Our Arctic Adventure 2012 part4

To our friends and family,

A note about the pictures that I have taken... I have taken nearly 1000 pictures and selected nearly 100 hundred for this upload. I have added sub-captions descriptions on all of these. Most are uploaded in hi res mode and you might like to enlarge for a better view. Picasa has a zoom button for this.

Click here for picture link. 

Our last update was July 16^th , and I have had several ask about where we are and what are we doing.

This update will cover our 60 day adventure in Haines Alaska. We visited Haines last year but we didn't spend enough time and put it on the list for a return visit.

Haines (pop ~2300) is in the heart of the Chilkat Valley in southeast Alaska just south of Skagway about 20 miles and 90 miles north of the capitol of Alaska, Juneau. These towns are connected by the Lynn Canal that serves as the water way for the Alaskan Marine Highway system. This is the system that connects Bellingham, WA to the intercostal water way that is so popular with the cruise ships.

Another common way of traveling to Haines is the scenic Haines Highway that starts in Haines and 155 miles to the north ends Haines Junction on the ALCAN. This highway (built 1943) is considered one of the most scenic in North America. It passes through Alaska's Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and borders Canada's Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial park and Kluane National Park.

The town also has 2 commuter flights a day from Juneau and Whitehorse for the fly in folks.

Haines is a stop for many of the international passenger ships.

Haines economy is driven by commercial and sport fishing and tourism.

Haines is the artist location for Alaska and has had several movies filmed here. The 1991 Disney movie, “White Fang” was filmed here as well as “Gold Rush Alaska” a current running reality show on the Discovery Channel.

Haines also was one of the original gold rush towns of the 1890s and the site of Fort Seward, the first permanent Army base in Alaska built in 1903.

We arrived in the Haines area on July 10^th and camped in the Chilkoot State Park. The park is accessed from Haines by driving Lutak Rd (hwy 7) for 10 miles north along the beautiful Lynn Canal and the Chilkoot river. The drive ends at the day use area and the campground on the Chilkoot Lake. The park has 32 campsites. Five of them are along the water edge of Chilkoot Lake.

Barbara and I accepted a job with the Alaska State Parks as the Chilkoot State Park volunteer camp host. We were killing some time before we traveled north for our Arctic adventure in the Northwest Territory and the Arctic ocean. The existing host had to travel back to Oregon and that left the job open. The Park Ranger put up a help wanted sign and we decided to give hosting a try. The job has been exciting and rewarding. Our job is to pull tickets from the site post in the mornings, make sure that the Iron Ranger has plenty of envelopes, check with the campers and give information about bears in the park, fill in the count sheet, service the bathrooms, pick up trash, and other small maintenance jobs. We get paid a small stipend amount and our site is free in addition. We were furnished some shirts and a windbreaker with the State Park logo on it. Our propane and generator gas is furnished as well as a shop that has showers and laundry services. They also gave me a big can of powerful bear spray that will shoot about 25 feet just in case. I have a handheld radio for communications with the ranger.

Each thursday we have a pot luck lunch with the other hosts from Chilkat State Park and the 19 mile Bald Eagle Preserve. The park ranger, Preston Kroes, and his staff are very supportive of the hosts. Preston is also a law enforcement ranger that is fully equipped with side arm and other.

The host site (our site) is site 21 on Lake Chilkoot. It is a beautiful site against the south shore of the 3 mile long lake with views of the mountains and glaciers. It is the site that everyone wants, but can't have. However, we do invite many down to have their picture taken with the back drop of the lake view.

NOTE... After taking the host job, we asked our son, Jay and his girl friend Rahel if they could join us while we were here. Jay was able to come, but Rahel was not able to work it into her schedule. Maybe another time for her. We enjoyed his five days very much.

The campers that stay here come from all around the world. Many come from Whitehorse, but many come from Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, England, Austria, Australia, France, Czech Republic, Norway, Denmark, South Africa, Greece, and all over the US and Canada.

We are to leave on Sept 9^th after spending almost 2 months here.

The one item that we don't have is cell phone service. AT&T does not have this area covered and we have to drive about 7 miles back toward Haines for service. After the initial shock, we have enjoyed being disconnected.

We try to do our shopping on Tuesday or Thursday as that is just after the barge bringing the containers of fresh products to the super markets arrives. The stores run low on some items such as bananas, produce and milk products.

Below are some of the events of the last 60 days. Many of these are explained better in picture with description sub-captions, so be sure to check out the picture link.

We have checkin over 1000 campsite registrations while here. I don't know how many individuals but it is many more than that. As of Sept 1^st everything is slowing down and occupancy is down even though it is Labor day in the US and Canada. Rain in the forecast for the next few days.

The list of loaded stuff loaned and services rendered beside camp host:

Generator loaned, Tire inflator, wood chopping ax, filet knife for fish cleaning, reset the change oil warning on 2 vehicles, scanned and canceled engine trouble code, loaned rope for various reasons, Installed two way radio in ranger truck, drinking water, lots of fire wood given away

So what is so special about Chilkoot State Park?

Chilkoot SP is the place to fish for all 5 Salmon types... the King aka chinook, Coho aka silver, Chum aka dog, Sockeye aka red, Pink aka humpy. The fish spawn in the Chilkoot lake and the small fish swim out to the ocean grow to adult and return swimming up stream to the same location in Chilkoot lake to complete the cycle of life. Another favorite is the Dolly Varden char fish. Fishing is big sport here and everyone catches fish. The anglers fish in the rain and by headlight in the night, they quit when they have to go home. Many have chest type freezers in a RV or trailer that they fill before they leave. The state maintains a sockeye counting weir and over 125 thousand have passed through into Chilkoot this summer.

Chillkoot SP is the place to watch bears... At this time Barb and I have 7 grizzly bears ranging between 20 years down to 2 year old cubs. We have learned a lot about bears. These are the small grizzly brown bear and don't display any aggressive behavior to people. We know that the bears are either foraging for berries, roots, grass, or eating fish from the lake or river. They can also be a nuisance in the campground. The trouble maker for us is the 3 year old female cub named “green tag” (because she has a green marker tag in the left ear). All these bears are shy and can be commanded to move on by clapping ones hands or shouting go bear! Green Tag comes into the campground and plays with stuff. She has knocked down 2 tents and chewed up my orange traffic cone. She likes things that are soft. Hundreds of bear watchers come out to watch the bears entertain the young and the old.

Chilkoot is the place to watch The American Bald eagles... and they watch you watch them and hope you drop your fish, because they just might pickup your fish before you can. We have seen many American Bald Eagles, seagulls, Steller Jays, the Common merganser duck, a few bats at night and the ever present raven. At this time the Canadian geese are flying on their migration routes toward the lower 48.

Chilkoot is the place the Yukoners (Whitehorse) come... By the highway it is about 250 miles, but can be shorteded up by taking the Alaska Marine Ferry from Skagway. They come to fish and play in big numbers. Many have come here for their entire life. About 75% of the folks in the park are from the Yukon Territory.

Chilkoot has good weather... Cool weather in the 50s and 60s and on a few occasions into the 70s. Almost no wind. It has rain, but doesn't seem to bother anyone.

Chilkoot is a boating lake... pleasure boating or sight seeing and fishing. Canoeing and kayaking is popular.

Chilkoot is a wild flower and berry park … Wild flower adorn the entire as well as every wild berry you can image. Folks come from all around to photograph the flowers and pick the berries.

For some of the surprises and highlights during our stay.

• July 19^th... We became volunteer camp hosts at Chillkoot State Park in Haines. Had to fill out a volunteer service application.

• July 22^nd... Our friends Marv and Vicki Muller from Canyon Lake TX just happened to come through the campground and spent a few days with us. We have socialized with them in Bandera and Quartzite. Somewhat strange to have friends drive into the park. Of course we had a few campfires and food prepared on the fire ring grill. We bid them farewell as they caught the ferry to Juneau and points beyond.
• We got to know Mike Cooper and his Siberian Husky, Pretty Girl. Mike is very knowledgeable and has traveled Alaska and Canada extensively for many years. We spend many hours around the campfire with Mike and his well mannered dog. Mike even helped out with the information for other campers about hiking and things to do in the area. Mike is a retired US Navy vet and calls Cutbank, MT his home.
• Had a cookout at Ranger Kroes new home with all the other hosts and support people.
• July 28... Our friends Duke Armendariz and Beverlee showed up in the park and spent the week with us. These are friends from Bandera that we met and socialized with for a few years. Duke is a highly decorated US Army Airborne retired living in San Antonio but traveling most of the year. We spent many hours with them sharing stories of mutual interest. Always had a campfire going and food and drink to pass the time. While sitting around the fire, Aug 1^st, a boater in the lake warned us that a bear was at out camp site. The bear was about 20 feet away so using caution, we took pictures and let the bear wander on by.  We bid them farewell on the 6th as they caught the ferry to Juneau to spend time in Juneau at the Mendenhall Glacier.

• July 26^th …. We attended Southeastern Alaska State Fair here in Haines. It is a small town fair, but draws from Juneau, Skagway, and the rest of southeast Alaska. We had a lot of fun there. We have attended 3 Alaskan fairs starting in 2009 we attended the Kenai peninsula in Nelnilick and the Alaskan State Fair in Palmer.
• July 31^th... Pot luck with the other staff
• August 2nd... Invited Ron Zell down to our site to have some moose sausage he had let us have early in the week. Ron has south Dakota domicile address and is retired military and retired US park ranger. He moves between Mexico and Washington state. He has come Chilkoot Lake Stater Park for the last 23 years missing only last year because of open heart surgery. Ron attended several cookouts with us. Hope our trails meet again someday.
• August 6^th... Jean Boekman and her sister, Jane, showed up in the park unanounced, another just by chance meeting. Jean and her husband Tony are good friends that we know from the Bluebonnet Rally in Bandera. Jean and Tony were part of our trip to Quartzite, California, and the Grand Canyon last January. They live in Medford OK. It was nice to meet Jean sister Jane. On a side note they also know Duke and Beverlee, therefore we had a small reunion here at Chilkoot SP. This trip for Jean was a sister trip with here identical twin, Jane. They were returning from several weeks in the Kenai and Denali NP, so we had a lot to catch up on.

• August 9^th... Pot luck at the shop and laundry day.
• August 10^th... Ryan, a state wildlife biologist came from Juneau and is experimenting with using a high power Tazer to try to train Green Tag behavior with pain. He thinks that if he can catch GT doing something wrong and use the Tazer on her, it might help. He doesn't want to relocate or at worst kill the young bear. GT has been hazed with bean bag and rubber bullets from a 12 auge and sprayed with caspian pepper spray. He also thinks that if GT lives another year, that might help also. They call it the terrible 3s... Time will tell..
• August 13^th... At 0200 hours we got a knock on the door. A very young girl and a young boy were standing outside the door and asked if I were Bob. She said she knew Bob the host last year. After I asked some prying questions, she told they had car problems on the bridge about a 1.5 miles away. She wanted to call a phone in town but I offered to help with the car. Our phone only works after we drive 6 miles toward town. We moved the car from the bridge to a safe spot and I took them to town. GT tore up a tent and in the next site some dog started to bark. I watched GT climb a tree and when he came down, I shot pepper spray at him... Too far away to be effective, but he sure did run fast. Also took the trailer to town to the dump station.

• August 14^th... I installed a Motorola two way radio in a new ranger truck. I installed it quite easily remembering some skills from an earlier lifetime. Barbara picked a bunch of ripe blueberries from the many thickets in the campground. Great for pancakes or on ice cream.
• August 16^th... another potluck
• August 17^th... Jay arrive on the Alaska Marine Ferry about 4 miles from the park. He will be here for 5 days. We are so glad to see him and he is glad to have a break from his hectic work schedule. Rahel tried to come with him, but just could not work it into her schedule.
• August 18^th... Speedy the sow bear comes by our camp site for a face to face with Jay and his camera. Speedy wears a radio collar that is scheduled to drop off this fall. Three years of data collection are in the collar. It has a GPS that will give all of Speedys locations. We were sitting by the camp fire and we heard a rumbling and that turned into a big rumble as if a train was coming across the lake. It was a rock slide on the other side of the lake. A little scarey for sure..

• August 19^th... Jay and I hike the Battery Point trail. It is a 1.5 mile trail from Portage Cove to Battery Point. It was tough because it is in a rain forest with lots of roots on the top of the ground to slow down the travel. Near Kelgaya Point Jay spotted a bull moose run into the water of Lynn Canal being chased by a black dog about 100 feet behine. The dog chased the moose for about 20 minutes in the ocean, loosing ground to the faster moose. The moose made it to land about 500 feet in front. We got picture so be sure and click the picture link.
• August 20^th... Barbara, Jay and I went to 19 mile Bald Eagle Preserve to visit Roger the host there. We spent the day doing some back road and 4 wheel drive areas. Roger comes from San Francisco area and has experience in the solar power industry. Jay and Roger really hit it off together. We ended up at the 33 mile roadhouse for hamburgers. Saw a pair of trumpeter swans along the Haines highway. Really a exciting day.
• August 21^st... Jay and Barbara spent time in Haines shopping and I showered at the shop. Then we at at the Bamboo room . Today we had to take Jay to the ferry for his ride back to Juneau and then to Dallas for the work stuff. We were happy for the 5 days he spent with us but sad to see him leave.
• August 23^rd... Preston introduced Dane a new State Park Ranger assigned to Chena river State Rec Area near Fairbanks. Dane is 25 and just married and was just graduated. He will get his final evaluation from Preston after a week in Haines area. He is so young and we wish him all the best. I asked him if they gave him just one bullet (Barney from Mayberry) and he replied they gave him a rubber gun during his training.
• August 24^th... I changed the fuel filter on the Suburban. The fuel filter dashboard reminder had dropped down to 14% life left and I figured this was a good opportunity. It was easy. I'll have Walmart change the engine oil in Whitehorse on the 10^th. Also got some great photos of Green Tag the bear, be sure to check the photo link.
• August 28^th... Barbara's birthday... Happy Birthday Barbara and thanks for the 43 years............. I went to Dane's farewell party at the Fireweed Restaurant and Barbara did the wash at the shop.. what a deal. I did ask if she wanted to go and she turned me down, she thought it was a guy thing, and she was correct.
• August 29^th... Beautiful day with blue skies Late that evening we sat around the fire and watched the bats as they flew around. I would point my infer red thermometer with the laser light at them to take their temperature.
• August 30^th... Did a little auto service on a German couple rented RV. Used my scanner to turn out a service related light and also reset the oil life monitor on the dash. Loose fuel cap had set a service light.  I did an oil change on the Honda generator and replaced a flaky start relay.

• August 31^st... Low in the high thirties... starting to see the change of seasons. Some new snow on the high mountains. Haines got a record of 360 inches of snow last year so there is still some snow in the mountains near town.
• September 1^st... The story of the 3 cub bears and the sow. Late in the evening, Preston, the park ranger gave us a radio call with the information that the sow bear and 3 cubs were down near the counting weir. We had not seen the cub bears so we jumped in the Suburban and drove to the river. They were there and put on a fishing show for us. They would use there paws to feel for the fish, and often they would have one. It was a thrill to watch all 4 of them in the water fishing.
• September 2^nd... very few campers in the campground... We watched the Alamo movie from the hard drive library.
• September 3^rd... Jay, Phyllis, and Rio (his well mannered Golden Retriever) stop by to say good bye on a cloudy afternoon on Chilkoot lake. Cheered us up on a rather gray day. Jay was a camper at Chilkoot on several occasions. Phyllis joined him after flying in. Jay and Phyllis are from Colorado and spend the summer months in Alaska. After visiting with him, we found out we had worked for the same company, just different locations, truly a small world. an almost empty campground tonight...
• September 9^th... we leave Chilkoot and travel toward to Whitehorse, Dawson City, then torward Inuvick in the Northwest Territory.
  
  
  Stay tuned for more updates