT
9
Airlines considered carefully before stepping in as the
title sponsor, out of respect to Ms. Kristiansen’s family.
“Only because it came at the request of the family,” he
explains,“did we make the decision to go in this
direction,” investing in what he describes as a great
tournament and a very solid, strong organization.
One of Alaska Airlines’s most significant contributions to the event is providing tickets to bring a visiting team up from Hawaii, and top-notch teams from
elsewhere in the Lower 48. It’s a ripple effect that
spreads through the local soccer scene and into the
rest of the community. Players and refs alike get to
hone their skills with skilled counterparts from other
states that they might otherwise see only rarely, if at
all. The visitors get a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and organizers can save the $20,000 they estimate it’d cost to
send even a single Alaska team Outside to compete.
And last but not least, when the visitors are in town
they spend money on lodging, meals, and transport—a
welcome contribution to the local economy.
Alaska Air is also providing discounted fares—
which they hope to offer systemwide—on travel to
Anchorage for the Alaska Airlines Cup, in hopes of
encouraging even more participation.“Alaska is a big
state, but it’s a small community,” Habberstad says.
“Our community involvement is critical to our support of the state, and this is just another way we’re
doing that. It’s a great event—we love to get people
out there to see it.”
10
Raymond Burke battles for the
ball during last year’s event.
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11
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Tournament referees confer as
they leave the field last year.
Complex solution
Soccer field supporters turn dream into reality
By Lisa Maloney
The original plans for Kincaid Park included a full-on sports
complex with plenty of soccer fields. Funds for that part of the
park never materialized, leaving thousands of soccer players to
shuttle between fields all over town instead.
That back-and-forth hustle became a frustrating part of large
tournaments like the Alaska Airlines Cup; it was the only way to
cobble together enough fields to play. Anchorage was an estimated 17 to 18 fields short of what it needed to accommodate
its estimated 13,000 players, and some teams had to turn people away due to the lack of space to play. The fastest-growing
sport in Anchorage, and all of America, had hit a bottleneck.
Get it done
The Kincaid Project Group was incorporated as a 501(c)(3)
non-profit in 2004, with the aim to finally realize a world-class
Kincaid sports complex in spite of the funding hurdles.
Construction began in 2007, with new soccer fields as the master domino that created a cascade of positive changes, benefit-
ting far more than just the soccer community.
Most of the green space that went into the seven new soccer fields splayed around the old Kincaid Nike Missile Site was
already there.“We hardly took any trees out,” says Kristi Holta,
campaign manager for the Kincaid Project Group. But they did
relocate parts of the old disc golf course that previously occupied that space, taking advantage of the opportunity to place
the new, improved (and more topographically challenging)
replacement course in a more scenic location.
Another domino tipped when the eighth soccer field of the
complex, an artificial turf field complete with stadium, started
to go in over the old biathlon range. The old range hadn’t been
in the best location, Holta explained; its placement left it subject to unpredictable swirls of wind and poorly oriented with
respect to the sun, and it wasn’t connected to the trail system.
The new biathlon range is protected from the wind, connected
to the trail system, and offers better parking access than the old
one.
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13
14
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Madison Maxey powers past
defenders during last year’s
tournament.
KINCAID PARK continued from page 11
The stadium is already built, complete with missile motifs
on the railing to pay homage to the land’s previous military
use. The dirt is down and all that remains, now, is putting the
actual turf in, which Holta described as a literal million-dollar
proposition. Funding is pending, and they hope that the stadium will be complete and ready for play later this summer.
Careful planning means that plumbed-in irrigation on the
natural fields makes summer maintenance easy, and it when
winter comes it can be used for snowmaking to extend the
competitive ski season. In the meantime the seven new natural-grass fields at Kincaid have been in play since summer of
2011, forming the nucleus of a soccer complex that’s gearing
up to host the Alaska Airlines Cup, the biggest soccer tournament in the state.
But that’s not all they’re hoping for.“It’s getting lots of local
use, but it also sets us up for a lot of big tournaments,” Holta
says.In the past, Anchorage’s previous lack of a sports complex
like this automatically ruled it out of consideration for hosting
bigger regional and national competitions—but now we have
a chance.
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15
Rush is on
Local clubs seize golden opportunity
to form nationwide alliance
By Lisa Maloney
Rush Alaska’s been behind the Alaska Airlines Cup since its inception
as the Ina Kristiansen Memorial. But they don’t stand alone; in fact,
they’re backed by a partnership with Rush Soccer, a thriving, nationwide non-profit based in Denver, Colorado.
The original Rush Soccer club, the Colorado Rush, was founded in
1997. Their first partnership—with the Virginia Rush, in 2003--was also
the first cross-country merger of its kind. The Alaska Rush was the sixth
club to join in 2005, and the organization now includes 27 domestic
chapters and 18 international partnerships, including 14 in African
countries plus New Zealand, Uruguay, Brazil, Sierra Leone and Thailand.
All in all Rush Soccer serves a total of more than 39,000 members as of
2012, including active player and coaching exchanges between domestic and international partners.
The nationwide organization focuses on developing healthy youth
through soccer, the fastest-growing sport in the entire country. In practical terms that means helping local clubs with their infrastructure,
Rush Select announces B14 Select team
traveling to Alaska for AK Airlines Cup
After back to back championships at the Presidents
Day tournament in Phoenix (pictured) and a 100% winning record playing up a year at the Rush Fest in
Albuquerque last summer, the Rush Select Boys U14
group will be traveling to Alaska to compete in the
Alaska Airlines Cup. The team will be coached by Head
Coach Dave Dengerink (TX) and assisted by Nik Penn (Dir.
Of Rush Select and Pikes Peak) with further assistance
from Tim Schulz (President – Rush Soccer) who will also
be attending the tournament. Anchorage Rush players
Paul Matyas and Drew Spink will be playing with this
Select U14 team, which will compete in the U16 division
in the tournament.
18
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PARTNERSHIP continued from page 15
methodology and philosophy, allowing the local
groups to focus on player development. Monthly
conference calls, annual retreats, and online training help bring national, international and local
organizers together under the umbrella of common philosophies and practices.
“Our philosophy is that anybody and everybody
can play the game, from 6 to 66,” says Tim Schulz,
president and CEO of Rush Soccer. Although the
focus of the Alaska Airlines Cup is on under-21
teams Rush also embraces co-ed and adult teams,
and encourages both recreational and competitive
play.
Rush also reaches out to assist disadvantaged
children around the world through their Rush
Equipment Assisting Children (REACH) program.
Rush players volunteer hundreds of hours to collect, organize, and pack unwanted soccer equipment donated by Rush chapters and the community at large. The donated goods are then delivered to
on-the-ground organizations throughout Africa, Asia,
Latin America, and beyond, with the help of partner organizations including ISTAT Airlink, FedEx,
and the US Navy’s Project Handclasp.
“If there’s a desire to play, our goal is to offer
that opportunity,” Schulz says—a philosophy that
Madison Maxey sets up
to shoot past a defender.
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19
20
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Madison Lash out-hustles
a defender during last
year’s tournament
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21
Monique MarcAurele looks
for an open teammate at
last year’s tourney.
PARTNERSHIP continued from page 18
obviously applies equally to players within the club and without. He singled out another program, Select Teams, as a great
opportunity for Rush players. If you’re part of a Rush team and
want more opportunities to play than your local club provides,
you can reach out to other clubs and join a select team with
the same goal. That’s especially useful for Alaskan players; the
organizers of the Alaska Airlines Cup estimate that sending an
entire team out of town represents as much as a $20,000 logistical challenge.
For Schulz, Alaska Rush is one of the partner clubs he takes
close to heart.“The players have a sort of special uniqueness
about them,” he says.“I think it’s because of the outdoors, the
people that Alaska attracts, kind of a rugged and forging-type
mentality. They’re a very tenacious group, and in my opinion
they have a very healthy outlook on the game.”
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23
17
JUSTIN MATLEY
18
A sow and her cub give a hiker the once-over.
from Mile-135.2 to mile-156.5 on Parks Highway.
WEBSITE: dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/denali1.htm
MAP: dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/denalimp.htm
= One of three cabins on Byers Lake can be rented for $60
per night during peak season.
= Summit Kesugi Ridge in a few hours, a moderate to difficult hike that will reward you with rolling alpine tundra, easy
ridge hiking, numerous small lakes and one of the best views
on Earth.
Denali National Park and Preserve
To fully appreciate Mount McKinley you have to see it with
your own eyes, on a clear day, from just the right vantage point.
The best views of this monolith are surprisingly on the way
north to the park along Parks Highway or from ridges in Denali
State Park. Denali is the 20,320-feet tall pinnacle at the heart of
the national park and a career-must for serious mountaineers. It
can be seen from hundreds of miles away on a clear day, and
the surrounding park includes six million pristine acres of protected land with one road access route.
Bus tours are the only way to travel on most of the Denali
Park Road, but the views are astounding and wildlife sightings
frequent. Denali is home to many animals, including moose,
caribou, Dall sheep, wolves, lynx, bear and more.
Campground camping near headquarters or in the interior,
day hikes or backcountry backpacking trips are also great ways
to enjoy one of America’s wildness treasures.
ACCESS: Find the park entrance at Mile 237, Parks Highway.
WEBSITE: www.nps.gov/dena
MAP: www.nps.gov/dena
= Visit the park interior for the ultimate in wildlife and landscape views. A tour bus can take you in beyond the usual, general public-access stop at Savage River.
= Bus tours in the park can last a short couple of hours to
all day long. If you really like the outdoors, however, the long
trips will go by faster than you think. Kids, on the other hand,
may get antsy.
= For the best views of Denali visit the lookout at Mile
135.2 of the Parks Highway or hike the trails of Kesugi Ridge in
Denali State Park. Plan to stick around the area for a few days,
just in case clouds clutter your view. The mountain has its own
weather system!
Gold panning is not a thing of the past!
From computer circuitry to your favorite rap star’s grill, gold
has to come from somewhere. In the Lower 48, history tells of
the gold rush era and bygone mining camps that are now ghost
towns. But here in Alaska “gold is where it’s at” as the saying
goes, and mining operations big and small are still common.
Alaska, too, was built on the gold rush, and the lands are still
rich with the stuff for those who have the time and patience to
seek it out. Prospecting for gold is a true Alaskan way to get out
and explore the outdoors, and who doesn’t love a treasure
hunt?
One popular public gold panning site can be found near
Hope on the south side of the Turnagain Arm, in the Kenai
Peninsula. From the Seward Highway, take the Hope Highway
along Sixmile Creek. Within Mile 0.7 to 5, and from the east
bank of Sixmile Creek to 200 feet west of the center of the
highway, productive prospecting is open to the public. Also,
from Hope take Resurrection Creek Road to the Resurrection
Pass Trailhead. Public gold panning, as well as some enjoyable
hiking, can be experienced there as well. North of Anchorage,
families often visit Hatcher Pass near historic Independence
Mine State Park and the active Lucky Strike Mine. Try your luck
one the western side of the pass, down in the creeks that flow
toward the Susitna River.
Larger tourist operations with assistance and training are
found in Indian south of Anchorage and in Girdwood at Crow
19
JUSTIN MATLEY
There are ample opportunities to find “color”
in many of Alaska’s streams and rivers.
JUSTIN MATLEY
20
to prospecting and mining, and the DNR offices also carry pamphlets to help you get started.
= Make no mistake, proper panning technique and an
understanding of gold properties is what it takes to find “color.”
Local experts, tourist panning sites and the library are all
resources to learn the ropes.
= Gold is where it’s at. (The vague wisdom of Alaska sourdoughs.)
Horseback riding
Horseback riding can be
a peaceful way to enter
Alaska’s backcountry.
Creek Mine.
When it comes to prospecting in the backcountry, it’s a
good idea to check with the Alaska Department of Natural
Resources to be sure you’re not invading on private land or registered claims. Explore creeks around Petersville, Hope and in
our state parks.
WEBSITE: DNR Recreational Mining information www.dnr.state.ak.us/pic/recreate.htm#recmine
READING: Local libraries usually have a large section devoted
Become one with the wildlife on horseback. They’re an
ecofriendly, natural, quiet and historic means of exploration.
They’ll make your travels less strenuous while providing a better vantage point for sightseeing while you move quietly into
wildlife habitats. Also, to the surprise of many, horses have been
known to help travelers stay safe in bear territory by facing the
bears down and warning riders of suspicious sounds and smells
in the area. But more importantly, horse travel affords wondrous
views of the mountains while you ride high above the surrounding foliage.
= Based in Anchorage, Horse Trekkin Alaska provides quick
access to Ruth Arcand Park, located on Abbott Road, east of
Seward Highway, for enjoyable riding. Big adventures are also
provided with hourly, daily and overnight trips into the
Chugach State Park. Horse Trekkin provides year-round riding,
food and equipment for longer trips and packages for couples
and large groups. www.horsetrekkinalaska.com
JUSTIN MATLEY
21
Tall Mountains, Low Tuition.
Earn your Outdoor Leadership AAS degree in Valdez, AK
and prepare for life and careers in the outdoors.
R
AM
ww
w.pwscc.edu
SH
IP
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(907)834-1600
[email protected]
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Photo courtesy of Ilene Price
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PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
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ATV tours can be by the hour
or multi-day. Bring a big lunch
and an appetite for adventure.
Z,
OG
= In Cooper Landing find Alaska Horsemen Trail
Adventures with its pioneer-style ranch and a multitude of
packaged trips and specializing in multi-day packing trips into
the Chugach National Forest. www.alaskahoresmen.com
= Day and pack trips can also be taken out of Palmer into
areas such as Hatcher Pass where gold panning is also an
option, from Homer for a thrilling joyride along Kachemak Bay
and up the Fox River, and out of Talkeetna for views of Denali
and the converging rivers.
All-Terrain Vehicles
ATVs are a quick and fun way to spend the day zipping
along the trails, covering long miles in short time, crossing
braided streams and getting up close to some of our natural
wonders. Guides provide top-of-the-line equipment, helmets,
gloves, knowledge of the trails, and sometimes a hot lunch.
Find tours that last a couple of hours up to a full day. For
those who are short on time, ATV rentals might be the quickest way to get deep into the backcountry for wildlife encounters and rugged views. Favorite trips include rides to glaciers,
to fishing locations, or views of mountains like Denali.
= Need something close to Anchorage? Within one hour
you could be riding an ATV or side-by-side from Palmer along
the Knik River to Knik Glacier. This is a magnificent region
with stream crossings, common sightings of Dall sheep, and a
view of the glacier unlike any other. Check with Alaska
Backcountry Adventure Tours, www.youralaskavacation.com.
= Other fine ATV riding location with nearby rentals
includes Talkeetna with views of the Alaska Range or
Glennallen near the Copper River with views of the Wrangell
Mountains. Also consider Healy for rides in and near Denali
National Park.
= Consider renting from Alaska Toy Rental in Wasilla,
www.alaskatoyrental.com, to take your own tour of Knik
Recreation Site, Palmer Hayflats or trails to the north along
Parks Highway near Susitna River.
Dog sledding?
In the summer dog kennels use wheeled carts keep the
dogs fit and parade tourists through the backcountry. Enjoy
this activity in Seward with Seavey’s Ididaride (www.idicontinued on next page
1
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24
The Glenn Highway offers miles
and miles of scenic vistas.
daride.com), or in the Talkeetna area with Sun Dog Kennel
(www.sundogkennel.com), Huskytown (www.huskytown.com),
or others.
= For a true dog sledding expedition, Check with Seward
Helicopter Tours. They’ll fly you up to Godwin Glacier where
dogsledding lasts all summer long. Best of all, a little flightseeing
is included. Visit www.sewardhelicoptertours.com for more
information and a video.
Rock climbing
Rock climbing is somewhat limited due to the crumbling
greywacke in our bedrock, but it is an option worth exploring.
Stable rock can be found on cliffs along Turnagain Arm and the
Seward Highway. Specifically at Mile 112.1, trained climbers
may want to attempt Boy Scout Rock, but climbing can be
found all along the highway.
Other locations to attempt include Hatcher Pass, which
comes highly recommended by the staff at Alaska Rock Gym, or
take a bike ride along Powerline Pass in the Chugach State Park
to the base of Ptarmigan Peak for some excellent bouldering.
Enter the Powerline Trail at the Glen Alps Trail Head parking lot
off Toilsome Drive.
Driving, sightseeing and wildlife viewing
Scenic drives in southcentral Alaska can be broken down
into four general options with a couple side jaunts mixed in for
good measure. Visitors should plan for a week stay to enjoy any
two drives to their fullest and allow for some rest time in different communities. Better yet, plan for at least two weeks to fit
them all in.
Seward Highway
Starting with day drives, follow the Seward Highway, visiting
Girdwood, Portage Glacier, perhaps Whittier and Prince William
Sound, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, and Seward. The
scenery along the Turnagain Arm and through the Kenai
Peninsula is inspiring to say the least, and with a little extra
time, or as an overnight trip, tack on a visit to Homer and
Kachemak Bay. Take a look across Cook Inlet at the Alaska
Range or Mount Redoubt, an active volcano that caused quite a
ruckus a couple of winters ago.
Parks Highway
Next, consider heading north to Denali National Park along
the Parks Highway. Some of the best scenery can be found just
north of Anchorage around the Palmer and Wasilla area, and
even moreso between Talkeetna and Healy while driving along
the Susitna and Chulitna rivers and through Broad Pass. Wildlife
sightings are almost a guarantee, and Denali’s presence puts
Man’s true stature into perspective.
Glenn Highway and Richardson Highway
In the opposite direction, drive northeast out of Palmer
along the Glenn Highway past the Matanuska Glacier, to the
Wrangell Mountains, along the Richardson Highway, and
through the canyons of the Chugach Mountains to Valdez.
Closer to Valdez are a series of waterfalls that make for fantastic
photos. Stay in town overnight and head back in the morning
to see the landscape in a whole new light. Take the ferry across
Prince William Sound to Whittier, and then drive back to
Anchorage for a loop drive.
Circle tour
Last, for those who wish to log some serious miles, take a
multi-day, circle tour from Anchorage along the Parks Highway
to Denali, then to Fairbanks. Visit Chena Hot Springs from there,
then follow Richardson Highway south and along the Tanana
River to Glenallen, or jog over to Tok from Delta Junction and
then down to Glenallen, and back to Anchorage along the
Glenn Highway or via Valdez and the ferry to Whittier.
Depending on the exact start and end point, this encompassing trip is roughly 800 miles and affords travelers some of the
best driving pleasure that Alaska has to offer.
= Consider side jaunts on the Denali Highway, which cuts
through the interior of the described loop, or Edgerton
Highway, which intersects with Richardson Highway south of
Glenallen and leads toward Liberty Falls, McCarthy and
Kennicott Glacier Lodge. Also consider renting a motorhome to
cut down on overnight expenses and improve comfort (not
recommended for gravel highways).
= Moose are commonly spotted in low meadows and wetlands on Seward Highway near Portage Road, on Glenn
Highway at the Palmer Hay Flats, and foraging through the
brush near the Glen Alps parking lot where trails head into the
Chugach State Park. Bear viewing is common along the Kenai
River, and Dall sheep are often spotted on the cliffs along
Seward Highway between Anchorage and Girdwood or from
Glenn Highway on the southern facing mountains prior to
Eureka. If you have trouble spotting animals, consider a guided
26
KOREY CRONQUIST
wildlife tour or flightseeing for bear… or a spotting scope!
Alaska Railroad
There’s truly no better way to see the interior of “The Last
Frontier” than aboard an Alaska Railroad train. The Alaska
Railroad takes passengers along the shore, past glaciers, through
the Interior and into remote areas of Alaska that can’t be
reached by car. True, you won’t be able to stop and get out
whenever you like, but large windows really let in the light, and
poking your head out of the upper door in lounge cars will let
you take in the wilderness air. Multiple trips are available, providing each visitor with an interior view at the true spirit of
Alaska between visits to Fairbanks, Talkeetna, Denali, Girdwood,
the Kenai Peninsula and more.
There’s almost no limit to how much you can do via the
Alaska Railroad. From day tours to a 12-day adventure package,
the Alaska Railroad combines remote rail travel with glacier
cruises, dog sledding, rafting, gold panning, fishing and more.
The Alaska Railroad can assist with nearly all of your Alaska
adventures and pre-planned packages can be purchased online,
www.alaskarailroad.com.
Sea
Alaska has more than 33,000 miles of oceanic coastline and
millions of acres of inland lakes and waterways. You can paddle,
fish, ride personal watercraft, comb beaches for artifacts, scuba,
even surf in some locations. And don’t forget the hot springs!
Barb Cronquist pilots
her Sea-Doo through
Blackstone Bay near
Whittier.
Multiple outfitters in the area have the gear needed for surface exploration, boats, kayaks, canoes and floatation devices,
while a few focus on submerged reconnaissance of the underwater world with sales and rental of scuba equipment, dry suits
and fins. Below is a list of water works you might wish to experience.
Kayaking, rafting and ferry tours
Some of the world’s best coastal kayaking can be found
within a few hours of Anchorage. The Chugach National Forest
coastline and Prince William Sound are easily accessible from
Whittier to the southeast of Anchorage or Valdez to the east.
Traveling to Valdez is quickest via the ferry, which departs regu-
27
larly from Whittier. Reach Whittier via Seward Highway and
Portage Valley Road through the Anton Anderson Memorial
Tunnel. From either location you’ll have the experience of a
lifetime, and kayak rentals and guides are always on hand during the peak season. Call ahead just to be sure they’re not
overbooked already.
Seward and Homer are also prime kayaking destinations
with great paddling right from the docks or water taxi service
to more remote coastline such as Kenai Fjords or Kachemak
Bay State Park. To maximize your enjoyment of these remote
and dramatic parks, it is a good idea to plan for multiple days,
possibly camping or renting a cabin and hiring a guide service.
The Kenai River is also widely used for rafting and float
fishing. Other excellent whitewater kayaking or rafting can be
found in Ship Creek, extending from Arctic Valley Road to
downtown Anchorage for four miles; Bird Creek, running into
Turnagain Arm out of the Chugach State Park for five miles;
Campbell Creek, from Powerline Pass to Hilltop Ski area for
2.5 miles; Sixmile River, from the East Fork of the river to
Sunshine for 9.3 miles; and multiple sections of Eagle River.
Talkeetna boasts multiple guided rafting and kayaking trips
on the converging rivers there, one of the area’s biggest
tourist attractions.
Other boating opportunities exist for motorized or sailing
vessels. All the largest waterfront communities and tourist destinations have rental shops ready to provide visitors with
some sort of aquatic transportation. Check online or with the
local visitor center for available outfitters and rental shops. Or,
book a tour on one of many oceangoing ferries, tour boats or
cruises. For the cost, this may be the most relaxing and fulfilling way to see some of Alaska’s pristine waterways, nautical
life and primitive coastline. A cruise is a hands-free way to
absorb the splendorous views and capture the memories on
camera without the worry of navigating over a pod of whales.
= Phillips Cruises out of Whittier and Kenai Fjords Tours
and Major Marine Tours our of Seward provide nearby tours
on Prince William Sound and Resurrection Bay for glacier
views, whale watching, sea lions and seals, sea otters, migratory birds and amazing landscape views. Don’t pass it up!
Fishing
Just to name a few of the fish species that thrive in Alaska
waters, there are halibut, shark, king, sockeye, chum, pink and
silver salmon, rainbow trout, arctic grayling, Dolly Varden,
northern pike, and more. Alaska waters support a buffet of
sport fish for fun or for your dining pleasure.
For salt water fishing, consider a charter out of Homer,
Seward, Whittier or Valdez. There are more choices for charters
then you can shake a fishing rod at, but a good way to find the
one that’s right for you is directly from the local visitor center
staff. Many charters are combined with package trips and
tours. Investigate different packages offered by lodges and
hotels in the area in order to get the most for the money. Or,
as part of an Alaska Railroad adventure, choose a tour that also
includes fishing.
Inland, there is no limit to the number of fishing holes, and
JUSTIN MATLEY
28
ANCHORAGE
RUNNING
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An angler show off his catch.
There’s plenty of places to
land a lunker in Alaska.
U
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fishing hotspots are labeled on many maps. Recreation maps
with public fishing locations can be found in the local interest
section of a large bookstore chain or go online to the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game website, www.adfg.state.ak.us.
Fish species identification, rules and regulations, locations and
seasonal runs, as well as license fees can all be found on this
resource.
As with most activities, local suppliers often know best.
Consult with them to learn what the fish are thinking and
where one might find their dinner. Surprising to many, fishing
hotspots are often in the most public of places. Each year,
thousands of fisherman pace the banks of Ship Creek, which
runs through downtown Anchorage. Most streams and connected lakes around Palmer, Wasilla and Willow are productive.
Along Parks Highway, between Wasilla and the Denali Highway,
there are in the neighborhood of 22 public fishing sites alone,
some with developed facilities. In the Kenai Peninsula, the
Kenai River and its tributaries offer some of the most rewarding and action-packed fishing experiences in the world.
= Check with your lodging establishment if they offer
package fishing trips or discounts and trip planning with a
local guide.
= Wouldn’t it be great to send your fish home? Packing
companies located at major harbors offer flash freezing and
shipping. Guides will also handle this process for you if asked.
= Learn more about fishing in this issue’s Alaska Angler column written by resident fishing expert, Chris Batin. Or check
out his web site at www.alaskaangler.com
= Be sure to purchase a fishing license and familiarize yourself with the fishing regulations before wetting a line.
Air
Flightseeing
Locals can’t recommend flightseeing enough!
Small aircraft helped modern man settle some of the most
remote areas of Alaska and are widely used to this day by commercial and private pilots. Planes have been adapted to tundra
and beach landings with large tires or pontoons for landing on
inland lakes and rivers. It’s nothing short of astounding where
you can go – including on the highest elevations of nearby glaciers – with a small plane. There’s virtually no place off limits
for your explorations.
Anchorage boasts the world’s busiest seaplane port, Lake
Hood, as well as a large-scale private aircraft port, Merrill Field,
which is owned by the City of Anchorage. Flight services range
from air tours for flightseeing to backcountry drop-offs. Homer,
Seward, Willow and Talkeetna also boast busy runways, and
local flightseeing companies tend to have specialized services
and focus on the flightseeing highlights in their area.
Those highlights include: flying over the local Chugach State
Park and Chugach National Forest; flights around Resurrection
Bay, over the Harding Ice Field and into Kenai Fjords National
Park; to and around Kodiak Island; to the coastal brown bear
inhabited Katmai National Park, nearby volcanoes, and along
the Alaska Peninsula; into Wrangell-St. Elias and; to and around
Mount McKinley in Denali National Park.
To decide on a flightseeing company, first choose where
you’d like to go. Next, check with the local chamber of commerce or air taxi listings for the closest, largest community. A little website investigating or local inquiry should have you well
on your way to the airborne adventure of a lifetime.
Www.anchorage.net is a great place to start your search.
= As always, you’ll find some reputable flightseeing and air
taxi providers advertising in Coast Magazine. Other places to
look include visitor guides and visitor centers.
= If visiting Katmai, inquire about air trekking and bear
viewing on the remote beaches.
= For Denali flightseeing trips, consider a glacier landing.
It’s the only way to really experience the Alaska Range.
29
CANDICE SICILIANO / ALASKASTOCK
A brown bear sow, nicknamed
Milkshake, leads her four
spring cubs down the beach
of Naknek Lake.
= For spectacular photos from the air, be sure to have your
camera set on the action setting to compensate for movement
and vibration, or choose a fast ISO. Using a flash while looking
out your window will often cause a flash-back, so turn it off.
Last, decrease your exposure by one or two stops (increase the
shutter speed), but be sure to check the results before using
that setting for all your photos. Also, consider a helicopter for
more stable maneuvers. Otherwise, take a flight that will land
you in the visual and wildlife hotspots.
30
PHIL SMITH
= Prices for flights range from $50
per person for a quick takeoff and circle
of the nearby area. An exciting experience could cost as little as $150-250 and
$50 or so more will often include landing
for brief walkabouts. Tours in this range
will usually last one to two hours. Flying
out to a remote lodge will often get you
everything you’re looking for in one, less
expensive package.
Paragliding
Soar with the eagles and catch the rising winds of turbulent mountains.
For those with equipment and experience, popular launch points can be
found in Wasilla, Summit Lake and
Marmot Hill in Hatcher Pass near Palmer,
Eagle River, Alyeska in Girdwood, and
from Flattop Mountain on the eastern
slopes of Anchorage. These locations are
also used for training or tandem trips for
tourists.
For service providers and announcements, consult with the statewide
paragliding association, Arctic Airwalkers,
at www.arcticairwalkers.com. A few
schools and guides include Midnight Sun
Paragliding, Alaska Paragliding and
Alyeska Adventures. Tandem flights will
cost in the range of $190. For a map of
Anchorage-area paragliding locations and
descriptions, visit www.midnightsunparagliding.com/sites/.
= If you’re short on time, and especially if you’ll be in the Girdwood area,
head to Alyeska Resort and the Alyeska
Tram office. You can purchase a ticket to
ride the tram up, and do a tandem
paraglide back down into the valley. Call
the tram office in advance for pricing
and times: (907) 754-2275.
A paraglider floats above
Turnagain Arm near Anchorage.
Want to get a bird’s eye view
of Alaska? Try a tandem flight
with a qualified paraglider
instructor.
Skydiving
Skydiving is a little more limited, but
available. From the plane or during the
descent spectacular views can be seen
for hundreds of miles in all directions…
if you can keep your eyes open. Out of
Anchorage, check with Skydive Alaska,
www.skydivealaska.net. Student rates and
video packages are available. In Wasilla is
Alaska Sky Sports. Their information and
rates can be found at www.alaskaskysports.com.
Adventure Unlimited
With so much to see and do one
would think it’s best to pack in the activities, but some of the best advice a local
can provide to a visitor is to keep the trip
simple. Plan for only one or two activities
per day and let the rest of the day fall into
place naturally. During the summer
months there are more than enough
hours of daylight (nearly 24) to fit your
adventures in, and you’ll likely be returning home more tired, yet spiritually fulfilled, than ever. Attempt to lodge near
your intended activities for a day or two,
allowing for more down time between
excursions and more of those pleasurable
moments when you sit quietly with a cup
of coffee or cold beer and enjoy nature’s
treasures. When driving the region, plan a
route that requires the least amount of
driving time or consider an RV so you can
wake up to a million-dollar view every day
and never worry about checkout times.
You can never fit everything in, so
enjoy your time while it lasts and expect
that Alaska will be tugging at you for the
rest of your days to return again and again.
And why not?
Welcome to Alaska and happy adventures!
Even Mother
Nature has
Favorites!
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THE ALASKA ANGLER
CHRIS BATIN
The 10
commandments
of angling
Rules to living a life of fishing glory
By Christopher Batin
W
ith fishing season upon us, it’s time to go to The River of
Reflection and contemplate the fishing universals that
should be our primary guide with each fishing trip. I call these
the 10 Commandments of Angling. They are as follows:
1 I am the 90-Percent-Plus Knot. Thou Shalt Not Tie Lesser
Knots Before Me
2 Honor Thy Drag and Thy Hookset, So Thou May Have
Pleasure In A Tight Line and Loaded Rod
3 Thou Shalt Not Covet They
Neighbor’s Tackle
4 Thou Shalt Love Safety And Ethics
Above all Other Goals
5 Thou Shalt Focus On Fighting the
Fish with Thy Whole Mind, Body and
Soul
6 Thou Shalt Sharpen Thy Hook
7 Thou Shalt Learn A New Lesson
Each Trip
Christopher BATIN
8 Thou Shalt Resist The False
Economy of Angling
9 Thou Shalt Take Kids Fishing
10 Thou Shalt Not Covet More Fish Than Needed
1 I AM THE 90-PERCENT-PLUS KNOT. Thou Shalt Not Tie Lesser
Knots Before Me
Learn and use the Trilene, Palomar, surgeon, Bimini twist, and
others that are best for your specific angling specialty. Choose
knots that break at 90 percent or above the rated line-break
strength. Equally important is learning how to properly tie
knots. Avoid sins such as yanking on the knot or allowing loops
to jump when cinching. Always wet a mono knot before slowly
cinching. Yanking the line weakens the knot. Glue down braided-line knots for extra durability with large, toothy fish. When
tying a surgeon’s knot, increase the wraps for lighter mono and
decrease for heavier mono. Be not fearful of customizing your
own fly fishing leaders. Check line regularly for abrasion, and
change line often.
2 SET THE HOOK PROPERLY, So Thou May Have Pleasure In A
Tight Line and Loaded Rod
Setting the hook is as valuable in angling as the right golf
The 10th Commandment of Angling “Thou Shalt Not Covet More Fish Than
Needed” encourages catch-and-release angling and encourages a loving
respect for all species of sportfish, as angler Jim Stievater demonstrates.
swing is to winning championships. Use the proper hookset for
the line and type of rod. Monofilament can stretch up to 20
percent, while braids stretch 3-5 percent. The right hookset
with mono can result in a snapped rod when using heavier
braid on the same rod. When fishing a two-weight and number
18 chironomid for trout, a flick of the rod tip may be all the
hookset you need.
Keeping the rod tip pointed at 9 o’clock when fishing vertically, or pointing toward the fish is the foundation for a solid
hookset. Always keep your rod tip low. Many steelheaders fish
with their rod tips so high, when they get a strike, they can
barely set the hook.
3 THOU SHALT NOT COVET They Neighbor’s Tackle
Avoid the temptation of borrowing fishing tackle that is not
your own. If you fish with a bamboo pole, make it the best one
you can afford. Learn to use and care for it properly. You’ll
know when you have the necessary skills to appreciate, care
for and use a quality rod and reel.
Another reason to use your own tackle is that oftentimes
professional guides and charter employees cut corners or make
mistakes, and you pay the price. Nothing is worse than hooking
a 250-pound halibut on charter tackle, and during the initial
run, watch a knot dematerialize on the spool because the deckhand was too lazy or cheap to respool the entire reel with
fresh line.
4 THOU SHALT LOVE SAFETY AND ETHICS Above All Other Goals
No fish is worth dying for. Use a belt when wearing chest
waders. Inflate-a-vests are important in deep, fast rivers, and collapsible wading staffs provide that extra balance on moss-covered rocks or in fast water. When saltwater fishing, always carry
a belt knife to cut free flesh-slicing wire, braided line or harnesses. Always, always wear some form of eye protection. Keep
a first-aid kit on the boat, and know how to use it. Avoid placing yourself into hazardous scenarios—like tidal rips or running all-out in the fog. To do so is to embrace your alternate
THE ALASKA ANGLER
ANGLER continued from page 75
destiny as fish fodder.
5 THOU SHALT FOCUS ON FIGHTING THE FISH with Thy Whole
Mind, Body and Soul
Most anglers fish as if they are sightseeing while driving in
downtown New York traffic. Use all your senses while fishing.
With practice, success comes from watching and feeling a shift
in weight, a zig in the line when a zag is expected, a strange
sound emanating from your reel, or simply listening to your gut
feeling. Learn to read the secrets of a specific water rather than
seeing it as merely ocean or river.
6 THOU SHALT SHARPEN Thy Hook
Chemically sharpened hooks are fine for the right conditions, but I’m still an advocate of a triangular cutting edge on
my hooks for hard-mouthed species such as salmon, halibut,
pike and sheefish. File a sticky sharp point and three-sided cutting edge. For trout, use an electric hook sharpener. Within seconds I can hone a cutting edge on most hooks faster and easier
than I can with a stone. Remember that under equal pressure, a
hypodermic needle pierces your arm easier than a nail because
of the needle’s cutting-edge tip. Go and create likewise.
7 THOU SHALT LEARN A NEW LESSON Each Trip
Mastery in angling requires growth. Try a new lure. Take a
fly-tying class. Jig lures instead of free-drifting bait. Backtroll for
kings rather than using your tried and true bottom-bouncing
technique.
Relearn the lesson of paying attention to details. Ensure your
spinning reel spool is filled to within an 1/8-inch of the lip.
Replace your washers if you find yourself cranking down on
your drag, to no avail. Check your guides for rough spots that
can fray line.
8 THOU SHALL RESIST THE FALSE Economy of Angling
False economy results in far more fish and opportunities lost
than any other angling sin. We succumb to false economy
because of fear. We are afraid of losing money, time and opportunity when in retrospect, spending a bit of time or money
would have resulted in more fish, more fun, and greater personal rewards. Nowhere else does false economy thrive than with
do-it-yourself trips and fishing equipment.
You can feel success in fishing through quality equipment,
such as a reel.
The tighter the tolerances of a reel’s drive train, the shape
and balance of the body, the overall weight of the reel, and the
fluidity with which the handle turns all influence the sensitivity
of the entire fishing outfit. If you are fishing with a reel that is
not balanced, is overly heavy, or has loose or rough gearing,
chances are that the lightest of bites will go unnoticed.
Don’t buy 10, $60 rods in your lifetime. If you have the skill
to use it properly, buy a $400 rod with a lifetime guarantee. The
extra sensitivity and engineering you receive in an expensive
rod is worth the investment with increased catches and more
fun.
As for travel, do your homework. If the trip sounds too good
to be true, it probably is. Don’t believe the marketing hype.
RUNNING WILD
COURTESY MIKE HALKO
Fit for life
The journey never stops once you accept
fitness as a lifestyle choice
By Mike Halko
T
he seed was planted during the dark hours of January. A
new year, a new beginning, and you decided this is the
year to run that first 5K, or nail a personal record in a half marathon or
marathon, but the previous months have
been unusually frigid and this year’s
snow has been at record levels.
Enough excuses!
We know in our hearts that the 10 or
20 extra pounds sitting on our hips
doesn’t belong there. And those of us
who are fit want to be faster, leaner. The
journey never stops once you accept fit- Mike HALKO
ness as a lifestyle choice.
OK, it sounds like a religion. There
are training rituals and taboos that runners respectively follow
or avoid. Some events like the Boston Marathon take on the
trappings of a pilgrimage. It has become the Holy Grail for
Columnist Mike
Halko takes a
barefoot lap at
Skinny Raven
Sports’ outdoor
track.
marathon runners, requiring an age based qualifying time. How
do we get to the Promise Land of fitness?
We cultivate the virtue of patience, committing to a training
plan that builds on the gradual progression of exercise time or
distance will minimize your risk of a running related injury. I
recommend a weekly increase of only 10 percent in time or
An introduction
Coast Magazine welcomes Mike Ha
lko
to the columnist team
New columnist Mike Halko is a runn
er, triathlete, race
director and coach. It seems he has
been hardwired to live
an active lifestyle since age 3. Wor
d has it he took off
around the block solo at that age
– may have even set a
record in his age category.
Over the years the block got bigger.
Halko ran his first
marathon in 1977, triathlon in 198
1 and trail ultra in 1998.
He came to Alaska with the military
in 1987 and continued to participate and coach at thos
e distances, qualifying
and completing in the Boston Mar
athon, Hawaii Ironman,
and Western States 100 Mile Enduran
ce Run multiple
times.
As a volunteer he has served as the
state representative
for the Road Runners Club of Ame
rica and president of
the Anchorage Running Club. His
coaching experience
includes Team in Training, Valley Wom
en’s and Exceed
Running Teams. Halko recently finis
hed five years as race
director for the Big Wild Life Runs
(2006-2011).
So let Coach Halko help you go arou
nd your block –
and more. He has surely “run wild
” and can help you get
there, too.
distance for experienced
runners 30 years old or
Hot Tip
younger and a 5 percent
Lost Lake Trail Run will probably
increase for beginners or
sell out by June so sign up today.
for runners over 30 years
of age. Use the month of
May and half of June to
Think Safety First
build your fitness base.
Be visible - Reflective or light colTo see improvement you
ors
are a requirement for early
will want to exercise a
morning or late evening runs.
minimum of three days
Be alert - One earphone, please,
each week; ideally four
and
remember bikes share the
or five days yield better
trails,
too.
results. Reserve one day
Be
social
- There’s safety in numeach week for a longer
bers or leave a trip plan.
effort.
All these runs build
your endurance base and
should be done at a conversation pace. Try not to be tempted
to run more than the gradual progression outlined here. It’s
easy to get greedy with your training as the days growing
longer and warmer. If you are focusing on achieving a swift
time at the races, your best efforts will come at the end of the
summer or early fall. You can still have a good time participating in early season events listed in the Alaska Runners Calendar.
Just be honest with yourself and remember the virtue of
patience. Leave your ego on the bookshelf, run wild and enjoy
some of the great community runs listed below.
SAFETY MATTERS
JOHN CLAIRE
Finding
opportunity
in challenge
An ill diagnosis turned around by trial
of alternative medicine
By Debra McGhan
S
tepping outside on a beautiful March afternoon, the blessings of spring filled the air as I dropped my skis on the
snow and set out for a brisk ski. There’s nothing better for
relieving stress than time spent outdoors.
By the time you read this, the mountains of snow from our
near-record year will be melting, leaving our gardens exposed
and a chance to get out and play in the dirt – to swap skis for
hiking shoes, rakes and bicycles.
That day I relished in the warmer days, soft snow and smell
of the changing season in the air. And the fact I could ski at all.
Tim Grady and Debra McGhan take
a break while skiing at Alyeska.
I will never forget the evening last October when the doctor
called to tell me the results of my MRI. I cried as I listened to
him say it was unlikely I would ski again. My knees and one hip
we’re worn out.
Worn out? How could this be? I admit I have skied and
hiked and biked and peddled and paddled my way across thousands of miles of Alaska and a bunch of miles in other states as
well. But actually wear my joints out? I couldn’t believe it was
possible. Obviously multiple injuries over the years have taken
their toll on my body.
For the next few weeks I prayed and read a lot about knee
replacement surgery and hip resurfacing. It was all expensive
and overwhelming. And then a friend told me about a
Naturopathic Physician in Anchorage that uses a therapy called
Prolozone.
I’m pretty open-minded, and I figured what did I have to
lose by at least checking into this? And so I did.
I discovered that the name Prolozone is derived from the
Latin word “proli” (proliferate) which means to regenerate or
rebuild, and the word ozone, which is the most highly active
form of oxygen in the universe. Prolozone uses the power of
oxygen to cause damaged tissues, joints, ligaments, and tendons
to regenerate. This usually causes a complete healing, and a permanent end to pain.
I was excited but skeptical. Could this be real? And how
exactly does it work? According to the Marian Center for
Natural Medicine, a local anesthetic medication is injected into
the injured area to reduce pain and swelling. This leads to
increased circulation. Next, the area is treated with vitamins
and minerals that are critical for healing.
And finally, the area is infiltrated with oxygen in the form of
ozone. The idea is that the tissues get what they need to heal.
And as they heal, circulation to the area is re-established, and
the pain goes away. Of course the response to treatment varies
from person to person, but on average, most people generally
need 4-6 treatments.
The cost was only a few hundred dollars, so I decided I had
nothing to lose but to give it a try.
One day after I got an injection in my worst joint, I was back
on my feet and moving without crutches or a cane again. I
went from not being able to lift my leg at all, to straight lifting
10 pounds. I took my therapy seriously and as the pain became
less and less, I began to swim and bike and ski more and more.
Yes, ski!
One of the best days of my life was the day I got back on my
skis and made turns down a freshly powdered hill in New
Mexico two months after getting the injection.
Finally, with the sun warming my skin and sweat coating my
smiling face with each stride of my skis across the lake, I felt
relieved and fortunate to have found this alternative. It has
been four months since that first treatment and I have now
tried the Prolozone therapy on two other joints, all with similar
results. Today I’m skiing and by the time you’re reading this article, I plan to be digging in the dirt and riding my bicycle.
I learned a valuable lesson through this journey. Just because
you are given a devastating diagnosis, remember that the
strength gained from dealing with hardships can often lead us
to discover new options and opportunities. And sometimes, you
find the answers you’ve been praying and searching for.
When life deals you challenges don’t get discouraged, get
outdoors and explore opportunities and life.
APRES
Music festivals for those with an affinity
for live entertainment
By Susy Buchanan
T
here’s nothing more idyllic than a sunny summer day serenaded by some of Alaska’s best musicians, and thankfully
Alaska’s got a wide variety of summer music festivals packed into
our short, warm season.
But there’s also a huge gap in the schedule this year with the
absence of the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival (TBF). I first went
there as a teen, driving up from Anchorage and wearing my
brightest tie-died T-shirt.This was back when the festival was held
on the banks of the Susitna River and before any of the bad publicity that plagued the festival in later years. It was still small
enough that the main focus was on the music.Yes there was mud
on the dance floor, mosquitoes, and the sunshine was never guaranteed, but a good time was had by all. News of TBF’s demise
after last year’s 30th anniversary finale hit musicians and fans
hard.TBF founder, Dirty Ernie Wheatley, blamed the Mat-Su
Borough for unfairly singling out his festival and targeting it
through special event code modifications, but it’s true that attendance had declined in recent years; bad press focusing on
overblown accounts of drugs and bikers rather than the music
and family camping atmosphere that predominated helped seal
TBF’s fate.
But the legacy it spawned, as the grandfather of music festivals
in Alaska, has resulted in a plethora of opportunities to enjoy
music and Alaska’s outdoor beauty throughout the summer. Some
are in or close to Anchorage; others are roadtrip destinations, and
all have something unique to celebrate.
One of the most “out there” of them all is Chickenstock, (June
8-9, www.chickenstockmusicfestival.com), the creation of Josea
Busby. It’s an ambitious little festival held in remote Chicken,
Alaska. Let’s just say if you haven’t been there, you’re not alone.
But if you’ve got gas money and a little ambition, it’s well worth
the trip.
The festival was born in Nome after the Iditarod when, Busby
says, a longtime dream finally came together.
“I met some Alaskan Bluegrass musicians who were performing there and I wanted to host an event with the same kind of
music,” she says.“Seeing those guys perform got my interest going
again. I met Matt Johnson and Last Frontier Bluegrass in Nome,
and talked to him about the idea and told him I would be back in
JOSEA BUSBY
A summer
love affair
with music
The chicken dance on proud
display at Chickenstock.
touch with him in April or May to start an event that summer. He
didn’t believe me, but I was persistent and he brought his band to
Chicken for the very first Chickenstock on June 16 of [2006].”
Six years later the festival has grown into a two-day affair drawing nearly 500 attendees and featuring a dozen or more bands
playing folk, blues, rockabilly, Alaskana, rock and other genres.
“Bands have been known to gather in the morning on Sunday
on the deck and play old time gospel bluegrass as people eat
breakfast or sip a cup of coffee or just enjoy some fresh air before
getting in the car to return to all corners of the state,” says Busby.
And if a trip to Chicken isn’t in the cards, take a look at some
of the other musical celebrations happening around the state this
summer
MUSIC IN THE PARK: Peratrovich Park at the corner of Fourth
Avenue and E Street has been the setting for Music in the Park for
the last 25 years and brings in a regular crowd of at least 250 –
more if the sun is shining – every Wednesday,Thursday and Friday
throughout the summer. With kids’ concerts, cultural celebrations,
a solstice party, and a rollicking National Dance Day celebration
(with post-show music by the always fabulous El Combo Tropical)
on the menu this year, there’s a lot to love about this free concert
series.The season kicks off on June 1 and continues through
August 18. For a complete schedule of performers and events,
please visit www.anchoragedowntown.org.
FAIRBANKS SUMMER FOLK FEST: In its 26th year, the Fairbanks
Summer Folk Fest (June 9) is a full day of performances by more
than 30 of Alaska’s most talented folk, blues, jazz, bluegrass and
Celtic musicians. Jamborees are planned, and there’ll be food,
drinks, arts and crafts to be purchased as well. For those who
can’t be there in person, KUAC will broadcast and webcast the
festival live in its entirety. For more information and a complete
schedule, check out www.fairbanksfolkfest.org.
GIRDWOOD FOREST FAIR: No dogs, no politics, and no religious
orders are a few of the requests organizers of the 37th Girdwood
Forest Fair have of their thousands of attendees.This little festival
suffered growing pains back in 2007 when 3,000 partiers pitched
tents on the Glacier Creek sandbar and overwhelmed the town
BRIAN OKONEK / ANCHORAGE MUSEUM
APRES
nd mor e.
dining a
events, shopping,
iends.
Discovery
d fr
times with family an
End of winter means start of Alaska’s
most fun season
it doesnt' get any better.
By Jack Bonney
Visit Anchorage
T
he end of winter brings a lot of discovery.That deck chair I
thought blew away? It was in the yard under the all-concealing snow. But we find more than just wayward lawn furniture in
the spring sun.We also learn about the new trips, attractions and
tours heating up in Alaska for summer. So if you’re looking for a
new way to see the state, you’re in luck!
Don’t miss the hot happenings of
summer. Sign up for a free email or
view the Anchorage event calendar at
Anchorage.net/hot
Glaciers galore
Two new day cruise trips ply the waters of Prince William
Sound this summer; Major Marine Tours and Phillips Cruises and
Tours add new voyages from Whittier. Major Marine’s new halfday Surprise Glacier cruise transits the seabird and sea lion rookeries of Esther Passage before heading for Harriman Fjord and
the face of Surprise Glacier, a stunning tidewater glacier. Learn
more at www.majormarine.com. Phillips adds a new vessel to
the fleet in 2012 and sends it to the glaciers and wildlife of
Blackstone Bay.The Glacier Quest departs daily on a three hour,
45 minute trip. Find details at www.phillipscruises.com.
Climbing McKinley (the easy way)
No, I haven’t developed a new “escalator-only” route up the
continent’s tallest peak, but a slew of new exhibits at the
Anchorage Museum give everyone a view of Alaska climbing.The
High One: Reaching The Top shows off climbing gear through
the ages. Checking out early climbing gear cobbled together
from everyday clothing and hefting packs from three eras gives
one a very weighty look at how climbing changed.The historical
photographs in Ascent: 20,320 show almost 100 years of climbing Mount McKinley through the lens of the National Park
Service.The popular works of photographer Bradford Washburn
JOHN WOODBURY
APRES continued from page 82
and the fair’s security force with their
wanton ways. After cancelling the 2008
Forest Fair all together, the fair returned
with a refocus on family atmosphere. With
works by Alaskan artists, hand-crafted
items, exotic foods and fabulous entertainers – and free admission – this is a great
way to spend a weekend with the kids.
The fun begins 11 a.m., July 6, there’s a
parade 10 a.m., July 7, and it all wraps up
at 6 p.m., July 8. Camping is by permit
only ($25) in the Forest Fair Campgrounds.
Please visit www.girwoodforestfair.com for
a complete schedule of events.
TRAPPER CREEK BLUEGRASS FESTIVALS:
Justin Boots Rousseau’s twice-yearly festivals are so popular that the Mat-Su
Borough has required him to keep attendance down to 500, so he suggests you get
your tickets early (sold at Planet X in
Anchorage, Grass Roots Guitar in
Fairbanks,The Shack in Wasilla, and The
Fringe in Homer) for the May 25-27 and
August 17-19 shows.Trapper Creek promises 30 bands over each of the three-day
events held on private property at Boots’
Bison Ranch. For more information please
email [email protected].
KBBI’S CONCERT ON THE LAWN: Support
public radio in Homer by attending what
has become a rite of summer in the 33
years since the first concert was held.
“Concert on the Lawn is a benefit,
wrapped in a social event, connecting a
vibrant community with one of our most
vital community resources – Public Radio
KBBI AM 890,” says Josh Tobin, the station’s
development director.
It’s held over the weekend of July 28-29
at Karen Hornaday Park in Homer. Check
for a complete schedule of performers at
www.kbbi.org.
Revelers take in the sun and
the sounds during the first
Salmonstock fest last year
near Ninilchik. This year’s
event is slated for Aug. 3-5.
SALMONSTOCK: Hosted by Renewable
Resources Foundation and Coalition,
Salmonstock is three days (August 3-5) of
live music performed by Alaskan, northwestern and national artists.The event is
held on the Kenai Peninsula coast in the
small fishing village of Ninilchick with
DISCOVERY continued from page 84
return to the museum as well.Washburn captured his black-andwhite photographs of the landscape hanging out of an airplane,
tethered by straps while aiming his camera.The photos are
beautiful taken on their own, but they also provided climbers
with some of the first accurate maps of Mount McKinley.
www.anchoragemuseum.org
Downtown Derby Details
views of Cook Inlet and active volcanos.
There’s no other music festival quite like
this one which also aims at protecting
salmon fisheries. Camp out, party with the
thousands of other Salmonstock fans and
shoot the breeze with vendors. Learn
more at www.salmonstock.org.
and the return of the Slam’n Salm’n Derby is huge news. The
annual fishing derby took a break in 2011 as the event’s organizer, the Downtown Soup Kitchen, focused on construction of a
new building.The competition returns to Ship Creek June 8-17,
2012.With divisions for visitors and kids, not to mention specially tagged fish, you don’t need to reel in the biggest fish to land
great prizes. Details are available at www.shipcreeksalmonderby.com.
Stow the heavy coat, break out the sunglasses and enjoy a
new look at Alaska this summer!
Salmon returning to Alaska waters is a big part of summer,
GUIDES &
SERVICES
Advertise your
business here!
Call 677.2900
to find out how!
BEAR STRATEGY continued from page 12
time is more hazardous than most other recreational activities,”
says Coltrane.“And faster paced activities have a higher potential
for an encounter than slower ones because you have more
potential to run across a bear in a surprise encounter.”
Steer clear of salmon streams and carcasses that may be food
for a bear, and biking and running in known bear habitats may
pose more risk than walking. Also, heed bear warning signs often
posted at trailheads. And even when you think you are in a safe
location, carry some form of defense.
“Carry bear spray” says Coltrane.“Bear spray is very effective
in deterring bears from attacks and warning even a curious bear
off.”
Coltrane says results have shown that bear spray works on
brown, black and even polar bears.
With regard to firearms, Fish and Game biologists do carry
them during some circumstances, but they always have the bear
spray handy. People need to decide for themselves what they are
most comfortable with and know how to use their chosen
method effectively.
“I always recommend people to carry bear spray when traveling in bear country,” Coltrane says,“and know how to use it.”
ANGLER continued from page 76
Research. Research. Research.
9 THOU SHALT TAKE KIDS Fishing
Angling helps maintain the bond that exists between fish
and man. Pass on fishing knowledge to our youth to create a
better world for them as well as fish. Teach techniques and
spice them with respect-for-the-fish lessons. Show them why
barbless hooks help reduce injury. Have them see the many natural features that comprise a fish, from its chromatophores and
toothy vomers to its maxillary function. Our legacy as a race in
the grand scheme of things will be based on what values we
teach our youngsters, who will in turn pass on these values to
future generations.
10 THOU SHALT NOT COVET More Fish Than Needed
RUNNING WILD continued from page 79
Next month we will explore how to
build your strength as a runner. If you
have any concerns about your current
state of health, get medically cleared
prior to starting a running-walking program.
Keep striding and smiling.
Coach Mike… running wild!
May running events
MAY 5
Anchorage Salmon Run - 2K, 5K and 10K
starting at Inlet View Elementary School.
Enjoy fast courses out on the Tony Knowles
Coastal Trail with a gradual climb to the finish. More information at www.anchoragesalmonrun.com.
Basically, if you haven’t tested your can, you don’t know how
it operates or feels (point downwind).
Expert advice in the event spray or other protection isn’t
available is to remain calm, never run, allow the bear to know
you are there by talking gently, gather in groups to look larger,
and back off slowly. If the bear makes contact anyway, play dead.
Some experts do say to fight back if the attack is from a black
bear.
Because defensive bear attacks make up about 90 percent of
attacks versus predatory attacks where a bear sees a human as a
food source, Coltrane says, playing dead is the best defense
against further harm.This behavior helps reinforce to the bear
that you are not a threat, and they are safe to move on.
Meanwhile, you can scramble off for some stitches when the
coast is clear.
Make no mistake, both black and brown bear are rustling
around in the woods, walking along a nearby stream or sniffing
out a carcass in some meadow not too far away.They need to
feed and protect their young – more often than not the reason
for aggressive behavior – just as we do, but our responsibility is
to understand and employ methods that limit or prevent conflicts. The bear has no other tools but ferocity and brute strength
to survive. Know this and plan your excursions accordingly.
Catch and release is a feel-good embrace, but so also is keeping fish for the family meal. The act of harvest is as important to
the total picture as what we catch. There is comfort and satisfaction in being a physical provider, a harvester of fish. We are
satiated not from buying fish at the grocery, but from the actual
pursuit and sweat of the chase, the primordial efforts still intertwined in our DNA of predator harvesting prey. But as most
wild things don’t kill more than they can eat, so should we not
harvest more than what is required. And there is nothing wrong
with sharing a fillet or two of our bounty with an aged couple
or someone else who would otherwise never sample such fare.
Chris Batin is editor and publisher of the Alaska Angler
and author of numerous award-winning books and videos
available at www.AlaskaAngler.com
MAY 5
Polar Bear Pink Cheeks Triathlon, Seward
5K run, 10K bike and 900-yard swim. The
swim at the end is challenging. This makes
for a fun, early season road trip. Contact
[email protected].
MAY 6
Cap and Gown Run
5K, fast point-to-point course which supports Habitat for Humanity projects. Hosted
by the Architecture and Engineering Club of
UAA. Contact [email protected].
MAY 12
Eagle River Challenge, Eagle River
5K and 10K trail run which utilizes the last
few miles of the Crow Pass Trail. Contact
[email protected].
MAY 15
Turnagain Arm Trail Runs
4- and 8-milers with wild running on boardwalks. This event supports the UAA Ski
Team. Contact [email protected].
MAY 19
Eklunta Lake Challenge
3-mile run and 15-mile bike with beautiful
green spot overlooking a topaz lake. More
information at www.lifetimeadventures.net.
MAY 27
Crab Festival Marathon (26.2 Miles) & Pillar
Mountain Run (9.3 miles) A great Memorial
Day Weekend escape. Halko’s only marathon
victory in 1992. An amazingly reasonable
entry fee of $15. Contact
[email protected].
MEDRED continued from page 4
TOAST continued from page 6
started to ease. Residents were talking about the Snowpocalypse.They
weren’t alone. Snowpocalypse sort of defined the midwinter across
good parts of the state.The early winter on the other hand was
defined by the Snowicane, or the Monster Snowicane, or the
“Armageddon in the Arctic’’ as one enthusiastic headline writer put it.
Big blows packing hurricane force winds – thus the term Snowicane, a
combination of snow and hurricane – first hit the Bering Sea region in
November.
Then came Anchorage’s turn. Four storms packing hurricane force
winds roared over the Chugach Mountains in December. Peak gusts hit
118 mph.Trees were uprooted. Roofs were blown off. Power was
knocked out. Pickup campers parked for the winter were picked up
and bounced around.The heavy snows of November were rearranged
into a mix of bare areas and 6- to 10-foot drifts. Residents of the city’s
Hillside, who’d already shoveled their way through most of November,
were almost relieved when the winds eased in January, and the weather turned cold.
And boy did it turn cold.
Anchorage again got lucky, at least comparatively. January 2012 was
one of the coldest January’s on record in the state’s largest city, but
temperatures didn’t get much colder than 20 below zero, which was
at least twice as warm as much of the Interior. Fairbanks temperatures
went to 50 degrees below zero – cold enough to gel regular diesel fuel
– and got stuck there. Record lows were set all across the Interior.
Circle Hot Springs wasn’t so hot. It went to near 60 degrees below
zero. It was so cold, Interior residents were shivering too much to
come up with a catchy name for the big freeze.
It did eventually warm up, just enough to start snowing again.
Snow removal became a big issue in the state’s largest city.A new
range of mountains popped up:The Snow Dump Range. Look around,
you’ll see remnants still.Alaskans shoveled and plowed and shoveled
some more. Even the ones with smiles on their faces – skiers and
snowmachiners – began to tire of the constant plowing and shoveling.
It didn’t really stop until near the end of March, when there appeared
the first hints the winter might actually end.
In the Interior the National Weather Service was moved to put out
a special weather statement on March 27:“The high temperature at
the Fairbanks International Airport this afternoon was 37 degrees.This
was the first time this year that the temperature climbed above freezing… There was a total of 99 consecutive days with a high temperature below the freezing mark.’’
It was another near record.
“During the last 30 years,’’ the weather service reported,“the average date of the first temperature above freezing in March is March
10th. However, this date is somewhat ambiguous.A couple of above
freezing temperatures are observed during most Fairbanks winters in
December through February during strong Chinooks.The longest
stretch of below freezing temperature on record at Fairbanks occurred
in 1971 when there was a total of 157 days below freezing....’’
Ah yes, the winter of ’71. Oddly enough, on that year, the dash
above the freezing line also came on March 27, and those who’d wintered over in the Interior city breathed a sigh of relief. Many who’ve
wintered in this year know the feeling. If you’re one of the survivors
anywhere in Alaska, give yourself a pat on the back.You’re now an official member of the tribe.
If you are one of those arriving on a visit here, welcome to the glorious land of the midnight sun. But you really should come back in the
winter.Think of it as a challenge, because it is.There are reasons those
early gold miners thought of Seattle and San Fransisco as great suburbs
for the then Territory of Alaska.
of wildlife.Wild animals have a unique ability to blend into
their surroundings or remain perfectly still until it’s too late.
So this May stick to bringing joy and love to your own
mother or someone you consider a mother. Give them the
flowers, the hugs and the fancy dinners.Take them on a train
ride, up the tram in Girdwood to have lunch on Alyeska, to a
performance at the Performing Art Center, or a brisk hike to
the falls. I can think of a thousand things to do in Anchorage
or nearby for mother’s day, all of which will reward you with
continued love.And I promise, she’ll never stomp you into a
coma.
AK ON THE GO continued from page 17
each spring. Manning, a mom, knows how to ease fears and
empower adults and kids with safe strategies they can use
while recreating in bear country.The resulting AKontheGO
blog post and class provided not only some great tips, but an
interesting perspective on why bears do what they do,
when, and how. Read it at www.akonthego.com/blog/kidsand-bears-and-your-alaskan-adventure.
The next step was a visit to Hallo Bay Bear Camp
(www.hallobay.com) on the fringe of Katmai National Park,
a 100-mile bush plane ride from Homer. Hallo Bay is like a
bear safari; no electric fences, no guns, and no bear spray.
Raw wilderness meshes beautifully with intimate bear
encounters, bears who, by the way, desire nothing more
than uninterrupted fishing, grazing, and resting on the
shores of Hallo Bay’s beach and stream beds. A teenager
could potentially thrive in such an environment, whether
on the ground for a day or staying for a weekend; guides are
knowledgeable, sensible, and teach guests exactly what to
do for every single situation, every time. It’s science combined with sociology, and the perfect opportunity for an
older child to take a giant leap toward independence when
faced with his or her own actions.
In southeast Alaska our entire family took a day trip to
Anan Bear Observatory near Wrangell
(http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/recreation/wildlife_viewing/ananobservatory.shtml). Operated by the U.S. Forest
Service, Anan is the only known place where brown and
black bears congregate at one time to feed on wild Alaska
salmon. Reached by boat or floatplane, then consisting of a
hike through a bear-thick environment, Anan is a different,
but still rich opportunity to show kids daily life and habits
of bears. USFS rangers are armed, as are guides from private
tour companies, and visitors view bears from a platform
arrangement in full view of Anan Creek. Our son, then 6,
was a bit leery, but when our group was confronted by a
curious black bear sow, he managed to display bear-aware
skills quite admirably.The platform was a source of constant
interest, too, with a family of bears sleeping in a tree not
five feet from where we stood. Bear-viewing with kids is
best experienced with those in grade school or older.
Children must be able to understand and follow directions
to the letter from both parents and strangers, and adapt to
ever-changing situations. But it can be done, as perhaps, it
should be.
Follow the Kirkland family’s adventures at
www.AKontheGO.com.

May, 2012 - Alaska Coast Magazine

Transcription

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Anchorage School District - Stephen F. Austin State University

Issue 3 - hccmca

Log in or call before you take off

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DEADLINE: FEB. 3, 2016

October 2010 Cam Toohey Shell Alaska