So we decided to camp out under the Skookum Volcano in the name of researching my writing.
Skookum Volcano getting more ominous as darkness falls.
Did I mention there’s local legends about creepy things watching from the hills that like to cut off heads?
Yeah…
So, where did I leave off last week?
It got dark. Really dark.
Only available light was from our fire and our one gas lantern.
No ambient light whatsoever. Not even from the moon or stars since the night was overcast. Beyond the firelight, the woods were black as pitch. We enjoyed our evening by the fire, drinking wine, and watching the shadows shift in the woods.
Enjoying the fire and a glass of wine. Trying not to think about the legends of the Cet’ aenn, “The Tailed Ones” of Ahtna Legends who live in the mountain.
Not being able to see far is an uncomfortable feeling in the backcountry. Not just because of stories of mythical creatures, but because of the real threat of bears. As I mentioned in another post, when you camp in the Alaska wilderness, it’s important to keep the food away from the bears. We pack everything in bear resistant containers and make sure to properly dispose of all food waste.
Bear resistant container. All food products that have a scent need to be packed in a container like this.
As you can see from the size of our cooler, it’s not very big, so meal planning is essential. We do a lot of single pot meals to maximize space and minimize waste.
To maximize space, we pre-plan single pot meals like pozole (pictured above)
Even with careful planning, there is risk of a bear attack. We typically sleep in the tent with a pistol between us. We leave the bear spray and outside so as not to risk discharge in the tent. We also leave an extra weapon outside (usually the rifle) if someone has to leave the tent in the middle of the night. We do everything we can to ensure our safety in the Alaska Backcountry.
Campsite out at Jack Creek, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
We had a great night camping out at Jack Creek in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. We hope to go back next year and hike to the mines. The Devil’s Valley (coming 2021), sequel to the Dark Land, is set on this side of the park, in winter rather than summer.
If you haven’t read The Dark Land, it is currently available on Amazon. The setting for this story is on the McCarthy side of Wrangell-St. Elias, near McCarthy and Kennecott. I have done a few posts about my research:
Hey, let’s go camp under an ancient volcano in the middle of the Alaska wilderness.
Oh yeah, this area has a longstanding oral tradition of creepy creatures watching from the hills that want to kill humans.
Sounds like the plot of a horror story, right?
Part One of our night in under the Skookum Volcano
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the inspiration for my currently Published horror novella, The Dark Land, and the sequel The Devil’s Valley (coming 2021). As you can imagine, I was thrilled to get to travel this summer to a part of the park I had never been to before.
But with many trips, getting there is just half the adventure
The Nabesna Road is one of only two roads leading into the park. Only the first 10 miles or so of the 42 mile stretch is paved. My husband used to live and travel in this area, so we were fairly prepared for the rough ride, still there were a few surprises. As you view my pictures, keep in mind that this is considered to be a “maintained road.”
Creek Crossings
One of our biggest trepidations were the creek crossings. Multiple creeks cross the road deeper into the park. Depending on rain and run-off, the creeks could be impassible. The creeks are notorious for stranding unsuspecting tourists. We made sure to keep and eye on the weather, before venturing out. We managed to cross the deepest one with ease.
We put the definition of 4WD to the test here.
Ruts in the Road
This was a surprise. And it was even deeper than it looked. We bottomed out both front and back. Decided to grab some rocks on our way back to fill in the holes.
Deep rut in road
Devil’s Mountain Lodge
The Road dead ends at the Devil’s Mountain Lodge. The lodge sits at the base of Devil’s Mountain. A B&B that has been in business since the 1950’s, they provide flight tours, and guided hunting tours into some of the more remote areas of the park.
View from the Devil’s Mountain Lodge
Camping
This side of the park is pretty remote, and not generally a huge tourist hot-spot. Thanks to Covid, there were even fewer people. We didn’t have to fight anyone for a campsite.
Watershed Divide
Our campsite at Jack Creek was just stunning. An interesting fact is that this creek is on a water shed divide. While Wrangell St. Elias National Park is known for being home of the Copper Glacier, headwater of the Copper River, this creek does not flow into that watershed. Though less than 30 miles from that river, it flows into the Tanana instead. This river cuts north across the state before dumping into the Yukon. Many of the local native legends revolve around these two diverging water sheds.
Jack Creek Campsite in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Skookum Volcano and Devil’s Mountain
Inspiration for my novels came from local Ahtna (Head Water’s People) legends of the area. It’s no coincidence, looking at the terrain, that there are oral tales of things watching from the mountains above. The Skookum Volcano and Devil’s Mountain are both rich in heavy metal mineral deposits and are riddled with caves.
The Volcano is riddled with caves, can you imagine what might be lurking inside?Native copper flakes floating in puddles
We spent the evening setting up camp and marveling at the beauty around out campsite.
Pond behind our campsite at Jack Creek in Wrangell-St. Elias National ParkEnjoying the fire
Then darkness fell…
Hmmn…why did I think it was a good idea to go camp in an area known for creepy creatures????
To be continued next week…
Thanks for reading. My Alaska wilderness horror novella, The Dark Land is available on Amazon:
The last ten months of my life have been spent in a frenzy of “hurry up and wait,” as we like to phrase it in the military. Life has been a rollercoaster from the moment the announcement was made at the end of August 2019, that my business unit had been sold, until the last week of June when I shut down my email and handed in my laptop and badge.
Many people were disturbed by my decision to package out. I was too young—committing career suicide. Shouldn’t I want to continue to work, develop my career? Some were jealous, chained to the need for a steady paycheck for personal or family reasons.
It wasn’t an easy decision, but as time went by and the date got closer. Any doubt in my mind that it was the right one disappeared.
Am I quitting working forever?
Not necessarily. I’m taking a pause to re-evaluate what’s important in life, and how much I really need to work, while Ray and I turn 31 acres of Alaska wilderness into an artists’ retreat and our future summer retirement getaway.
Alternative Energy
I’m definitely going to be putting my technical skills to the test, working on our new solar kit and performing a battery study this summer. I also plan on doing a wind study to eventually install wind turbines to complement our system
Writing
Even with all of the physical work we have going on, being disconnected from the constant chatter allows me to focus on my story and blog writing in a way that I just can’t in town.
Collage of the Lilly of the Valley sculpture in Chicken. Many more to come as we turn 31 acres of Alaska Wilderness into an off-grid artists’ retreat.
Stepping off the Merry-Go-Round
Take care everyone. I’ll have some auto-posts on social media over the next few weeks, and when we come back into range for supplies, I’ll post updates on where we are at with our off-grid adventures. Hopefully someday some of you can come join us.
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far it is possible to go.’—
T.S. Eliot
Thanks for reading. Follow my blog or sign up for my newsletter if you would like to find out more. My first self-published novel, The Dark Land, is Available on Amazon.
The legend of Alaska’s Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. It’s hunger for human flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter. Courage, skill and love will be tested to the limits on the isolated boundaries of The Dark Land.
“I’m going in to the neurologist tomorrow to get the results-to find out whether or not I have MS,” I told him, I looked up into his eyes, choking on tears.
He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer, comforting me in his warm, strong arms. “It’s okay, baby. I’ll be there for you. Call me afterward.”
That was 20 years ago. To this day I can remember how silky the warm sand felt beneath my feet on that South Carolina beach. How the beacon of the lighthouse flashed like a brilliant white star and the salt from the ocean spray tasted on the night wind.
I’ll never forget the pain when he didn’t answer the phone.
It wasn’t the first time I had been ghosted, nor would it be the last. But it would be the first time I was ghosted because of my MS.*** I faced the diagnosis that would end my Naval career alone.
I look at the calendar and realize I am fast approaching my MS diagnosis anniversary (June 1). The year 2000 was a year of tumultuous change in my life. So far, it looks like 2020 will be as well. Not just for me, but for so many others. I find myself once more standing on the precipice of an enormous shift in my life. But unlike in 2000, I am looking forward to the leap, even though I am not entirely certain what the future may hold.
On Monday, I will head into my old office to pack my desk. The end date for the job that brought me to Alaska is coming quick. For the first time in almost 25 years I am going to take a break. Admittedly, I am both nervous and excited at the same time.
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I look around at 2020 and wonder how I will remember this year 20 years from now. Will it be with a sense of darkness for a year of strife? I’d like to think it will be bittersweet. I want to look back see a feeling of hope, that we, as a society stood at the precipice of self-destruction and chose a better path. What do you think will be the choice? Who will you choose to be? We’re half-way through.
Thanks for reading! Sorry for the rather gloomy blog this week. I promise next week will be more uplifting.
Ray and I have a lot of projects planned for not only this summer but beyond. We’re going to be doing experiments with our solar kit out at the cabin and hopefully some wind studies on our 31 acres in the hopes of putting in some wind turbines eventually. We’re building two new structures on the property this summer.
For those who follow me on Instagram, you know that Ray is working on several new sculptures for the property. In the meantime, my first self-published novella, The Dark Land is out on Amazon. I am working on the sequel, as well as continuing to query some of my other novels.
The legend of Alaska’s Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. Its hunger for human flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter. Courage, skill and love will be stretched to the limits on the frozen boundaries of The Dark Land.
We have some other projects up our sleeves, TBA soon.
Side Note:
***I know some will ask, how do you know he ghosted you because of your MS. This is the cautionary tale of:
Don’t date (then ghost) someone you work with.
This could practically be another blog unto itself. But other coworkers knew we had been dating and found out why he suddenly dumped me. Apparently, he didn’t think it was that big a deal, so he told everyone the truth about what he’d done. Let’s just say the rest of the guys at work let him know what a sleaze move that was. I didn’t have to. The best revenge is sometimes when someone else makes themselves look like a jerk. Even though it really hurt at the time.
True Friends
And to give credit where credit is due, while I got ghosted, dumped and diagnosed, three of the most awesome guys I had the privilege to serve with in the Navy requested leave from the Enterprise and drove down to Charleston to cheer me up. I’ll forever be grateful for their kindness and support. This is also my answer to the question, can men and women be friends. Absolutely. Friends and shipmates.
Mikey, Dave and Drew, three of the greatest friends and shipmates who came to my rescue when I was feeling my lowest. I will be forever grateful for their friendship.
Writing Sex (and other activities) in Alaska in the Summertime
Since many of my followers got a kick out of my last post about sex scenes in the cold, I thought I would follow-up about writing realistic romance (and life) in the outdoors of Alaska in the warmer times of year.
Yes—it does get warm here.
I can already here the question from a few of my followers:
So have you…you know…?
That’s a whole other blog post. For now, I’d like to share some of the more realistic parts of writing steamy romance in the great outdoors in Alaska (or extreme northern climates) in the summer.
The Midnight Sun
Whenever I have friends from other places visit in the summers, I always give them a beautiful sleeping mask as a gift—because while the midnight sun seems great at first, it makes it impossible to sleep. People always ask me if I have trouble with the constant darkness in the winter. Not as much as the perpetual light in the summer. Picture this…the sun is shining and everything is green, with a perfect temperature of 70 degrees. Sitting up and reading a book on the deck with an extra glass of wine is too tempting. Doing more yard work or taking another walk is too hard to turn down. Up north, in Prudhoe Bay and Barrow, the sun will be above the horizon for 24 hours a day until August. By fall, I’m exhausted and you just can’t override that diurnal urge to be awake when the sun is up.
View of the sunset from our cabin. Time is approximately midnight. The sun will only dip below the mountains for a few hours before rising again. It never gets truly dark this time of year.
Here’s a great article from 2019 explaining the phenomenon.
One of the things to keep in mind is in the summer is that there won’t be any real darkness. Unless your characters have great blackout curtains, they still be able to see each other when they turn off the lights. At the same time, the low light is gorgeous. The sun does go down here in Anchorage for a few hours, creating a soft twilight setting. Use that to your advantage in your story.
The Mosquito—Our Other State Bird
Ahh—the bugs. And not just the mosquitos. But they are out there, and I have even managed to incorporate these annoying little pests into my stories at times. It doesn’t matter how much deet is in that bug spray, they’re still coming for your blood. That being said, they definitely like certain temperatures and of course boggy wet areas and forests.
Cow Parsnip
The scourge of Southern Alaska (and parts of the Pacific Northwest), you can find these plants over most of Southeast Alaskan trails. The stems and leaves contain a photosensitive chemical called furocoumarins. While some people have a more intense reaction than others, this chemical causes blistering burns on the skin after exposure to ultraviolet light. An article below details one hiker’s horrific encounter with the plant. It also gies you details of what the plant looks like and its growing conditions.
I mention this, because it could make a great plot point for some of you that may be writing revenge-type stories. My husband has a great story of a friend from the lower 48 who went camping for the first time in Alaska, chopped down a whole mess of it and used it as bedding. His trip did not end well to say the least.
Erratic Weather
There’s a saying in Alaska:
If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.
Ray and I love to joke about the inaccurate weather forecasts. To counter this, whether on a hike or a drive, prepare for changing conditions, and be ready for a little (or a lot) of inclement weather. Sure, the gorgeous blue bird days here in Alaska are wonderful to behold, but since the warm season is so short, we don’t let that hold us back from enjoying the outdoors. To be honest, we don’t let winter hold us back much either, but a hike in the summer is way more pleasant than a hike in the winter. At least in the winter, there’s no mosquitos or cow parsnip!
The Wildlife (they like to watch)
Okay, I don’t know if they LIKE to watch. But they definitely like to interrupt. I think what many people lose sight of, even here in Anchorage, is that we’re on their turf, not the other way around. One of the things that people comment on in my writing is that the characters ALL carry guns.
Is that for real?
Do I REALLY do that?
The answer is yes, I do. I also carry bear spray. What I will also say, is that I have never had to shoot an animal in self-defense (though we have had some pretty close calls). Most wild animals are curious, but really want nothing to do with people. If you make enough noise while hiking, most bears will go the other way. The two most dangerous animals are as follows:
Just a black bear cruising the a neighborhood in Anchorage. If that’s what comes into town, imagine what’s in the backcountry.
Females and their young:
Moose
We see so many tourists trying to get close to the baby moose. I understand why. They’re cute, fuzzy and really awkward on those long spindly legs. But always keep in mind that nearby is one of the most dangerous animals in Alaska. Mama moose is about 1000 lbs of sheer rage when she thinks her baby is threatened. She can turn on a dime, too. More people get injured or killed in Alaska by moose than bear for two reasons:
There’s more moose than bear (ratio of around 3:1)
They seem less threatening
Here’s a great article from Alaska Fish and Game about agreesive moose if you’re looking to incorporate one into your story.
There’s a reason why there’s many jokes about protective Mama bears. It doesn’t help that the cubs are inherently curious and like to wander. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you, avoid at all costs. I’ve heard more than one horror story of a person inadvertently getting between mama bear and baby.
Any animal that has become habituated to humans and is no longer what would be considered wild. These animals now consider humans to be a source of food. This happens quite frequently with bears. Tragically, when this occurs, this is when an animal has escalating and dangerous encounters with humans. Fish and Game can sometimes tag and relocated the animal, but often the animal has to be put down. This is why there are so many strict regulations about food and bear proof containers in the back country. If you are writing about the backcountry and bears, here’s the specific page related to that:
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, check out my Alaska backcountry horror novella, The Dark Land, available on Amazon now.
The legend of Alaska’s Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. Its hunger for human flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter. Courage, skill and love will be stretched to the limits on the isolated trails of The Dark Land.
When the Excelsior pulled into Seattle with a “ton of gold”
mined from a small tributary of the Klondike River in 1897, a million people
made plans to head north. One hundred thousand people crossed the Canadian
border. Forty thousand people passed through Dawson City during the summer of
1898, only to find that most of the claims had already been taken. Tough
conditions, disease and back breaking work weeded out the weakest.
Plain cross, person unknown
Ghosts of the Yukon
It’s not surprising that the Alaska-Yukon Goldfields are riddled with ghostly tales. Spectre dog-teams in the night, towing evanescent passengers. Haunted ships cruising on empty lakes under the midnight sun. But one of the most famous haunted places is Dawson City’s Palace Grand Theater.
The Palace Grand Theater, built in 1899 by Arizona Charlie. One of the Most haunted buildoings in Dawson City.
The Finest Theater in the Paris of the North
Built by showman Arizona Charlie, The Palace Grand Theater didn’t open until 1899. By then, Dawson’s boom was almost over. People were already moving on to the next strikes in Nome and Fairbanks. But the Palace Grand was the finest theater in the “Paris of the North.” When the boom finally faded, Dawson’s historic buildings were abandoned and left to decay. In the 1960’s Parks Canada made an effort to restore the buildings and retain the Gold Rush history.
The Palace Grand Theater puts on multiple shows a day as part of their historic presentations. Multiple people working in the theater have recounted paranormal tales and activity. I have included a link to this video from Yukon paranormal.
Yukon Paranormal, Episode 3 Ghosts of the Klondike
Some believe the footsteps echoing through the second story
belong to Arizona Charlie, the famous showman and friend of Buffalo Bill. Does
he come back and visit his box to watch over his theater? Or is it one of the
other “Kings of Dawson,” who dug a fortune out of the Yukon and lavished it on
the “Goodtime Girls”?
“The poor ginks just gotta’ spend it, they’re scared they’ll die before they get it out of the ground.” –“Diamond Tooth” Gertie Lovejoy on the miner’s spending habits
As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, one of the
disappointing aspects about researching is that you can’t include ALL of the
fascinating things you find. While writing my series about Dawson City in 1898,
I have tried to include as much as I could about the real characters of the
Klondike Rush.
Kings of Dawson
Some of the other potential candidates for the male ghosts
haunting the Palace grand would be “Big Alex” Mc Donald who dug a fortune in
gold out of his claims, but died a pauper in 1909 after spending it all, always
assuming there would be more. To his credit, he didn’t spend it all on ladies
of the demimonde. He was known for donating money to charity or lending money
to people in need. During the Typhoid outbreak in Dawson when the first crudely
build hospital burned down, he donated money to fund the building of a new one,
earning him a knighthood from the pope.
One of the Kings of Dawson, “Big Alex” McDonald. He made and lost a fortune, but he was remembered for his generosity and civic responsibility, even though he died a pauper on his claim.
“Swiftwater Bill” was well known for making a fool of himself with the ladies of the redlight district of Dawson. According to Lael Morgan’s book, Good Time Girls of the Alaska Klondike Gold Rush, he made and lost three fortunes during his stint in Dawson. He frequented the saloons and dance halls, lavishing gold on his wives and mistresses. He even commissioned this gold belt for Rose Blumpkin.
Gold nugget belt made for Rose Blumkin. Image UAF-1964-79
Klondike Kate: “Queen of the Klondike”
“To us she was laughter and beauty and song. She was
forgetfulness of hardship and homesickness. But she was more than that, she was
our friend—a square shooter.”—The introduction as Klondike Kate was honored at
the annual Alaska-Yukon Pioneers Stampede in Oregon in 1931.
Klondike Kate Rockwell, Queen of the Klondike ASL-P-41-56 P. E. Larss Photograph Collection, 1898-1904. ASL-PCA-41
A Lonely and Queenly Presence
Multiple people have described encountering a presence in
the dressing room that once belonged to the most famous and boldest of the “Good
Time Girls,” Klondike Kate. Others have seen a lonely red-haired woman on the
second floor in the boxes or on stage after the theater closes when they are
locking up for the night.
Sweetheart of the Sourdoughs
A woman ahead of her time, she made her way north to seek
her fortune, purportedly disguising herself as a man to get around the Mounty’s
restrictions around women rafting over the “Five-Finger” Rapids.* She was
determined to get to the Klondike, where she was sure fortune awaited. When she
got to crowded, muddy Dawson city, she set about making a name for herself. She
was known for her famous “Flame dance,” where she would use fans to keep 200
yards of chiffon airborne while she danced in front of red lights. She was also
known for roller-skating on stage in a skimpy leotard. While a talented
actress, she was well known amongst the miners for her kindness, and quickly
became the “Sweetheart of the Sourdoughs.”
*The Five Finger Rapids was one of the more treacherous parts of the “weeding-out” process. Especially considering many of the rafts were home-made. So many of the boats wrecked going through the canyon that the RCMP started inspecting the rafts before they launched. They felt that women should not shoot through the rapids and forced them to hike around.
The Wrong Man
Unfortunately, she fell for the wrong man. Head-over-heels
for bartender Alexander Pantages, he fleeced her for thousands of dollars then
dumped her for a younger woman. Heartbroken, she tried to recover the money by
suing him (they were business partners). But after a year she was only able to
recover a few thousand dollars. A few years later he was accused of raping an
underage girl and was sentenced to 50 years in San Quentin. He served 2 years
before being later acquitted, he died five years later never recovering from
the ordeal. Some accounts speculate that the entire crime was a set up by some
of the miners who loved Kate and had a spite at Pantages for the heartbreak he
had caused her.
“I was the flower of the north, but the petals are falling awfully fast honey.” Klondike Kate at 71, in an interview she gave before her death in 1956.
She lived life to the fullest, marrying 3 times. Now when the lights go low in the Palace Grand Theater, her ghost walks the stage and the boxes. People smell roses or rosewater in her dressing room. Perhaps this summer when we visit Dawson again as part of my research, I’ll get the chance to say hello to the spirit of this amazing pioneer woman.
A picture of me at one of our favorite surprise stops in Dawson, the Sternwheel GraveyardThe Dark Land, Available on Amazon
Lured by her high peaks and vast forests, adventurers swarm to the siren call of Alaska’s backcountry. Her harsh bite scars many. Some never return
The legend of the Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. Its hunger for human flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter.
Thanks for reading. If you sign up for my newsletter, you’ll get a sneak peak of the sequel to the Dark Land.
Even as the snow continues to fall, the days are getting longer and we feel spring is right around the corner. Ray and I are planning for not only the 1st Chicken Run of 2020 (tentatively the last weekend in April), but placing orders for our summer projects. We have a lot of plans for this summer and we can’t wait to get started.
Travelling the Taylor and Top of the World Highways
Top of the World HIghway, Alaska side
But as some of you who follow me regularly know, Ray and I
have a passion for Historic Ghost Towns. We’re planning on getting out this
summer and visiting a few more in the region. We are going up the Taylor and
Top of the World Highways toward Eagle and Boundary to obtain large chunks of
quartz and granite for landscaping and sculptures. We are also going to drive
to Dawson, the setting for my Historical Fiction/Paranormal Romance, A Drink of
Darkness.
Yukon River, looking north from Midnight Dome
Ghost Town of 60-Mile and the Lonely Spectre
One of our stops along the way will be the Ghost Town of
60-Mile. On the Canadian side of the border, people were mining in this area more
than ten years before the discovery of gold on the Klondike. During its heyday,
almost 2000 people lived in this remote area. Before the highway was built, it
was the direct route between the mining towns of the 40-Mile district of Alaska
and the Klondike goldfields. Most people packed up and headed for Dawson when they
heard of the big strike. But a few stayed and continued to mine (there are
still some small mining operations to this day).
From the Ghost Town of Chicken, AK; a the former residence of a hermit miner featured in some of my blogs, Toad
Hermit Miners
According to resources, one character in particular was a
hermit miner named John Stockton. One of the interesting things about the
miners who come to the region, and really people who come to Alaska in general,
they are true loners. Many really want to just work their claims and be alone.
They might come into town on once or twice in a summer, pick up their supplies,
and head back out only giving the occasional greeting. From all accounts John
was one of these. Not hostile, but not social.
The Ghost’s Background
John was born in Oregon circa 1866* and was found deceased by the Northwest Mounted Police near his claim in 1944. He filed 6 mining claims with the government. He was buried on top of the hill in a spot he had pre-selected, overlooking the 60-mile valley. According to numerous stories and legends, his ghost still haunts the hill, and can be seen from time to time watching the new mining operations in the distance. He apparently doesn’t like anyone mining on the claim on which his grave rests. Anyone who tries experiences unexplainable equipment problems and bad weather.
Greeting the Ghost
We plan on checking out the ruins of the old town of 60-Mile.
Most of this Ghost Town has succumbed to the elements. We’ll also say hi to
John. According to legend, he’s amicable to people saying hi and visiting his
grave, he just doesn’t like it if they disturb things, linger long, or try to
find out anything about him. Mediums and other people trying to reach out to
him purportedly have gotten a stern, “Leave me alone,” in response to their
well-meaning efforts.
After having our cabin out in Chicken, I could understand
wanting to live my eternity undisturbed out in such a beautiful, peaceful
region. It sounds like the “Lonely Miner of the 60-Mile” is content with his
afterlife.
Who wouldn’t love to enjoy this view forever?
Much of my information on this story, I got from the book, Ghosts of the Klondike Gold Rush by Shirley Jonas.
Thanks for reading. My horror novella set in the Alaska backcountry, The Dark Land, is coming to Amazon May 4th. (pre-sale starts April 16th). If you sing up for my newsletter, you’ll get a sneak preview of a scene from the Dark Land.
Subscribe to our newsletter!
In my next blog post, I will talk about one of the most famous ghosts and hauntings of the Klondike Rush, and Dawson City’s Palace Grand Theatre.
The Dark Land, Available on Amazon
Ancient evil stalks the frozen trails of Alaska’ boreal forests. The legend of the Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. The Dark Land’s hunger for flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter
*I did notice a minor typo in her book about John’s DOB, which is why I note the year of his birth as approximately 1866. It is listed in her book as 1886, which doesn’t add up to his death in 1944 at the age of 79. According to her notes, he filed his first claim in 1909 at age 44.
As previously mentioned in another post, when most people
think of Alaska, they think of the South East. Calving glaciers, tall trees and
forbidding totem poles. While that is a part of Alaska, it is only a small portion.
The inspiration for my stories comes from the expansive interior. In
particular, my novella, The Dark Land, is inspired by Wrangell St. Elias
National Park, the largest park in the United States.
Wrangell St. Elias is 13.2 million acres in size, or
approximately 20 million square miles, most of it is uninhabited wilderness. What
is also unique about this park, 35% of it is covered in glaciers, making it the
largest glacier system in the US. The park is only accessible by road from two
entrances. On the western boarder it can be accessed via the McCarthy road
through Copper Center and Chitina. From the Northern side, it can be accessed
via the Nabesna road. That means the vast majority of the park must be accessed
by other means. In my story, the characters travel by ski and dogsled in
winter.
View of Mt. Sanford from the North side of Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Before Alaska became a state in 1959, Mt. Whitney in
California was the US’s tallest peak at 14, 505’. Many people know that Denali
(Or McKinley to those from “the lower 48”) is the tallest now at 20, 308’. But
what many do not realize is that Whitney became 11th place once
Alaska became part of the union. 7 of the 10 tallest peaks in Alaska reside in
the Wrangell or St. Elias Range (with St. Elias being its tallest. At 18,009’
it is the second tallest mountain in the US). Four mountain ranges converge
within the park boundary (Chugach, Wrangell, St. Elias, and the Southern end of
the Alaska Range).
Concentration Mill , Sacking plant and leeching plant at Kennecott. Mt. Blackburn visible in the background.
Kennecott Mine, which I have featured in a previous post,
can be accessed from the McCarthy Road. The mine was in operation for nearly 30
years. While most copper ore around the world is around 3-7%, The copper seam
in the hills above Kennecott was discovered to be between 60-70% pure, making
it the richest known copper concentration in the world at the time. The
Kennecott Copper Corporation was formed between Daniel Guggenheim, JP Morgan
and Steven Birch, some of the most powerful businessmen of the early 20th
century.
The Copper and Gakona Rivers at Gakona
The Copper River drains through the Wrangell and Chugiach
Mountain Ranges and is known to the “Head Water Peoples” or the First Peoples,
as “The River of the Ahtnas.” It starts at the Copper glacier and runs through
the Wrangell and the Chugach mountain ranges. The Ahtna tribes were considered
to be some of the fiercest of the Athabascan people. As mentioned in a previous
blog post, when the Europeans first tried to chart the Copper River, and sent
expeditions up it, many did not return. The Ahtna and Tanaina culture, language
and legends feature strongly in my writings as it is their beautiful and vast
land in which many of my stories are set.
Having visited this unique and remote region multiple times now, I understand how it has helped shape the history of the state of Alaska. I hope that this blog post helps you to understand a little more about the inspiration for my writing, and maybe inspires you to check out a part of the world that is a little off the beaten path. If you would like to read more about my upcoming projects or backcountry adventures, sign up for my newsletter.
Me out in Chicken taking a break with Jane Friedman’s the Business of Being a Writer
Thanks for reading! My Alaska backcountry horror novella, The Dark Land is currently available on Amazon:
The legend of Alaska’s Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. Its hunger for human flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter. Courage, skill and love will be stretched to the limits on the isolated boundaries of The Dark Land
Reliable, cost effective and environmentally sustainable energy storage is a key to making alternative energy solutions competitive against other sources for the long term. Solar, wind, hydro, and tidal energy are abundant at times and in certain regions. Without the means to store this energy for when times are lean and make it accessible to all, it is easy to fall back onto fossil fuels.
Solar arrays near Nipton.
ALASKA CHALLENGES IN REMOTE LOCATIONS
Which brings me to my upcoming summer project with our new solar kit. For those of you who follow my posts regularly, our cabin is in a remote region of Alaska, subject to extreme temperatures. The record low for Chicken is -76. The highs can easily hit 80-90 in the summer months, where our ridge easily gets 21+ hours of sunlight a day at its peak.
View of the sunset from our cabin. Time is approximately midnight at the summer solstice. The sun will dip behind the mountains for about 3 hours, never quite getting dark..
BATTERIES AND PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOLAR ENERGY
Battery longevity and efficiency is of extreme importance. Batteries are expensive parts of a photovoltaic system. They are, at their heart, simple devices. By definition, a battery is two dissimilar metals immersed in an electrolytic (typically acid) solution. This creates a chemical reaction. They are also (depending on their construction), highly corrosive and toxic waste in landfills. It is important that as we develop alternative energy storage solutions, we maximize storage efficiency to minimize waste and reduce cost. The extremes in temperatures that I mentioned above can degrade a battery’s life, requiring it to be replaced more frequently, thus adding more waste to our landfills and requiring more mining of rare earth minerals.
Me out in Chicken taking a break with Jane Friedman’s the Business of Being a Writer
I will be conducting a study of our system, keeping track of
load, temperatures, charge and charge times, acid levels and specific gravity. I
will track this information as a means to help manufacturers and researchers
refine their processes to create energy storage solutions that can better
withstand extreme environments and improve alternative energy accessibility for
all.
Taylor Highway Closed
This will be the first of many projects we hope to bring to life out in the 31 remote acres in the 40-Mile District of Alaska. Thanks for reading. In my next blog, I will discuss a little more in-depth on the details of our system design and capacity.
Summer of 2020 IS GOING TO BE AN ADVENTURE!
HOLD MY BEER!
Me and my father-in-law Shep, having a beer at the bar in Chicken, AK
Thanks for reading. I plan on posting many of our adventures this summer and beyond as I move into my next phase of my life and career. In the meantime, if you are looking for a fictional Alaska adventure, The Dark Land is available on Amazon
The legend of Alaska’s Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. Its hunger for human flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter. Courage, skill and love will be stretched to the limits on the isolated boundaries of The Dark Land.
Sign up for my newsletter for sneak peaks of the sequel and my other writing!
It seems like for everyone I talk to, 2019 has been a
dumpster fire. I know that I will be happy to see this year in the rearview
mirror. For those of you who know me/follow me closely, you know that I have
struggled with MS and other health related issues this year. Then in August,
the company I worked for announced that they were selling our business unit.
These last few months I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my career path
and what I want to do going forward.
Me with a frame 5 GE rotor
It surprised a lot of people, given that I’m only 41, that I
opted to package out. Instead of applying for a job with the new operator, I
requested to be severed. For me, the choice was simple. This is an opportunity
to make a deep change in my life. I have explained in my blogs, that I have
always enjoyed writing. I enjoy engineering and math just as much. In the last
few years, I have felt that my job was taking me down a path that led me away
from what I enjoyed doing. I was no longer an engineer, I was pushing paper and
collecting a paycheck. Meanwhile my blood pressure was ratcheting up, as I argued
against decisions I disagreed with, only to get overridden. The stress seemed
to eat away at my very being. The only thing making my job worth doing was supporting
the great technicians and operators I work with.
The guys cleaning a substation
I hinted over this weekend of exciting announcements to come. I’m still waiting for my final severance date (I’ll get my letter in the mail Friday—I’ll be sure to let you know). But in the meantime, Ray and I are laying our plans for the future.
Monday Ray and I will be putting the down payment for our
first solar kit out at the cabin. We’ll be sharing pictures and posts as we
design and install our new solar panels, inverter, charger and batteries. We’re
looking forward to the greater flexibility as we stay out at the cabin for
longer in the summers and plan out adventures.
The cabin at night.
We also have some major construction projects in the works
for the summer of 2020. We poured our foundations this past summer, but in
July, we will be erecting a new cook shed and shower/sauna. It feels a little
weird, bringing creature comforts to our cabin that has been rustic for so
long. But as we transition from city living to Chicken these are changes that
will make living off-grid more convenient.
Breaking up the snow for water-I’ll really be looking forward to when we have a better water system!
We also plan on taking a few months and driving the ALCAN (a
trip I have never done before). We’re going to do an extended road trip to
visit friends in the lower 48. As some of you may have noticed, Ray and I have
kind of an obsession with old ghost towns. Expect to see lots of pictures and
historical blog posts about our adventures.
The Sternwheel Graveyard, one of our favorite stops on our Dawson City, YT adventure in the summer of 2019
We’re not entirely sure what the long term will bring, but I am excited for this leap. I plan on focusing on my writing in 2020 and hopefully bringing my fiction works one step closer to getting published. I also hope to get my own engineering projects/start-up company off the ground. I’m grateful for this deep-sea change. This is a true, once in a lifetime opportunity, and I look forward to sharing our plans and schemes with those of you who keep following me.
Me out in Chicken taking a break with Jane Friedman’s the Business of Being a Writer
