Daily journals and timeless observations of a unique man.
He was a master of wood and camp craft, and keen observer of the natural world, this tireless hiker lived in a small log cabin for 30 years built in the Alaska wilderness.
One of Proenneke's interests was to protect some of Alaska's wild lands for future generations of Americans.
Wild edible greens, stems, roots and berries are still used in great quantity by many Alaskan natives. These edibles often grow in quantity near villages. Wild edible plants are still important food sources in many areas of Alaska.
Another group of Alaskans who can use wild edible plants to a good advantage are homesteaders and others who live miles away from any grocery store. Wild edible plants, literally growing in the homesteader's backyard, can help satisfy that late winter and early spring hunger for the taste of a fresh, raw vegetable.
It is hoped that this booklet will help those interested in recognizing the edible plant life around them. A section on poisonous plants has been added. Some people still assume that "there are no poisonous plants in Alaska. "This is not true. There are several poisonous plants; some plants like Cicuta, the poison water hemlock are deadly. Every year seveal lives are lost in Alaska due to poisonous plants. It is just as important to know what not to eat as it is to know what to eat.
Here it is in my Shopping Alaska Store
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve is so enormous. It is comprised of 13.2 million acres (528 thousand squares kilometers) six times the size of Yellowstone.
There are two roads lead into the park, one from the west ending at McCarthy, and one from the north, ending at Nabesna. It's a little rough driving into this wilderness area. Be sure to bring a spare tire or two along just in case. Also, although you will find lodging, there are no gas stations along the way, so plan your trip carefully.
There are many things for the adventurous among us to do including: hiking, flightseeing, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, and other recreation.
This national park which boast the United State's second highest peak, Mount St. Elias, at 18,008 feet, also has more than 150 glaciers, among them the Malaspina which alone is the size of Yellowstone, the Nabesna, which is 75 miles long, and the Hubbard, which advances 10 meters per day.
Today I am highlighting a book, from my e-Bay Store Shopping Alaska, that tells you all about this rugged wilderness with few amenities and no maintained trails, a place for true back country adventurers.
Written by Danny Kost Hiking in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park the book also contains descriptions for 50 hikes, and a wealth of valuable hints and tips. The book also provides information for services available within and around the park including bus services, air taxis and guide services, and also contact numbers for visitor information including the national park and local communities.
The Golden Days Celebration in Fairbanks comes along every July when the days are long and the summer warm.
The Golden Days Street Fair is in the downtown area. They blocked off a section of downtown and it was like one big street party with people everywhere. There was lots of food, things to buy and games for the little ones.
Fairbanks claims that the Grand Parade is the largest parade in Alaska. I was frankly surprised that anyone was watching it because in my opinion it seemed like everyone that lived in Fairbanks was in the parade! The claim they have over 100 entries which I certainly believe as we watched for over an hour with no end in sight. There were old cars, school pep groups, clowns, dogs, non-profit groups, a military band and of course the fire engines.
The highlight of the weekend is the Rubber Duckie Race. They number 6,000 rubber duckies, sell numbered tickets, and on race day, set those large yellow duckies loose on the Chena River. They float downstream, round a curve, and finally make the finish line at the Golden Heart Plaza just at the Cushman Street Bridge. There was cheering and yelling as people gathered along side the river and on the bridges just to catch a glimpse of the duckies as they made their way down river.
I have to admit that got caught up in it all the excitement. I had purchased a couple of tickets and we actually found a place along the river bank where we would have a good view of them coming around the bend.
I've been living in Alaska since 1990. It will be 18 years on Labor Day...amazing that so much time has gone by. The kids were 1½, 5 and 6½ when we drove up via the Alaskan Highway. They are grown now. Amazing!
