Tributaries
Tidbits from the Headwaters
Pioneers’ McCarthy Solstice Stampede
On Sunday, June 19, members of the Pioneers of Alaska from Pioneer Igloos located around the state converged at Al Clayton’s Dairy-Aire Meadow near McCarthy for a three-day, action-packed solstice celebration. This was the sixth annual Solstice Stampede put on by the Pioneers of Alaska, and the second one to be held in McCarthy.
Toddler Priorities
We recently drove to Fairbanks from McCarthy. The last time we drove there was four years ago. This trip was a little different, taking along our three-year-old and our four-month-old.
Alaskan Veteran Brings Humanitarian Aid to Villages in Vietnam
Copper Basin veteran Neil Hannan is heading back to Vietnam this summer, where he fought for several years in the Vietnam War and survived one of the war’s worst battles. He is bringing humanitarian aid and supplies to villages and schools where he soldiered during the war.
Glennallen Wrestlers Close Season with Celebration
This spring, Glennallen wrestlers and their families celebrated the conclusion of the season with an honors banquet highlighting the achievements of all who participated in the program throughout the 2021-2022 school year.
Second Annual Gakona Trifesta
Gakona Trifesta is a pedal, paddle, run along the three rivers in our community. The race concept was mulled over river floats and bonfires for years. Last year, we held our first race, with success and a desire to see others share in the fun.
Kenny Lake Baseball Coaches Reunite
A weeklong baseball/soccer camp in Kenny Lake for children aged 6 through 12 was held in Kenny Lake June 6-10. Twenty children participated throughout the week, coached by Matt and Judith Lorenz, Doug Vollman and special guest Reed Carlson.
Hatch & Release
Two hundred coho salmon eggs came to Jennifer Hodges’s third, fourth and fifth-grade classroom at the Kenny Lake School this past January. The class watched, waited, and learned about how salmon come to be.
Valdez Hosts Its First Pride Parade
On Saturday, June 4, members of the Valdez LGBTQ+ community and their allies gathered at Magpie’s Valdez venue for a Pride parade. The parade was part of a weekend-long series of events celebrating the pride and diversity of the local LGBTQ+ community.
Notes from the Copper Basin Land and Resource Managers’ Meeting
On the afternoon of May 18, the Copper Valley Development Association (CVDA) hosted a Copper Basin land and resource managers’ meeting. Representatives from various entities in the area attended virtually to deliver updates about their work. The meeting was chaired by Jen Rosenthal, the new CVDA executive director.
A Home for McCarthy EMS
As seasonal workers return to McCarthy and business starts to ramp up, the community is witnessing the construction of the new Medical Service Building. This building, owned by the volunteer EMS group in McCarthy, is a project the whole community has come together to make happen.
Veterans Celebrate Memorial Day
Honor. Patriotism. Courage. Freedom. Sacrifice. Gratitude. Remembrance. These are some of the heartfelt words I heard during speeches at four local Memorial Day Services. I met up with a group of local veterans from the VFW and the American Legion at 8:30 a.m. and went with them to the Glennallen Cemetery.
Greater Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce May Dinner Meeting
The Greater Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce held its May Dinner Meeting in McCarthy on May 26. Approximately 30 chamber members and their spouses, visitor center staff, and other participants attended the dinner meeting at the Salmon and Bear restaurant in McCarthy, and participated in familiarization tours with McCarthy area businesses and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park staff on the two-day excursion.
What Do You Stand For?
There’s something to be said about the art of acceptance and nonresistance. It’s often in the search for utopia that we become less than pleasant. I’ve not met too many happy activists. Positioning ourselves against another person or ideology can lead to bitterness, which is not a good look for anybody.
Maggie Nylund Cultivates Art, Food, Community, and Pride!
Fourteen years ago, Maggie Nylund needed a job. She had a knack for baking and decided to leave the biochemistry path she was on and create Magpie’s Bakery. As the bakery developed, she noticed the community needed a place to come together, showcase art, and express themselves, so she created a platform, a venue, for local artists.
Slana and Upstream Learning 2022 Graduations
The Copper Basin graduation week has been in full swing as the 2021-2022 school year has come to a close. Slana began the celebration week on Tuesday, May 17 with the graduation of Linnea Beauchamp.
CRNA Sled Building Class Combines Science, Art and Culture
Charlie Titus Sr.’s fascination with dog sleds began when he was a young man. Before he could even imagine teaching others how to build sleds, he had to first learn this art himself.
May in the Garden
There is so much to love about May, even in a year with a delayed spring. The grasses, dandelions, and fireweed have emerged in the garden seemingly overnight, growing even when hard frosting at night.
Golden Spring: Golden Eagles Dominate the Sky Above the Copper River Basin
On any clear spring day, the sky above the Copper River Basin is full of raptors. They’re pouring back into Alaska from the Outside, having just passed through the Wrangells. They’re headed home.
Flood Destroys GlennRich Fire Station, Damages Property
On the night of May 8, Moose Creek began overflowing its banks. Water began flooding into the GlennRich fire station. According to Glennallen Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) head Jason Severs, “at the time it was not that bad.” By the morning of May 9, the community of Glennallen started flooding.
Park Staff Seek to Lower Death Toll with Information
At a meeting a few months ago, I heard a troubling statistic: An estimated one in 20,000 visits to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (WRST) ends in a fatality. I talked with Ranger and Search and Rescue Coordinator Stephens Harper earlier this spring to learn more.