ARRC Guest Services Narration

Section 1: Introduction

ARR TOURGUIDE COMMENTARY 2022 SEWARD - BROADPASS MP 1.6 SEWARD DEPOT (Left SB, Right NB) The original Seward depot was constructed in 1917 at what is now Adams Street and Ballaine Boulevard to serve the railroad line. In 1928 the building was moved to its current location on Railway Avenue following a flood of Lowell Creek. 1 MP 2.9 AIRPORT (Left SB, Right NB) The Seward Airport with a nice view of Resurrection Bay behind it. With weekly flights to Canada, Seward Airport is likely the smallest international Airport you will ever see. **FYI-Approximate Airport Operational Statistics: -Aircraft based on the field: 25 -Single engine aircrafts: 25 -Average Operations: 203 per week (42.8% air taxi, 38% transient general aviation, 19% local general aviation, 38.1% General Aviation Itinerant and 1% military) 2 MP 3 RESURRECTION RIVER The bridge over Resurrection River is the geographic city limits for the city of Seward. The river’s water source is the Harding Ice Field and explains why the river is “dirty” with glacier silt. Fish gills are delicate and easily damaged by abrasive sediment particles so not many salmon are present. 3 EXIT GLACIER ROAD Exit Glacier in the Kenai Fjords National Park is just 10 miles north of Seward, and is the easiest to reach of the many glaciers that flow from the Harding Ice Field. Exit Glacier Road takes you to the Ranger Station and picnic site, only a half of a mile from the glacier. Trails lead you to the glacier and your choice of either a 3⁄4 or 3.5 mile hike around the area. Exit Glacier is a remnant of a larger glacier once extending to Resurrection Bay. SEWARD - “GATEWAY TO KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK” Grigor Shelikhov, a Siberian merchant, built the first Russian settlement on Kodiak in 1784. Shelikhov hired Alexander Baranov and in 1792 ordered the building of ships in the new colony. Baranov entered the inlet he chose for the shipbuilding site on Easter Sunday, 1793 and named it "Voskrensenskaya Gavan," - Resurrection Bay. The PHOENIX, the first Russian ship built in what was to become America, was launched in August, 1794. Frank Lowell and his family settled on Resurrection Bay in 1884. Mrs. Lowell, who was of Russian and Native extraction, and several children and their spouses, had homes in what became part of the original townsite. Mail and supplies for the gold fields in the Hope-Sunrise area were landed here as early as the 1890's. The founding of Seward is dated from the August 28, 1903 landing party headed by the Ballaine brothers, the founders of the Alaska Central Railway.Seward's earliest settlers, many of whom had arrived on the steamer SANTA ANA in 1903, had built a thriving town. Millionaire's Row, a series of larger homes on Third Avenue, were built and occupied by Alaska Central Railway officials by 1905. Many of these early homes and apartments such as the Ballaine House, Hale House, Cameron House, Holland House, Winter, Stewart and Williams Houses and Harborview http://www.cityofseward.ne 1 t/hpc/historic_properties/seward_depot.shtml.htm 2 https://www.airport-data.com/airport/SWD/stats.html 3 https://www.salmon-trout.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/STC-The-impact-of-excessfine- sediment-on-invertebrates-and-fish-in-riverine-systems.pdf 1 Apartments still stand inn Seward today.4 Except for a sharp decline after the devastating 1964 Earthquake, Seward’s population has grown steadily, and today Seward and its vicinity is home to about 2,852. Seward is named after William Henry Seward who served as the United States Secretary of State during the administrations of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. Seward negotiated the United States purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. The treaty was signed March 30, 1867, and is celebrated annually as Seward’s Day. The price, $7.2 million dollars, amounted to about two cents per acre. In modern terms, the cost was equivalent to $133 million in 2020 dollars or $0.37 per acre. Critics of the deal to purchase Alaska called it "Seward's Folly" or "Seward's Icebox." Opposition to the purchase of Alaska quickly subsided with the Klondike Gold Strike in 1896. 5 Seward is known for being to hometown of Benny Benson, who was an orphan that resided at the now historic, Jesse Lee Home. On a return trip to Alaska from Washington D.C., territorial governor at the time, George Parks, was inspired by other states flags he saw on his trip, and had the Alaska American Legion hold a competition for children grades 7-12 to design Alaska’s state flag. A 7th grader at the time, Benny designed a simple, yet meaningful design that was chosen out of 142 designs across the state. The constellation Ursa Major or the “Great Bear” symbolized strength. The stars were colored gold to represent Alaska’s gold resources, and the North Star symbolized Alaska being the northernmost state and its prospective future. The blue background represents the Alaskan Forget- Me-Not flower, (which became the state’s flower when Alaska became a state on January 3rd, 1959). Benny was awarded a watch with the flag emblem on it and a $1,000 educational scholarship, which he used to study diesel mechanics. 6 The 1964 earthquake was a defining moment in Seward’s history. Thirteen people died – mostly due to the tsunamis that followed the 9.2 quake. Eighty-six homes were demolished and hundreds of others damaged. Seward’s waterfront industry was destroyed: docks, railroad, fish processors, oil companies, and most of the fishing fleet. From its founding in 1903, the town had served as a transportation hub with its marine, rail, and, later, highway links to other points in Alaska. The earthquake severed all these connections, and it took years for the community to rebuild its economic base. Oil storage tanks along Resurrection Bay exploded and caught fire. Afraid Seward would be consumed in flames, people headed out of town, but the first bridge over Resurrection River had sunk five feet and was impassable. There was no way out. The quake also loosened huge amounts of silt that flowed into the bay. As the sea bottom heaved and dropped, a huge whirlpool developed and water drained into the void. The Alaska Standard, a docked oil tanker, hit bottom. Vast portions of the waterfront, 50 to 400 feet wide, simply fell into the water. The first tsunami, as wide as the bay, and perhaps 30 feet high, rolled in about 30 minutes after the quake began. Wave after wave continued, and did not stop until the following morning. As testimony to its strong spirit and for the way its residents pulled together after the quake, Seward was recognized as an All-American City in 1965. 4 http://www.alaskasview.com/home2.cfm/action/outdoorsDetails/locationId/12/dsp/ content_dtls/contentId/99/sectionId/69 5 https://guides.loc.gov/alaska-treaty 6 https://alaskahistoricalsociety.org/discover-alaska/kids-page/benny-benson-an-alaska-kidwho- made-history/ 2 The seasonal economy during the summer is based around fishing and tourism. Seward’s year round economy is based on the port (shipment of coal and freight), the prison and the research of the marine life. POLAR BEAR JUMP The Polar Bear Jump is a weekend event held in January, when several costumed characters plunge into Resurrection Bay to raise money for the American Cancer Society and the Kenai Peninsula Children with Cancer. Weekend events include a bone-chilling parade, bachelor/bachelorette auction, waiter/waitress contest, and oyster slurping. The first Polar Bear Jump was held in 1986. JACKPOT HALIBUT TOURNAMENT The Jackpot Halibut Tournament is held every year from mid-May through mid- September. Prizes are awarded each week of the tournament for various categories, largest fish, tagged fish, and even a left-handed caught fish award. Prizes are also awarded based on random target weights ranging from 60 to 120 pounds. A grand prize jackpot winner is determined at the end of the tournament. In 2011, Chad Aldridge won the Jackpot prize of $28,260.00 for the largest catch during the season that weighed in at 350.8 lbs. SILVER SALMON DERBY This event is held in August. Every year the derby offers a $10,000 prize for the biggest fish, but there is ample cash and other prizes for all of the top 50 salmon. 7 MT. MARATHON According to folklore, the race began when two sourdoughs had an argument about whether it was possible to climb and descend the mountain in less than one hour. “Impossible”, one said. To settle the argument and the resulting wager, it was decided to hold a race with the loser to furnish drinks for the crowd. The race is just 265 feet short of three miles, but is 3,022 feet straight up and the medics are ready and waiting as the runners come across the finish line. While short, it is grueling with an often muddy and treacherous trail. The first race took 1 hour and 2 minutes, and it became an organized event in 1915 and is held annually on the 4th of July. 8 THE SEWARD HIGHWAY The Seward Highway follows the route of an old mail trail, the Johnson Trail, which was built paralleling the north shore of the Turnagain Arm. In Overall Record Name Year Time Men David Norris 2016 0:41:26 Women Emelie Forsberg 2015 0:47:48 Boys Bill Spencer 1973 0:24:30 Girls Allison Ostrander 2014 0:28:54 http://static.7 squarespace.com/static/51dd79abe4b02bbec3277528/t/ 537f7a60e4b05063564579f6/1400863328158/3+Seward+Highway+Seward+to+Anchorage.pdf 8 https://mountmarathon.com/records/ 3 1915, the Crow and Indian Pass trails were in heavy use as supply routes to the Iditarod gold fields in interior Alaska. Construction began on the highway after WWII in 1948 and was completed in 1950. The highway was not paved until 1954. Improvements are continuously being made on the road as travel increases between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula. The Seward Highway runs 127 miles from Seward to Anchorage and has been designated an All-American Road and National Forest Scenic Byway. MP 12 DIVIDE (The commentary for Divide can be given when you’re just about to cross the divide (as opposed to other stories, which should be started about 2 minutes in advance. Pay attention to the orientation of the train to see if you have reached to divide yet. If you can’t tell if the train is going up or down, put a pen on a table, or open the sliding door to a restroom half way and see which way it falls to determine if you have reached the divide yet. It sounds silly, but it works!) Right now we’re making our second crossing of the Kenai Mountains at an elevation of 694 feet. This is a watershed divide. If it falls on the south side (right... here!) it will flow back into Resurrection Bay. If water falls on the north side of the divide (right … here!) it will flow into Kenai Lake and then Cook Inlet. MP 14.5 SNOW RIVER Soon we’ll be crossing over Snow River, which is a good example of a braided stream. Braided streams occur when a river is made up of numerous small channels intertwining between sand and gravel bars. Braided streams are created when the water flowing from a glacier cannot transport its load. When there is a decrease in the speed of the water and sediment is deposited on the floor of the channel creating bars. These bars separate the channel in to several smaller channels creating a braided appearance. Further sediment is built up due to the accumulation of glacial ice and debris, this debris holds up the flow of water and erosion of sediment. These glacially fed rivers are extremely common in Alaska. MP 22 KENAI LAKE (Right SB, Left NB) Here to our 9:00 side, we can see the eastern end of Kenai Lake. It is the headwaters to the beautiful and infamous Kenai River. The lake is more than 24 miles long, over 600' deep in certain spots and is very cold! Its turquoise blue color is from the light reflecting off of glacial silt suspended in the water. There is an abundance of Lake Trout and Dolly Varden and every species of salmon moves through the lake to their spawning streams. MP 22 KENAI HISTORY (Right SB, Left NB) Across from the Kenai Lake at our 9:00 are the breathtaking geographical landmarks called the Kenai Mountains. Interestingly enough, the word “Kenai” is Athabaskan for “flat land”. It is however named after one of the most historic cities of Alaska: Kenai, which is located just behind the Kenai Mountains. Kenai got its start around 1000 B.C. when it was first established by the Kachemaks. Then, in 1000 A.D., they were replaced by the Dena’ina Athabaskan Indians. It wasn’t until 1741 when the Alaskan natives had their first interaction with the Russians, and at that time over 1500 Athabaskans were already thriving in Kenai. The Russians built a trading post named Ft. Nicholas Redoubt in 1791. It was built in the middle of the village of Kenai where it was used to import and export furs and fish. They also built Russian Orthodox churches in the village. The “Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Church” is the most well-known. Built back in 1895, it still stands to this day! In 1957, “black gold”, or oil, was found in the Swanson River. It was the first oil strike in the state of Alaska. Ever since then Kenai has been a very important oil importer. If you were to visit Kenai today, you would find many large oil tanks and refineries. 4 MP 23.3 LAWING (Right SB, Left NB) (Lawing comes up very quickly. Northbound: to the 3:00 side after Kenai Lake disappears from sight. Start your story before you pass Lawing, then have people watching for the small cluster of buildings.) Named for the late "Alaska Nellie" Lawing, a pioneer woman employed by the railroad in its earliest, roughest days. She was the first woman to hold a contract with the federal government, as the Alaska Railroad was federally owned. In 1923, Nellie used her life’s savings to purchase her final home, a roadhouse on Kenai Lake. The railroad stop along the blue-green waters was renamed Lawing when Nellie Neal married Bill Lawing, and together they built the roadhouse into a popular tourist stop on the Alaska Railroad. Vegetables from Nellie’s garden were served with fresh fish from the lake or with game from the nearby hills, and Nellie’s stories, often embellished with her rollicking tall tales, kept her audiences delighted. Celebrities, politicians, tourists and even locals came to enjoy the purely Alaskan hospitality at the Lawings’ roadhouse on Kenai Lake. 9 People from all over the world heard about Nellie and her heroic efforts. Many wanted to write her, but no one knew her address so they simply addressed them to “Nellie, Alaska” and she was so well known that the fan mail would reach her. The following are just short examples of the sort of woman Alaska Nellie was and the magnitude of courage and gumption she possessed. · She pulled a dog sled (with no dogs) around her shoulders for 30 miles to move supplies to her roadhouse. · As a business woman, she built and managed a Roadhouse and charged $.50 for dinners and $1.00 per night for lodging. (She was the first woman to get a contract from the government to build a roadhouse on the railroad). Nellie named the roadhouse Grandview and cut up an old blue coat, ironed it, and sewed it on white cloth to make a sign. · She built a museum to display all the animals she killed and skinned (herself), then made it a tourist attraction for those traveling along the Alaska railroad. · Her way of getting dinner items together was putting a trout line in the river with a bell on it. When the bell rang (meaning she snagged a fish), she knew dinner was ready. · When her pet black bear, Mike, was found dead with a brown bear standing over him, she chased down the bear and killed it. · The U.S. president Herbert Harding and his wife, Lou Henry Hoover were guests at her roadhouse. MP 25 FALLS CREEK Around the turn of the century there were many small gold mines high in the mountains here. These were lode gold mines where the miners mined the quartz veins that contained gold. The quartz was then crushed and broken, then the gold was separated by from the quartz using gravity and water to separate the two, such as gold panning. These were small operations that continued into the 1950s, but very little mining activity has gone on since then. MP 29.5 MOOSE PASS (Right SB, Left NB) A former railroad construction camp, this area gained its name from a mail carrier in 1903. It seems this mail carrier had continual confrontations with the numerous local moose while making his mail runs. He began calling it Moose Pass hoping to attract hunters to lower the moose population! Well, I don’t think it worked, because today Moose Pass is home to many moose, along with its approximate 200 residents! 9 https://kmtacorridor.org/alaska-nellie/ 5 MP 32 UPPER TRAIL LAKE The lake you see out the 9:00 side of the train is Upper Trail Lake. This lake is fed by the run off from Trail Glacier. When all the conditions are right, this lake is a mirror with a perfect reflection of the surrounding mountains. (Typically the lake is calm in the morning, but by afternoon, a slight breeze ripples the lake too much for a good reflection shot. If this is the case, don’t even let your passengers know what they’re missing. Be on the lookout for moose at the North end of Upper Trail Lake) on the far side of the lake you can see a salmon hatchery run by the Cook Inlet Aqua Culture Association (nonprofit). The salmon are raised here and then released into Resurrection Bay and Cook Inlet. MP 33 BRIDGE OVER TRAIL CREEK Not far from here, the Johnson Pass Trail takes off from the railroad and heads North, This used to be a wagon road connecting the railroad to the mining towns of Hope and Sunrise on the Turnagain Arm. Today it is a popular summer hiking and mountain biking trail. MP 39 ARR HISTORY As we continue along our trip today I would like to take a moment to tell you about the construction of the Alaska Railroad. Let’s start the story way back in 1867, that’s when The United States purchased Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million dollars. William H. Seward, who was Secretary of State at the time, arranged the transaction. Today we know that the U.S. got quite a good deal, but back then most folks thought the purchase of Alaska was a big mistake. They thought Alaska was nothing but a frozen wasteland. In fact, the purchase of Alaska was commonly referred to as Seward’s Folly! From 1867 to the turn of the century, Alaska lacked any reliable means of transportation. We had no way to get our natural resources to market. The gold rush of 1898 brought attention to Alaska remoteness, rugged terrain and inaccessibility. Travel by river was only 4 months of the year. The few trails which existed were primitive and torturous. This hurt the growth of our economy greatly. Several attempts had been made by private companies to build a railroad in Alaska, all but two (Whitepass Yukon and Copper River railroads) ended in failure, due to high construction costs. At the turn of the century many thought it outrageous that a territory over two and a half times as large as Texas was without a railroad. Many people thought that a railroad was so important to the development of Alaska, that if the private sector couldn’t do it, the government should. Finally in March 1914, after extensive lobbying efforts, the Federal Government appropriated funds to complete the rail line and created the Alaska Railroad. At the completion of the Panama Canal, (Jan 1914) all the excess equipment and manpower were transferred to Alaska. At the peak of construction 4500 workers were employed. Col. Mears of the Army Corps of Engineers was selected to build the ARR. The approved route originated in the deepwater, ice-free port of Seward, on the Kenai Peninsula and extended north along Turnagain Arm, into the coalfields of the Matanuska Valley and ultimately ended in the interior city of Fairbanks. Construction of the Alaska Railroad was completed in 1923. President Warren G. Harding came to Alaska in July of 1923 and drove the golden spike in the town of Nenana commemorating the completion of the Alaska Railroad. It took approximately eight years and cost $70 million, or nearly $1 billion in 2012 dollars! Interestingly enough, at the time of completion, the combined populations of the three major towns on its route, Seward, Anchorage, and Fairbanks were only 5,400 people. 6 The Alaska Railroad was of great value during WWII to transport military personnel, civilians and equipment. However, due to heavy usage during this time, it needed to be rebuilt. Part of this rehabilitation was to replace old equipment. In 1944, the Railroad bought its first two diesel engines to start replacing the steam engines that had been used up until this time. The last steam engine was sold in 1964. (The last steam engine used on the ARR was the 557 and was recently donated back to the Alaska Railroad. Once the 557 is restored, the Railroad plans on using it for tours and excursions.) This was the first and only railroad built and run by the United States Federal Government. In fact, the U.S. Department of the Interior ran the Alaska Railroad until the 1980’s. In 1985, the State of Alaska bought the Alaska Railroad for $22.3 million. Now a board of directors appointed by the Governor of Alaska runs the Alaska Railroad. Gold was discovered in the Klondike region of the Yukon on Aug 16, 1896. 100K people attempted to get there. 30-40K made it to Dawson, only 4K found gold and a few hundred became rich. The peak of the “rush” lasted one year from the summer of 1897 until the summer of 1898. It ended as quickly as it began with the discovery of gold in Nome in 1899. MP 42-40 20-10 SPRUCE BARK BEETLE (This story may be moved to any place you see ‘beetle-kill’ trees) You might have noticed that many trees in this area look dead or dying. That is because they have become infested with the Spruce Bark Beetle. These beetles are present in small numbers in all spruce forests, but over the last decade their population has increased dramatically and caused a major infestation problem in South-Central Alaska. The beetles burrow into and lay their eggs in under the bark of the tree, disrupting the flow of nutrients throughout the tree. This eventually kills the tree. After remaining in the infested tree for two years, the new beetles will emerge after three consecutive days where the temperature reaches 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and find another spruce tree to infest. Many solutions have been proposed, including controlled burns of ‘beetle-kill’ areas as well as using a spray designed to defend spruce trees from the beetles. This spray is used in and around the city of Anchorage in an attempt to prevent the beetles from penetrating city limits and creating these extreme fire hazards. It seems there is no quick fix for the Spruce Bark Beetle infestation, but hopefully, we’ll have the situation under control in the next few years. *Great spot to start talking about the tour guide program if you haven’t already… MP 42 TRAIL GLACIER (Left SB, Right NB) Soon, to our 3:00 side, we’ll have a view of Trail Glacier, which is responsible for Trail River and both Trail Lakes that we will pass later on our journey today Trail Glacier gets its name from its “medial moraine”. When you look at the glacier, it has a big strip of dirt running up the middle. Someone once thought it looked like a trail. As glaciers carve their way down mountains, they pick up and scrape lots of debris and rocks along their sides, these areas are called “lateral moraines”. Long ago, two glaciers came together in this valley to form what we now know as Trail Glacier. Where the lateral moraines of these glaciers converged, we have the medial moraine of Trail Glacier. The origin of the name for Trail Glacier comes from the original foot path used by the Native Americans to cross the area between valleys. It was later turned into and wagon road and eventually the first railroad built into Alaska followed this route. Hence the names Trail Glacier, Trail River and Trail Lakes. Trail Glacier will be on the 3:00 side, and it is absolutely beautiful. Something you’ll definitely want to have your cameras ready for, especially because we only see it twice between tree openings for a few seconds! 7 MP 44.8 TRAIL GLACIER (Left SB, Right NB) Point out Trail Glacier to your passengers. Most engineers will slow down for a view if time allows. MP 45 GRANDVIEW Right now, we’re making our first crossing through the Kenai Mountains. The summit of this pass is at an elevation of 1,063 feet was named Grandview by Alaska Nellie where she had her Grandview lodge. “Grandview seemed the most appropriate name to me for ‘Mile 45’.” Nellie wrote in her autobiography, Alaska Nellie. ”Being without paint with which to paint the sign, I found an old blue coat, which I washed and pressed, cut letters for the sign from it and sewed them to a strip of white oil cloth. This pennant was tacked to the porch in front of the house. ‘Mile 45’ was now Grandview.“ Also 10 on our 3:00 is the Grandview whistle stop and overlook. You can see there are 2 small wooden shelters, a pit toilet, and a 1500’ trail that leads up to an overlook of the majority of the valley. Shortly to our 3:00 side, you’ll see a beautiful cascading waterfall that feeds into an old beaver pond. This is the headwaters of the Placer River, Placer Falls, Grandview Falls, or as some tour guides in the past referred to this gorgeous seven-tier waterfall, Snow White Falls” since there were seven dwarves! In 1916, Nellie Trosper became the first woman to get a roadhouse contract from the Railroad. Nellie became known for her feats of strength and endurance that bordered on the fantastical and grew more and more exaggerated every time she told the stories to entertain her guests. One legend of Alaska Nellie began near here in the winter of 1920 during a snowstorm while waiting for the mail carrier. She eventually realized the mail carrier must be in trouble and ventured out to find him. She found the man, brought him back to her cabin and thawed him out. She was given a gold nugget necklace with a small diamond set in a star as reward for her heroic efforts. Likely due in part to her plucky approach, she was awarded a lucrative government contract to run a roadhouse at mile 44.9, a scenic location she promptly named Grandview. Her agreement with the Alaska Engineering Commission was to provide food and lodging for the government employees; her skill with a rifle filled out the menu, and her gifted storytelling kept her guests highly entertained. Nellie described the accommodations at Grandview in her book, ‘Alaska Nellie’: “The house was small but comfortable. A large room with thirteen bunks, used as sleeping quarters for the men, was just above the dining room. A small room above the kitchen served as my quarters. To the rear of the building a stream of clear, cold water flowed down from the mountain and was piped into the kitchen. Nature was surely in a lavish mood when she created the beauty of the surroundings of this place. The timber-clad mountains, the flower-dotted valley, the irresistible charm of the continuous stretches of mountains and valleys was something in which to revel.” 11 You're now entering the northernmost rainforest in the world. Notice the trees change from spruce to mountain hemlock. Also notice the hair-like Usnea moss hanging from the branches and bark, “Old Man’s Beard” is a 10 Alaska Nellie by Nellie Neal Lawing (Seattle: Chieftain Press, 1940) 11 Alaska Nellie by Nellie Neal Lawing (Seattle: Chieftain Press, 1940) 8 lichen that looks like light colored hairs on the trees. Usnea can only grow in pristine environments and is used as a natural immune booster, by the local indigenous communities. Usnea is used by the local indigenous people as an antiviral. Steeped as a tea and mixed with the Chaga mushroom they can create a power packed immune booster. MP 47 THE ‘S’ CURVE Soon we’ll be traveling on a section of track known as the ‘S’ Curve. While on the ‘S’ Curve, we’ll be making tighter turns. This will be the best opportunity to get a look at the front/back of the train as we go around the curves. The track on the ‘S’ Curve has a 3% grade, meaning for every hundred feet forward we travel, we’ll be (dropping/gaining) 3 feet in elevation. That might not sound like much, but it is quite steep in terms of railroads. This is the steepest grade that we have on the Alaska Railroad. ALANA FALLS (Right SB, Left NB) *Just before the ‘S’ Curve starts. A very large and majestic waterfall can be seen on the 9:00 side. This waterfall was once so spectacular to a young tour guide during her first year with the Alaska Railroad, she decided it needed a name. Unable to find an existing name for the falls, in 2006, this waterfall became lovingly and “unofficially” referred to as “Alana Falls” (“Uhlay- nah”), which the guide decided to name after herself! MP 48 BARTLETT GLACIER (Left SB, Right NB) To our 3:00 side, we can see the Bartlett Glacier. This is the closest Glacier to the Alaska Railroads tracks and is one of the approximately 100,000 glaciers we have in the state of Alaska. At Bartlett Glacier’s closest point, it is about a half mile away from the tracks. This glacier was named after Frank Bartlett, Alaska Central Railroad Civil Engineer who designed the famous Loop train trestle that once stood in this valley. MP 49 THE LOOP (Right SB, Left NB) Looking to our 9:00 side along the river, you may be able to see two large cement pylons, as well as some wooden trestles sticking out of the ridge on the left/ride side at the MP 49 marker These are remnants from the famous "Loop". Back in the early days of the Alaska Railroad, to make it through this pass the railroad couldn’t just lay down a set of tracks from point A to point B, as the pass was too steep. Necessity is the mother of invention, and a railroad civil engineer by the name of Frank Bartlett drew up the plans for a series of wooden train trestles that filled up this entire valley, making a large circle and then crossing over themselves, and following along the ridgeline to our left/right by the mountain base to make it through this steep pass. Trains would enter the Loop and begin to make a big circle and would cross over the track they had been on about 150 feet above it. This lessened the grade of the track and allowed the locomotives to climb the hill. The Loop was a very expensive section of track to maintain and when the railroad started upgrading to diesel locomotives in around the late 1940s into the 50s, they bypassed the loop and gradually disassembled it. The Loop was replaced by the ‘S’ Curve, and those large pylons and few rotting wooden trestles are all that remains of the Loop today. *cite & add info about water buckets used for sparks from fixed steam engine axles (The Alaska Railroad – Bernadine Prince, “The Loop”) FYI- did you know that for years there was no MP 50 on the Alaska Railroad? MP 50 was in the Loop. When the loop was replaced by the ‘S’ Curve, instead of renumbering the miles, MP 50 was deleted. The mileposts used to go from MP 49 to MP 51! As of summer 2016, the Alaska Railroad put in a “new” milepost 50. MP 52.8 TUNNEL 9 (Start as soon as you finish the Loop story. You want to have plenty of time to prep your passengers for the tunnels.) Ice-free Resurrection Bay was selected as the terminus of the railroad, and the city of Seward and a port facility (sheet 1, Mile 0.0) were developed. Reconnaissance surveys extended as far north as the Tanana River in interior Alaska, and by 1909, track was laid across the Kenai Peninsula to Kern Creek (Mile 70.5). The 2.2-percent grade from Mile49 to 54 past the foot of Bartlett Glacier required the construction of seven tunnels, a horseshoe trestle that curved 235°, and roadbed and trestles that looped through 394° of total curvature. 12 We will now be going through a series of five tunnels. The river you see below us is the Placer River and this is the Placer River Gorge (Plah - sir, NOT Play - sir). We’ll have nice views of the gorge in between the tunnels. The best photo opportunity is 1st and 2nd tunnels, on the 3:00 side. But heads up, there’s only about 8 seconds in between the 1s and 2nd tunnels! The movie "Runaway Train" with John Voight was filmed here 1985 (Repeat picture-taking tips here) The geology throughout this area is primarily made up of metamorphic rock; rock which has been altered by pressure and heat. But it started as sedimentary layers deposited roughly 65 million years ago by glaciers. After being deposited by the glaciers, it was buried deep beneath the earth’s crust and then intense pressure from the land above and the heat of the earths depths transformed the rock, and then due to tectonic uplift and the erosion caused by the rivers you can now see it within the walls of the gorge. FYI – the majority of your passengers will be looking at the river gorge, but watch for beautiful waterfalls on the 9:00 side. Continue commentary after you’ve passed through the tunnels. This area is known as Tunnel Alaska. There was a post office here from 1930 to 1931. Our current elevation is 491 feet. The 1964 epicenter was just 35 miles from Whittier in Prince William Sound and occurred along this fault line. The Whittier fault runs thru this valley and is easily seen from both sides of the train. This particular type of fault is known as a Transverse fault. The Kenai Peninsula is sliding away from Alaska at 2 ½ inches per year and will eventually become an island. Kodiak Island was once attached to Alaska and is moving on the same plate. During the 1964 quake this fault line moved 26 feet. A famous example of a transverse fault is the San Andreas in California. FYI - A freight train traveling at 45 mph can plow through four feet of snow! You might think that this would preclude the need for the snow fleet, but the Grandview area gets a lot of snow, and conductors have told me they’ve known it to snow up to 3 feet/hour! MP 54 SPENCER GLACIER (Left SB, Right NB) According to the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service an area now at the water's edge near the train stop was the glacier's edge in 1958. Since that time various studies have shown that the glacier has receded on average 103 feet, between 1990-2007. According to one of the guides with Chugach Adventures, the receding rate is only increasing. A good example of a piedmont glacier, it is 3 miles from the track at this point and one mile wide at the face. It is fed by the Sargent ice field (not the Harding) which is connected to Whittier glacier. Spencer Glacier got its name from Edward A. Spencer, a railroad timekeeper who disappeared in 1905. Spencer would walk from camp to camp along the railroad, collecting time cards, and paying employees in gold bullion. One evening, despite being warned of the dangers of 12 THE ALASKA RAILROAD BETWEEN ANCHORAGE AND FAIRBANKS Guidebook to Permafrost and Engineering Problems 10 avalanches and glacial travel at night, Spencer decided to travel from Camp 52 to Camp 55 (names to camps were given for the milepost they were adjacent to). The trail was plainly marked by stakes, but unfortunately these were difficult to see in the dark. When Spencer did not arrive at Camp 55 a search was unable to find any trace of the young timekeeper. A year later, Spencer’s body was found about 2000 feet from the trail. It was presumed that he became hypothermic and lost his way eventually succumbing to the elements. Unfortunately, his cash box was never found which supposedly contained about $4,000 in gold, (about $80,000 in today’s money). From the obituary of Edward A. Spencer, a general timekeeper with Alaska Central, who attempted to travel at night across the glacier that now bears his name. He died in 1905 but wasn’t found until a year later: “Lying face downward with the hands clasped across the forehead, the body of Edward A. Spencer was found in a slight depression of the slope above the glacier opposite mile 53 of the railroad Saturday Afternoon,” 13 You might have also noticed some wooden shelters on our 9:00 and those are for the Spencer whistle stop. Here, the Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery Train drops off passengers for day-hikes, rafting, and also camping. This is also the location of the Spencer Bench Cabin. A five mile zig-zagging hike will take you up 1,900 ft. to a secluded trapper-style cabin, which can sleep up to six people. With breathtaking views and access to a nearby creek and trails. Brought in from Ketchikan, then built onsite by local Forest Service employees, this one-of-a-kind scenic escape sells out quick! 14 Eventually a trail will connect Spencer Glacier with Grandview, some 10 miles away. The best area to see bears is between bridge over Placer River and Grandview. Best photos of Spencer Glacier are just south of the bridge by the gun platform sign, least number of trees and view looking up the river at the face of the glacier. Best photos of the lake and icebergs is just before entering tunnel No.1. The area where the tracks have been moved from the mountainside in order to accommodate for avalanches. (After best views of Spencer Glacier when you cross over the bridge) Evidence of the avalanche can be seen as snow is leftover in the springtime, and the tightly packed line of willow trees is where the tracks used to lay. MP 57 PLACER RIVER VALLEY This valley we have been traveling through is known as Placer River Valley. The small streams you are seeing are portions of the Placer River which we will be following for the next several miles. This also marks the southern boundary of the Municipality of Anchorage. The Municipality covers over 1,955 square miles, making it one of the largest municipalities in the US, and comparable to the size of the State of Delaware. Coming up soon on the left/right side will be an active eagles nest, which is only 25 yards off the track. *Good example of a beaver dam very close to track is on the opposite side of track just south of the eagles nest and lots of beaver lodges in this area. The best place to see moose is in the Placer River Valley and Spencer Valley. https://www.sewardjournal.com/news/13 local/accidents-theme-of-solstice-cemetery-tour/ article_ff33030c-7a1d-11e8-a504-0bce0f1181b7.html 14 **Can be booked through www.alaskarailroad.com during the summer season, as well as off season through www.recreation.gov.** 11 MP 62 GLACIER INFORMATION Glaciers cover about 29,000 square miles of Alaska or 5% of the land area; which is 128 times more glacial coverage than the rest of the United States. Glaciers have been a dominant factor in carving out Alaska's terrain for millions of years. Ice close to 1/2 a mile deep during the Pleistocene age almost carved a fjord all the way to Cook Inlet, had this ice completed its journey, the Kenai Peninsula would now be an island. Many examples of glaciation can be seen on exposed rock. They are ground smooth and rounded by the ice flow. A glacier is formed when annual snow accumulation at the top of the mountain is greater than the amount melted. Over time as more and more snow is not melted during the summer it collects and this causes the snow to compress forming dense, very heavy ice that moves downward aided by the forces of gravity. Because of the great density of this ice it absorbs all colors of light except the blue wave length. Different colors of light have different amounts of energy and only the blue light that has some of the greatest amount of energy can escape the density of the ice. As the ice melts the dense crystal structure breaks down and reflects all the colors so it looks white. That is why you will sometimes see the deepest blue in the new cracks and crevasses; the ice has not had time to break down and is still very dense. The colors sometimes appear the richest on cloudy days. One reason is because the direct sunlight makes the wet ice give off a glare making it hard to see the true colors. Many glaciers will look gray or dirty simply due to the amount of rocks and debris which become embedded into the ice, while some will appear white because they have a higher amount of air bubbles trapped in the ice. Most of Alaska's glaciers are currently receding. You can't actually see a glacier move, but there are clues to the movement. Large chunks of ice may break off from the face of the glacier; this is referred to as calving. If you are going on a cruise through Resurrection Bay in Seward, you may have the opportunity to see a tidewater glacier calve. It is quite a spectacular sight to see a glacier calve into a large body of water. If you stand near a glacier for any length of time you can hear the movement in sounds such as groaning or creaking. Sometimes this noise can get quite loud. Glaciers can move at varying speeds, some as fast as a foot or more a day, others as slow as only a few inches a year. Three things usually determine the speed at which a glacier moves: the thickness of the ice, the angle of the terrain it is on and the climate of the area. SKOOKUM GLACIER (Left SB, Right NB) Skookum Glacier is an example of a recently melted glacial valley and outwash. Skookum means really good, right on, and excellent or it can mean tough and durable. So if you’re Skookum, you’re trustworthy, honest, reliable and hardworking. The three types of glaciers we will see today are hanging glaciers, piedmont glaciers, and tidewater glaciers for those of you taking a boat tour. Hanging glaciers originate at the peaks of the mountains and are attached to the slopes, but do not extend into the valley bottoms. Piedmont glaciers originate at the peaks and flow into the valley bottoms. Tidewater glaciers are similar to piedmont glaciers however their faces terminate in the ocean. MP 64 PORTAGE The area we’re traveling through now is Portage Valley. Thanks to Portage Glacier and the Begich-Boggs Visitor Center, Portage Valley is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Alaska! This area received the name Portage over 100 years ago, as the Athabaskan, Yupik and Russian fur traders would use the glacier as a means to portage, or travel, between Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound. 12 ARCTIC TERN (Nests are sometimes seen between train tracks around the Whittier cut-off or grassy mounds in the surrounding waterways) The arctic tern is a medium sized bird growing to an average height of about a foot tall with around a 2 ft. wing span. They are grey and white with black capped heads, and their beaks and feet are bright orange. Their diet consists of mostly small fish, crustaceans, and insects. The terns’ travel from arctic breeding grounds to its wintering grounds off of Antarctica covers 24,000 miles! This is the farthest yearly journey of any bird. MP 64.5 ARRC YARD: PORTAGE The rail line you see off to our 3:00 side is headed through the Chugach Mountains for the town of Whittier. And it actually does go ‘through’ the mountains, via 2 tunnels, the longer being 2.7 miles in length! Established as a military base and railroad port during WWII, Whittier was only accessible by boat and by train until recently! In the year 1998 construction began to convert one of the railroad tunnels into the first tunnel to be used for both train and car travel. The tunnel was completed in the year 2000 and cost $80 Million dollars. It is also the longest highway tunnel in North America. MP 65 OLD PORTAGE STATION/EARTHQUAKE (Right SB, Left NB) We are now passing by the old town site of Portage, a place whose history ended abruptly in 1964. You may notice as we come into the area that on the 9:00 side of the tracks there are some sunk-in houses. These are the last remnants of the old town of Portage (you can see the dilapidated Portage Garage and sometimes the old rusted truck next to it in the springtime) On Good Friday, March 27, 1964 at 5:36 pm the strongest earthquake ever recorded in North American history hit south-central Alaska! It measured an incredible 9.2 on the Richter scale, and shook in most areas for about five minutes. The ground moved with such a tremendous force that the Good Friday quake was felt over 700 miles away! Devastation and destruction was rampant throughout the state, but here in Portage they endured considerable devastation. Most of the land here is made up of glacial silt, which is rather unstable to begin with. When this area was shaken so violently for so long, the land actually liquefied! When the shaking stopped, the elevation here had dropped around 6-10 feet. Fortunately, for the residents it was low tide here and any resulting tsunami did not have enough energy to cause damage to the Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm regions. But the lowered elevation meant that the tide came much further in than before. So the new tide deposited hundreds of cubic inches of sediment around the foundations of these buildings, across the road, the tracks, and even went hundreds of yards into Portage Valley. FYI - For many years it was believed that the Good Friday earthquake had a magnitude of 8.6, however as technology improved, the quake was recalibrated using the newer method called the Moment Magnitude Scale and has since been upgraded to 9.2. The Richter scale is no longer used. When making seismograph recordings of 6.0 or larger using his scale the readings become illegible. The 4 most powerful earthquakes of this century are: Chile May 1960 9.5, Alaska 1964 9.2, Sumatran 2004 9.0 and Japan 2011 9.0. Notice how all these large quakes are on subduction zones. The Alaska Railroad, as well as many businesses, was drastically affected by the quake. Rail north and south of Anchorage was bent and twisted, bridges were buckled or destroyed, and many stretches of track were completely covered by mudslides. It took the Alaska Railroad $27 million 13 dollars to repair all the damage caused by the quake. The line from Anchorage to Fairbanks was in service within 2 weeks, but it took seven months to repair the train tracks from Anchorage to Seward and Whittier. Even once initial repairs had been completed, problems still remained. At high tide the track was under water in places, so the railroad could only run during low tide! The railroad crews had to build up the road and track to create an artificial barrier to contain the arm. GHOST FORESTS Something you may be noticing is all of the dead trees in this area. Since the land wasn’t very high above sea level in the first place, when the ground sank 12 feet, salt water from Cook Inlet seeped into this area and over a period of time become absorbed into the root systems of the trees. This salt eventually drowned and killed the trees and the saltwater acted as a preservative. It is estimated that it will take well over 50 more years for these trees to decay completely, thus they will serve as a standing monument to the great '64 quake for a long time yet to come. During quakes not only can there be subsidence but up lift as well. Montague Island in Prince William Sound rose 33 ft. 15 FYI – many people will ask if these trees are petrified. They are not; they are just well preserved by saltwater. MP 65 TWENTYMILE RIVER Soon, we’ll cross the Twentymile River, which flows from the Twentymile Glacier. This river is popular place to catch "hooligan”, also known as smelt or candlefish and are a small and very oily fish. Early Alaskan Natives used the hooligan primarily for their abundance of oil.16 They would dry the fish for several days, and collect the oil and use this it to dip their dried food in. This oil was a vital part of their diet. The Hooligan is also known as the Candlefish, because the southeast Alaskan Tlingits would insert a twisted spruce bark wick into the dried fish and light them as you would a candle. Today they are most commonly used as bait for Halibut and other fish. WHITTIER CUTTOFF - GLACIER DISCOVERY As you are pointing out the sights to your passengers please use the clock system as opposed to left/right as passengers may be facing two different directions. Utilize the Coastal Classic commentary up to the Whittier Cutoff and again from Portage to Grandview. MP 64 OLD PORTAGE STATION We are now passing by the old town site of Portage, a place whose history ends abruptly in 1964. On Good Friday, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in North American history hit March 27, 1964 at 5:36 pm southcentral Alaska! It measured a 9.2 on the Richter scale, and shook for four and a half minutes. Believe it or not this area actually shook for 15 minutes! The ground moved with such a tremendous force that the Good Friday Quake was felt over 700 miles away! Devastation and destruction was rampant throughout the state but the area we are traveling through now was hit considerably hard. On the 3:00 side of the tracks you can see some remains of houses that were once a part of the Portage town site. Most of the land here is made up of glacial silt, which is rather unstable to begin with. Well, when this area was shaken so violently for so long, the land actually liquefied! When the shaking stopped the elevation here had dropped around 12 feet. 15 https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/alaska/ghost-forest-is-hauntingly-beautiful-ak/ 16 https://alaskaoutdoorssupersite.com/hooligan 14 Fortunately, for the residents it was low tide here and any resulting tsunami did not have enough energy to cause damage to Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm regions. But the lowered elevation meant that the tide came much further in than before. So the new tide deposited hundreds of cubic inches of sediment around the foundations of these buildings, across the road, the tracks, and even went hundreds of yards into Portage Valley. (FYI - For many years it was believed that the Good Friday earthquake had a magnitude of 8.6, however as technology was improved, the quake was recalibrated and the magnitude has since been upgraded to 9.2.) The Alaska Railroad, as well as many businesses, were drastically affected by the quake. Rail north and south of Anchorage was bent and twisted, bridges were buckled or destroyed, and many stretches of track were completely covered by mudslides. It cost the Alaska Railroad $27 million dollars to repair all the damage caused by the quake. The line from Anchorage to Fairbanks was in service within two weeks, but it took seven months to repair the train tracks from Anchorage to Seward and Whittier. Even once initial repairs had been completed, problems still remained. At high tide the track was under water in places, so the railroad could only run during low tide! The railroad crews had to build up the road and track to create an artificial barrier to contain the arm. Something you may be noticing is all of the dead trees in this area. Since the land wasn’t very high above sea level in the first place, when the ground sank 12 feet, salt water from Cook Inlet seeped into this area and over a period of time become absorbed into the root systems of the trees. This salt eventually killed the trees and acted as a type of preservative. It will take well over 100 years for these trees to decay completely, thus they will serve as a standing monument to the great '64 quake for a long time yet to come. Although at one time this whole area was permeated with salt, this is no longer the case. This water does have a higher level of salinity than fresh water, but is not as salty as it once was. The ground has actually been slowly rising back to its initial elevation before the 1964 earthquake! This incredible process has been happening in this region for the last several hundred years, it is known as isostatic rebound. Glaciers of any type are extraordinarily heavy ice that can be hundreds of feet thick compressing the soil. Portage Glacier occupied this area over 500 years ago. Now that the glacier has retreated off this ground, the pressure and weight is no longer holding the soil down and it has been slowly rising. You can think of it in term of when you compress a cleaning sponge, when you release the pressure the sponge slowly regains its original form. Except for the 12-foot setback during the earthquake, in the 50+ years since the earthquake the soil has regained its previous elevation. This has allowed the freshwater from the lakes and streams to flush out much of the salt. MP 65 PORTAGE The area we’re traveling through now is Portage Valley. Thanks to Portage Glacier and the Boggs-Begich Visitor Center, Portage Valley is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Alaska! This area received the name Portage over 100 years ago, as Athabascans, Chugach Eskimos and Russian fur traders would use the glacier as a means to “portage” or transport goods, between Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound. Some of the following commentary all the way into Whittier may not be relevant because of the weather in the valley that creates heavy cloud 15 coverage and at times it is impossible to see anything at all, use your judgment when considering what commentary to relate. EXPLORER GLACIER If you look out at the 3:00SB/9:00NB position, towards the top of the mountain you can see Explorer Glacier. This is known as a Hanging Glacier, because they cling or hang on to steep mountainsides and are usually wider than they are long. It was named for the many explorers that came through this area and traversed the Portage Glacier over to the Passage Canal. GLACIER INFORMATION Glaciers cover about 29,000 square miles of Alaska or 5% of the land area; which is 128 times more glacial coverage than the rest of the United States. Glaciers have been a dominant factor in carving out Alaska's terrain for millions of years. Ice close to 1/2 a mile deep during the Pleistocene age almost carved a fjord all the way to Cook Inlet, had this ice completed its journey, the Kenai Peninsula would now be an island. A glacier is formed when annual snow accumulation at the top of the mountain is greater than the amount melted, eventually over time as more and more snow is not melted in the summer it collects. This causes the snow to compress itself forming very heavy ice that moves downward aided by the forces of gravity. Because of the crystalline structure, it absorbs all colors of light except blue light, different colors of light have different amounts of energy and only the blue end of the color spectrum has the high energy, fast-moving wavelengths that can escape the ice and reflect back to our eyes. As the ice melts the dense crystal structure breaks down and reflects all the colors so it looks white. That is why you will sometimes see the deepest blue in the new cracks and crevasses; the ice has not had time to break. The colors sometimes appear the richest on cloudy days. One reason is because cloud cover will absorb the slower, red-end of the color spectrum before it even reaches the ice, making the blue even more vibrant. Many glaciers will look gray or dirty simply due to the amount of rocks and debris which become embedded into the ice, while some will appear whiter because they have a higher amount of air bubbles trapped in the ice. Most of Alaska's glaciers are currently receding. You can't actually see a glacier move, but there are clues to the movement. Large chunks of ice may break off from the face of the glacier, and we refer to this as calving. If you are going on a cruise through Prince William Sound, you will probably have the opportunity to see a tidewater glacier such as the Columbia calve into Prince William Sound. It is quite a spectacular sight to see a glacier calve into a large body of water. If you stand near a glacier for any length of time you can hear the movement in sounds such as groaning or creaking. Sometimes this noise can get quite loud. Glaciers can move at varying speeds, some as fast as a foot or more a day, others as slow as only a few inches a year. Three things usually determine the speed at which a glacier moves: the thickness of the ice, the angle of the terrain it is on and the climate of the area. Portage Glacier ended its forward advance in 1893 and began receding in 1914. As the glacier melted the water formed a lake in the valley that had been hollowed out by the massive ice. The glacier has been rapidly receding the past few years and in 1995 a chunk of ice calved off and exposed land on the other side of the lake. Holland America Princess operates a boat service on Portage Lake that takes you right up to the face 16 of the glacier, which is about three miles from Begich-Boggs Visitor Center. Portage Lake is on average, 600 feet deep. MIDDLE GLACIER There is another example of a hanging glacier at the 3:00 position. This is Middle Glacier; it is after Explorer, but before Byron Glacier. BEGICH-BOGGS VISITORS CENTER Opened in 1986, The Begich-Boggs Visitor Center near Portage Glacier is a facility run by the US Forest Service and is the flagship visitor center for the 5.4 million acre Chugach National Forest. They have a wonderful exhibit about glaciers, wildlife, cultural history and feature an award winning film called "Retreat and Renewal: Stories from Alaska's Chugach National Forest" which is an informational film about glaciers and the Chugach National Forest. The center here sees approximately 80,000+ visitors each year and the recreation area covers over 8,600 acres. The Portage Glacier is considered the 2nd most visited tourist attraction in the state. The Inside Passage is the most visited attraction in Alaska. The Begich-Boggs Visitor Center was named in honor of House of Representatives Majority Leader Thomas Hale Boggs of Louisiana, and US Representative Nicholas Begich of Alaska, they were flying from Anchorage to Juneau and their last radio contact was very close to Portage Pass on October 16, 1972. Even after an extensive search of Chugach National Forest and Prince William Sound, no trace of the airplane has ever been found. Also onboard were Aide Russell Brown and Pan Am Airways President and Pilot Don E. Jonz. TURNAGAIN SHOULDER, (short tunnel) We have just entered into the first of the two tunnels on our way into Whittier. This tunnel is 4960 feet long, which is approximately nine-tenths of a mile long. It will take us just under two minutes to pass through. ***As soon as we exit this tunnel, the once very visible Portage Glacier, now very reclusive, will be visible for about four seconds. It is very difficult to spot the glacier and plenty of warning is needed if the glacier is mentioned. Glacier is NOT visible northbound.*** ICE WORM (In the tunnel) At the visitor center the forest rangers take you on a variety of guided tours to the surrounding glaciers. Many people think the Ice worm is a myth, but I assure you it is very real! The Ice worm is actually a small black worm, related to the common earthworm that lives on the surface of the glacier, on the perennial snow pack or in glacial puddles. It can only survive cold temperatures and anything over 40 degrees Fahrenheit will kill them. They feed on red algae that grows on the snow and ice and also pollen that blows in on the wind. VIEW OF PORTAGE GLACIER (as you exit the tunnel) Immediately on the 2:00SB side, look across the lake and you may be able to have a quick view of Portage Glacier! BEAR VALLEY Glaciologists have discovered evidence of glaciation in Alaska reaching back 5 million years, and suspect the area has been glaciated for nearly 15 million years. Few other places on the planet have experienced such a prolonged period of glaciation. In cooler periods, glaciers covered all of the coastal plateaux. During warmer periods, they retreated to the 17 mountains. About 20,000 years ago, the Earth’s climate cooled and the last of the great Pleistocene ice age glaciers advanced down from the Chugach Mountains. Glaciers formed in the stream beds of the coastal plateau and carved deep valleys. When the glaciers receded about 12,000 years ago, they had scoured the Earth’s crust down to the granite roots of the Chugach range and scoured out deep fjords (glacially carved valleys filled with sea water) creating Prince William Sound and the rugged, glacially sculpted Chugach Mountains. The pure-water runoff from the 27 mile-long Matanuska glacier is used for drinking for a large part of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, and the surrounding areas. Malaspina Glacier is the largest glacier in the state, with an area of 1,500 square miles and extending 50 miles from Mount St. Elias toward the Gulf of Alaska. 17 ANTON ANDERSON TUNNEL This is the Anton Anderson tunnel, it is 2.5 miles long (13,300’) and at the time of completion was the 4th longest rail tunnel in America. It was dug between 1941 and 1942. Two teams digging on opposite sides constructed the tunnel and when they meet in the middle the centerlines of the two sections missed dead center by less than a foot. In fact the tunnel is so straight that when you enter the tunnel you can see the light on the other end. 18 The Tunnel is owned by the railroad and operated by Alaska DOT under a co-operative agreement; which vehicles pay a toll to drive through it to Whittier. This one will take us several minutes to get through. When we get to the center of this tunnel above us will be a solid 2600 feet of Greywacke (a variety of sandstone) above our heads and on top of that is a 150 foot slab of ice. This is Maynard Glacier and we are traveling right through the heart of Maynard Mountain. Maynard Mountain was named after Robert L. Maynard who was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot who was killed in April of 1964, while he was aiding victims of the Good Friday Earthquake. This tunnel was named after Anton Anderson, who was the chief engineer given the task of bringing rail access to Whittier. Mr. Anderson arrived in Alaska in 1919, and served as the location engineer for the Matanuska Valley colonization project. He was also an engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, chief engineer for the Alaska Railroad, and mayor of Anchorage. In 1976 the tunnel was dedicated to him for his faithful service to Alaska and the Alaska Railroad. In the year 1998 construction began to convert the railroad tunnel into the first tunnel to be used for both train and car travel. The conversion was completed in the year 2000 and cost $80 Million dollars. It is also the longest highway tunnel in North America. This tunnel is quite an engineering feat. While many people have driven on a road overlying railroad tracks, this is the first time it has ever been done in a tunnel. Underneath us to create the surface we are traveling over all existing rock and track were removed. 1,800 pre-formed concrete panels were put in place, with grooves running through them for the train tracks. The Concrete is permanent but on either side there is asphalt for a larger driving surface and to enable easy access to the tracks and concrete if repairs are needed. Also we have been passing “safe houses” all along this tunnel on the 9:00/3:00 side. These 8 safe houses that are distributed approximately every 1600 feet and are used only in case of an emergency evacuation. The https://www.alaskapho 17 tographics.com/alaska-photo-articles/alaska-glacier-photos/ 18 https://dot.alaska.gov/creg/whittiertunnel/history.shtml 18 safe houses capacity is approximately 55 people comfortably, with survival amenities including first aid, firefighting equipment, drinking water, landline phone, and even a basic toilet. All safe houses are equipped with fresh air ventilation from the outside that is tempered twice before entering. There are 50 closed-circuit video cameras located throughout the tunnel and safe houses, and two computer systems that ensure trains and cars do not enter the tunnel at the same time. Inside there are “pull outs” for disabled vehicles. The rock around us is quite solid, although for the majority of the tunnel there is a wire mesh that covers the top of the tunnel to catch any loose rocks. And in areas that are less stable metal sheets are in place. But the most incredible feat is the ventilation system. Because of the increased traffic and with cars producing more emissions that before ventilation is a key component. The tunnel’s system incorporates a variety of portal fans and smaller reversible jet fans. There are six 75-horse power jet fans distributed over safe houses 1 and 8 and four 300-horse power portal fans at the entry points of the tunnel for emergencies to purge the tunnel. For a lower operating cost, during normal, daily operations the reversible jet fans will keep the tunnel air healthy. In case of emergency, the larger portal fans will remove smoke and emissions away from any vehicle stopped in the tunnel. This is the first time in the United States that these two types of fans have been used in conjunction with each other. 19 WHITTIER WEATHER Its always prettier in Whittier! Whittier is best known for being a very wet place! In the summer time (from the end of April to the end of August) Whittier receives an average of 17 feet of rainfall. That is 1¼ inches of rain, on average, a day! In the wintertime, Whittier has an annual snowfall of 21 feet! But that usually accumulates to only about 14 or 15 feet constantly on the ground. Because of this great amount of snow fall the town of Whittier has used several tunnel systems between buildings for daily commutes. The tunnel between the Begich tower and the Schoolhouse is the only one still in use today. Whittier is situated in a large cove and most of the weather systems that move through Prince William Sound eventually get funneled through Portage Pass. As these systems make their way across the ocean they accumulate moisture from the warm sea air. The heavily laden clouds cannot make it over the mountain pass and dump the majority of their moisture on Whittier until becoming light enough to pass over the mountain to the Turnagain side of the mountains. Interestingly Whittier has no direct sunlight from November to February, as the sun does not rise above the mountains that surround it. If you look up at the mountains on the 9:00SB/3:00NB side you can see Learnard Glacier. This is a classic example of a Rock Glacier. Learnard Glacier is a retreating hanging glacier with blue ice and used to have a large tunnel at its terminus which I have been in. It currently looks like it is covered with debris, but it was well studied by earlier glacial geologists in the area, and was known to extend to the base of the mountain and have a moraine near the current tank farm (dating to the Little Ice Age advance around the late 1800's). 20 AIRPORT The Whittier Airport is out on our 9:00SB/3:00NB side. Yes, that strip of gravel, 1,100 feet long and 50 feet wide is the main runway. That is why most people elect to ride the train or drive into Whittier! https://19 dot.alaska.gov/creg/whittiertunnel/tundesign.shtml 20 https://dot.alaska.gov/creg/whittiertunnel/weather.shtml 19 WHITTIER HISTORY The town of Whittier and Whittier Glacier were named after the poet John Greenleaf Whittier; the town has a population of just less than 200 people. Interestingly enough almost the entire town of Whittier lives in one of two condominium buildings, the 14 story Begich Towers, which happened to be the tallest building in the territory when it was built. The other is the Whittier Manor (or Sportsman Inn). One of the most interesting buildings in Whittier is the Buckner Building. Initial construction of this building began in 1949 and it was completed in 1952. Designed as a “city under one roof” for military personnel and families, it was the largest building in the territory when completed. Is rises six stories above ground with two stories below, comfortable housing for over 2,500, a 350-seat theater (for live performances and movies, a four lane bowling alley, library, hobby shop, church, hospital, restaurant, cafeteria, and bake shop among other amenities. It was never fully occupied when the military left in 1960 and has been abandoned ever since. It is still structurally strong but the aesthetic condition has degraded over the years. It has changed owners many times since the military left, with various renovation plans, from a high scale resort to condos and hotel rooms. However it currently is in the possession of the City of Whittier, with no plans at the time for the historical building. The Alaska Marine Highway offers ferryboat service to Valdez and Cordova out of Whittier. Many residents of Anchorage also own small boats and dock them here. During WWII, the port of Seward could not handle all of the supplies being shipped in to construct military bases. It was decided to add a second port to the Alaska Railroad. Whittier was the best option. Opening a route from Passage canal would eliminate 52 miles from the Seward route and the two tunnels would provide protection from attack. Prince William Sound also provided a sheltered harbor for military ships waiting to unload. Thus, the war department approved construction of the Whittier cutoff in June of 1941 and by June of 1943 the line was open for business. Costing almost $11 million the Whittier Cutoff was one of the most expensive projects undertaken during WWII. MP 69 IDITAROD TRAIL Although it might not be evident today, as we head toward the Girdwood Depot, we are traveling parallel to Alaska's Iditarod National Historic Trail. The Trail extends north from Seward, parallel with the Alaska Railroad from Seward to Girdwood, then heads up to the Matanuska Susitna Valley and finally northwest to Nome. Trails have always been important in Alaska. Over the years trails were established by Native peoples, Russians and Americans. The trails were vital for the transport of supplies and people between villagers and towns. As gold was discovered in various parts of Alaska, trails became more important. In many areas of Alaska, during the summer months, food, supplies, medicines, mail and other resources were able to travel via ships and boats, however in the winter, when these water routes froze up, trails were an efficient and reliable means of transportation. Before 1904 various winter mail routes carried mail from Resurrection Bay to the gold rush cities of Hope and Sunrise on the north coast of the Kenai Peninsula. As gold camps developed in the interior of Alaska new routes were needed. In 1905 the U. S. Congress established the Alaska Road Commission, the purpose of which was to organize and establish trails and roads in Alaska. In 1908, a crew led by Walter Goodwin was given the task of surveying a possible winter mail route from Seward to Nome. With the discovery of gold on Christmas Day in 1908 on Otter Creek, a tributary of 20 the Iditarod River, and the ensuing gold rush to that area, the improvement of the Seward to Nome trail became a priority. In 1910-11Walter Goodwin was put in charge of an expedition to mark, clear and realign were necessary the trail from Nome to Seward via Iditarod. The trail became a major highway for people and supplies going north and people and gold coming south from the gold camps of Iditarod and Flat. During the peak of the Iditarod Trail's use from 1908 to around 1923, thousands of people used the trail and tons of supplies, mail and gold were carried over it. One of the biggest shipments of gold was in 1915 when Bob Griffis, Jim Healey, Ernest Bede and William Lodge carried 2,416 pounds of gold from Iditarod to Seward on three dog sleds, with 38 dogs. The gold was valued at about $600,000. They left Iditarod on November 22 and arrived in Seward on December 25. Extremely cold weather slowed them down. In 1915 1troy ounce of gold was worth $18.99. Today a troy ounce is worth somewhere around $1,100, so that shipment would be worth around $37,000,000 today. With the completion of the Alaska Railroad in 1923, use of the southern part of the trail decreased dramatically. People and freight went to Nenana by rail and then across to the Iditarod area by dog sled. Northern parts of the trail continued in use between villages, but dogs were increasingly replaced by snowmobiles. Today the Trail is best known as the route of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, first run in 1973. The Race is approximately 1,000 miles. There is a ceremonial start in Anchorage and then the race begins in Willow, or further north if there is a lack of snow and it ends in Nome. Joe Redington is called the "Father of the Iditarod” because he was the driving force behind the first race in 1973. Joe was also instrumental in having the Iditarod Trail established as a National Historic Trail by the U. S. Congress in 1978. The Historic Trail System, with all it side and connecting trails is approximately 2,300 miles long. MP 71 CHUGACH- “THE LAND OF MANY USES” CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST Chugach National Forest is the second largest national forest in the US. (The first largest national forest is also located in Alaska, Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska.) The Chugach National Forest is nearly five million acres in size and occupies nearly all of the forest scenery across the arm. The Tongass is over 3 times its size 17+million acres. The name, Chugach, comes from an Eskimo tribal name that means ‘rainmakers’. The mountain range is still known by the same name. The Chugach National Forest was established back in 1907, 16 years after the National Forest System Act was signed into law in 1891. It is America's 2nd largest National Forest covering almost 6 million acres. 2 million acres of this forest are still covered with ice and glaciers. The Chugach National Forest is primarily made up of Sitka spruce and hemlock but also includes some birch, aspen, white spruce black spruce. At elevations above 2,000 feet the forest is covered with alpine tundra and remains snow less for only a short period of time each year. The Chugach Eskimo once inhabited most of the Prince William Sound area and they are the southernmost Eskimo tribes. It is believed that the Chugach Eskimo inhabited the Prince William Sound area for thousands of years while Athabascan Indians inhabited the Turnagain Arm region. 21 CHUGACH STATE PARK http://www.akhis 21 torycourse.org/articles/article_artID_85/ 21 At 495,000 acres, it is America’s third largest State Park. It was established in 1970 and provides easy access to both visitors and residents who want to hike, ski, camp, view wildlife and take part in many different outdoor activities. Chugach State Park blends into the boundaries of Chugach National Forest. Alaska’s State Park system was started in 1959 and encompasses more than 3 million acres around the state. The largest state park in the U.S. is Wood Tikchik State Park located about 500 miles west of Anchorage and directly north of Dillingham. MP 72 KERN CREEK (FYI - This was all the track that had been laid from Seward to Anchorage when the US government purchased the financially ailing Alaska Northern Railroad in 1915 for approximately $16,000 a mile, 15 cents on the dollar!) MP 74.8 GIRDWOOD – “THE GLACIER CITY” The small town of Girdwood is not too far from here. Girdwood was named after an Irish immigrant and linen merchant with four gold claims along Crow Creek. In 1896 Colonel James Girdwood staked a gold claim on Crow Creek, and in 1907 he established Crow Creek Hydraulic Gold Mine Company. This company had an annual bullion income of more than $100,000. Today there are still some active gold mines in this area, the most famous being the Crow Creek Mine. You can rent a gold pan for a nominal fee and try your luck at mining in Crow Creek. There is also a jewelry store operated by the mine and all of the gold in the store is mined from the creek. The town of Girdwood is a part of the municipality of Anchorage, but is better known as one of Alaska's only year-round resort community with an identity all of its own. It has an estimated year round population of 1,800 people and most commute for school and work every day to Anchorage. During the winter this population grows to about 3,000 people with all of the skiers that come to this area. Girdwood is home to the Alyeska Resort, a luxurious year-round resort, and the Alyeska Ski Resort that is the state's largest and only 5 star Ski Resort. (During the beginning of the summer, it is easy to see the ski lifts against the snow on Mt. Alyeska. Mt. Alyeska is 3,939 feet tall and receives an average of over 500 inches of snow per year. The Conde Naste Traveler magazine has noted Alyeska's view as being the best of any North American ski area and it was also named 1 of the top 25 ski resorts in North America by Skiing Magazine. The name Alyeska is an Aleut word that means the Great Land and was the Aleuts' name for Alaska. The word Alaska was taken from Alyeska. In the winter, skiers, as well as dog mushers and snowshoers, enjoy trips along Glacier Creek. In the summer, visitors can ride the aerial tram up the mountain for a beautiful view of the Chugach Mountains and Turnagain Arm, and you can also enjoy a wonderful dinner at the Seven Glaciers restaurant. FYI - The largest gold nugget to be found in Alaska was mined from the Anvil Creek mine near Nome and weighed 155 troy ounces. Fort Knox near Fairbanks and Alaska Gold Company in Nome are just a couple of the many large scale mining operations actively supporting Alaska's economy.) MP 78 CAPTAIN COOK STORY As I've mentioned, the body of water we’ve been following is known as Turnagain Arm, and it flows into Cook Inlet. Captain James Cook inspired the name for it back in 1778. At the time, Captain Cook was on his third voyage of discovery for the King of England. His mission was to sail through the South Pacific and claim any new islands discovered in the name of England, then sail north exploring the Pacific Coast, searching for the 22 fabled Northwest Passage. In Cook’s time, it was believed that a major waterway connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. If this waterway existed, it would dramatically shorten the time it would take for ships to sail between Europe and the Orient. So, many explorers were hoping to be the first to find the Northwest Passage, including Cook. Captain Cook set sail from England aboard the ship the Discovery. (Accompanying him was renowned artist of the day John Webber, and a midshipman who would eventually find his own fame as a world explorer, George Vancouver.) Sailing with the Discovery was a second ship, the Resolution, commanded by William Bligh. The two ships sailed into the South Pacific, then north along the coast of Alaska, exploring the many waterways hoping to find the fabled Northwest Passage. When Captain Cook and his men reached what we now know as Cook Inlet, they were tired and discouraged. Though Cook was doubtful that this body of water was the supposed Northwest Passage, on the urging of his men, he sailed up into Cook Inlet until he got to the point where Anchorage now sits and the inlet split into two arms. He sent Captain Bligh up the northern section of Cook Inlet, which was then and still today known as Knik Arm, and Cook sailed into the body of water we see to our 9:00 side. The silt that fills this valley creates a very “anfractuous” channel (twisting and turning, yet never breaking) that snakes along the arm Captain Cook had to continually “turn again” to stay within the deepest part of the channel. When he reached the end of the arm, realizing that it was indeed, not the fabled passage, he sadly wrote in his journal that he had to “turn again” and named this body of water Turnagain River. Years later, George Vancouver navigated this waterway and determined it to be a part of Cook Inlet and changed the name to Turnagain Arm. The Cook Inlet is fed by the Susitna, Matanuska, and Kenai rivers. The Turnagain Arm is fed mostly by Twentymile River, Portage River, and the Placer River. When Captain Cook met up again with William Bligh they continued on exploring Alaska's coastline into October of 1778. By then the winter ice flows were threatening the boats so Captain Cook decided to sail back to the Hawaiian Islands to wait out the winter. He planned to return to Alaska and the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula to continue searching for the Northwest Passage the following spring. However, during this return trip to the Hawaiian Islands a confrontation broke out between the Hawaiians and Captain Cook and his men. This fight resulted in Captain Cook's death. At 51 years old, Captain Cook had spent more than 30 years of his life at sea and opened up a world of undiscovered lands. Many of Captain Cook's maps and drawings were so accurate they are still accepted today. And many places in Alaska still bare the name that Captain Cook gave them. Ironically, William Bligh's name seems to be synonymous, throughout history, with disaster. He was with Captain Cook on his failed voyage to Alaska and he was with Captain Cook when Cook was killed in the Hawaiian Islands. Later Captain Bligh's men mutinied on him when he was Captain of the ship the Bounty; some of you may be familiar with the book Mutiny on the Bounty. Historical note. Bligh and 18 men were put in a 23 foot uncovered launch which was so heavily loaded the gunwales were only inches above the water! With only a compass and quadrant he sailed 3,618 miles, a 47 day voyage. He lost one crew member to hostile natives and one to malaria. This sailing feat is unmatched in history. In 1989, while maneuvering to avoid floating ice from Columbia Bay, the Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker ran aground on none other than Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, spilling 11 million gallons of oil, causing the worst oil spill in our nation's history! MP 81.7 BROOKMAN 23 This siding, formerly known as Bird Point, was renamed in honor of Kerry Brookman in February 2000. Mr. Brookman was a heavy equipment operator clearing an avalanche in this area when another avalanche unexpectedly came down on his equipment, ending his life. Mr. Brookman had worked for the Alaska Railroad for 21 years and was considered one of our best heavy-equipment operators. MP 84 AVALANCHES (Can be moved around as necessary look for obvious place to talk about it) A very common hazard in Alaska is the vast number of avalanches that occur in the winter. The nine-mile section of the Alaska Railroad and the Seward Highway between Girdwood and Bird Point is known as one of the most avalanche-prone transportation corridors in the world. The Seward Highway is a lifeline for the communities of Girdwood, Kenai, Homer and Seward. With an average of 5,000 vehicles traveling this stretch of road every day in the winter, it is very important to keep this road open as much as possible. Thus, to prevent unexpected avalanches from stranding motorists, and perhaps causing injuries or fatalities, the State Department of Transportation will close the road temporarily in the winter to "shoot down" potential avalanche chutes. They use a 105mm Howitzer cannon which was purchased by the Alaska Railroad from the Army to send up an artillery shell to dislodge the snow, making it easier to “control” the sometimes unpredictable avalanches. Also, this section of track we are traveling on is a recent addition. The Alaska Railroad Corporation and the Department of Transportation completed a large project here in 2004. The rail was originally right along the side of the mountains, and the shore was much closer to the mountains as well. But by placing thousands of cubic feet of rock into the inlet the shoreline was extended over 100 feet! Then the railroad tracks and road were moved to their present location. All of this was done to place the train and cars as far away from the avalanches as possible. And if you look to the 3:00 side you see that small raised bike path, it acts as a type of retention wall for snow coming down during avalanches. During winter operations passenger trains are not allowed to travel south of Portage due to avalanche conditions. MP 86.6 BIRD CREEK –Comes quickly! (If you see fisherman, give the following commentary) We’ll soon cross Bird Creek, which is a popular fishing spot. Since this area is so close to Anchorage and the Seward Highway, it can be prone to ‘combat fishing’, where it seems you have so many people lined up along the water fishing (sometimes shoulder to shoulder!) that it looks like there are more fisherman than fish! (Feel free to include your own description of and/or experiences with combat fishing) MP 88 TIDES The body of water is Turnagain Arm, which flows into Cook Inlet, all of which is part of the Pacific Ocean. The water we see is salt water mixed with fresh water creeks and glacially fed rivers, and we are approximately at sea level. Turnagain Arm, along with Knik Arm, have North America's second greatest tide change, reaching almost 40 feet (38.9'). (FYI – the highest tides in North America are in the Bay of Fundy, in Canada, between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with a maximum tide change of 56 ft.) Here you can see a vast area of mud flats (if the tide is out). Mud flats are created by deposits of glacial silt from the many glacially fed rivers in the area. As glaciers are formed, rocks, vegetation and other debris become buried in the snow. With the progression of time and the movement of the glacier, these rocks and other items become pulverized into very fine 24 sediment. As the face of the glacier melts, this sediment is carried in the melt-off water and gives many of Alaska’s rivers and streams their dirty or murky color. Eventually the melt-off water makes its way to the ocean, and much of the sediment settles, creating mudflats. These mud flats can be dangerous for unsuspecting explorers who venture out on the flats at low tide. Even though the mud can seem as solid as concrete when the tide is out, it only takes a short period of time for this mud to become like quicksand as the tide comes in. This is one of the few places in the world where you can see a "bore tide". Because of the great tidal changes, the outgoing tide will meet the incoming tide and the two forces fight each other, creating a "wall of water" until the incoming tide eventually overcomes the outgoing tide. These tides have been known to reach over six feet high and move at the rate of about 10 knots. This spot has also become a favorite spot for wind surfers as it offers some of the best windsurfing conditions. Windsurfing in Alaska is rather expensive and requires a good "dry suit", since the water is just slightly above freezing. A dry suit is designed to completely keep the moisture off the body. This area is only for experienced wind surfers since the tides coupled with the dangers of the mud flats can be quite dangerous, even though the water is only about 3 feet deep in places. During the summer, it is not unlikely to see windsurfers from the tracks! MP 89-75 BELUGA WHALES In the water, be on the lookout for Beluga whales. Belugas are white whales 11-16 feet long, weighing about 2,000 lbs. when full grown and live up to 40 years. In fact, the common name “beluga” was originally derived from the Russian word for white, which is, “belukha”. When we see the Beluga whales, they don’t breach, or jump out of the water. They just roll up out of the water to take a breath of air, so we only see their backs. The beluga whale has developed many adaptations that differ from other whales to better suit the environment they live in. They are not as sleek as their cousins the dolphin, due to the presence of a blubber layer that can be as much as 5 inches thick. Also a small beak characterizes their head and a bulging “melon” shaped head that is quite agile compared to other whales. In fact the Beluga whale is the only whale that can bend its neck. These features are probably an advantage when maneuvering and catching prey in muddy or ice covered water. Belugas have been known to live up to 60 years! Bald Eagles are also prevalent along Turnagain Arm, especially during low tide. Be sure to shout out if you see whales or other wildlife. MP 91.7 WINDY POINT (One of the first great places to look for Dall sheep) A Fjord is a long narrow inlet with steep sides/cliffs. It’s created by glaciers carving out a broad U shaped valley. This differs from the V shaped valley formed by river action. In the case of Turnagain arm it is filled with glacial sediment instead of ocean. This area resembles the coast of Norway and Greenland. MP 94 HOPE & SUNRISE ACROSS INLET (Right SB, Left NB) (If you look hard across the inlet you might see part of Hope) Across the Turnagain Arm you will find the historic town of Hope (Alaska’s first gold-rush town!) and the Sunrise gold mining district which were founded in 1895. This area is close to the very first discovery of gold in Alaska by the Russians in 1849, when Peter Doroshin reported gold on the Kenai River. The city of Sunrise once had a booming population of over 3,000 people. However, currently there are only about two-dozen people who live there. 25 The city of Hope is approximately one mile from the Resurrection Creek where gold was first discovered in Alaska, (a few years before the Klondike gold rush), and currently has about 140 residents. In 1889 gold miners were desperate to find a good name for their fast growing prospector community. They decided that the youngest person to step off the boats coming into the area was going to be who they named the town after. Finally, 17 year-old Percy Hope arrived, and the rest is history! There is a popular hiking spot over by Hope called Resurrection. This trail system begins in Hope and is a very popular 33-mile weekend excursion for hiker. (Give folks an idea of the scale of the scenery surrounding them. The mouth of the Arm is approx. 5 miles in width and average height of the peaks in the Chugach and Kenai’s is 4500 ft.) MP 95 BELUGA POINT (Right SB, Left NB) This area was once used as a look out point for Beluga whales by the Chugach Eskimo tribes who inhabited this area in Alaska's early years. Native hunters would sometimes set up a “spearing tree” in which a larger, sturdier, spruce tree was driven upside down into the mud, and the bottom was used as a perch for the hunter to harpoon the whales from during high tides. Fellow hunters in kayaks would finish the hunt using a type of lance. This area has also been crucial to anthropologists who have been able to track the early inhabitants of the Anchorage bowl. They have found that humans occupied the area in three waves, the first in 3,000 BC, the second in 2,000 BC, and the third and last at the start of the new millennium. MP 97 MCHUGH CREEK FIRE (Left SB, Right NB) As we make our way along the Turnagain Arm, you may notice several highway pull-offs. Some of these pull-offs lead to trail systems of the Chugach State Park. Late on the night of July 16th 2016, escaped coals from an illegal fire pit just north of McHugh Creek parking lot set ablaze the beginning of what would become a 778 acre wildfire. According to the Alaska Division of Forestry, there were no designated fire rings, and the illegal fire pit was just off the trail system. Nearby housing areas were threatened in Rainbow Valley and Potter Marsh. Luckily, Mother Nature assisted with wet, damp weather and no additional winds, which could have easily aided the spread of the fire. Forestry officials will remind locals and visitors alike that escaped campfires are very preventable by simply dousing them with water and stirring the ground around the fire, continuing this procedure until no heat remains in or around the fire pit. Unfortunately, about half of the wildfires in Alaska each year are started on accident by people, we ask you to please help us preserve our beautiful environment by making sure if you go camping or hiking that your recreational fire pits are properly tended too, so that all may enjoy these and other state parks. 22 MP 98-90 DALL SHEEP For the next several miles be on the lookout for Dall sheep climbing on the rocky cliffs to the 3:00 side. Dall Sheep are the only wild sheep in the world. The rams (males) weigh about 300 lbs., while the ewes (females) weigh about 150 lbs. Dall Sheep are herbivores and they have two-toed hooves, which enables them to move well on rough, uneven ground. During the summer when food is abundant, the sheep eat a wide variety of plants. The winter diet is much more limited, and consists primarily of dry, frozen grass and sedge stems available when snow is blown off, lichen, and moss. It is quite common for people to confuse Dall sheep with Mountain Goats; however, they have some very distinct differences. The Dall Sheep have horns that can reach a full curl or more and the thick white hair on the animal is very coarse and short; the Mountain Goat has short, almost 22 https://akfireinfo.com/tag/mchugh-creek/ 26 spiked horns, and their hair is quite long. Mountain Goats also prefer higher elevations than Dall sheep. MP 100.5 POTTER SECTION HOUSE (Left SB, Right NB) The Potter Section House built in 1929, on the 3:00 side of the tracks has recently been restored and is a State Historical Site. This former railroad section house is currently home to the Chugach State Park Headquarters. You will see alongside the Potter Section House two old pieces of railroad equipment. The gray one is a troop transport car from the 1940s and the black one is an old rotary snowplow. MP 102 MT. REDOUBT (Right SB, Left NB) (FYI – Mt. Redoubt is visible on clear days. When it is out, look across Cook Inlet and you’ll see the silhouette of a lone mountain, let passengers know, otherwise they think it is Denali). To our 9:00 side, across Turnagain Arm, we can see Mt. Redoubt. At just over 10,000 ft. this is the 3rd highest active volcano in Alaska. Alaska is part of the “Ring of Fire” surrounding the Pacific Ocean. Mt. Redoubt became active in December 1989, this was the first eruption since 1968, and it erupted over 25 times until it quieted down again in June of 1990. This series of eruptions was the second most costly in the history of the Alaska. When Mt. Redoubt erupted; ash from the eruption covered this entire area as well as Anchorage and parts of the Matanuska Valley. More recently, in March of 2009, Redoubt erupted closing down the Anchorage airport, rerouting flights to Fairbanks. Mount Spur, Redoubt, Iliamna and Augustine are all volcanoes that reside along the west side of Cook Inlet and are visible from parts of the Kenai Peninsula. These represent an excellent example of subduction zone volcanoes. There are 100 potentially active volcanoes in Alaska with Mt. Wrangell being the tallest at over 14,000 ft. *Subduction Zone Volcanism occurs when two plates converge on one another. This means that one plate containing ocean bottom (the Pacific Plate) descends beneath an adjacent plate (the North American Plate) which consumes the ocean floor into the earth’s mantle. 23 This bending of the plate causes large depressions called Oceanic Trenches, which are some of the deepest features on the earth’s surface! In Alaska’s case, we have the “Aleutian Trench” The crustal portion of the subducting slab (which moves underneath the other plate) contains significant amounts of water as well as dissolved minerals. As the subduction slab descends to greater depths it encounters greater temperatures and pressures. Water then lowers the temperatures of the mantle causing it to melt. The melted rock and water rise up to the surface causing volcanoes parallel to the trench. The Pacific Plate is sliding underneath the stationary North American plate resulting in uplift. The collision of these plates are how the Alaska Range was formed! (Home of Mt. Denali) The Pacific Ocean is shrinking and the Atlantic is expanding. MP 102.8 POTTER MARSH (Left SB, Right NB) (SB-Start this just as you first begin to see the marsh, as you want to be able to talk about the section house before you pass it.) We are now entering the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, or more commonly referred to as Potter Marsh Bird Preserve. This is one of the most accessible and scenic wildlife viewing spots, and is a resting point for the migratory birds that come into Alaska. In late May and again in August this area is full of waterfowl stopping here on their migration north for the summer or south for the winter. https://www.np 23 s.gov/subjects/aknatureandscience/volcanoes.htm 27 If you have an extra day in anchorage you can take a walk out on the boardwalk that you see. The boardwalk is a 1,500 feet long and is open daily for locals and visitors to view the waterfowl, at times you might even spot different species of salmon entering the estuary from the boardwalk. Another interesting outing is the overlook at Flat Top Mountain. Beautiful views of the Cook Inlet, Alaska Range and the city of Anchorage can be seen from there. Construction of the railroad originally created this marsh. By the early '70s it was destined to become the new sanitary landfill for the city of Anchorage. At the time however, several Anchorage School District teachers had begun bringing their classes here to observe the waterfowl. When the students found out about the proposal to destroy this area to create a landfill, they started writing letters to the legislators opposing this. With the help of their teachers they were successful in preventing this marsh from becoming a landfill and created what we now see today as the Potter Marsh Bird Preserve. If you were curious to know where the landfill actually ended up; well it ended up in a suburb of Anchorage called Eagle River, about 15 miles north of Anchorage. MP 105 FLYING CROWN AIRSTRIP (Right SB, Left NB) (The airstrip goes by very quickly, so be sure and prep your passengers in advance. Southbound, I’d suggest starting no later than when you pass the cemetery on the 3:00 side. Northbound, start right after you finish your Potter’s Marsh commentary.) In a moment, on the 9:00 side, we will see the Flying Crown Airstrip, which runs right through these folk’s backyards! This airstrip has been here for almost 60 years. Although current city codes would not allow you to construct a subdivision around an airstrip, these homes were built in early 1975 when no such codes were needed. Though there are city codes now, these residents are luckily allowed to continue operating the airstrip under what are called “grandfather rights”. Having an airstrip in your backyard is not that uncommon in Alaska. Alaska is known as the "flyingest-state” in the nation. Alaska has 6 times as many pilots per capita and 16 times as many aircraft per capita. One reason for such a high number of pilots and planes is that only 25% of Alaska's communities are accessible by road. Here’s a little bit of trivia for you - though Alaska is 2 ½ times the size of Texas, or about (365 million acres), our road system is smaller than the entire State of Rhode Island. This leaves much of the territory in Alaska only accessible by plane; thus the reason for such high numbers of pilots as well as aircrafts. Also, only 30% of Alaska’s Highways are paved! 24 MP 105.5 ANCHORAGE SAND & GRAVEL (Right SB, Left NB) To our 9:00 side you can see Anchorage Sand and Gravel. Every summer the Alaska Railroad hauls over 2 million tons of gravel in support of construction and capital projects throughout the state of Alaska. The sand and gravel that you see here is transported by train from the Mat-Su Valley north of Anchorage. This resource is used for building on marshy landscapes due to permafrost, a frozen layer of ground under 85% of Alaska's top soil. Gravel fill is needed in order to stabilize the ground for building, used as an insulation layer to prevent thawing of permafrost and sinking of structures. MP 108 TOUR GUIDE INFORMATION (Tour guide info can also be discussed after Trail glacier when switching with another tour guide) Some of you may be curious about my job as an Alaska Railroad Tour Guide. The Alaska Railroad Tour Guide program started in 1980 with the Anchorage and Fairbanks School Districts. The Alaska Railroad funds this program with an instructor provided by the school district to teach an 11- http://www.24 dot.state.ak.us/stwdav/ 28 week program. Tour Guides that work on the railroad go through a screening process and must meet several criteria including being a junior or senior with a 2.5 GPA or higher. Then students, after successful completion of the class, are interviewed to be hired by the railroad. Those that aren’t chosen are provided assistance in an attempt to find other employment within the tourism industry. At this time the Alaska Railroad has an education partnership with the Anchorage School District, but it has included Fairbanks and Seward in the past. This education partnership has set the standard for many other education partnerships nationwide. If you have any more specific questions regarding this program feel free to ask! (Now is a good time to pass around your photo album/flora/fauna books) *Try to make localized announcements for these so people are not confused and/or the albums get misplaced “Ladies and gentlemen, today I have brought with me a photo album of my life in Alaska and a book about Alaskan plants and animals that I made myself, to share with you. I will start the books at the front of the car. You are welcome to take a look and ask any questions you might have. When you are finished or if you are not interested in looking at them, please just pass them to the person behind you so everyone who would like will have a chance to see the books. Again, I’ll be starting my photo album and animal book at the front of the car.” MP 109 DIMOND The area that we’re travelling past is call Dimond Boulevard. Dimond Blvd is named after Anthony J. Dimond who was well known throughout Alaska as Judge Tony Dimond. He came to Alaska following the Gold Trails of Valdez. He gave unselfishly of his time to the cause of Statehood and the building of a better Alaska. Tony Dimond knew Alaska as well as any man living there and was part of the driving force that gave life to Alaska. He impressively bridged the gap between pioneer and modern Alaska as he was a prospector, miner, lawyer, statesman and judge. The tributes of naming Dimond High School, Dimond Mall and Dimond Boulevard in his honor are evidence of his popularity. *You can start to see the Dimond Mall from the tracks soon, and might mention that it is one of Alaska’s biggest malls boasting over 200 stores, services, restaurants, movie theatre, and even an ice rink! MP 111 SPENARD This area of Anchorage we are currently traveling through is called Spenard, named after Joseph A. (or more commonly) "Joe" Spenard, who was an early homesteader. When the town of Anchorage was first established, it was a "dry" town, meaning that absolutely no alcohol was allowed inside the city limits. Joe Spenard decided to create his own recreation area complete with alcohol and other entertainment here, which back then, was right outside of the city limits! Joe took it upon himself to blaze his way onto municipal maps by hacking a trail from Anchorage through the wilderness that carpeted the lower parts of Chester and Campbell Creeks. Compared to many streets in Anchorage, which are straight, and in a grid-like pattern, Spenard Road is very curvy. It is speculated that the road was paved over the trail that the workers would use to return home, after a wild night at Joe Spenard's! In reality though, many of the streets are mostly paved over old game trails that animals would use throughout this area. MP 113 WESTCHESTER LAGOON/COASTAL TRAIL (Left SB, Right NB) The bike path along the 9:00 depending on where you point it out) side of the train is the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and is a part of Anchorage's 128 29 miles of paved bike paths. Tony Knowles was our mayor of Anchorage for 2 terms between 1982 and 1987, he also served two terms as governor from1994 to 2002. The 10-mile trail is extremely popular with runners, walkers, cross-country skiers and bikers. It's not unusual to see a large number of people out for a walk in the evenings enjoying the scenery or even waving to the train from the Coastal Trail. To our 3:00 side, we can see Westchester Lagoon. In 1978, the city of Anchorage put in control gates, which created this beautiful freshwater lagoon. This area is the western end of the Chester Creek Greenbelt. The greenbelt is a strip of wilderness approximately half of a mile wide that runs through the entire city of Anchorage from east to west. There are numerous recreational bike trails, ponds and picnic areas throughout the greenbelt. WILDLIFE Throughout our trip today be on the lookout for wildlife, sometimes we see them right here in Anchorage. We have a great system that we use in order for you to have the best opportunity to see wildlife. Our engineers, operating the train, will often be the first to spot wildlife along the tracks. If they are able to, they will radio the onboard staff, such as me, as to what animal we can look for and which side of the tracks it is currently on. We will do our best to relay this information to you as quickly as possible, however, please remember that the loud noises from the train sometimes startle the wildlife and they may run quickly into the brush. The best plan is to always have your eyes peeled and cameras ready, as you may only have seconds to take a photo! PICTURES We want everyone to have an opportunity for a great picture. If you wish to take pictures from the comfort of your seat here are a few tips. Make sure your flash is turned off to reduce “flash back” off of the glass. Place your camera directly against the glass to reduce or eliminate reflection. CLOCK POSITION/RELATIVE BEARING The train can be pointed in any direction at any time, not necessarily due north or south. The clock numbers are relative to the direction in which the train points. The observer then measures or observes the angle made by the intersection of the line of sight to the longitudinal axis, the dimension of length, of the train, using the clock analogy. A quicker relative bearing is “Left” or “Right”, but you can use clock position for more specific direction. MP 114.3 ANCHORAGE TRAIN DEPOT Anchorage was established in 1914 as a railroad construction port for the Alaska Railroad, which was built between 1915 and 1923. Ship Creek landing, the headquarters for the railroad, quickly became a tent city. As you look around, can you imagine that there were over 3000 white tents set up in this area at one time? It wasn’t until November 23, 1920 that “tent city” was incorporated into a city and officially named Anchorage. It is now home to around 295,000 people; about 40% of the state’s population25. The city of Anchorage has a moderate climate in comparison to other places around the state. The average temperature in July is around 65 degrees, and the average in January is around 20 degrees. MP 117 JBER - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON Originally this base began as two separate bases; Elmendorf Air Force Base, and Ft. Richardson Army Post. Both bases were constructed in the 1940’s, however they merged in 2010. These bases were built because of the threat of World War II. Six months after Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, Dutch Harbor (located on the Alaska Peninsula) was bombed. On 25 http://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/pop/ 30 June 7, 1942, the islands of Attu and Kiska (both in U.S. territory on Alaska’s Aleutian Chain), were invaded and occupied by Japanese forces. This was the first time since the War of 1812 that an invading army had occupied American soil. Elmendorf played a major supporting role in the efforts to reclaim the islands of Attu and Kiska. The battle of Attu Island was fought from May 11th through May 30th, 1943. It was the only land battle fought in arctic conditions between the US and Japan. The battle of Attu had one of the highest US casualty rates of any battle in WWII. The US services embarked from California and had been trained and equipped for desert warfare. Upon arriving on Attu Island, the weather was harsh, wet, cold, windy, and treeless. Therefore, weather caused more casualties than the actual combat itself. By August 1943, all enemy forces had been expelled from the islands. However, many of the service men stationed here during the war returned afterwards to make their home in Alaska. After both Elmendorf Air Force Station and Fort Richardson Army Post were joined in 2010, the combined bases became known as JBER; “Joint Base Elmendorf- Richardson”. MP 127.9 EAGLE RIVER (Right NB, Left SB) Shortly we will be crossing over the Eagle River, which flows from the Eagle Glacier. If you look to our (3:00NB/9:00SB) side you will see some buildings and homes nestled in the Chugach mountain range and the surrounding valley. This is the community of Eagle River and has a population of around 30,000 residents. Though Eagle River is located several miles outside of Anchorage, it is actually part of the Anchorage Municipality. Many residents commute to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for work. Several even smaller communities farther north in the municipality include Chugiak, Birchwood, and Peters Creek. MP 130 TOUR GUIDE INFORMATION Some of you may be curious about my job as an Alaska Railroad Tour Guide. The Alaska Railroad partners with the Anchorage School District, which has set the standard for many other educational partnerships nationwide. The criteria to apply for the Alaska Railroad Tour Guide program includes being a junior or senior in high school, and obtaining a 2.5 GPA or higher. Once accepted into the program, students will attend an 11 week training course that takes place after school for two hours. Once they have successfully completed the class, they will apply for a tour guide position at the Alaska Railroad, in which only 10-15 students will be selected. Students who do not obtain a position at the Alaska railroad are provided assistance to find employment within the local travel and tourism industry. The Alaska Railroad Tour Guide program started in 1981 with the Anchorage and Fairbanks School Districts. The Alaska Railroad funds this program with an instructor provided by the school district to teach the 11 week program. Students will receive a semester credit for this class, as well as life-long public speaking and job interview experience. Now’s a good time to pass around your photo album/flora/fauna books. MP 136 BIRCHWOOD (Left NB, Right SB) (In the early part of the summer, before all the leaves have opened up, Birchwood Air Strip is pretty easy to see. Come mid-summer, you’ll only be able to see it looking back as you cross the road.) Here we will be traveling through one of our rail yards. On the (9:00NB/ 3:00SB) side, you may be able to see a runway. This is the Birchwood Air Strip. Alaska is known as the "flyingest-state” in the nation. Alaska has 6 times as many pilots per capita and 16 times as many aircraft per capita when compared to the rest of the U.S. One reason for such a high number of pilots and planes is that only 25% of Alaska's communities are accessible by road. Here’s a little bit of trivia for you - though Alaska is 2 ½ times the size of Texas, or about (365 million acres), our road system is smaller than 31 the entire State of Rhode Island. This leaves much of the territory in Alaska only accessible by plane; thus the reason for such high numbers of pilots as well as aircrafts. Also, only 30% of Alaska’s Highways are paved! 26 MP 138 KNIK ARM (Left NB, Right SB) Out of the 9:00NB/3:00SB side of the train we have a nice view of Knik Arm and the Knik Flats. Knik Arm is the northern portion of the Cook Inlet, with the Turnagain Arm being the southern portion. The water you see out here is a “brackish” mix of saltwater and fresh water, depending on the tides. The tides here are among the highest in North America, the difference can sometimes reach up to 40 feet. MUD FLATS (Left NB, Right SB) Looking out at the Knik Arm when the tide is out, you can see how it looks muddy. Here, the accumulation of glacial silt has built up into what we call the mud flats. These mud flats can be very dangerous for unsuspecting explorers and fisherman. At low tide the silt compresses, becoming very hard. As the tide makes its way back in, seawater filters up through the lower layers. The silt changes quickly from what might seem like a hard solid mud, to a quick sand. That makes for a very dangerous situation. The best policy for anyone to follow is to stay off the mud flats. (Insert an appropriate personal story if you have one.) MP 141 EKLUTNA We are now reaching the northern boundary of the Municipality of Anchorage. Not too far from here is the native village of Eklutna, which is named after the Eklutna River. The village which is called Eklutna was first settled several hundred years ago, and is the oldest inhabited location in the Anchorage area. The native corporation here is the largest private landholder in the Anchorage Municipality and is one of the wealthiest. Eklutna Inc. owns over 136,000 acres of land and is part of the Cook Inlet Regional Native Corporation, made up of primarily Dena'ina Athabaskan Indians. By the mid-1800's Russians had explored most of Alaska including South Central where we are now. Their interest here was primarily the rich fur resources of the region, especially sea otters and fur seals. The Russians also brought to the new land; their customs, religion, and language. One of the foremost legacies of the Russian period is the Russian Orthodox Church, which remains a vital aspect of Native culture throughout Alaska. MP 146.4 KNIK RIVER Soon we’ll be crossing over the Knik River, which flows from Knik Glacier. Knik means fire in the Athabaskan language. Some say they called the river “fire” because it looks like the water is ready to boil. After the Knik River, we will be crossing over four different forks of the Matanuska River, which flows from the Matanuska Glacier. The Matanuska River Valley separates the Chugach Mountain range from the Talkeetna Mountain range. These are just two of the 39 mountain ranges we have here in Alaska. The predominant peaks on the 3:00NB/9:00SB side of the train are from left to right/tallest to shortest: Pioneer Peak (6,394 ft.); East and West Twin Peaks (5,873 ft. & 5,472 ft.) and Goat Rock (5,250 ft.); all of these are popular for climbers. On a nice day- Point out Mt. Susitna across the inlet (Sleeping Lady). Look out for moose along the flats and prepare passengers for photo opportunities. This is a good place to remind passengers how to use the clock face system. http://www.dot.state.ak.us/stwdav/ 26 32 MP 148 PALMER HAY FLATS Currently we’re traveling through the Palmer Hay Flats which is a State Game Refuge encompassing 28,000 acres. It is home to many different types of waterfowl, mammals and fish. This is a saltwater marsh and a staging area for migrating birds as they make their way towards their breeding grounds in the interior of Alaska and other portions of the state. (Point out the three mountain ranges visible; the Chugach Mountain Range to the 3:00NB/9:00SB side & behind you; the Talkeetna Mountain Range in front and the Alaska Range across the Knik Arm from us) MOOSE (Seen frequently between Knik River and Palmer cut-off) As we travel along the river banks and open landscape through this area, be on the lookout for moose. Moose are herbivores that eat leaves and twigs of willow, birch, and aspen trees, along with pond weeds, and grasses. They are the largest member of the deer family. The Alaska-Yukon moose is the largest moose in the world! Adult moose can range in size from a small 800 pound adult female, to a large 1,600 pound adult male. They can reach heights up to almost 6 feet tall. Bull moose are often easily recognized by their antlers, which are carried only by the males. Adult males engage in the “rut” in late September and early October. Females, or “cows”, give birth to calves in the spring. Calves are weaned in the fall at the time the mother starts breeding again, and they usually get chased off just before she gives birth again in the spring. OSPREY (Seen around Palmer cut-off and MP 162/173) Soon, on the 3:00NB/9:00SB side, we will pass by a large nest of the migratory osprey. Osprey are identified as raptors, with a wingspan of 5 1/2 ft. weighing in at 3 lbs. as adults. Male and female birds both assist in building their nests, which have an average size of 3-6 ft. in diameter. Osprey nests can be seen on trees, posts, towers, rock points, telephone poles, and old telegraph poles. We see several osprey nests along the rail belt, and since they mostly hunt for fish, we commonly see them in the marshy wetlands. Osprey migrate to Mexico and Central and South America during the winter. In mid-May, females lay 2-4 eggs. Both adults will take turns incubating the eggs until they hatch after 5-6 weeks. In mid-August, nestlings begin flapping exercises. Keep a look out for osprey flying nearby, or perched in the nests on top of towers and telephone poles, in these areas. MP 151 MATANUSKA This valley we are traveling through is called the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, or Mat-Su Valley for short. This valley is home to some of the best agricultural land in North America. This is due to long hours of daylight during the summer and the extremely fertile soil. Farming prospers here with potatoes being the largest crop. Cabbage, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and peas are also grown here and find their way to supermarkets around the state. The growing season averages 110 days, with up to 19 hours of daylight on the longest day (June 21st). At the end of August, the Alaska State Fair is held in the town of Palmer where one of the traditional attractions is the giant vegetables. In 2012, the first-prize cabbage tipped the scales at 138.25 pounds and set a world record! This area also played a crucial role in Alaska's early development. In the 1930's, word had gotten back to the Federal government about the agricultural potential in the Mat-Su Valley. In 1935, under the “New Deal”, the government invited 201 financially strapped families from places like Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, to the Mat-Su Valley. Each family received 40 acres and was required to have 10 acres cut and cleared within one year or they would lose the land. The Government built houses and 33 barns and agreed to pay for transporting up to 2,000 pounds of their household goods to Alaska. MP 155.4 GRAVEL PITS (Left NB, Right SB) Speaking of crops, sand and gravel is actually the largest cash crop for the Mat-Su Valley. The reason for this is because much of the ground in the Anchorage area is marshy, and in order to stabilize the ground for building, gravel fill is needed. Most of this “fill” comes from the Mat-Su Valley; gravel is also used in construction in areas that are affected by permafrost. This area used to have a spur track to an old gravel pit. In fact, you may notice that we travel by a number of gravel pits along our journey. The Alaska Railroad hauls up to 2 million tons of sand and gravel within the state every summer. MP 156 NORTHBOUND Give prep for Wasilla here If Wasilla is your destination now is the time to start gathering your things, returning your seats back to the upright position, and throw away any trash that may have accumulated in your area. If Wasilla is not your stop then we ask that you please remain seated and keep the aisle ways clear. Again, this is just a quick stop, if this is not your destination, we ask that you please remain seated. MP 157 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE RESTORATION 557 (Left NB, Right SB) Soon on the (9:00NB/3:00SB) side we will be able to see the warehouse where the volunteers are restoring Steam Locomotive #557. The volunteers are often outside waving to us beneath the Alaska Railroad 557 Restoration sign. Even though the railroad switched over to diesel-electric locomotives, steam locomotives were used to cross flooded areas when the newer diesel locomotives were unable to. In June of 1962, this locomotive was briefly brought back to service during flooding in Nenana. The steam locomotive was able to ford high water over the rails, something the diesel locomotives were unable to do. The 557 was built by the US Army Transportation Corps in 1944 and was used until 1959. There were 2,120 made, 12 of those sent to Alaska. Eventually in 1964, 20 years after its arrival in Alaska, it was sold to a scrap dealer in Washington State who also owned a museum. So the locomotive avoided the scrap yard and shuttled school children around and was known as a Gypsy Rose. The restoration is still underway and is made possible by private donations and volunteer work. If you would like to support the efforts to restore this piece of Alaskan history, you can make a tax-deductible donation to The Alaska Community Foundation. Any donations of $25.00 to $350,000.00 will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Rasmussen Foundation. In addition, if you purchase any of the 557 locomotive merchandise in the railroad gift shops, the proceeds will go towards restoration. If you have any questions on how you can help out, please feel free to ask any of your onboard staff today. WASILLA DEPOT Shortly we will be passing the Wasilla train Depot, this is one of the last remaining original depots along the Alaska Railroad. This depot was built in 1917 by the Alaska Engineering Commission and in 1977 was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The building itself is no longer used as a depot to purchase tickets. It now houses the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce. The other original depots are in Seward, Palmer, and Nenana. MP 159 WASILLA / WASILLA LAKE (Right NB, Left SB) Right now we are traveling through the city of Wasilla. Wasilla has a population of around 10,500 residents, making it the fourth largest city in Alaska. It is part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, which has a population of roughly 107,600. Wasilla was named after a Dena’ina Indian, whose name 34 was Chief Wasilla. Shortly on the 3:00NB/9:00SB side of the train you will see Wasilla Lake. This is a very popular recreation lake in both summer and winter. In the summer, you’ll see people swimming, and other recreational activities. In the winter, when the lake freezes over, people enjoy ice skating, and ice fishing. Wasilla is also known for being the home of the “Last Great Race”, the Iditarod Dog Sled Race to Nome, and the Tesoro Iron-Dog the world’s longest snow machine race. The Iditarod Race headquarters and the Iditarod Museum are both located here in Wasilla. MP 159.5 WASILLA Wasilla was known as Knik until 1917 when the Alaska Railroad made its way through the Mat-Su Valley and crossed the Carl Wagon Trail, connecting the community to the rest of Alaska. The trail was used to bring supplies to the old Willow Creek mining district in the early 1900’s. The mining district produced over 620,000 ounces of gold worth over 18 million dollars. Today only a few of the 50 original mines are still active. MP 163 NB/165 SB MUSEUM OF ALASKA TRANSPORTATION AND INDUSTRY Keep a close look out on the left (NB)/right (SB) for a quick look at the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry. If you are interested in learning more about the history of Alaska, I encourage you to visit this museum. They have historical displays of the different ways people used to travel around the state, to include rail coaches, a retired caboose, railroad spikes, and tools. You can also view the display of old airplanes used in WWII. MP 163 SOUTHBOUND, Give prep for Wasilla here (Once your new passengers are onboard, you’ll need to introduce yourself and give them the appropriate safety and general train information. Do not use the P.A. for this, just talk to them in person.) MP 175 MT. SUSITNA (SLEEPING LADY) (Left NB, Right SB) To many in southcentral Alaska, the most prominent mountain across Knik Arm is Mount Susitna, or the “Sleeping Lady.” Local legend says that the sleeping lady came from a race of giants. She laid down after her husband went to war, and she will supposedly awake when there are no more wars. This legend is often said to have Alaska Native origins, however, it appears to have been created by settlers in the 1930s as a quaint story to tell visitors and newly arrived locals. To the Dena'ina, Mount Susitna is known as Dgehlishla, (Duh-lee-shla) meaning “little mountain,” contrasting with another mountain on the horizon: Dghelay Ka'a, “Big Mountain,” or Denali. Dghelishla was an important place for the Dena’ina. The western slopes of the mountain were a place of mourning to remember the departed. The mountain was also used as a prominent landmark to help guide the Dena'ina as they travelled throughout Upper Cook Inlet. 27 Mt. Susitna is 4,379 feet high and is a formation called a pluton. A pluton is a body of intrusive igneous rock (called plutonic rock) that is crystallized from magma slowly cooling below the surface of the Earth. This particular pluton was formed over 144 million years ago when a molten magma bubble rose to the earth’s crust, but did not erupt to the surface forming a volcano; the bubble instead cooled to form granite rock. Later glaciers and ice sheets flowed over its summit and gave it a rounded smooth appearance. It is estimated then the ice in the Cook Inlet was over 3,000 feet thick. https://27 www.facebook.com/AnchorageMuseum/photos/ pb.30914323960.-2207520000../10159018396663961/? type=3&eid=ARAUN9cJOR9tcXDOmEMuJsWZ9jw6nsVCb6Qd3Tbt2yL8As2Jbv_ Ni5Qm6zx1qt68DJy87IYHpXz95b5 35 MP 175.3 HOUSTON (Left NB, Right SB) The area we are passing through is called Houston. It was named for Congressman William Cannon Houston, Chairman of the Committee on Territories, who processed the Alaska Railroad Bill in the House of Representatives in 1917. This area is also where the Port Mackenzie Rail Extension will connect to the mainline, and you can see the construction of the new line off to the left NB/right SB side. The 32-mile rail extension will support Port Mackenzie’s potential as a bulk resources import and export and facility. With room for layout and storage, the port is an ideal site to supply materials for pipeline and other construction projects. Today, the tourism industry and fishing activities associated with the Little Susitna River support this small town. · The City of Houston is located on the George Parks Highway along the Little Susitna River. · Houston is 18 miles north-west of Wasilla, 57 road miles, and approximately 61 rail miles north of Anchorage. MP 180.7 NANCY LAKE (Left NB, Right SB) (Start talking about Nancy Lake when you see the long aluminum buildings on the 9:00NB/3:00SB side.) We are passing Nancy Lake which is a major part of the Nancy Lake Recreation Area, which consists of over 130 lakes and ponds. This area is too wet for farming, but is a very popular recreation and retirement area for south central Alaskans. A popular activity in the summer is following the canoe trails through the eight-mile chain of lakes in the Lynx Lake Loop. In the early and mid-1900s this was the trailhead for Rainy Pass, which goes through the Alaska Range and into the Iditarod and Kuskokwim Mining districts. Nancy Lake was named by Franklin Lane, Secretary of the Interior at the time the Alaska Railroad was being built. Secretary Lane fought hard during WWI to keep resources available for construction of the Railroad. Due to his efforts, he was asked to name a lake, and chose to name this beautiful lake off to the (9:00NB/3:00SB) side after his daughter, Nancy. MP 185.7 WILLOW (Right NB, Left SB) Soon we will be entering the small community of Willow, home to 2,102 people and the official starting point of the Iditarod sled dog race. Willow got its start in 1897 when gold was discovered in the nearby Talkeetna Mountains. During construction of the Alaska Railroad, surveyors, construction crews, homesteaders and other settlers came to Willow. By 1954, Willow Creek was Alaska's largest gold mining district, with total production approaching 18 million dollars. The town of Willow is famous for being the proposed capital of Alaska. Our state capital is currently located in Juneau, on the Southeast panhandle of Alaska. Many Alaskans believe that Juneau is too inaccessible and too far away from the majority of the population to be the location for something as important as our capital. Juneau is only accessible by plane or boat, and the inclement weather in the area often make even those methods difficult. Southeast Alaska is home to only 10% of the state’s population, whereas the rail belt region from Seward to Fairbanks is home to nearly 75% of the population. With the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in the 1970s, state revenues began increasing dramatically. With all the money coming in, some people thought that it was time to move the capital to a location more accessible to the majority of the population of Alaska. Willow was chosen as the potential new capital because it is between Anchorage and Fairbanks, (the two largest populated cities in Alaska) and is easily accessible along the Parks Highway, plus has plenty of room for growth. Surveys were completed in the early 36 80s, but by that time oil revenues had already begun to dwindle. In 1982, the "Capital Move Initiative" was put to a vote, but Alaskans voted down the initiative when it was announced that the capital move would cost 2.8 billion dollars! So today, Willow remains “the capital that almost was”. In fact every few years, capital move initiatives still appear on ballots. (9 times since 1960) IDITAROD STORY The Iditarod Race, as we know it today, was started in 1973 by Dorothy Page and Joe Reddington, Sr. they wanted a way to commemorate the mushers of the original dash to Nome in 1925. In the winter of 1925, the town of Nome, located on Alaska's northwest coast, was hit with an outbreak of diphtheria, which could have turned into a serious epidemic. In Nome, they did not have enough serum for the number of people who had contracted the disease. An urgent appeal was sent out for diphtheria serum. The only serum in Alaska was found in Anchorage at the Alaska Railroad Hospital. The problem was getting it to Nome in the shortest time possible. Typically it took 25 days to get from Anchorage to Nome at that time of year because ships could not get through the frozen Bering Sea and the airplanes of 1925 were not yet equipped to fly in the severe winter weather conditions. Mushing the serum all the way to Nome was considered, but it was determined that the fastest way to get the serum to Nome was to transport it from Anchorage to Nenana by way of the Alaska Railroad, then by a sled dog team across the remaining 670 miles to Nome. The Alaska Railroad promptly loaded the serum onto a train and sent it up to Nenana. From there, 20 dog teams defied the elements, traveling day and night at record speeds, relaying it to Nome in less than a week! With the help of the Alaska Railroad, the brave mushers and dog teams, the town of Nome was saved. The Iditarod Race starts on the first Saturday in March of each year and can be seen on national television. There is a ceremonial start in Anchorage, then sled dogs are loaded into trucks and driven to Willow for the official start the following day. 28 This year’s winner was:_______________________________________ With a time of:______________________________________________ The first place prize was: _____________________________________ · In 2012, Dallas Seavey became the youngest musher to win the great race, at 25 years old. · Libby Riddles was the first woman ever to win the race in 1985, · Susan Butcher won the race in 1986, 87, 88 and 90. · Rick Swenson has won the race a record five times. MP 186.9 HATCHER PASS ROAD / INDEPENDENCE MINE, SKEETAWK RECREATION (In this area, look for where the tracks cross the Hatcher Pass Road, which heads east over the 3,900' pass and then down to Palmer and Wasilla. The Independence Mine State Historic Park, a renovated gold mine, is on this road. This popular recreation area is known for blueberry picking, hiking, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and paragliding. Recently a group called Hatcher Pass Alpine Xperience unveiled that after years of hard work and fundraising they have put in the first ever ski lift up to Hatcher 28 https://iditarod.com/race-history/ 37 Pass. They have named this lift Skeetawk, meaning “Where we all slide down” In Dena’ina) These marshy areas where there is an abundance of low-lying shrubbery are where you’ll want to keep your eyes open for moose!! The moose find an abundance of good food such as algae and plants that grow in the water in these areas. If you see moose or other major forms of wildlife, please remember to help us call them out, so everyone else in the car has a chance to see it, too! MP 188 GEOLOGY As we pass through this area you can see a definite lack of mountains and rock outcroppings, with the exception of the Talkeetna Mountains. This area is a large outwash basin for old glaciers that originated in the Talkeetna Mountains and the Alaska Range. All of the lakes, as well as the marsh grasslands, are another example of how the geological processes shaped this great land. Glaciers at one time covered all of this area and as they retreated approximately 9,000 years ago they left large blocks of ice that would eventually melt and leave depressions that then filled with water. Some of the grasslands and forested areas were formed when glaciers left higher areas of sediment called drumlins. These did not collect water, and vegetation developed. As the early vegetation grew, eventually it decomposed and formed soils for the larger trees that you see today. The way some of these grasslands developed was through a process known as “eutrophication”. This is when dust and dirt accumulate in a lake and the slow encroachment of vegetation shrinks the lake until nothing is left except the marsh grasslands. Some of this land that still has a substantial amount of moisture in it freezes and becomes permafrost. I will be telling you a little bit more about permafrost in a short while. Eventually, in some of the areas, the vegetation dies and becomes thick enough to support heavier root systems and larger vegetation develops. You can see on some of the edges of these marshes where the black spruce trees are slowly making attempts to fill in the land. MP 189 SOCKEYE FIRE (In this area you may start to notice burnt spruce trees along the tracks – this is a result of a the 2015 Sockeye Fire) On June 14th, 2015 the beginning of a 7,220 acre wildfire was sparked from two local Alaskan residents leaving their illegally burning brush piles unattended near the tree line of their cabin. Within a matter of hours, around 500 sled dogs and many residents from the Willow dog-mushing community had to quickly evacuate north to the town of Talkeetna, as the fire was burning so fast, it ended up igniting 6,500 of the 7,220 acres within a 24 hour time frame of its start. The destruction of the fire caused parts of the George Parks highway to be closed down between MP 63 and MP 80. E.M.T.s rode onboard the Denali Star trains for three days while the fire was nearest to the tracks. This insured extra safety precautions for passengers who may have experienced respiratory complications. Amongst warped train tracks, and a ghostly red fire retardant that was sprayed onto the threatened spruce trees, the fire destroyed around 55 homes, numerous recreational vehicles, and private as well as public land. The Sockeye fire was only part of the 5 million acres (or roughly the state of Connecticut) that were burned in Alaska during the 2015 summer season – by far the worst Alaska has seen yet. 3,500 smokejumpers, 10 hot shot crews, numerous helicopters and other workers came from all over the 38 Lower 48 and Canada to help the 2,000 firefighters based in Alaska cover the 31,000 acres that went aflame from the Sockeye Fire alone. Besides folks not putting out fires properly, lightning strikes in the dry Alaskan forests also contributed to the state’s wildfire issues. It did not help that the month of May brought on the hottest temperatures on record (in 91 years of Alaskans keeping records), about 7 degrees above average. This subsequently thawed the snow sooner, drying out the ground faster than usual. Black spruce forests are highly flammable with dry lichens and moss in abundance, and the sap can cause small explosions in the spruce tree when hot enough. Please help protect this young and beautiful frontier and our proud local residents by abiding by all fire safety rules and regulations while you visit Alaska. MP 190.5 JOHNSON’S HOMESTEAD As we travel throughout this area you will see many old homesteads and scattered houses. While homesteading in the lower 48 ended with the Federal Land Policy Act of 1976, Alaska was open to homesteading until 1986 (10 years later). Today 29 there is no land available for homesteading in Alaska, although the Department of Natural Resources currently sells state land through two programs. The first program is an annual sealed-bid auction program for subdivided and surveyed lands; bidding is open first in April for Alaska residents and then opened in May for all other bidders. The second program is the Remote Recreational Cabin Sites program, which is similar to homesteading, although there are no build-up requirements for the Remote Recreational Cabin program. MP 195 ARR HISTORY As I mentioned earlier Anchorage owes its beginnings in 1915 to the Alaska Railroad, but construction of the Railroad has a little more history behind it. Let’s start the story back in 1867, that’s when The United States purchased Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million dollars. William H. Seward, who was Secretary of State at the time, arranged the deal. Today we know that the U.S. got quite a deal, but back then most folks thought the purchase of Alaska was a big mistake because they thought Alaska was nothing but a frozen wasteland. In fact, the purchase of Alaska was commonly referred to as Seward’s Folly! From 1867 to the turn of the century, Alaska lacked any reliable means of transportation, meaning we had no reliable way to get our natural resources to market. This hurt the growth of our economy greatly. Several attempts had been made by private companies to build a railroad in Alaska, but most ended in failure, due to high construction costs. At the turn of the century many thought it outrageous that a territory over two and a half times as large as Texas was without a railroad. Many people thought that a railroad was so important to the development of Alaska, that if the private sector couldn’t do it, the government should. Finally in 1914, after extensive lobbying efforts, the Federal Government appropriated funds to complete the rail line and created the Alaska Railroad. The approved route originated in the deep-water, ice-free port of Seward, on the Kenai Peninsula and extended north along Turnagain Arm, into the coalfields of the Matanuska Valley and ultimately ended in the interior city of Fairbanks. Construction of the Alaska Railroad was completed in 1923. President Warren G. Harding came to Alaska in July of 1923 and drove the golden spike in the town of Nenana commemorating the completion of the 29 https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/documents/files/ PublicRoom_Alaska_Homesteading_Brochure_2016.pdf 39 Alaska Railroad. It took approximately eight years and cost $70 million, or nearly $1 billion today. Interestingly enough, at the time of completion, the combined populations of the three major towns on its route, Seward, Anchorage, and Fairbanks were only 5,400 people. The Alaska Railroad was of great value during WWII to transport military personnel, civilians and equipment. However, due to heavy usage during this time, it needed to be rebuilt. Part of this rehabilitation was to replace old equipment. In 1944, the railroad bought its first two diesel engines to start replacing the steam engines that had been used up until this time. The last steam engine was sold in 1964.* (The last steam engine used on the ARR was the 557 and was donated back to the Alaska Railroad for restoration. The Railroad plans on using it for tours and excursions.) This was the first and only railroad built and run by the United States Federal Government. In fact, the U.S. Department of the Interior ran the Alaska Railroad until the 1980’s. In 1985, the State of Alaska bought the Alaska Railroad for $22.3 million. Now a board of directors appointed by the Governor of Alaska runs the Alaska Railroad. MP 190-225 PERMAFROST *(Look specifically for a large area of black spruce trees) As we travel through this area you will see many swampy, bog-like areas. These areas are known as muskeg and are created by permafrost. Permafrost is ground that is frozen for at least 2 consecutive years. Permafrost usually lays 4-6 feet beneath the surface and can be 2,000 feet thick. Approximately 85% of Alaska contains permafrost. The frozen layer of permafrost stops water from seeping far into the ground and creates the swampy muskeg. Another sign of permafrost is the patches of black spruce trees. Black spruce trees often grow on permafrost-affected areas where other trees cannot, because their root systems extend outward instead of down where the ground is too solid to penetrate. The permafrost does stunt their growth so some of the small trees you are seeing are over 30 years old. MP 206 GOOSE CREEK TOWER (Left NB, Right SB) (This is a difficult landmark to spot, look for it at the 10-11 o’clock position until you pass under the highway, then look at the 7-8 o’clock position. Don’t bother continuing the story if the viewpoint is past.) Built by Phillip Weidner, a lawyer and civil engineer in Anchorage, originally it started out as a simple log cabin, which it still is at the base, but then had the thought of building a house on top of a house. And so he did, but then got to thinking maybe he could put another one on top of that. And so on and so forth. Weidner says that most of the ideas for each piece of the tower came from his head and he made them come to life. Right now, the tower is 185 ft. tall, eight levels and eight decks where you can walk 360 degrees around, however it is still unfinished and has been for 15 years. It’s challenging to build in such a remote area of Alaska, so a lot of the stories were actually built on the ground and put into place by a crane. All that remains to be done is the 360 degree platform decks on some of the levels, put in all the windows, and add a plastic dome on top for watching the Northern Lights. Eventually he will share the house with his children and grandchildren. Weidner calls his structure simply “Tower” or “Goose Creek 40 Tower”, though much to his chagrin the tower is also known locally as the Dr. Suess house. 30 MP 206.2 ARR & ROAD CROSSING: PARKS HIGHWAY The majority of the trip on the Alaska Railroad parallels the George Parks Highway, which connects Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska’s two largest population centers. Construction of the highway began in 1959 but wasn’t completed until 1971. The highway is maintained year round and was named after George Parks, who was territorial governor of Alaska from 1925 to 1933. He was a very influential and active politician until his death in Juneau in 1984 at the age of 101! MP 206.6 MCKINLEY FIRE In the next few miles, you will be noticing acres of burnt trees and structures surrounding the rail belt. This area is where a large wildfire occurred during August of 2019. According to the Anchorage Daily News, the fire was “initially attributed to a tree toppling onto a power line”. The “McKinley” fire began on August 17th , near milepost 91 of the George Parks Highway. By the night of August 18th, 53 primary buildings, 3 commercial structures and 84 outbuildings were destroyed from the fire. In total, the fire stretched 3,288 acres by the time it was contained. It was named the “McKinley” fire as it originated on McKinley St. on the northwest side of the George Parks Highway. 31 MP 209 DENALI VIEW (Left NB, Right SB) (FYI – Be on the lookout to the 9:00NB/3:00SB side for Denali. If you see it, let people know about the upcoming view at MP 224. From left to right side: Mr. Foraker (17,400 ft.), Mt. Hunter (14,573 ft.), and Denali (20,310 ft.). Commentary if Mountain is visible: Off to our 9:00NB/3:00SB side, we have a spectacular view of Denali! At an elevation of 20,310 ft., Denali is the highest peak in North America. The mountain is actually so high that it creates its own weather. Because of this, it is only around 33% completely visible on a crystal clear summer day, with about a 40% chance of it being partially hidden by its own cloud system, and a 25% chance of not being seen at all! So we are extremely lucky to 30 We're Not in Whoville Anymore: Welcome to Goose ... - Youtube. https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHt57JVDE48. 31 https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/mat-su/2019/08/20/fire-officialsreview- cause-of-mckinley-fire-along-parks-highway/ https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6534/ 41 get such a great view today! In about fifteen minutes we will be coming up to an even better viewpoint and slowing down for photos, so keep those cameras out. (Denali’s official height above sea level was officially recalibrated from its original measurement of 20,320 ft. (1953), to 20,237 ft. in 2013 using a remote-sensing technique (InSAR), and finally using GPS survey data for its final measure in September of 2015 at 20,310 ft. On Sunday, August 30th 2015, Interior of Alaska Secretary Sally Jewell signed a secretarial order with the approval of President Barack Obama before he visited Alaska to officially re-name the tallest peak in North America from Mt. McKinley (named after Ohio senator William H. McKinley in 1896 who was for the gold standard) to its original native Athabaskan name, “Denali”) Commentary if Mountain is NOT visible: On a clear day, we would be able to see Denali from here, but unfortunately with the cloud cover we will not be able to see it today. The mountain is actually so high that it creates its own weather and because of this it is only visible about 30% of the time in the summer. MP 211 BRIDGE OVER MONTANA CREEK Right now we are crossing over Montana Creek, which is a popular salmon fishing area. Montana Creek is a fresh water stream, which flows into the Susitna River. (FYI – Montana Creek is only open to fishing on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays) The highway is not very far from here and when the salmon are running, many people drive up to the campground and go fishing here. They fish at the mouth of the river because as the salmon travel up silt filled rivers such as the Susitna, they like to stop as they enter fresh water and clean their gills out. The silt is irritating to the fish, as it would be for us walking through a sandstorm. The Montana area was settled by homesteaders in 1957. Today, many people use a small airstrip in the area to leave for remote hunting and fishing trips. Shortly, we will again cross over the Parks Highway putting the highway on the west side of the train. On the east (out of sight) is the Talkeetna Spur road, a 15 mile paved road that is the only road into Talkeetna. MP 210-220 TRUMPETER SWANS Today we will be traveling by many ponds, so keep your eyes out for Trumpeter Swans. They are easily identifiable as they are the largest swan in the world; they also have extremely long white necks and large white bodies. Trumpeter swans live to be about 13 years of age in the wild and up to 35 years of age in captivity. It is not unusual for a pair of swans to mate for life. Swans nest on the ground near water, usually on small islands; and they lay 5-6 eggs. The swans that we will most likely see along the rail belt today are Trumpeter Swans, which have all-black bills. Trumpeter Swans are one of the largest birds in Alaska. Another interesting fact about Trumpeter Swans is that adult swans are flightless for about a month when they molt their feathers in the summer. As a result, male and female trumpeters molt at different times so one adult in a breeding pair will be able to fly while the other stays with the young swans, which are called cygnets. MP 224 SUSITNA RIVER - BEST VIEW OF DENALI (Left NB, Right SB) On the 9:00NB/3:00SB side is the best view of Denali that we have along the rail belt, so be sure to get a picture! The river on the 9:00NB/3:00SB side, which we have been following and will be for the next 40 miles, is the Susitna River. Susitna River is an Athabascan name that means "Sandy River” or “Silty River". The Susitna is over 300 miles long and empties into Knik Arm of the Cook Inlet. Salmon migrate upstream for hundreds of miles 42 through this important river; they then enter one of the over 10 smaller tributaries and continue upstream even farther before spawning. Salmon, trout, grayling and Dolly Varden are all found in the rivers and creeks in this area. MP 225 TALKEETNA (Left NB, Right SB) Shortly, we will be stopping at the town of Talkeetna, also known as the "Real Alaska”, or “The Gateway to Denali". Talkeetna has a year-round population of about 875 people. Downtown Talkeetna covers approximately 3 square blocks. 13 of the 26 buildings here are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Talkeetna has a variety of restaurants and accommodations, and it makes a great destination for a day trip out of Anchorage. Activities in Talkeetna include flight-seeing, riverboat tours, ziplining, fishing charters, float trips, gold panning, museums, gift shops, and art galleries. The reason some people like to call Talkeetna the Gateway to Denali is because most of the climbing expeditions to the mountain start from here with a flight to the base of the mountain. The population of the town can sometimes double in the summer, with the influx of mountain climbers and visitors from all around the world. Denali is a mountain that many climbers dream of climbing. The climb takes a great deal of preparation, determination, and effort. It is one of the most challenging mountains in the world, and is quite an accomplishment for those who succeed. It usually takes around three weeks to reach the summit, and climbers ascend in groups of two or three. Base camp is usually set up around the 7,000 ft. level, and is often reached by a flight from Talkeetna. Denali is surrounded by several other mountains peaks in the Alaska Range. When the weather is cloudy, it is easy to think that one of the smaller nearby peaks is Denali. However, on a clear day it is easy to see that Denali towers high above the others. The confluence of three major rivers is here, the Talkeetna, Chulitna, and Susitna. Talkeetna is an Athabascan word meaning "River of Plenty". In this area, the Talkeetna and Chulitna Rivers flow into the Susitna. You may have noticed that many of the rivers have names ending with the suffix "na", such as the Chulitna, Talkeetna, Susitna, and Chena. This is because in the Athabascan language the suffix "na" means river or flowing water. After we pass by “Beautiful Downtown Talkeetna”, we’ll cross over the Talkeetna River. MP 227 FAIRVIEW INN (Left NB, Right SB) After we leave the depot, on the (9:00NB/3:00SB) side of the train, look for the green and white colored Fairview Inn. This is the famous hotel where President Warren G. Harding and his wife stayed on their return trip from Nenana in 1923 when he drove the golden spike to commemorate the completion of the Alaska Railroad. Three days after leaving Alaska, the President became ill and died, and for many years rumor had it that he had been poisoned at the Fairview Inn. It is now said that he died of a stroke, but the Fairview Inn plays up its infamous reputation to the fullest and today is still a popular stop for tourists as well as the “locals". MP 234 SOUTHBOUND Give Prep for Talkeetna (After your passengers have disembarked, there will most likely be a line of passengers waiting to board. Politely let them know that you will begin boarding shortly, but you must tidy up the car first. Now go through your assigned coach(s) and bring all seatbacks forward, collect any trash on the seats or floors and clean/restock your restrooms before boarding your new passengers.) (Repeat Departure Announcements and don’t forget to introduce yourself again!) 43 MP 233 DENALI VIEW (Left NB, Right SB) Again out of the west side of the train we have a good view of Denali (if weather permits). The mountain is still more than 60 miles away at this point. MP 236.2 CHASE/FLAG STOPS You may see several trails leading from the tracks into the woods for the next 50 miles or so. These trails lead to cabins and several small communities. The area we’re traveling through now is called Chase, which was named in 1922. Chase is home to approximately 40 year-round residents who are devoted to self-sufficiency, and living a subsistence lifestyle. One-third (1/3) of homes in this area have individual water wells, septic systems and complete plumbing. The remaining two-thirds (2/3) haul water and use outhouses. There is no central electrical system; and 80% do not have telephone service. There is also no direct road access to Chase; the only way for residents to get in and out other than by 4-wheeler or snow machine is by the Alaska Railroad’s Flag Stop Service. The Alaska Railroad offers a "Flag-Stop" commuter service, called the Hurricane Turn, to people who live out in cabins in this remote area, it is called the Hurricane Turn. They can flag down the local service train anywhere along the route in both summer and winter. This flag-stop train service is the last of its kind in the U.S. and one of the last in North America. The “Flag-Stop” train runs 4 times a week in the summer from Talkeetna to Hurricane and once a month in the winter from Anchorage to Hurricane. In the winter we also offer the Aurora Winter Train that runs Anchorage to Fairbanks on Saturdays and Fairbanks to Anchorage on Sundays. 32 MP 240 TELEGRAPH POLES/ACS You may have noticed old telegraph poles to our (3:00NB/9:00SB) side. We will be following these telegraph poles almost all the way into Fairbanks, and if you were to ride the train to Seward you would see these poles following the tracks along there as well. These poles were built beginning in 1914 and were connected to an original telegraph system that was built to connect Alaska to the lower 48 and was started in May 1900. The first segment, from Eagle to Nome, was completed under the direction of Lt. Billy Mitchell in 1903. The telegraph system became known as the Washington Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System (WAMCATS) and was re-designated the Alaska Communications System (ACS) in 1936. WAMCATS/ACS managed both military and civilian messages – in fact, in 1906, of the 300,000 messages being handled, only 1/5 were military in nature. Along the rail belt, there were 35-40 poles constructed per mile, with 1,890 poles built in 1918 alone! Before the Railroad had wireless radio communications, train crews would use these telegraph poles to communicate with the different railroad stations. To send or receive messages, the conductor would reach out with a long pole that had a small bit of wire on the end and connect the wired end to the telegraph lines. ACS remained a military-run communications program until it was bought by RCA in 1971 and re-named Alascom. Digital switching was introduced to Alaska in 1989, and the last telegraph office in Alaska closed down in 1993. There are three satellites dedicated to providing telecommunications in Alaska. (The satellites were launched by Alascom in 1982, 1991, and 2000). MP 244 ALASKA NELLIE https://32 www.alaskarailroad.com/ride-a-train/our-trains/hurricane-turn 44 A story of Alaska and the Alaskan Railroad would not be complete without the legend of Alaska Nellie. As the train tracks were completed farther and farther north, Nellie moved with them. In 1919, she had a roadhouse at Deadhorse (which eventually became Curry) at milepost 248.5. When President Warren G. Harding came to Alaska in 1923 to drive the golden spike and commemorate the completion of the Railroad, he and his wife wanted to meet Nellie. He was very impressed by the caribou head, musk ox hide, bear hides, moose heads and other big game trophies she had on display. Nellie eventually purchased the village of Roosevelt just north of Seward which she eventually renamed Lawing. The wealthy and famous of Europe and America stayed with her at her lodge while on hunting trips. When her pet black bear, Mike, was found dead with a brown bear standing over him, she chased down the bear and killed it. As she told it: "One night I went out to my barn to feed my little pet black bear, and I found he was missing. As I went out into the snow, a huge shape lunged at me. I twisted away and ran to the barn. As I tried to shut the door to keep the big brown bear out, he smashed at the door with a paw, and it slammed shut on my fingers. I remained inside for a while, and heard the bear catch and kill my pet. Then I heard him drag the body away to bury it in a snow bank. I couldn't stand it after that. I ran to the house, got my 30.06, and ran back. He reared and started toward me and I had to shoot him six times before he fell dead at my feet." 33 In 1938, after the death of her husband, Nellie toured the U.S. to promote Alaska. She eventually was the subject of a film in 1940 and in 1941 wrote an autobiography. Alaska Nellie died in 1956 and left behind a legacy of stories about life in a remote and wild Alaska during the first operating years of the Alaska Railroad. MP 247 NB/ 250 SB Prep for Curry I invite you all to take a step back in time, and in a few minutes we will be going through a historic site that was once home to the Curry Hotel. This area coming up, started out as a station for maintenance of way workers in 1923, the same year the Curry Hotel was constructed. The Curry Hotel was Alaska’s largest and most luxurious hotel at that time. This hotel was needed due to the fact that back then, we operated steam locomotives that took two days to complete the 470 mile trip from Seward to Fairbanks, so we needed a stopover point for our passengers to stay the night before finishing the second half of their trip the following day. Upon its opening the Curry hotel was built as “a palace in the wilderness where accommodations were modern, inviting and comfortable with the highest order cuisine.” The hotel was named after a Californian Congressman named Charles F. Curry, who was the Chairman of the committee on Territories and a heavy supporter of the Alaska Railroad in Congress. In 1924, a 537 ft. long suspension foot bridge was built over the Big Susitna River, giving guests access to a 5 mile trail that lead to a small hut on the 2600 ft. Curry Ridge known as the ‘Regalvista’ because of the magnificent views of Denali. They also operated a 14 passenger gas car that would take guests from the Curry Hotel, to the streams just south of the town of Talkeetna, to fish for trout and grayling. Later on, the Alaska Railroad outfitted this resort with tennis courts, basketball courts, a three-hole golf course, a small pool, a bakery, a creamery, and a ski area with a tow rope Alaska N 33 ellie by Nellie Neal Lawing (Seattle: Chieftain Press, 1940) 45 and a designated ski jumping area. Needless to say, Curry Alaska was becoming a very popular resort town with more amenities than anywhere else in the state. The Curry Hotel did have its setbacks as it suffered from numerous fires. In 1926 the engine house and power plant were destroyed by fire when coal dust came in contact with an overheated stack. The railroad rebuilt a new engine house and power plant in two separate buildings right away. In 1933 that same engine house once again burnt down and was rebuilt. In 1945 the power plant burnt to the ground after a hand-fired locomotive type steam boiler exploded due to low water in the boiler. And then the final blow to the Curry Hotel happened on April 9, 1957 when the hotel caught fire and burnt to the ground killing 3 people. At that point in time, the railroad didn’t see the benefit in re-building the hotel as the railroad was transitioning to diesel electric locomotives, which could make the trip to Fairbanks in a single day. MP 248.5 CURRY ***Point out where the ski hill is as well as the basketball hoop (you can still see the backboard) on the East side (3:00NB/9:00SB) of the tracks, and the hotel and the suspension bridge were located on the West side (river side) of the tracks. Point out the old train consist with the rotary snow plow locomotive on the front*** MP 253 GLACIALY-FED RIVERS Looking at the Susitna River, you have probably noticed that the water looks "dirty" or “murky”, this is due to the abundance of glacial silt in the water. Glaciers have been called ‘nature’s bulldozers’ because as they move down mountains, they carve out U-shaped valleys and also pick up rocks and debris. Over centuries of ice buildup and movement, the debris becomes pulverized into fine sediment. As the glacier melts this sediment is suspended in the water and is what gives the water its murky, or dirty, color. A glacier is formed when annual snow accumulation at the top of the mountain or glacier is greater than the annual summer melt at the bottom or terminus of the glacier. This causes the snow to compress itself forming dense, very heavy ice that moves downward, aided by the forces of gravity. Because of the great density of this ice, it absorbs all colors of light except short wavelength blue light. As the ice melts the dense crystal structure breaks down and reflects all the colors so it looks white. That is why you will sometimes see the deepest blue in the new cracks and crevasses; the ice has not had time to break down and is still very dense. The colors sometimes appear the richest on cloudy days because the direct sunlight makes the wet ice produce a glare making it hard to see the true colors. Another interesting thing about glaciers that is commonly overlooked is that a glacier exists for a much greater amount of time than any of the ice within it. Remember, new ice is constantly forming in the zone of accumulation, flowing downward and melting. So ice can cycle through a glacier, while the glacier just gets older. The ice in a typical Alaskan glacier is less than 100 years old, although glaciers have been in Alaska since the last Ice Age (more than 10,000 years ago). MP 257.7 SHERMAN CITY HALL (Right NB, Left SB) Mary and Clyde Lovel arrived here in 1964. Mary lived with her 4 children here while her husband was working down in Anchorage. Soon after, Clyde was offered a job on the Alaska Railroad and was stationed in Gold Creek, a few miles north of Sherman. With use of the Alaska Railroad, they were able to bring building materials and supplies to this area to build the structures you see now. While away on vacation in the early 70’s, a relative painted the cabin including the words “Sherman City Hall” as a joke. The 46 Levels don’t live here year-round anymore but their children visit often. Mary Lovel is also a published author Some of her books; • “Journey to a Dream”- This is a true story of the Lovel family and their adventures moving to Alaska during the 1960's. Subsequently homesteading land and building a life in the Alaska wilderness that they enjoy to this day. • “Suddenly It’s Spring” - A True Alaskan Adventure Story continued • “Golden Sands of Nome (1-3)” - The adventures of a young girl during the gold rush days a in Nome, Alaska early 1900's, forced to fend for herself, due to circumstances beyond her control. This novel is a fiction based on fact. The main characters in this book are authentic people, ancestors of and related to the author MP 264 BRIDGE OVER SUSITNA RIVER This bridge over the Susitna River, which was originally built in 1921, spans 504', and is on the National Register of Historic Places. This was the first steel bridge built on the Railroad and at the time it was the longest single span bridge west of the Mississippi River. In 1923, however, the Mears Memorial Bridge near Nenana was completed and that bridge spans 704'. As we head north, we now leave the Susitna River, which we have been following north. Upstream from here, it runs from east to west along the northern edge of the Talkeetna Mountains. MP 269 INDIAN RIVER (Twin bridges just after first bridge - people fishing, tents) We are now traveling through one of the most scenic areas along our trip. The very clean and beautiful river out the 3:00NB/9:00SB side is known as the Indian River, we cross this river 4 times total. The King Salmon (Chinook) reach this river around the 4th of July, and throughout the rest of the summer you can usually see salmon here. The green color of this river is due to the deposits of copper that are oxidizing in the surrounding hills. All species of salmon, except Red Salmon (Sockeye), run up the Indian River. This is because Red Salmon need a lake system to spawn in. You can also fish for trout, Dolly Varden and grayling here. One of the best things about fishing here at Indian is that it is only accessible by the Alaska Railroad so you don't encounter the combat fishing that happens in other area rivers. (Watch for grizzly bears in this area; they are always around!) MP 271-273.5 SHANNON CARTWRIGHT/BUTTERFLY FLAG (Right NB, Left SB) This is the flag stop for a very talented and well-known local author and illustrator, Shannon Cartwright. Shannon came to Alaska in 1972, but to truly understand her life and work, I’d like begin her story when she was just a kid living in Detroit, Michigan where she was born and raised… Shannon’s grandfather lived right next to the Detroit Zoo, where he would take her and her brother every weekend. (Interestingly enough, they rode a small passenger train to get to the far side of the zoo!) She fell in love with all the animals at the zoo, often painting, sculpting, and creating collages of them! Shannon’s grandmother was a public health nurse who would travel from her home in Kotzebue, Alaska to as many as 75 different villages within the state during the 1940’s and 50’s. She always had intriguing stories of travelling by dog team and bush plane to get to her destinations through the vast and rugged terrain. Her grandmother would send her unique jewelry, toys, and dolls made with locally made ivory, fur, and animal hides. 47 She even wore a pair of mukluks to elementary school; boots made from seal or caribou, that her grandmother sent her. Unfortunately, Shannon’s grandmother never did have any children’s books to send her from Alaska. As Shannon eventually became an illustrator for Alaskan children’s books; she was well on her way to her purpose in life. Joining forces with her good friend and local author Shelley Gill, the two brought Alaskan wilderness and fun animal facts to life for many children. Shannon has illustrated over 30 books that are educational as well. From learning ABC’s, to mathematics, prehistory, and rhymes; teaching kids about Alaska’s wonders is definitely a priority! Today, many Alaskans have grown up and shared these stories and illustrations with their own children! From sirens, traffic, and city lights; to train horns, wild life encounters, and abnormal hours of daylight, we can see that Shannon is right where she was always destined to be. For more than four decades Shannon has toughed it out along the rails, as well as working in Bristol Bay on a set net site and even wrangling horses and guiding pack trips in the Alaska and Brooks mountain ranges…all in the wilds of Alaska. Her closest neighbors are moose, trumpeter swans, and even wolf packs and grizzly bear! Today, Shannon lives here year-round with her partner, a local friend and handyman. She also lives with her canine partner, Ella. Keep an eye out and you may just see her waving from her flag stop or art gallery here in Chulitna! Some of her books; • “Finding Alaska” – A story of Shannon’s journey to this beautiful state she calls home, highlighting some of her inspiring artwork and illustrations through the years … • “O’l 556” – How an Alaskan steam engine saves the day! A true story intertwining past and present railroad history and fun facts for all ages! • “Alaska’s Animals You and I” – Shannon’s first book to come out in 8 years after she had surgery for a medical disability, which had rendered her unable to draw or paint – this book celebrates diversity of animals and people around the world! • “Thunderfeet” - Discover Alaska's dinosaurs when you travel back through prehistoric time in Thunderfeet. Take a trip through 70 million years of history from the day of the dinosaurs to the migration of North America's animals across the Bering Land Bridge. *Look for the butterfly flag, (her cabin trail), and the rainbow flag! (Her art gallery) Note: Shannon’s books, cards, and fine art prints can be found at the Dancing Leaf Gallery in Talkeetna, (mention SB especially), and some of her books are available in Alaska Railroad gift shops! MP 270-280 BEAVER This is another prime beaver area on our route; we see many beaver ponds in this area. Beavers are North America’s largest rodents. They weigh on average 40 to 70 pounds, but in Alaska have been known to reach as much as 100 pounds. They reach about 3 to 4 feet in length including their tail, so roughly about the size of a collie. They have an average life expectancy of 10 to 12 years, but have been known to live to 19 in captivity. Beavers build ponds because it raises the water table of the environment. This creates a safer environment for the beavers by putting more water between them and their predators and brings a greater amount of food and building materials closer to the water. 48 They usually build one main dam that holds back water about 4 to 8 feet deep. Then there is a series of smaller staging dams; these are designed to take some of the pressure off the main dam. The lodges and dams look like large piles and walls of sticks, rocks, grass and mud. The lodges, which often are very old, have grass growing over the top of them. Beaver families build their lodges in the middle of the pond for protection while beavers living on a river will typically have lodges built into the sides of the banks. Beaver butts secrete a goo called castoreum, which the animals use to mark their territory. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists castoreum as a “generally regarded as safe” additive, and manufacturers have been using it extensively in perfumes and foods for at least 80 years. 34 Contrary to popular belief, beavers do not eat fish; they actually eat the bark of cottonwood, willow and alder trees. Beavers store their food at the bottom of the pond. In winter, when the top of the pond freezes, the beavers release some water through the dam and this creates an air pocket between the top of the liquid water and the bottom of the ice. By doing this, they don't have to go all the way over to their lodge to breathe. Beavers also have flaps of skin that go behind their teeth so they can chew under water. So once again, be on the lookout for signs of beaver! MP 277 KODAK/FUJI CURVES (Left NB, Right SB) – Announce before you get here To our (9:00NB/3:00SB) side is a wonderful view of Denali. (If Denali is not out, still point out where it would be and continue with the commentary) Of the 20 tallest mountains on the Continent, 17 are in Alaska. The North and South Peaks and South Buttress of Denali, Mt. Foraker and Mt. Hunter are all among these 20 tallest mountains and are all located right here in Denali National Park. We have 19 peaks in Alaska that reach over 14,000 feet. Denali is surrounded by several other mountains and when the weather is cloudy, it is easy to think that one of the smaller ones is actually Denali. However, on a clear day, it is easy to see that Denali towers high above over the others: South Peak of Denali 20,237' Mt. Russell 11,670' Mt. Foraker 17,400' Mt. Hunter 14,570' https://www.nationalgeographic.com/34 animals/article/beaver-butt-goo-vanilla-flavoring 49 Mt. Silverthrone, (north) 13,200' Mt. Deception 11,800' (Not all of these are always visible!) 11 Glaciers are spawned in the ice cap surrounding Denali and its neighboring peaks. Three well-known glaciers are the Muldrow Glacier (which you can see from the park), the Kahiltna Glacier (which is the most popular climbing glacier), and the Ruth Glacier (which is the largest of these glaciers). At this point we are traveling on what has historically been known as the Kodak/Fuji curves. The name came from all the Kodak and Fuji film that had been spent on them. Now is a great opportunity to take a picture of the train, as the Kodak/Fuji curves are both tight curves that will allow us to see the front or the back of the train as it turns. MP 279.5 GEORGE PARKS HIGHWAY At this time we are crossing the George Parks Highway. This is as close as we get to Mt. =Denali, which is 46 miles away and our current elevation is approximately 1300’. MP 284.2 HURRICANE GULCH ***Southbound, start this at Honolulu, Northbound start this as you pass Hurricane Section House to give passengers plenty of time to get their cameras ready.*** In just a few minutes we will be crossing Hurricane Gulch. This is definitely something you will want to have your cameras ready for! It is the longest bridge on the Alaska Railroad, spanning 914 feet and a 296-foot drop down to Hurricane Creek below. Building this bridge proved to be one of the most challenging aspects of the Alaska Railroad’s construction. The American Bridge Company, which was also responsible for building the White Pass Yukon Railroad near Skagway, Alaska, developed a plan that would allow for the construction of this bridge. In 1921, an aerial tramway was strung across the gulch and construction began on either side of the gulch. The crews finally met in the middle in August of 1921. The name Hurricane comes from the hurricane force winds which often blow through the gulch. They have been clocked as fast as 90 mph! As we cross the gulch out of the west side of the train, you will see a beautiful view of the glacially fed Chulitna River. The train will slow down to 10 mph as we cross the bridge so there will be plenty of time for pictures. Just, don’t all go to the same side at once please. 287.7 BRIDGE OVER HONOLULU CREEK Watch for salmon as we cross over the Honolulu Creek. This far up stream, they will most likely have turned bright red from swimming in the freshwater. Salmon are anadromous, they begin their lives in freshwater lakes and streams and spend the majority of their lives in the ocean. Later they return to the lakes or streams in which they were originally spawned to spawn themselves. Upon returning to the freshwater, the salmon’s bodies begin to decay as they cannot physically handle the dramatic change in water salinity a second time, and they start to turn bright red. Salmon fry (the term for tiny young salmon) vary in the amount of time they spend in freshwater before they head out to the ocean to live. Pink Salmon (Humpy’s) will spend less than a year in freshwater and complete their entire life cycle in two years, whereas the Sockeye Salmon will spend up to four years in freshwater before traveling out to sea, where they will spend 1-3 years maturing before returning. 35 https://www.fws.gov/refuge/35 togiak/wildlife_and_habitat/fish/salmon_lifecycle.html 50 MP 289 HONOLULU E Komo Mai and Aloha, welcome to Honolulu, AK. The halfway point between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Honolulu is said to have been named in 1913 by a prospector searching for gold. Some speculate that his luck just wasn’t… panning out, so to take his mind off his troubles he dreamed about Honolulu. This is also the jumping off point for those heading into the Broad Pass Mining District west of here. (The river you see is NOT Honolulu Creek. Honolulu Creek is a clear-water creek that the train crosses over at MP 287.7. The larger, mixed silt-clear water river is the confluence of the Middle and West forks of the Chulitna River. Honolulu Creek meets these two forks a little south of here.) The ALASKA RANGE is still to your 9:00NB/3:00SB Side until Cantwell. The TALKEETNA RANGE is to your 3:00NB/9:00SB side MP (VARIES) PREP FOR MEET Well, ladies and gentlemen, soon we will meet up with our train’s twin sister. It left Fairbanks the same time this train left Anchorage, and in a moment, we will stop side-by-side to transfer onboard staff. So, at this point I will be leaving you and getting on the southbound train that will take me back to home in Anchorage. I've enjoyed visiting with you today and hope the rest of your stay in Alaska is WONDERFUL!! It is vital that you give the above information so your passengers are aware of what is going on, stay in your car as long as possible prior to meeting and as soon as you meet trains go to your new car and introduce yourself and walk through your car a number of times so passengers don’t wonder where their tour guide is! At a slow spot before this you should have gathered your belongings together to be ready for the transfer. When the trains meet, the conductors want a quick meet to get going again - DON'T BE THE CAUSE OF A DELAY! If for some reason you travel beyond Broad Pass for the switch, you must be familiar with the information. The following Mile Posts are given for that reason. Adjust your commentary accordingly. The meet will usually occur at Broad Pass or Colorado. Your supervisor or conductor will inform you as to which. Ask your supervisor or the conductor for the MP and location onboard the train where you will meet if you are unsure. If meeting at Broad Pass, after you have ‘said your goodbyes’, give the commentary for Broad Pass and let your passengers know how long it will be before you get there. Also, if you know how long your train will be stopped at the meet (for example, the conductor has told you that the other train is 10 minutes away.) let your passengers know that they will be waiting for a while (be general about the length of time) at the meet with the other train. You might also explain that the ARR has only one main line if you haven’t done so already. Make sure the bathrooms in your car are clean and well stocked prior to meeting trains! MP 297 COLORADO The houses we see here are part of the small town called Colorado. Roads from Colorado lead to coal and gold mines in the area. As the train begins to climb in altitude, the few scrubby black spruce trees are becoming smaller. This terrain is commonly known as the "Taiga" or “land of little sticks.” At the 2700' level the taiga will end and the tundra begins. Here the dwarf flowers, mosses and lichen show off their best colors in late spring when they bloom and again in late August as the fall colors change. Begin watching for Dall sheep on the mountainsides in this area. Also, be 51 on the lookout for caribou, moose, grizzly bears, wolves, fox and other small animals. MP 304 BROAD PASS At 2,300 feet, this is the lowest pass across the Alaska Range and the entire Rocky Mountain Chain. The mountains to our 3:00NB/9:00SB are part of the Talkeetna Mountains and the mountains to our 9:00NB/3:00SB are part of the Alaska Range. This is a windy stretch that has snow drifts of up to 15 feet during the winter. The Alaska Range extends 600 miles from the Alaska Peninsula to the town of Delta Junction, which is famous for agricultural "products" of bison and barley. Altitudes in the Alaska Range run from 5,000 feet in the south to 20,310 feet at Denali and then back down to 8,000 feet to the east. MP 311 SUMMIT The large lake we can see to our 3:00NB/9:00SB side is called Summit Lake and is positioned over the 2,363-foot summit of the continental and watershed divide. What this means, is all of the rivers and streams that we’ve previously passed by have been flowing south and will eventually make their way to the cook inlet, which is the large body of water outside of Anchorage. All the rivers and streams that we will travel by north of here, will be flowing north and will eventually make their way to the Yukon River, which is Alaska’s longest river extending 1,875 miles from Canada in the east to the Bering Sea in the west. Because of its position, waters from Summit Lake drain north and south. About halfway through the lake you’ll see two blue and yellow signs on either side of the train that tells us we are traveling over the highest point on the Alaska Railroad. About halfway along the lake you’ll see a sign that tells us we are traveling over the highest point on the Alaska Railroad. The lakes here at Summit are abundant with lake trout, grayling and burbot, a fresh water lingcod. Lake trout average around 6 to 8 pounds. It takes approximately 12 to 15 years for a Lake Trout to reach 8 pounds because of the cold-water temperature. MP 312.5 MIRROR LAKE & LOWER EDES LAKE (Right NB, Left SB) The long skinny lake you can see off to our 3:00NB/9:00SB side is called lower Mirror Lake. The lake on the other side of Mirror Lake, to the east, is Lower Edes Lake and was named after William C. Edes. Edes was the chief engineer of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in California before he was appointed to the Alaska Engineering Commission in 1914, which was the Alaska Railroad’s main builder. The small white sheds you can see on the other side of the lake are storage sheds used by hunters and trappers in this area. 52 BIBLIOGRAPHY Westchester Lagoon/Coastal Trail: Alaska, Anchorage. “Anchorage- A top trail town”. The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau. http://www.anchorage.net/650.cfm (22 Sep 2004). Anchorage Bowl Geology: Wrangell- St. Elias. “The Chugach Mountains”. The National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/wrst/virtualtour/chugachmtns.htm (22 Sep 2004). Dimond Mall Information Wildlife Conservation. “Permafrost”. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/aawildlife/ecosystems/permafrost.cfm (22 Sep 2004). http://activerain.com/blogsview/4469644/flying-crown-homes-in-anchorageak Potter’s Marsh Bird Preserve: Wildlife Conservation. “Potter Marsh”. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/viewing/potter.cfm (22 Sep 2004). Mt. Redoubt: “An Introduction to Volcano’s in Alaska”. Alaska Volcano Observatory. http://www.avo.alaska.edu/genrl_info/sumpara.html (23 Sep 2004). Beluga Whales: AFSC Research Feature – “The Endangered Beluga Whales of Cook Inlet, Alaska” by Kim Sheldon http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/jfm2011/JFM11_feature.pdfDall Sheep: Col , Jeananda. “Dal l Sheep” . Enchanted Learning. ht tp:// www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/sheep/Dallsheep.shtml (22 Sep 2004). Hope and Sunrise: McClathy, A. “Hope, Alaska”. The Anchorage Daily News. http:// www.alaska.com/places/cities/other_cities/story/4565654p-4887005c.html (22 Sep 2004). https://www.icmj.com/magazine/article/alaskas-hopesunrise- mining-district-901/ Hope: About Hope http://www.hopealaska.info/about-hope Glaciers: Alaska’s Glaciers http://geonames.usgs.gov/. http://library.alaska.gov/asp/alaska_glaciers.html Girdwood: McClathy, A. “Girdwood, Alaska”. The Anchorage Daily News. http:// www.alaska.com/places/cities/other_cities/story/4565654p-4770237c.html (22 Sep 2004). Generation Multimedia. “Winter as it should be…Pure”. The Alyeska Ski Resort. http://www.alyeskaresort.com/page.asp?intNodeID=10805 (22 Sep 2004). Alaska Nellie: Alaska Nellie – Bridgett Blough http://bridgettblough.com/2010/08/13/alaska-nellie/ Seward Airport: Seward Airport statistics http://www.airnav.com/airport/PAWD Seward History: “Frequently Asked Questions”. The Seward Chamber of Commerce. http:// www.sewardak.org/visitor_info.htm (22 Sep 2004). Seward Depot location https://www.alaska.org/detail/alaska-railroad-historic-depot-in-seward 53 Many people ride multiple legs or return on the train later on their trip. Instead of saying the same narration every time you might think about breaking your stories into parts and delivering different points on the return trip. Variety is the spice of life. Here are examples of stories cut to fit different amounts of time. Sometimes you won’t have time to tell the whole story, get comfortable summarizing or embellishing to suit your needs. 60-SECOND FAIRY TALE SAMPLE SCRIPT: 180 WORDS To her surprise, Maria was beginning to grow attached to the wondrous new land she had found herself in. She missed her herd back home, of course. She also missed the sweet taste of the bluegrass in the valley where she was raised. But she liked walking around and leaving hoof prints in the freshly fallen snow. She liked gazing at the tall tower that rose up from behind the castle walls, and imagining what magnificent view it offered out onto the kingdom grounds. But most of all, she liked her new friend. One day, she asked the White Knight whether he might allow her to climb the tower to see if she could spot her homeland, off in the distance. “Well, Maria,” the Knight responded with slight hesitation. “You see, the staircase leading up to the tower is very narrow, and I’m not sure that a four-legged cow like yourself would be capable of making the trip up.” “Never say never,” proclaimed Maria, as she instantly stood upright on her hind legs and began marching toward the castle gates. 30-SECOND FAIRY TALE SAMPLE SCRIPT: 96 WORDS As fresh snow blanketed the grounds of the kingdom, the White Knight gazed out upon the sprawling valley, sighed to himself, and said: “I must be the loneliest knight in all of the land.” All of a sudden, the White Knight spotted a strange creature wandering up the snowy path towards him. As the distance between the knight and the creature shrank, he saw that it was a cow. “Who goes there?” the White Knight stammered. To his surprise, a gentle voice responded. “It is I, Maria, a calf who has found herself far from home.” 15-SECOND FAIRY TALE SAMPLE SCRIPT: 46 WORDS Once upon a time, in a magical kingdom surrounded by a vast valley, there lived a young squire who dreamed of becoming a knight. Every day, the squire carried out his daily duties, patiently awaiting the day he could prove his worth and pass into knighthood. 54 BOARDING ANNOUNCEMENT ARRIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT WILDLIFE Sometimes when the train slows suddenly its an indication that animals may be on the track. We will do our best to relay this information to you as quickly as possible, however, please remember that the loud noises from the train sometimes startle the wildlife and they may run quickly into the brush. The best plan is to always have your eyes peeled and cameras ready, as you may only have seconds to take a photo! PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS Make sure your flash is turned off to reduce “flash back” off of the glass. Place your camera directly against the glass to reduce or eliminate reflection. *We recommend putting electronics into “airplane mode”, as we do not have Wi-Fi service onboard. Charging stations and outlets are available at Gold Star bars (Gold Star passengers only), bistro bars, and dome cars. (The bistro and dome cars are accessible by all passengers, especially Adventure Class). CLOCK POSITION/RELATIVE BEARING This is a system of denoting impromptu relative bearing widely used in practical navigation to give the position of an observed object readily and comprehensibly. "Relative" means that it does not state or imply any compass directions whatsoever. The vessel can be pointed in any direction. The clock numbers are relative to the direction in which the train points. The observer then measures or observes the angle made by the intersection of the line of sight to the longitudinal axis, the dimension of length, of the train, using the clock analogy. 55 VOCABULARY WORDS COFC - Container On Flat Car FLAG STOP - stop or station at which trains stop only on request MAINLINE - track that is used for through trains BULL - Railroad police or railway police TAMPER - a self-propelled, rail-mounted machine used to pack (or tamp) the track ballast INTERCHANGE - the practice of railroads conveying freight cars (“foreign" cars) from other companies over their lines BALLAST - Railbed stabilizing gravel SPIKE - a hook-headed spike for securing the rails of a railroad to the ties WYE - Triangular junction DWELL - the time a train spends at a scheduled stop without moving FREIGHT - the use of railroads and trains to transport cargo as opposed to human passengers OFF GRIDDER - from the Railroad Alaska show RAMPING - Loading containers RUN THROUGH - When a train passes the end of authorized track without permission CAB - crew compartment or driver's compartment of a locomotive SIDING - Parallel tracks setup to permit train passes FRA - Federal Railroad Administraition (part of DOT) MAC - SD70 Mac locomotive MOW - Maintenance of Way ROADHOUSE - an inn along the rail belt providing meals and liquor and dancing and (sometimes) gambling OBC - locomotive's On Board Computer COW CATCHER - Attachment on front of train to catch moose OUTSIDE - any non-Alaska location SOURDOUGH - someone who has lived in Alaska for several winters. CHEECHAKO - someone who is newly arrived in Alaska CLEARANCE - Evaluation of a car's ability to pass all road restrictions WILMA - Head of train device TRACK JEWLERY - Assorted parts for switches DYNAMITER - A car on which a defective control valve creates undesired emergency brake applications. AUTHORITY - Reservation to use a section of track TIE PLATE - Rail connecting plate DETECTORS - Trackside sensors to identify hot wheels TGBO -Tabular General Bulletin Order. Required compliance rules on road movement DMU - Self propelled car (Diesel Multiple Unit) PTC - Positive Train Control HOT WHEEL - Overheated wheel TURNOVER - the product of a certain quantity of cargo (in tons) and the distance of the transport (in kilometers) GAUGE - Width of rail CARMAN - Rail car repairs that inspect and perform maintenance on freight cars 56 FLORA SITKA SPRUCE Around Girdwood, surrounding the highway are Sitka Spruce trees. Sitka Spruce, the state tree of Alaska, is a dark, heavy-limbed conifer with branches lifting upward towards the sky rather than hanging down like the white spruce tree. Sitka Spruce was an important wood during the early part of WWII when light planes were constructed from the trees straightgrained wood. Sitka Spruce also played a vital role in the building of the Alaska Railroad as the coastal forest provided fuel, cabin logs, and construction materials. USNEA “Old Man’s Beard” is a lichen that looks like light colored hairs on the trees. Usnea can only grow in pristine environments and is used as a natural immune booster, by the local indigenous communities. FAUNA BLACK BEAR An estimated 100,000 black bears inhabit Alaska. Adults stand about 29 inches at the shoulders and are about 60 inches from nose to tail. Males are larger than females, and weigh about 180-200 pounds in the spring. They are considerably lighter when they emerge from winter hibernation and may be about 20 percent heavier in the fall when they’re fat. Black bears can vary in color from jet black to white. Black is the color encountered most frequently across the state, but brown or cinnamoncolored black bears are sometimes seen in Southcentral Alaska and on the southeastern mainland. Cinnamon-colored black bears are also common in Alaska’s Interior. Some bluish-colored bears called glacier bears may be found in the Yakutat area and in other parts of Southeast Alaska. Black bears often have brown muzzles and some also have a patch of white hair on their chest. Black bears are most easily distinguished from brown bears by their straight facial profile and their claws, which rarely grow more than 1 ½ inches in length. Black bears have adequate sense of sight and hearing, but have an outstanding sense of smell. For most of the year, black bears are solitary creatures, except from June through July when mating takes place. The cubs are born in their dens following a gestation period of about seven months. The cubs are born blind and nearly hairless, weighing in under a pound. One to four cubs may be born, but two is most common. Cubs remain with their mothers through the first winter following birth. Black bears mature sexually at 3 to 6 years of age, depending upon their environment. In the more southern parts of their range, bears will breed every other year; however, if a litter is lost early during the first summer, the sow will breed again that year. In more marginal environments such as northern Alaska, black bears keep their cubs with them an extra year and will breed every third year. BROWN BEAR Brown and grizzly bears are classified as the same species even though there are notable differences between them. Kodiak bears (brown bears from the Kodiak Archipelago) are classified as a distinct subspecies (U. a. middendorffi) from those on the mainland (U. a. horribilis) because they have been isolated from other bears since the last ice age about 12,000 years ago. “Brown bears” typically live along the southern coast of the state where they have access to seasonally abundant spawning salmon. The coastal areas also provide a rich array of vegetation they can use as food as well as a milder climate. This allows them to grow larger and live in higher densities than their “grizzly” cousins in the northern and interior parts of 57 the state. To minimize confusion, this report uses the term “brown bear” to refer to all members of Ursus arctos. The brown bear resembles its close relatives the black bear (U. americanus) and the polar bear (U. maritimus). Brown bears are usually larger than black bears, have a more prominent shoulder hump, less prominent ears, and longer, straighter claws. Polar bears are similar in size to coastal brown bears, but are more streamlined, lacking the hump. The varying shapes of these bears are adaptations to their particular life styles. Long claws are useful in digging roots or excavating small mammals, but are not efficient for climbing trees. The musculature and bone structure of the hump are adaptations for digging and for attaining bursts of speed necessary for capture of moose or caribou. Color is not a reliable key in differentiating these bears because black and brown bears have many color phases and polar bears may have stained fur. For example, black bear fur may be black, brown, reddish or even shades of grey and white, while brown bear colors range from dark brown through very light blond. Common foods include salmon, berries, grasses, sedges, cow parsnip, ground squirrels, carrion, and roots. In many parts of Alaska, brown bears are capable predators of moose and caribou, especially newborns. Bears may also be attracted to human camps and homes by improperly stored food and garbage as well as domestic animals. WOLVES Wolves (Canis lupus) are members of the family Canidae. Early taxonomists recognized about 24 New World and eight Old World subspecies of Canis lupus, with four subspecies thought to occur in Alaska. Recent studies of skull characteristics, body size, and color suggest that differences are slight with considerable overlap in the characteristics of wolves from various areas. Only two Alaska subspecies are now recognized. Wolves in Southeast Alaska tend to be darker and somewhat smaller than those in northern parts of the state. The pelt color of Alaska wolves ranges from black to nearly white, with every shade of gray and tan in between. Gray or black wolves are most common, and the relative abundance of each color phase varies over time and from place to place. Most adult male wolves in Interior Alaska weigh from 85 to 115 pounds (38.6-52.3), but they occasionally reach 145 pounds (65.3 kg). Females average 10 to 15 pounds (2-5 kg) lighter than males and rarely weigh more than 110 pounds (50 kg). Wolves reach adult size by about 1 year of age. RAVEN The common raven (Corvus corax) is a member of a family of birds known as the Corvidae, which includes jays, crows, and magpies. In Alaska, the raven can only be confused with a hawk or the much smaller crow. Ravens have large, stout bills, shaggy throat feathers, and wedgeshaped tails, visible best when in flight. Common ravens are large passerine (or perching) birds that average 63 centimeters (25 inches) in length and 1.2 kilograms (2.6 pounds) in weight. Ravens are excellent fliers, engaging in aerial acrobatics and sometimes soaring to great heights. Flight is often an alternation of wing flapping and gliding and is deceptively fast, as ravens move quickly with seemingly slow wing beats. In courtship flights ravens fly with wingtips touching, and repeatedly dive and tumble together. There is no mistaking the raucous call of the raven; the deep, resonant “kaw” or “prruk prruk prruk” is its trademark. However, the raven can produce an amazing assortment of sounds: mews, whistles, high-pitched cries, “glooks,” and dripping water sounds. One study in Alaska showed ravens have more than 30 distinct vocalizations. Ravens are among the most intelligent of all birds and can learn by watching, solve problems using logic, and recognize different individuals, human and raven. They are playful and carry sticks and feathers aloft, trade 58 them back and forth in flight and drop and retrieve them in air; they will repeatedly slide single file down snow fields. They also interact in a playful fashion with other animals, including wolves and bears. This likely helps them when their scavenging puts them in close proximity to these predators. The raven is a year-round resident in Alaska, nesting from the Seward Peninsula and the Brooks Range throughout the mainland, south to Kodiak Island, throughout the Aleutian Chain and along the coast and mountains of Southeast Alaska. The raven is found throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere in many types of habitats, but seem to prefer forested areas adjacent to expanses of open terrain. Ravens often form loose flocks during the day and congregate for roosting at night. As many as 800 ravens have been seen in one roost near Fairbanks. When they are not breeding, they may travel 30 to 40 miles each day from roost to daytime feeding areas. Ravens do not undertake long migrations like many birds, but breeding birds usually relocate for nesting each year. BALD EAGLE The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is named for the conspicuous white head of the adult bird. It was named by American colonists at a time when bald (or ‘balled’) meant white, not hairless. It takes about five years for the distinctive white plumage of both head and tail to gradually develop. Immature bald eagles are a mottled brown and white, and the young birds have a black beak as opposed to the adult’s yellow beak. As with many raptors, females are larger than males. The bald eagle is Alaska’s largest resident bird of prey with a wing span of up to 7.5 feet (2.3 m) and weight between 8 to 14 pounds (3.6 – 6.4 kg). Found only in North America, bald eagles are more abundant in Alaska than anywhere else in the United States. The Alaska population is estimated at 30,000 birds. These magnificent birds, recognized for their biological importance as scavengers and predators in the natural world, are much admired for their beauty. A national emblem of the United States since 1782, they have been a spiritual symbol for Alaska Natives far longer than that. Juvenile bald eagles are often confused with golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Where the two species coexist, the bald eagle is distinguished by a lack of feathers on its lower legs and a whitish lining on the forward part of its wings. BEAVER Beavers are North America’s largest rodents. They weigh on average 40 to 70 pounds, but in Alaska have been known to reach as much as 100 pounds. They reach about 3 to 4 feet in length including their tail, so roughly about the size of a collie. They have an average life expectancy of 10 to 12 years, but have been known to live to 19 in captivity. Beavers build ponds because it raises the water table of the environment. This creates a safer environment for the beavers by putting more water between them and their predators and brings a greater amount of food and building materials closer to the water. They usually build one main dam that holds back water about 4 to 8 feet deep. Then there is a series of smaller staging dams; these are designed to take some of the pressure off the main dam. The lodges and dams look like large piles and walls of sticks, rocks, grass and mud. The lodges, which often are very old, have grass growing over the top of them. Beaver families build their lodges in the middle of the pond for protection while beavers living on a river will typically have lodges built into the sides of the banks. Contrary to popular belief, beavers do not eat fish; they actually eat the bark of cottonwood, willow and alder trees. Beavers store their food at the bottom of the pond. In winter, when the top of the pond freezes, the beavers release some water through the dam 59 and this creates an air pocket between the top of the liquid water and the bottom of the ice. By doing this, they don't have to go all the way over to their lodge to breathe. Beavers also have flaps of skin that go behind their teeth so they can chew under water. So once again, be on the lookout for signs of beaver! TRUMPETER SWANS Today we will be traveling by many ponds, so keep your eyes out for Trumpeter Swans. They are easily identifiable as they are the largest swan in the world; they also have extremely long white necks and large white bodies. Trumpeter swans live to be about 13 years of age in the wild and up to 35 years of age in captivity. It is not unusual for a pair of swans to mate for life. Swans nest on the ground near water, usually on small islands; and they lay 5-6 eggs. The swans that we will most likely see along the rail belt today are Trumpeter Swans, which have all-black bills. Trumpeter Swans are one of the largest birds in Alaska. Another interesting fact about Trumpeter Swans is that adult swans are flightless for about a month when they molt their feathers in the summer. As a result, male and female trumpeters molt at different times so one adult in a breeding pair will be able to fly while the other stays with the young swans. A male swan is called a Cob. The female is called a Pen and the young of the year are called cygnets (pronounced 'sig-nets') DALL SHEEP Named for William H. Dall, one of the first men to survey the lower Yukon in 1866, Dall sheep are sometimes referred to as Alaska bighorn sheep because the Rocky Mountain bighorn are a closely related species. Rams, noticeable by their bright white color, grow large cured horns formed from a specialized skin structure made up of a compacted mass of hair and oil. The horns are not shed each fall but instead the sheep add another ring to their horns yearly so the longer the horns, the older the ram, and thus the more dominant that ram is within the herd. It is quite common for people to confuse Dall sheep with Mountain Goats; however, they have some very distinct differences. The Dall Sheep have horns that can reach a full curl or more and the thick white hair on the animal is very coarse and short; the Mountain Goat has short, almost spiked horns, and their hair is quite long. Mountain Goats also prefer higher elevations than Dall sheep. The rams (males) weigh about 300 lbs., while the ewes (females) weigh about 150 lbs. The Dall sheep make their home in the high alpine tundra and subsist on grasses, mosses, lichens, and flowers. Dall sheep have excellent sight and their climbing ability keeps their enemies at a far distance. Roughly 60,000 to 80,000 Dall sheep reside in the Chugach, Kenai, Alaska and Wrangell mountain ranges in Alaska. During the summer, the rams migrate high into the ranges, leaving the prime lower grazing grounds for the ewes and lambs. Dall Sheep are the only wild sheep in the world. Dall Sheep are herbivores and they have two-toed hooves, which enables them to move well on rough, uneven ground. During the summer when food is abundant, the sheep eat a wide variety of plants. The winter diet is much more limited, and consists primarily of dry, frozen grass and sedge stems available when snow is blown off, lichen, and moss. ARCTIC TERN Nests are sometimes seen between train tracks. The arctic tern is a medium sized bird growing to an average height of about a foot tall with around a 2 ft. wing span. They are grey and white with black capped heads, and their beaks and feet are bright orange. Their diet consists of mostly small fish, crustaceans, and insects. The terns’ travel from arctic breeding grounds to its wintering grounds off of Antarctica covers 24,000 miles! This is the farthest yearly journey of any bird. 60 BELUGA WHALES Due to the density of silt in the Turnagain Arm, no sunlight penetrates through the water. Without sunlight, the process of photosynthesis cannot occur and without photosynthesis, no animal life, not even plankton can exist in the Arm. Thus, the Turnagain Arm is literally lifeless, yet the streams that feed the Arm contain salmon. To get to their spawning beds, the salmon must swim from the ocean through the Turnagain Arm up to their spawning streams. Following the salmon into the Arm each year are the beluga whales. Beluga whales, which in Russian means “white”, are a small toothed whale that looks much like an oversized dolphin. An adult male can weigh 2,000 pounds and reach 15 feet in length. Their life expectancy reaches about 40 years. In the water to our 9:00 side, be on the lookout for Beluga whales. Belugas are white whales 11-16 feet long, weighing about 2,000 lbs. when full grown and live up to 40 years. In fact, the common name “beluga” was originally derived from the Russian word for white, which is, “belukha”. When we see the Beluga whales, they don’t breach, or jump out of the water. They just roll up out of the water to take a breath of air, so we only see their backs. The beluga whale has developed many adaptations that differ from other whales to better suit the environment they live in. They are not as sleek as their cousins the dolphin, due to the presence of a blubber layer that can be as much as 5 inches thick. Also a small beak characterizes their head and a bulging “melon” shaped head that is quite agile compared to other whales. In fact the Beluga whale is the only whale that can bend its neck. These features are probably an advantage when maneuvering and catching prey in muddy or ice covered water. Belugas have been known to live up to 60 years! Bald Eagles are also prevalent along Turnagain Arm, especially during low tide. Be sure to shout out if you see whales or other wildlife. MOOSE As we travel along the river banks and open landscape through this area, be on the lookout for moose. Moose are herbivores that eat leaves and twigs of willow, birch, and aspen trees, along with pond weeds, and grasses. They are the largest member of the deer family. The Alaska-Yukon moose is the largest moose in the world! Adult moose can range in size from a small 800 pound adult female, to a large 1,600 pound adult male. They can reach heights up to almost 6 feet tall. Bull moose are often easily recognized by their antlers, which are carried only by the males. Adult males engage in the “rut” in late September and early October. Females, or “cows”, give birth to calves in the spring. Calves are weaned in the fall at the time the mother starts breeding again, and they usually get chased off just before she gives birth again in the spring. OSPREY Osprey are identified as raptors, with a wingspan of 5 1/2 ft. weighing in at 3 lbs. as adults. Male and female birds both assist in building their nests, which have an average size of 3-6 ft. in diameter. Osprey nests can be seen on trees, posts, towers, rock points, telephone poles, and old telegraph poles. We see several osprey nests along the rail belt, and since they mostly hunt for fish, we commonly see them in the marshy wetlands. Osprey migrate to Mexico and Central and South America during the winter. In mid-May, females lay 2-4 eggs. Both adults will take turns incubating the eggs until they hatch after 5-6 weeks. In mid-August, nestlings begin flapping exercises. Keep a look out for osprey flying nearby, or perched in the nests on top of towers and telephone poles, in these areas. 61 SMELT Smelt are a common sight during May in the creeks along the highway. When crossing Twenty-Mile Creek, look for people throwing nets into the water. Hooligan, also known as candlefish, is one of five species of the smelt family found in Alaska. Candlefish are caught, dried and because they are so oily they can be fitted with a wick and burned exactly like a candle. SPRUCE BARK BEETLE (Anywhere) The forest in the Moose Pass/Trail Lake area consists primarily of mature spruce and hemlock with pockets of birch. The spruce trees in this region are being attacked by a tiny beetle known as the spruce bark beetle. Infested trees take on an orange to reddish hue about one year after beetles enter the soft inner bark layer to lay their eggs. In turn, the damage to the trees is not caused by the adult beetle but rather the larvae. Larval feeding eventually destroys this layer of bark that transports tree nutrients from the roots to the outer part of the tree. Spruce beetle outbreaks stunts the growth of trees and can cause tree mortality. While the spruce beetle is a natural part of the forest ecosystem, a massive spruce beetle outbreak has killed mature spruce trees on one million acres of the Kenai Peninsula since the mid-70’s. That equals about 50% of the peninsula’s forested land. Climate change in the region (hotter/drier conditions) is cited as the reason for the beetle outbreak. You might have noticed that many trees in this area look dead or dying. That is because they have become infested with the Spruce Bark Beetle. These beetles are present in small numbers in all spruce forests, but over the last decade their population has increased dramatically and caused a major infestation problem in South-Central Alaska. The beetles burrow into and lay their eggs in under the bark of the tree, disrupting the flow of nutrients throughout the tree. This eventually kills the tree. After remaining in the infested tree for two years, the new beetles will emerge after three consecutive days where the temperature reaches 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and find another spruce tree to infest. Many solutions have been proposed, including controlled burns of ‘beetle-kill’ areas as well as using a spray designed to defend spruce trees from the beetles. This spray is used in and around the city of Anchorage in an attempt to prevent the beetles from penetrating city limits and creating these extreme fire hazards. It seems there is no quick fix for the Spruce Bark Beetle infestation, but hopefully, we’ll have the situation under control in the next few years. 62 PREHISTORIC FAUNA During the Late Precambrian, Alaska was covered by a shallow sea. This sea was home to bacteria and stromatolites that would later fossilize. Most of the state continued to be submerged by the sea. By this time Alaska was home to brachiopods and trilobites. During the ensuing Ordovician and Silurian a chain of volcanic islands occupied what is now the eastern part of the state. These islands originated as a result of contemporary local tectonism. Coral reefs formed in the seas around these islands. The northern third of Alaska was still covered by seawater from the Devonian to the Permian. Local marine life included ammonites, brachiopods, corals, and gastropods. At least 34 different species of gastropods lived in Alaska during the late Paleozoic. Of these, 9 were completely new to science when first discovered. During the Triassic, the sea expanded. Northern Alaska was submerged under deep water. Southern Alaska was under a shallow sea. The state's Triassic sea was home to bony fish, ichthyosaurs, and mollusca. Volcanic episodes happened frequently in the state at this time. Volcanism continued into the Jurassic as Alaska experienced a period of relative geologic upheaval. Areas of the state remained inundated by the sea. This sea was home to ammonites and crinoids. In the middle Jurassic most of the mountain ranges characterizing modern Alaska began to form. Alaska's Middle Jurassic Callovian deposits are part of a large geologic region spreading down through Canada and even into the Lower 48 states including Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Utah and New Mexico. From the mid to late Jurassic, the area now occupied by Snug Harbor was home to a great diversity of marine invertebrates, which left behind a plethora of fossils. Among these were ammonites. Others include belemnites, the gastropod Amberlya, the pelecypods Lima, Oxytoma, and possibly Astarte and Isocyprina. Cretaceous Alaska gained additional landmass due to collisions with other tectonic plates. Local mountain building resulted in the formation of the Brooks Range and other topographic features. Some areas of Alaska were covered by the sea and others were dry land. There were at least 5 species of Inoceramus in Alaska during the Cretaceous period. This was a widespread genus in Alaska and its fossil remains have been discovered in hundreds of different places. Other Cretaceous shellfish were preserved at what is now Umiat Mountain. More than 235 species of plants are known to have grown in Alaska during the Cretaceous, most of which were cycads. Their remains are scattered across hundreds of sites. Among the finds were algae, Ampelopsis, conifers, elm, Ficus, a great diversity of hepaticae, laurel, magnolia, oaks, Pinus, Platanus, and sequoias. Invertebrate remains were also found with the plants. Pieces of Cretaceous amber have been found on the shore of Nelson Island, which is located in the Bering Sea. Dinosaurs lived in Alaska during the Cretaceous. Alaska remained tectonically active into the Cenozoic era. Volcanism produced the Aleutian Islands. During the Eocene, Alaska's plants resembled those today growing in the temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of earth today. Their remains were preserved in locations such as the Alaska Peninsula, Awik, the Cook Inlet's shoreline, Eagle City, Unga Island. Alaska's late Miocene fossil record also documents the state's ancient invertebrates. From the Miocene to the Pliocene, Alaska's land area just about reached its full modern extent. Alaska's late Pliocene fossils record also documents the state's invertebrates of that age. During periods of low sea level a land bridge connected Alaska and Asia, allowing an exchanged of the continents' wildlife. Significant areas of Alaska were covered by glaciers during the Quaternary. Alaska was also the site of 63 continued volcanic activity. In Alaska, Pleistocene mammal remains are often associated with artifacts left by Folsom people. Geologically recent invertebrate fossils are also known from Alaska. The Quugaarpaq is a tusked monster from Yup'ik folklore reported to burrow underground. Fresh air was said to be deadly for the Quugaarpaq, mere contact with which would cause it to petrify. These stories are based on fossils of Ice Age proboscideans whose buried remains are sometimes discovered eroding out of the sediment during spring in southeastern Alaska. Many other indigenous cultures from around the world have interpreted proboscidean fossils as the remains of colossal burrowing animals. During the early Cenozoic, Alaska had a subtropical environment. The local seas continued to drop until a land bridge connected the state with Asia. Early humans crossed this bridge and remains of contemporary local wildlife such as woolly mammoths often show signs of having been butchered. The story of the discovery of dinosaurs in Alaska began by accident in 1961. A geologist exploring along the Colville River on Alaska’s North Slope discovered what he assumed were bone samples from Ice Age animals, probably no more than two million years old, and didn't try to identify them further. Then in 1978, another geologist found dinosaur footprints near Black Lake on the Alaska Peninsula. These footprints and other imprints found elsewhere in Alaska in the 1970s revolutionized the thinking about the possibility that dinosaurs had at one time lived in Alaska. In 1984, a USGS geologist reexamined the 1961 fossils and identified them as the first dinosaur bones found in Alaska. To date, at least 12 different types of dinosaurs have been discovered on the North Slope. In 1994, a 90 million year old hadrosaur was discovered in the central Talkeetna Mountains. It is the oldest hadrosaur known in Alaska and one of the oldest in North America. The first evidence of dinosaurs in Denali National Park was discovered near Igloo Creek about 35 miles west of the park entrance on June 27, 2005. The fossil, a three-toed dinosaur track, is roughly 70 million years old. It was found during a geology field camp in the park. On this particular day an Associate Professor of Geology casually rested his hand on an outcrop of the Cantwell Formation not far from the Denali Park Road at Igloo Creek as he explained to his students that this type of Cretaceous sedimentary rock commonly preserves dinosaur tracks and that they should be alert for them. To his surprise, a student immediately spied the dinosaur track not far from his gesturing hand and asked, “Like that one?” This first dinosaur fossil found is a cast, i.e., a bump on the rock, not an indentation. It was made when a dinosaur left its three-toed footprint in mud. Over time this depression filled with sediments that solidified into rock. The mudstone weathered away and left the cast exposed. This fossil track was made by a theropod, a meat-eating dinosaur with small front “arms” that walked on its hind legs. The track cast is about 9 inches (~23 cm) from toe to heel and 6 inches (15 cm) wide and is estimated to have been made by a modest sized theropod, around 10 feet (3 meters) long that might have weighed 100-200 lbs (45-90 kg). The fossil is now displayed in the Murie Science and Learning Center near the park's entrance. Since the discovery of this first dinosaur track fossil in 2005, hundreds of sites with thousands of other fossils have been found in Denali, with new fossils finds every year. These fossils include additional species of dinosaurs tracks and coprolites (feces), as well as traces of flying reptiles, birds, clams, worms, and other invertebrates. A more complete ecological 64 picture about life in Denali about 70 million years ago is emerging from the first fossil find and all the ones that have followed. The eroding bluffs of the North Slope has yielded many dinosaur fossils over the last couple of decades. But the baby dino bones that were found in sediments collected by University of Alaska Fairbanks and Florida State University scientists indicate year-round residency. Dinosaurs likely had incubation periods upwards of five to six months for some species. And if that’s the case, a dinosaur laying its eggs in the spring would have been hatching them late in the summer, if dinosaurs were migrating, they would have had very little time to move to lower latitudes with newborns, which suggests that the animals did not, in fact migrate. Horned Pachyrhinosaurus The Pachyrhinosaurus, a large, sturdy herbivore with prominent curved horns on its frill and skull, was discovered by Charles M. Sternberg in 1946. These dinosaurs grew up to 26 feet long and weighed about four tons. Pachyrhinosaurus roamed together as packs across a surprisingly large range in Alaska and Alberta about 73.5 to 72.5 million years ago. Paleontologists excavated the Alaska dinosaur, Pachyrhinosaurus known as P. perotorum named after Texan billionaire Ross Perot. This horned dinosaur gained recent popularity in the 2013 movie, Walking with Dinosaurs: The Movie, and it was also the official mascot of the 2010 Arctic Winter Games. Tyrannosauridae Gorgosaurus, the “fierce lizard,” is a member of the Tyrannosauridae family, which is famously captained by the Tyrannosaurus Rex. However, unlike the famed T-Rex or its close relative the Albertosaurus, Gorgosaurus is smaller, slimmer and has longer legs, allowing it to outrun much of the competition — fellow predators and prey alike. Gorgosaurus is an apex predator who roamed Alaska’s North Slope, Montana and Canada around 76.6 to 75.1 million years ago. The carnivore, first described by Lawrence Lambe in 1914, grew to about 30 feet in length and weighed around 2.8 tons. Gorgosaurus is among the more studied dinosaurs because it is the best-represented tyrannosaurid in the fossil record, allowing paleontologists to investigate its life history and ontogeny. Nanuqsaurus (meaning "polar bear lizard") is a genus of carnivorous tyrannosaurid theropod known from the Late Cretaceous period (early Late Maastrichtian stage) Prince Creek Formation of the North Slope of Alaska, United States. It contains a single species, Nanuqsaurus hoglundi, known only from a partial skull. Fiorillo and Tykoski stated that this lack of food might explain Nanuqsaurus's unusually small size for an advanced tyrannosaur, as a large animal cannot survive on scarce resources. Nanuqsaurus may have evolved a smaller size because of the decrease in year-round food supply, caused by the colder temperatures. However, later studies suggested that its supposed small size was unfounded, and that it was likely similar in size to other North American tyrannosaurids such as Albertosaurus. Edmontosaurus – Hadrosaur The Edmontosaurus is an herbivore with up to 2,000 teeth, six rows deep, that roamed north of the Arctic Circle through Alberta and parts of Alaska. Edmontosaurus lived 76 to 64 million years ago and was one of the last nonavian dinosaurs to explore the Earth. This Alaska dinosaur was relatively small compared to its peers, roughly the size of a modern elephant. It 65 moved on two or four legs, weighed up to four tons and grew to 43 feet in length. Edmontosaurus was named in 1917 by Lawrence Lambe, despite Othniel Charles Marsh discovering the species in 1892. Unlike many of its herbivorous peers, Edmontosaurus didn’t have any armor or natural weapons, so the species likely moved around in large herds for protection. Ugrunaaluk (oo-GREW-na-luck) kuukpikensis (KOOK-pik-en-sis) Researchers at the University of Alaska Museum of the North have described a new species of hadrosaur, a type of duck-billed dinosaur that once roamed the North Slope of Alaska in herds. Now on display in the museum lobby, an original painting by Anchorage artist James Havens depicting Alaska's newest dinosaur species, along with skeletal mounts of three juvenilesmade from casts of the fossils used to describe the new species. Troodon – Maniraptoran Troodon is theorized to be the smartest dinosaur and among the smartest creatures in the Campanian age of the Cretaceous period, although it’s intellectual capabilities are estimated to be lower than a house cat. This small, bird-like omnivore thrived 76 million years ago and was named by Joseph Leidy in 1856. The swift-moving dinosaur stood about 11 feet tall and weighed roughly 110 pounds. The normal length of Troodon was 50% larger in Alaska compared to more southerly areas, possibly because a larger eye size allowed it to hunt more effectively in low-light conditions. 66 PLACES OF INTEREST Alaska SeaLife Center The Sea Life Center is a cold water marine science facility and it’s mission is to combine research with wildlife rehabilitation and public education. It opened in 1998 with money from grants, bonds, donations, and fines from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. They take in orphan animals and stabilize them to be released back into the wild or transferred to a new home. Over the past year their “patients” have included: Sea Otters, Harbor Seals, Stellar Sea Lions and over a dozen birds. Research is currently being done to learn more about the local marine birds and wildlife. The main research going on right now is to find out why the Stellar Sea Lions and the Sea Otters population in the Gulf of Alaska region are declining so quickly. 67 NATURE DENALI The highest peak in North America, the mountain is actually so high that it creates its own weather. Because of this, it is only around 33% completely visible on a crystal clear summer day, with about a 40% chance of it being partially hidden by its own cloud system, and a 25% chance of not being seen at all! So we are extremely lucky to get such a great view today! In about fifteen minutes we will be coming up to an even better viewpoint and slowing down for photos, so keep those cameras out. (Denali’s official height above sea level was officially recalibrated from its original measurement of 20,320 ft. (1953), to 20,237 ft. in 2013 using a remote-sensing technique (InSAR), and finally using GPS survey data for its final measure in September of 2015 at 20,310 ft. On Sunday, August 30th 2015, Interior of Alaska Secretary Sally Jewell signed a secretarial order with the approval of President Barack Obama before he visited Alaska to officially re-name the tallest peak in North America from Mt. McKinley (named after Ohio senator William H. McKinley in 1896 who was for the gold standard) to its original native Athabaskan name, “Denali”) Of the 20 tallest mountains on the Continent, 17 are in Alaska. The North and South Peaks and South Buttress of Denali, Mt. Foraker and Mt. Hunter are all among these 20 tallest mountains and are all located right here in Denali National Park. We have 19 peaks in Alaska that reach over 14,000 feet. Denali is surrounded by several other mountains and when the weather is cloudy, it is easy to think that one of the smaller ones is actually Denali. However, on a clear day, it is easy to see that Denali towers high above over the others: South Peak of Denali 20,312’ North Peak of Denali 19,469’ Mt. Russell 11,670' Mt. Foraker 17,400' Mt. Hunter 14,570' Mt. Silverthrone, (north) 13,200' Mt. Deception 11,800' AVALANCHES A very common hazard in Alaska is the vast number of avalanches that occur in the winter. The nine-mile section of the Alaska Railroad and the Seward Highway between Girdwood and Bird Point is known as one of the 68 most avalanche-prone transportation corridors in the world. The Seward Highway is a lifeline for the communities of Girdwood, Kenai, Homer and Seward. With an average of 5,000 vehicles traveling this stretch of road every day in the winter, it is very important to keep this road open as much as possible. Thus, to prevent unexpected avalanches from stranding motorists, and perhaps causing injuries or fatalities, the State Department of Transportation will close the road temporarily in the winter to "shoot down" potential avalanche chutes. They use a 105mm Howitzer cannon which was purchased by the Alaska Railroad from the Army to send up an artillery shell to dislodge the snow, making it easier to “control” the sometimes unpredictable avalanches. Also, this section of track we are traveling on is a recent addition. The Alaska Railroad Corporation and the Department of Transportation completed a large project here in 2004. The rail was originally right along the side of the mountains, and the shore was much closer to the mountains as well. But by placing thousands of cubic feet of rock into the inlet the shoreline was extended over 100 feet! Then the railroad tracks and road were moved to their present location. All of this was done to place the train and cars as far away from the avalanches as possible. And if you look to the 3:00 side you see that small raised bike path, it acts as a type of retention wall for snow coming down during avalanches. During winter operations passenger trains are not allowed to travel south of Portage due to avalanche conditions. PERMAFROST As we travel through this area you will see many swampy, bog-like areas. These areas are known as muskeg and are created by permafrost. Permafrost is ground that is frozen for at least 2 consecutive years. Permafrost usually lays 4-6 feet beneath the surface and can be 2,000 feet thick. Approximately 85% of Alaska contains permafrost. The frozen layer of permafrost stops water from seeping far into the ground and creates the swampy muskeg. Another sign of permafrost is the patches of black spruce trees. Black spruce trees often grow on permafrost-affected areas where other trees cannot, because their root systems extend outward instead of down where the ground is too solid to penetrate. The permafrost does stunt their growth so some of the small trees you are seeing are over 30 years old. GEOLOGY As we pass through this area you can see a definite lack of mountains and rock outcroppings, with the exception of the Talkeetna Mountains. This area is a large outwash basin for old glaciers that originated in the Talkeetna Mountains and the Alaska Range. All of the lakes, as well as the marsh grasslands, are another example of how the geological processes shaped this great land. Glaciers at one time covered all of this area and as they retreated approximately 9,000 years ago they left large blocks of ice that would eventually melt and leave depressions that then filled with water. Some of the grasslands and forested areas were formed when glaciers left higher areas of sediment called drumlins. These did not collect water, and vegetation developed. As the early vegetation grew, eventually it decomposed and formed soils for the larger trees that you see today. The way some of these grasslands developed was through a process known as “eutrophication”. This is when dust and dirt accumulate in a lake and the slow encroachment of vegetation shrinks the lake until nothing is left except the marsh grasslands. Some of this land that still has a substantial amount of moisture in it freezes and becomes permafrost. I will be telling you a little bit more about permafrost in a short while. Eventually, in some of the areas, the vegetation dies and becomes thick enough to support 69 heavier root systems and larger vegetation develops. You can see on some of the edges of these marshes where the black spruce trees are slowly making attempts to fill in the land. Tides: · Incoming tides called flood tide. The highest maximum tides are called spring ties. · Outflowing tides called ebb tides. The lowest minimum tides are called neap tides. · Slack tide – water flow ceases. · Time between tides is approx. 12 hours 25.2 minutes which is ½ of a tidal lunar day. Bore Tide – The bore tide is a rush of seawater that returns to a shallow and narrowing inlet from a broad bay. The wave must overcome other frictional forces as well such as the outgoing tide, topography of the ocean floors (bathymetery) and the wind. Bore tides occur all over the world – approx. 60 – but only a few are large enough to make a name for themselves. Example- Tsientang China the wave height can reach 30 ft. and travel at 20 mph. What is so great about Turnagain Arm Bore Tide? It’s one of the largest in the world and occurs with great regularity. It’s the only one that occurs in the far North and the only one bordered by mountains, making it the most unique and geologically dramatic bore tide in the world. It’s also amazingly accessible. Nature’s tidal wave. Viewing- get a tide table and follow the instructions. Best time is around the new and full moons. Extreme low tides promise the largest bores. In winter Turnagain Arm looks completely different. It’s littered with chunks of discolored ice burgs and snow. Many of the bergs are larger than the largest vehicles. Because of the radical tide changes the ice is picked up and moved around twice daily scouring everything on the ocean floor. Another phenomena of the Turnagain Arm are the bore tides that roll through the arm periodically. While the Turnagain Arm has the second highest tide in North America, the arm also has the opposite extreme lows. These diurnal tides, two high tides and two low tides in a 24-hour period, keep the Turnagain Arm in constant motion. A tidal bore is a high, abrupt tidal wave that occurs in a narrow, tapering channel where tidal changes are extreme. Because Turnagain Arm is relatively shallow and is a constricted arm of the sea adjacent to a deeper body of water with a large range in tides, these bore tides occur. Bore tides, known to occur in only 67 places around the world,reach amazing heights and remarkable velocity. Bore tides towering as high as 26 feet and traveling up to 24 miles per hour have been recorded in different parts of the world. Turnagain Arm is one of the few locations where a bore tide occurs regularly in the U.S. The statistics for bore tides in the Turnagain Arm are: Range in size from 1⁄2 foot to 6 feet high Travel up to 15 miles per hour Occur daily, usually 1 3⁄4 to 2 1⁄2 hours after the predicted low tide in Anchorage. Opposing wind can increase visibility of bore tides. As you travel north from Seward, located to the north are the Chugach Mountains which are part of Chugach State Park. On the cliffs of the park, rock climbers are often spotted in the summer as well as hikers and mountain bikers. Located to the south are the Kenai Mountains which range in height from 2,000 feet to 6,000 feet. On a clear day, the Alaska Range is visible to the west. The Alaska Range, which includes Mt. McKinley, forms an arc that spreads across the middle 70 of the state. Some of the more visible mountains in the Alaska Range are the volcanoes Mt. Redoubt and Mt. Spurr, seen across Cook Inlet. Also, Mt. Foraker and Mt. Hunter which can be seen to the left of Mt. McKinley. While this chain of mountains is volcanically active, only in recent years has the south central region experienced any eruptions. Some geologists consider Mt. Spurr to be the northern terminus of the Aleutian Range, which is volcanic. That is how geologists differentiate between the Aleutians and the Alaska Range, which is not volcanic. In December of 1989, Mt. Redoubt erupted and sent an ash plume over 40,000 feet into the air. Again in 1992, Redoubt erupted and laid a blanket of ash over the Anchorage area and caused major delays both on the ground and in the air. (See more information on volcanoes in the Miscellaneous Information section of this commentary.) Aurora and CME’s - Coronal mass ejection is a massive burst of solar wind being released into space. The largest of the magnetic storms create the most intense Auroras. Weather extremes – in Alaska temperatures extremes vary from 100 Deg. F (record) above and to -80Deg.F (record) below. Thermometers at the time were only calibrated to 80 below. How cold did it really get? Chinook winds – can raise temps from 40 below to 40 above in just a few hours. When the wind stops temperatures plummet dramatically. Length of Day light – Fairbanks gets 3 hours and 43 minutes of twilight on winter solstice and 21 hours 49 minutes on summer solstice. GLACIALY-FED RIVERS Looking at the Susitna River, you have probably noticed that the water looks "dirty" or “murky”, this is due to the abundance of glacial silt in the water. Glaciers have been called ‘nature’s bulldozers’ because as they move down mountains, they carve out U-shaped valleys and also pick up rocks and debris. Over centuries of ice buildup and movement, the debris becomes pulverized into fine sediment. As the glacier melts this sediment is suspended in the water and is what gives the water its murky, or dirty, color. A glacier is formed when annual snow accumulation at the top of the mountain or glacier is greater than the annual summer melt at the bottom or terminus of the glacier. This causes the snow to compress itself forming dense, very heavy ice that moves downward, aided by the forces of gravity. Because of the great density of this ice, it absorbs all colors of light except short wavelength blue light. As the ice melts the dense crystal structure breaks down and reflects all the colors so it looks white. That is why you will sometimes see the deepest blue in the new cracks and crevasses; the ice has not had time to break down and is still very dense. The colors sometimes appear the richest on cloudy days because the direct sunlight makes the wet ice produce a glare making it hard to see the true colors. Another interesting thing about glaciers that is commonly overlooked is that a glacier exists for a much greater amount of time than any of the ice within it. Remember, new ice is constantly forming in the zone of accumulation, flowing downward and melting. So ice can cycle through a glacier, while the glacier just gets older. The ice in a typical Alaskan glacier is less than 100 years old, although glaciers have been in Alaska since the last Ice Age (more than 10,000 years ago). Glacial Silt The sand-like material surrounding the Turnagain Arm is glacial silt or rock flour. Although the silt beaches surrounding the Turnagain Arm look enticing on warm days, the silt is extremely dangerous. When mixed with the right amount of water, the silt acts like quicksand and has the potential 71 to trap whatever happens to walk on it. Advisories are posted along the Arm warning people of the dangers of silt. Quick Mountain Facts: Average elevation in the Alaska Range: 7,500 feet. 3 highest peaks in the Alaska Range: McKinley (20,320), Foraker (17,400) and Hunter (14,573). Aleutian Range is the SW continuation of the Alaska Range. Average elevation in the Aleutian Range: 5,000 feet. 4 higheast peaks in the Aleutian Range: Spurr - closest to Anchorage (11,066), Redoubt – across from Kenai (10,197), Iliamna – NW of Homer (10,016) and Augustine – SW of Homer (4,206), all of which are volcanic and have erupted since the 1950s. TIDES The body of water to our 9:00 side is Turnagain Arm, which flows into Cook Inlet, all of which is part of the Pacific Ocean. The water we see is salt water mixed with fresh water creeks and glacially fed rivers, and we are approximately at sea level. Turnagain Arm, along with Knik Arm, have North America's second greatest tide change, reaching almost 40 feet (38.9'). (FYI – the highest tides in North America are in the Bay of Fundy, in Canada, between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with a maximum tide change of 56 ft.) Here you can see a vast area of mud flats (if the tide is out). Mud flats are created by deposits of glacial silt from the many glacially fed rivers in the area. As glaciers are formed, rocks, vegetation and other debris become buried in the snow. With the progression of time and the movement of the glacier, these rocks and other items become pulverized into very fine sediment. As the face of the glacier melts, this sediment is carried in the melt-off water and gives many of Alaska’s rivers and streams their dirty or murky color. Eventually the melt-off water makes its way to the ocean, and much of the sediment settles, creating mudflats. These mud flats can be dangerous for unsuspecting explorers who venture out on the flats at low tide. Even though the mud can seem as solid as concrete when the tide is out, it only takes a short period of time for this mud to become like quicksand as the tide comes in. This is one of the few places in the world where you can see a "bore tide". Because of the great tidal changes, the outgoing tide will meet the incoming tide and the two forces fight each other, creating a "wall of water" until the incoming tide eventually overcomes the outgoing tide. These tides have been known to reach over six feet high and move at the rate of about 10 knots. This spot has also become a favorite spot for wind surfers as it offers some of the best windsurfing conditions. Windsurfing in Alaska is rather expensive and requires a good "dry suit", since the water is just slightly above freezing. A dry suit is designed to completely keep the moisture off the body. This area is only for experienced wind surfers since the tides coupled with the dangers of the mud flats can be quite dangerous, even though the water is only about 3 feet deep in places. During the summer, it is not unlikely to see windsurfers from the tracks! GLACIER INFORMATION Over 100,000 glaciers cover about 29,000 square miles of Alaska or 5% of the land area; which is 128 times more glacial coverage than the rest of the United States. Glaciers have been a dominant factor in carving out Alaska's terrain for millions of years. Ice close to 1/2 a mile deep during the Pleistocene age almost carved a fjord all the way to Cook Inlet, had this ice completed its journey, the Kenai Peninsula would now be an island. Many examples of glaciation can be seen on exposed rock. They are ground smooth and rounded by the ice flow. 72 A glacier is formed when annual snow accumulation at the top of the mountain is greater than the amount melted. Over time as more and more snow is not melted during the summer it collects and this causes the snow to compress forming dense, very heavy ice that moves downward aided by the forces of gravity. Because of the great density of this ice it absorbs all colors of light except the blue wave length. Different colors of light have different amounts of energy and only the blue light that has some of the greatest amount of energy can escape the density of the ice. As the ice melts the dense crystal structure breaks down and reflects all the colors so it looks white. That is why you will sometimes see the deepest blue in the new cracks and crevasses; the ice has not had time to break down and is still very dense. The colors sometimes appear the richest on cloudy days. One reason is because the direct sunlight makes the wet ice give off a glare making it hard to see the true colors. Many glaciers will look gray or dirty simply due to the amount of rocks and debris which become embedded into the ice, while some will appear white because they have a higher amount of air bubbles trapped in the ice. Most of Alaska's glaciers are currently receding. You can't actually see a glacier move, but there are clues to the movement. Large chunks of ice may break off from the face of the glacier; this is referred to as calving. If you are going on a cruise through Resurrection Bay in Seward, you may have the opportunity to see a tidewater glacier calve. It is quite a spectacular sight to see a glacier calve into a large body of water. If you stand near a glacier for any length of time you can hear the movement in sounds such as groaning or creaking. Sometimes this noise can get quite loud. Glaciers can move at varying speeds, some as fast as a foot or more a day, others as slow as only a few inches a year. Three things usually determine the speed at which a glacier moves: the thickness of the ice, the angle of the terrain it is on and the climate of the area. Skookum Glacier is an example of a recently melted glacial valley and outwash. Skookum means really good, right on, and excellent or it can mean tough and durable. So if you’re Skookum, you’re trustworthy, honest, reliable and hardworking. The three types of glaciers we will see today are hanging glaciers, piedmont glaciers, and tidewater glaciers for those of you taking a boat tour. Hanging glaciers originate at the peaks of the mountains and are attached to the slopes, but do not extend into the valley bottoms. Piedmont glaciers originate at the peaks and flow into the valley bottoms. Tidewater glaciers are similar to piedmont glaciers however their faces terminate in the ocean. 73 ADDITIONAL NARRATION IDITAROD STORY (Willow, Nenana) The Iditarod Race, as we know it today, was started in 1973 by Dorothy Page and Joe Reddington, Sr. they wanted a way to commemorate the mushers of the original dash to Nome in 1925. In the winter of 1925, the town of Nome, located on Alaska's northwest coast, was hit with an outbreak of diphtheria, which could have turned into a serious epidemic. In Nome, they did not have enough serum for the number of people who had contracted the disease. An urgent appeal was sent out for diphtheria serum. The only serum in Alaska was found in Anchorage at the Alaska Railroad Hospital. The problem was getting it to Nome in the shortest time possible. Typically it took 25 days to get from Anchorage to Nome at that time of year because ships could not get through the frozen Bering Sea and the airplanes of 1925 were not yet equipped to fly in the severe winter weather conditions. Mushing the serum all the way to Nome was considered, but it was determined that the fastest way to get the serum to Nome was to transport it from Anchorage to Nenana by way of the Alaska Railroad, then by a sled dog team across the remaining 670 miles to Nome. The Alaska Railroad promptly loaded the serum onto a train and sent it up to Nenana. From there, 20 dog teams defied the elements, traveling day and night at record speeds, relaying it to Nome in less than a week! With the help of the Alaska Railroad, the brave mushers and dog teams, the town of Nome was saved. The Iditarod Race starts on the first Saturday in March of each year and can be seen on national television. There is a ceremonial start in Anchorage, then sled dogs are loaded into trucks and driven to Willow for the official start the following day. This year’s winner was:_______________________________________ With a time of:______________________________________________ The first place prize was: _____________________________________ · In 2012, Dallas Seavey became the youngest musher to win the great race, at 25 years old. · Libby Riddles was the first woman ever to win the race in 1985, · Susan Butcher won the race in 1986, 87, 88 and 90. · Rick Swenson has won the race a record five times. ALASKA NELLIE (Grandview, Lawing, Curry) A story of Alaska and the Alaskan Railroad would not be complete without the legend of Alaska Nellie. In 1916, Nellie Trosper became the first woman to get a roadhouse contract from the Railroad. She named her spot “Grandview.” Nellie became known for her strength and endurance as she was able to run 60 miles a day with her dog team and walk the 45 miles to Seward with a 40 pound pack in 11.5 hours. The real legend of Alaska Nellie began in 1920 during a snowstorm while waiting for the mail carrier. She eventually realized the mail carrier must be in trouble and ventured out to find him. She found the man, took him back to her cabin and thawed him out. She was given a gold nugget necklace with a small diamond set in a star as reward for her heroic efforts. As the train tracks were completed farther and farther north, Nellie moved with them. In 1919, she had a roadhouse at Deadhorse (which eventually became Curry) at milepost 248.5. 74 When President Warren G. Harding came to Alaska in 1923 to drive the golden spike and commemorate the completion of the Railroad, he and his wife wanted to meet Nellie. He was very impressed by the caribou head, musk ox hide, bear hides, moose heads and other big game trophies she had on display. Nellie eventually purchased the village of Roosevelt just north of Seward which she eventually renamed Lawing. The wealthy and famous of Europe and America stayed with her at her lodge while on hunting trips. In 1938, after the death of her husband, Nellie toured the U.S. to promote Alaska. She eventually was the subject of a film in 1940 and in 1941 wrote an autobiography. Alaska Nellie died in 1956 and left behind a legacy of stories about life in a remote and wild Alaska during the first operating years of the Alaska Railroad. Nellie arrived in Seward on July 3, 1915, just as construction of the Alaska Railroad was getting underway. She wrote in her autobiography, Alaska Nellie, that she set out to seek a contract “to run the eating houses on the southern end of the Alaska Railroad,” and she described her effort: “On my first time out on an Alaskan trail, I had walked one hundred fifty miles and as usual was alone. This accomplishment, in itself, might have satisfied some, but I was out here in this great new country to contribute something to others, and I felt this means could best be served by becoming the ‘Fred Harvey’ of the government railroad in Alaska.” Likely due in part to her plucky approach, she was awarded a lucrative government contract to run a roadhouse at mile 44.9, a scenic location she promptly named Grandview. Her agreement with the Alaska Engineering Commission was to provide food and lodging for the government employees; her skill with a rifle filled out the menu, and her gifted storytelling kept her guests highly entertained. Nellie described the accommodations at Grandview in her book, ‘Alaska Nellie’: “The house was small but comfortable. A large room with thirteen bunks, used as sleeping quarters for the men, was just above the dining room. A small room above the kitchen served as my quarters. To the rear of the building a stream of clear, cold water flowed down from the mountain and was piped into the kitchen. Nature was surely in a lavish mood when she created the beauty of the surroundings of this place. The timber-clad mountains, the flower-dotted valley, the irresistible charm of the continuous stretches of mountains and valleys was something in which to revel.” As work on the government railroad progressed, Nellie moved north and operated a roadhouse near the Susitna River, at a railroad camp known as Dead Horse. Because Dead Horse Hill was such a key location in the construction of the Alaska Railroad, a large roadhouse was built at the site in 1917 to accommodate the construction workers, officials, and occasional visitors. Management of the new roadhouse was given to the intrepid roadhouse keeper who had proven herself at Grandview. Nellie took on running the Dead Horse Roadhouse with all the pluck and dedication she’d shown at Grandview, cooking meals on two large ranges for the dining room which seated 125 hungry workers at a time, and filling 60 lunch-buckets each night for the construction crews to take on their jobs the following day. In her autobiography she wrote, “I dished out as many as 12,000 to 14,000 meals per month, having two cooks, two waitresses and several yard men as help.” In his book about the era and the area, Lavish Silence, Kenneth Marsh described the roadhouse accommodations: “…spring-less wooden bunks, straw mattresses and oil- drum wood-burning stove, all in one large room at the top of a flight of rickety stairs, held together by a warped wooden shell (which, at times, put up an uneven fight against the elements).” In July, 1923, President Harding, his wife, and Secretary of State Herbert Hoover stayed at the Dead Horse Roadhouse on their way to the Golden 75 Spike-driving ceremony at Nenana. The next morning Nellie served heaping plates of sourdough pancakes in her warm kitchen, commenting, “Presidents of the United States like to be comfortable when they eat, just like anyone else!” “Before the Curry Hotel was built, Curry featured a famous old building called the Dead Horse Roadhouse. The proprietor was the famous Alaska Nellie, who was known for her incredible cooking abilities and extraordinary hunting skills. It is said she killed the largest grizzly bear ever seen at that time.” ~Steve Mahay, in The Legend of River Mahay Finally in 1923, Nellie used her life’s savings to purchase her final home, a roadhouse on Kenai Lake. The railroad stop along the blue-green waters was renamed Lawing when Nellie Neal married Bill Lawing, and together they built the roadhouse into a popular tourist stop on the Alaska Railroad. Vegetables from Nellie’s garden were served with fresh fish from the lake or with game from the nearby hills, and Nellie’s stories, often embellished with her rollicking tall tales, kept her audiences delighted. Celebrities, politicians, tourists and even locals came to enjoy the purely Alaskan hospitality at the Lawings’ roadhouse on Kenai Lake. Alaska Nellie became known far and wide, and the foreword to a 2010 reprinting of her autobiographical book, “Alaska Nellie,” by Patricia A. Heim, sums up her legendary status: “Nellie Neal Lawing was one of Alaska’s most charismatic, admired and famous pioneers. She was the first woman ever hired by the U.S. Government in Alaska in 1916. She was contracted to feed the hungry crews on the long awaited Alaska railroad connecting Seward to Anchorage. The conditions were harsh and supplies were limited. She delivered many of her meals by dogsled, fighting off moose attacks and hazards of the trail, often during below-zero blizzards. She always brought with her a great tale to tell of her adventures along the trail, how she had wrestled grizzlies, fought off wolves and moose, and caught the world’s largest salmon for their dinner, always in the old sourdough tradition. The workers listened and laughed with every bite. “Nellie was an excellent cook, big game hunter, river guide, trail blazer, gold miner, and a great story-teller! It wasn’t long before Nellie became legendary and was known far and wide as the female ‘Davy Crockett’ of Alaska, her wilderness adventures and stories of survival on the trail spread like wildfire. Letters addressed simply ‘Nellie, Alaska’ were always delivered. “Nellie finally established herself at “Lawing, Alaska” on Kenai Lake, and converted an old roadhouse into a museum for her multitude of big game trophies. It was a great railroad stop and the highlight of any Alaskan visit. Her guest register of over 15,000 read like the Who’s Who of the early twentieth century: two U.S. Presidents, the Prince of Bulgaria, Will Rogers, authors, generals and many silent-screen movie stars. “Nellie would entertain them all. Colt pistol on her hip and a baby black bear by her side, Nellie was always ready with one of her outrageous tales of adventure. ‘I was just minding my own business on Kenai Lake when a huge grizzly showed up, I fired my Colt, but as luck would have it, somehow, it misfired, I then had to kick the heck out of the brute and he ran off, but before he ran off he bit me good, right on the wrist, see here.’ She would then fold back her sleeve to show a scarred arm. “Nellie was so popular and loved that she was honored with an “Alaska Nellie Day” on January 21, 1956.” Nellie’s happiest days were spent with the love of her life, Bill Lawing, in their log cabin on the shores of beautiful Kenai Lake. She fondly mentions it in the opening paragraph of her autobiography, ‘Alaska Nellie’: 76 Glancing out through an open window of a large log home on the shores of Kenai Lake at Lawing, Alaska, the rippling waves had become glittering jewels in the full moonlight of a summer’s night. Mountains covered with evergreen trees and crowned with snow were reflected in the mirror-like water of Kenai Lake. Was I dreaming, or was the curtain of the past rolling up, so that I might glance back over twenty-four years spent in the great North-land and say, ‘No regrets.’” Alaska Nellie’s grave is in the city cemetery in Seward, Alaska, a pretty place at the base of the mountains, guarded by towering Sitka spruce trees. Her gravestone bears the image of a pineapple, a symbol of hospitality which began with the sea captains of New England, who sailed among the Caribbean Islands and returned bearing cargos of fruits, spices and rum. According to tradition in the Caribbean, the pineapple symbolized hospitality, and sea captains learned they were welcome if a pineapple was placed by the entrance to a village. At home, the captain would impale a pineapple on a post near his home to signal friends he’d returned safely from the sea, and would receive visits. As the tradition grew popular, innkeepers added the pineapple to their signs and advertisements, and the symbol for hospitality was further secured as needle-workers preserved the image in family heirlooms such as tablecloths, doilies, potholders, door knockers, curtain finials and more. It seems a fitting final tribute to a legendary hostess of the north. · When her pet black bear, Mike, was found dead with a brown bear standing over him, she chased down the bear and killed it. As she told it: "One night I went out to my barn to feed my little pet black bear, and I found he was missing. As I went out into the snow, a huge shape lunged at me. I twisted away and ran to the barn. As I tried to shut the door to keep the big brown bear out, he smashed at the door with a paw, and it slammed shut on my fingers. I remained inside for a while, and heard the bear catch and kill my pet. Then I heard him drag the body away to bury it in a snow bank. I couldn't stand it after that. I ran to the house, got my 30.06, and ran back. He reared and started toward me and I had to shoot him six times before he fell dead at my feet." · She pulled a dog sled (with no dogs) for 30 miles to move supplies to her roadhouse. · Around the turn of the last century, this area was so remote that the mail was delivered by dogsled in the winter. During a blizzard one winter, while Nellie was running the Grandview section house, she began to worry when the mail carrier didn’t show up at his usual time. As the blizzard worsened, she couldn’t wait any longer, and she set out to look for him. She found him a few miles away and he was nearly hypothermic! Nellie brought him, the dogs, and the mail back to the Section House to care of him. Once he was taken care of, she took the dogs out herself, into the snowstorm to deliver the mail! The US Postmaster gave Nellie a commendation and the story was reported in a New York paper. People from all over the world heard about Nellie and her heroic efforts. Many wanted to write her, but no one knew her address so they simply addressed them to “Nellie, Alaska” and she was so well known that the fan mail would reach her. 36 · As a business woman, she built and managed a Roadhouse and charged $.50 for dinners and $1.00 per night for lodging. (She was the first woman to get a contract from the government to build a roadhouse on the railroad). Nellie named the roadhouse Grandview and cut up an old blue coat, ironed it, and sewed it on white cloth to make a sign. 36 https://kmtacorridor.org/alaska-nellie/ 77 · She built a museum to display all the animals she killed and skinned (herself), then made it a tourist attraction for those traveling along the Alaska railroad. · Her way of getting dinner items together was putting a trout line in the river with a bell on it. When the bell rang (meaning she snagged a fish), she knew dinner was ready. · The U.S. president Herbert Harding and his wife, Lou Henry Hoover were guests at her roadhouse. · Nellie tells another dog team story from her book: “One cold winter day in December when the daylight was only a matter of minutes and the lamps were burning low, two U.S. marshals, Marshals Cavanaugh and Irwin, together with Jack Haley and Bob Griffiths, arrived at the roadhouse. The heavy wooden boxes they were removing from their sleds had been brought from the Iditarod mining district. They contained $750,000 in gold bullion. “‘Where do you want to put this, Nellie?’ called the men, carrying their precious burden. “‘Right here under the dining room table is as good a place as any,’ I answered. And it was as simple as that. There it stayed until the men carried it back to the sleds, next day. They were able to go to sleep, for it was as safe right there in my dining room as it would have been in the United States Mint. No one would dare to touch it.” 78 ARR HISTORY (Anywhere) Construction of the Alaska Railroad began in 1904 as a private venture founded by John E. Ballaine. Ballaine envisioned the Alaska Central as a utilitarian railroad that would aid the general development of central Alaska, help develop agriculture and timber, and give Fairbanks year-round access to the 'Outside.' Additionally, the extensive Matanuska Valley coal deposits could easily be transported to tidewater for the U.S. Navy and export to world markets. Ice-free Resurrection Bay was selected as the terminus of the railroad, and the city of Seward and a port facility (sheet 1, Mile 0.0) were developed. Recon- naissance surveys extended as far north as the Tanana River in interior Alaska, and by 1909, track was laid across the Kenai Peninsula to Kern Creek (Mile 70.5). The 2.2-percent grade from Mile49 to 54 past the foot of Bartlett Glacier required the construction of seven tunnels, a horseshoe trestle that curved 235°, and roadbed and trestles that looped through 394° of total curvature. The heavy construction costs severely strained the limited financial resources of the Alaska Central, which was already subject to a federal levy of $100/mi of tracklyr. The railroad also faced a completion deadline of 6 yr from filing for a complete right-of-way to the Tanana River. Bickering and speculation among the stockholders did not help. Any hope for the tonnages required for a financially successful railroad vanished in 1906 when the federal government withdrew all Alaska coalfields from private entry. By this decree, even the coal that fueled the locomotives had to be imported! Bankruptcy for the Alaska Central occurred in 1909. After reorganization, railroad construction (as the Alaska Northern) continued before shutting down completely in 1912. An engineering report published in 1916 com- mented favorably on the location of the 71 mi (114 km) of track constructed by the Alaska Central. However, the quality of construction was heavily criticized: "The roadbed is in very bad physical condition - the rail is too light - embankments along the rivers are too low and too narrow and many of the bridges were not carefully constructed, spikes instead of bolts being used and the former having shaken out, the trestles are now unsafe" (Alaska Engineering Commission, 1916). The conservation policies of President Theodore Roosevelt, particularly the withdrawal of public lands reviewed the guidebook and made many helpful sug- gestions. I especially thank F.W. Weeks (Alaska Rail- road) for the opportunity to write this guidebook and my old friends and former colleagues for their invaluable help. from private use, made it apparent that private capital could not build adequate transportation facilities to interior Alaska. If interior Alaska was to be developed, the government would need to construct and operate the necessary transportation facilities. In 1912, a presi- dential commission visited Alaska and reported to President Taft that they were in favor of such construc- tion. In 1914, passage of the Enabling Act empowered newly elected President Woodrow Wilson to locate and construct a railroad (or railroads) that would connect at least one Pacific Ocean port with a navigable river in interior Alaska and with one or more coalfields [aggre- gate mileage not to exceed 1,000mi (1,609km)]. Toac- complish this, the three-member Alaska Engineering Commission was created. Wilson appointed William C. Edes as chairman. Edes was unfamiliar with Alaska, but had an excellent reputation as a locating engineer with several western railroads. The second member of the Commission was Lt. Frederick Mears of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mears had considerable experience with the Great Northern Railroad and the Panama Canal Railroad, but no experience in Alaska. The third mem- ber was Thomas Riggs, who had considerable experience in 79 Alaska as a mining engineer and surveyor on the International Boundary Commission. Under the direction of these men, preliminary location surveys were conducted in 1914 to select potential corridors for the construction of a railroad to interior Alaska. Results were formally presented to Wilson on February 11, 1915. The gentle terrain of the Goldstream valley was selected for the corridor between Nenana and Fairbanks rather than a route along the north side of the Tanana River. Today, with our knowl- edge of permafrost, we would probably opt for hillside construction on a southfacing slope rather than con- struction on the ice-rich soils of Goldstream valley. An evaluation of existing railroads was also included in the report to Wilson. One such railroad was the 44.7-mi-long (72 km) narrow-gauge (3 ft; 92 cm) Tanana Valley Railroad built by private capital in 1905 to connect various gold-mining camps in the Fairbanks area with the community of Chena on the Tanana River. During construction, grading was minimized, and valleys were crossed on wooden trestles because of insufficient suitable embankment material and the presence of permafrost. Despite heavy maintenance costs, the Tanana Valley Railroad was a success until 1916, when the grade of the rich placer deposits began to decline. The Tanana Valley roadbed from Fairbanks to Happy (Mile 460 to 463) became part of the Alaska Railroad standard-gauge main line. The remainder, designated as the Chatanika Branch, continued to operate as a narrow- gauge branch line until 1930, when it was abandoned. After President Wilson selected and approved the Susitna route, which included purchase of the Alaska Northern and the Tanana Valley Railroads, the Commis- sion quickly surveyed the final route and began con- struction in 1915. Edes established headquarters in Seward and oversaw construction of the Alaska Rail- road. Mears moved to Ship Creek and laid out the townsite of Anchorage, prepared facilities for receiving construction materials and supplies, and began con- structing the line to the Matanuska coalfields. Riggs, the surveying member of the Commission, traveled to Fairbanks to walk every foot of the location surveys before he proposed a final right-of-way between Broad Pass and Fairbanks. The first rolling stock and construc- tion equipment came from the Panama Canal Railroad as surplus. The roadbed was constructed by station contract in which "a number of men associate themselves together as partners, taking short pieces of work at a certain price per cubic yard for grading, or per acre for clearing and grubbing. Each man signs the contract for doing the work and becomes equally interested in it as a co-partner or small contractor. Scarcely any capital is necessary to make a station contract, as the Commission furnishes the necessary equipment at a moderate rental" (Alaska Engineering Commission, 1916). Such an arrangement effectively limited the type of embankment material to that at hand. Commission forces handled all bridge work and any trestle work required for high fills and laid the track. Specifications for construction contracts predict- ably stated, "All materials taken from cuts shall be deposited in the embankment within the distance prescribed by the Engineer." Only three classifications for excavated materials were listed: loose rock, solid rock, and common excavation. Although no classifica- tion was originally listed for excavation of frozen material, its presence in the upper Chulitna - Broad Pass area was acknowledged in the 1915 report. Native timber was used for ties and timber trestles. In laying the main line with 70-lb (32 kg) rail, only the curves had tie plates. The construction years (1915 to 1923) saw an outstanding engineering achievement marred by labor unrest, inflationary costs caused by participation of the United States in World War I, the failure of Congress to 80 appropriate construction funds in a timely manner to meet limited construction seasons, and intense personal and political bickering. The initial $35 million appro- priated for railroad construction was $22.9 million short of actual construction costs. Commissioner Riggs resigned in 1918 to become Governor of the Territory of Alaska after admitting that expediency sometimes governed construction on the north end of the line. Chairman Edes resigned in 1919 because of ill health. Mears returned from France to become Chairman, but was relieved of that post on March 26, 1923, just 3 mo before the railroad was completed. Erection of the 702-ft-long (214 m) truss span across the Tanana River at Nenana marked completion of construction of the Alaska Railroad. On July 15, 1923: President Warren G. Harding drove the golden spike at the north end of the bridge, officially marking the opening of the Alaska Railroad. Although the completed railroad offered such immediate benefits as bringing coal from the Suntrana fields near Healy (Mile 358) to the fuelstarved gold- mining industry at Fairbanks, the expected resource development in central Alaska did not materialize. Until 1940, the total population of Alaska was less than 65,000. From 1923 to 1940, revenues for the railroad fell below operating expenses in all but 1yr. Mainte- nance was either deferred or severely modified; this included improvements slated for miles of substandard roadbed and bridges constructed by the Commission under the constraints of fixed federal appropriations and inflationary costs. Funds that remained after meeting operating expenses were used to replace large timber bridges with permanent steel structures. With the onset of World War 11, the military arrived in Alaska in strength. Supplying the military increased yearly tonnages dramatically, with a corresponding effect on track and bridges. Increased revenues provided funding for desperately needed maintenance, but a war-time manpower shortage made it impossible to stop further deterioration of railroad property. Once again Congress was asked to consider the fate of the railroad, which either had to be completely rebuilt or abandoned because it could no longer function as a transportation system in its '1946' condition. Fairbanks was totally dependent on Suntrana coal for its power and heat, and no other energy alternatives were in sight. Anchorage, with its two military bases, relied almost as heavily on coal from the Matanuska fields. There were slightly more than a thousand miles of roads in the entire territory, mostly substandard. The Alaska Railroad had to be rebuilt. Under an ambitious rehabilitation program, the main line from Portage (Mile 64.2) to Fairbanks (Mile 470.3) was to be rebuilt to modern standards. (A de- cision t o rehabilitate the line from Portage t o Seward was made in 1954.) Heavy (115 Ib; 52 kg) rail would replace the worn 70-lb (32 kg) rail, and treated-fir crossties would replace untreated native-spruce ties. Sags would be eliminated by raising the track as much as 5 ft (1.5 m), and shoulders would be widened to a standard 20 ft (6 m). The new track structure was placed on 12in. (30cm) of select pit-run gravel to permit speeds as high as 60 mph (96 kmph). Surplus war material would be used to build new steel bridges and shops and supply new rolling stock and heavy construction equipment. This effort outspent the money available, but not before many improvements were made. However, the raises were reduced and the shoulder-widening program cut back. The tie-replacement program was stretched out because the railroad was mandated to maintain and rebuild with revenues rather than with Congressional appropriations. Later, as new track-maintenance equip- ment became available, manpower was reduced. The Great Alaska Earthquake on March 27, 1964, caused heavy damage, but subsequent repair work improved the line. Today's railroad, particularly its equipment (figs. 2 and 3), is modern in many respects. High-production surfacing equipment is used during the short construction season to offset 81 the legacy of poor subgrade conditions and prepare the track for the long winter. The 140 to 160 mi (225 to 290 km) of track that are raised, lined, and dressed each summer equal a 3-yr ballasting cycle; the average figure for other railroads in the United States is 5 yr. Fifteen years ago, three track gangs of 1 0 men each were required to augment the 25 section crews of two or three men each that maintained the track through the winter. Today, only the regular section crews, each patrolling an average of 20 mi (32 km) of track, are needed for necessary winter maintenance. By the early 1900’s, the territory of Alaska was already rich with natural resource discoveries, including coal, gold and other minerals. What was needed was a way to transport these valuable goods from interior Alaska to the tidewater. In 1903, a privately held company called the Alaska Central Railway began laying track north from the ice-free coastal town of Seward. By 1909, the company had built about 50 miles of track before going bankrupt and reorganizing as the Alaska Northern Railway. This company added another 20 miles of track, ending near the present day location of Girdwood. Goods were shipped along the railway from Seward, then loaded into small boats and floated up the Turnagain Arm, but no additional track was added. In 1914, the United States Congress authorized construction of 470 miles of rail line from Seward to Fairbanks. In 1915, the 70 miles of existing track was purchased from Alaska Northern, and Anchorage was established as a “tent city” railroad construction camp, as well as headquarters for the new Alaska Railroad Corporation. The budget for the new railroad was $35 million, although the final cost would be nearly twice that amount. At its peak in 1917, the railroad employed over 4,500 construction workers. President Harding marked the official completion of the railroad by driving in the final “golden spike” in the town of Nenana on July 15, 1923. The railroad continued to play an important role in Alaska during World War II, moving materials and supplies needed for the war effort in Alaska. This included the construction of new military bases in Anchorage and Fairbanks. During this time, two long tunnels were built to connect the mainline with the additional ice-free port of Whittier. After the war ended, the railway, suffering from the heavy use, received a well needed $100 million renovation and upgrade. On March 27, 1964 the Alaska Good Friday earthquake caused nearly $30 million dollars in damage to the Alaska Railroad, with the greatest impact focused south of Anchorage. The magnitude 9.2 quake, the largest ever recorded in North America, wiped out rail facilities in Whittier and Seward, twisted tracks, and damaged bridges up and down the line. In May of 1984, the railroad began pulling privately owned “superdome” train cars for a company called Tour Alaska. This started a trend, and today there are over 25 custom built full dome railcars cars in use, including the privately owned McKinley Explorer and Wilderness Express as well as the Alaska Railroad’s own GoldStar domes. In January of 1985, the State of Alaska purchased the railroad from the federal government for $22.3 million, investing an additional $70 million in the coming years for needed repairs and improvements. In 2000, the 82 longer Whittier tunnel was upgraded to handle alternating own-way rail and vehicle traffic. During the Clinton administration there were discussions about the possibility of connecting the “lower 48” with Alaska by rail, but little progress has been made. Expansion of rail service in the MatSu Valley and from Fairbanks to Delta Junction is in the works. The Alaska Railroad, the northernmost railroad in the United Sates, begins in Seward, follows the Turnagain Arm, and ends within 120 miles of the Arctic Circle in Fairbanks. While the railroad covers quite a few miles, the only route is in the corridor between Seward and Fairbanks. With construction of the railroad beginning in 1915, the job took approximately 5,000 people and about eight years to complete, it was done in 1923. Financed and constructed by the federal government, the railroad tab totaled $56,000,000 or $78,000 per mile. Although the Seward Highway serves as the main thoroughfare from Anchorage to Seward, prior to the construction of the highway, the train was the only way to reach Seward and other areas of the Kenai Peninsula. As we continue along our trip today I would like to take a moment to tell you about the construction of the Alaska Railroad. Let’s start the story way back in 1867, that’s when The United States purchased Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million dollars. William H. Seward, who was Secretary of State at the time, arranged the transaction. Today we know that the U.S. got quite a good deal, but back then most folks thought the purchase of Alaska was a big mistake. They thought Alaska was nothing but a frozen wasteland. In fact, the purchase of Alaska was commonly referred to as Seward’s Folly! From 1867 to the turn of the century, Alaska lacked any reliable means of transportation. We had no way to get our natural resources to market. The gold rush of 1898 brought attention to Alaska remoteness, rugged terrain and inaccessibility. Travel by river was only 4 months of the year. The few trails which existed were primitive and torturous. This hurt the growth of our economy greatly. Several attempts had been made by private companies to build a railroad in Alaska, all but two (Whitepass Yukon and Copper River railroads) ended in failure, due to high construction costs. At the turn of the century many thought it outrageous that a territory over two and a half times as large as Texas was without a railroad. Many people thought that a railroad was so important to the development of Alaska, that if the private sector couldn’t do it, the government should. Finally in March 1914, after extensive lobbying efforts, the Federal Government appropriated funds to complete the rail line and created the Alaska Railroad. At the completion of the Panama Canal, (Jan 1914) all the excess equipment and manpower were transferred to Alaska. At the peak of construction 4500 workers were employed. Col. Mears of the Army Corps of Engineers was selected to build the ARR. The approved route originated in the deep-water, ice-free port of Seward, on the Kenai Peninsula and extended north along Turnagain Arm, into the coalfields of the Matanuska Valley and ultimately ended in the interior city of Fairbanks. Construction of the Alaska Railroad was completed in 1923. President Warren G. Harding came to Alaska in July of 1923 and drove the golden spike in the town of Nenana commemorating the completion of the Alaska Railroad. It took approximately eight years and cost $70 million, or nearly $1 billion in 2012 dollars! Interestingly enough, at the time of completion, the combined populations of the three major towns on its route, Seward, Anchorage, and Fairbanks were only 5,400 people. The Alaska Railroad was of great value during WWII to transport military personnel, civilians and equipment. However, due to heavy usage during this time, it needed to be rebuilt. Part of this rehabilitation was to replace old equipment. In 1944, the Railroad bought its first two diesel engines to start replacing the steam engines that had been used up until this time. The last steam engine was sold in 1964. 83 (The last steam engine used on the ARR was the 557 and was recently donated back to the Alaska Railroad. Once the 557 is restored, the Railroad plans on using it for tours and excursions.) This was the first and only railroad built and run by the United States Federal Government. In fact, the U.S. Department of the Interior ran the Alaska Railroad until the 1980’s. In 1985, the State of Alaska bought the Alaska Railroad for $22.3 million. Now a board of directors appointed by the Governor of Alaska runs the Alaska Railroad. Gold was discovered in the Klondike region of the Yukon on Aug 16, 1896. 100K people attempted to get there. 30-40K made it to Dawson, only 4K found gold and a few hundred became rich. The peak of the “rush” lasted one year from the summer of 1897 until the summer of 1898. It ended as quickly as it began with the discovery of gold in Nome in 1899. As I mentioned earlier Anchorage owes its beginnings in 1915 to the Alaska Railroad, but construction of the Railroad has a little more history behind it. Let’s start the story back in 1867, that’s when The United States purchased Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million dollars. William H. Seward, who was Secretary of State at the time, arranged the deal. Today we know that the U.S. got quite a deal, but back then most folks thought the purchase of Alaska was a big mistake because they thought Alaska was nothing but a frozen wasteland. In fact, the purchase of Alaska was commonly referred to as Seward’s Folly! From 1867 to the turn of the century, Alaska lacked any reliable means of transportation, meaning we had no reliable way to get our natural resources to market. This hurt the growth of our economy greatly. Several attempts had been made by private companies to build a railroad in Alaska, but most ended in failure, due to high construction costs. At the turn of the century many thought it outrageous that a territory over two and a half times as large as Texas was without a railroad. Many people thought that a railroad was so important to the development of Alaska, that if the private sector couldn’t do it, the government should. Finally in 1914, after extensive lobbying efforts, the Federal Government appropriated funds to complete the rail line and created the Alaska Railroad. The approved route originated in the deep-water, ice-free port of Seward, on the Kenai Peninsula and extended north along Turnagain Arm, into the coalfields of the Matanuska Valley and ultimately ended in the interior city of Fairbanks. Construction of the Alaska Railroad was completed in 1923. President Warren G. Harding came to Alaska in July of 1923 and drove the golden spike in the town of Nenana commemorating the completion of the Alaska Railroad. It took approximately eight years and cost $70 million, or nearly $1 billion today. Interestingly enough, at the time of completion, the combined populations of the three major towns on its route, Seward, Anchorage, and Fairbanks were only 5,400 people. The Alaska Railroad was of great value during WWII to transport military personnel, civilians and equipment. However, due to heavy usage during this time, it needed to be rebuilt. Part of this rehabilitation was to replace old equipment. In 1944, the railroad bought its first two diesel engines to start replacing the steam engines that had been used up until this time. The last steam engine was sold in 1964.* (The last steam engine used on the ARR was the 557 and was donated back to the Alaska Railroad for restoration. The Railroad plans on using it for tours and excursions.) This was the first and only railroad built and run by the United States Federal Government. In fact, the U.S. Department of the Interior ran the Alaska Railroad until the 1980’s. In 1985, the State of Alaska bought the Alaska Railroad for $22.3 million. Now a board of directors appointed by the Governor of Alaska runs the Alaska Railroad. 84 Railroad ties-engineering lifespan: · Soft ties – made from common trees such as pine. Used for majority of track, known as cross ties. 30 years. · Hard ties – made from hardwoods like Oak and Hickory. Used for switch points and other areas were extra strength is needed. 40 years. · Bridge timbers are replaced every 30 years. · Concrete ties can last 100 years. Under the right conditions. TELEGRAPH POLES/WAMCATS/ACS You may have noticed old telegraph poles to our (3:00NB/9:00SB) side. We will be following these telegraph poles almost all the way into Fairbanks, and if you were to ride the train to Seward you would see these poles following the tracks along there as well. These poles were built beginning in 1914 and were connected to an original telegraph system that was built to connect Alaska to the lower 48 and was started in May 1900. The first segment, from Eagle to Nome, was completed under the direction of Lt. Billy Mitchell in 1903. The telegraph system became known as the Washington Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System (WAMCATS) and was re-designated the Alaska Communications System (ACS) in 1936. WAMCATS/ACS managed both military and civilian messages – in fact, in 1906, of the 300,000 messages being handled, only 1/5 were military in nature. Along the rail belt, there were 35-40 poles constructed per mile, with 1,890 poles built in 1918 alone! Before the Railroad had wireless radio communications, train crews would use these telegraph poles to communicate with the different railroad stations. To send or receive messages, the conductor would reach out with a long pole that had a small bit of wire on the end and connect the wired end to the telegraph lines. ACS remained a military-run communications program until it was bought by RCA in 1971 and re-named Alascom. Digital switching was introduced to Alaska in 1989, and the last telegraph office in Alaska closed down in 1993. There are three satellites dedicated to providing telecommunications in Alaska. (The satellites were launched by Alascom in 1982, 1991, and 2000). TOUR GUIDE PROGRAM (Anywhere) (Tour guide info can also be discussed after Trail glacier when switching with another tour guide) Some of you may be curious about my job as an Alaska Railroad Tour Guide. The Alaska Railroad Tour Guide program started in 1980 with the Anchorage and Fairbanks School Districts. The Alaska Railroad funds this program with an instructor provided by the school district to teach an 11- week program. Tour Guides that work on the railroad go through a screening process and must meet several criteria including being a junior or senior with a 2.5 GPA or higher. Then students, after successful completion of the class, are interviewed to be hired by the railroad. Those that aren’t chosen are provided assistance in an attempt to find other employment within the tourism industry. At this time the Alaska Railroad has an education partnership with the Anchorage School District, but it has included Fairbanks and Seward in the past. This education partnership has set the standard for many other education partnerships nationwide. If you have any more specific questions regarding this program feel free to ask! Some of you may be curious about my job as an Alaska Railroad Tour Guide. The Alaska Railroad partners with the Anchorage School District, which has set the standard for many other educational partnerships nationwide. The criteria to apply for the Alaska Railroad Tour Guide program includes being a junior or senior in high school, and obtaining a 2.5 GPA or higher. Once accepted into the program, students will attend an 11 week training course that takes place after school for two hours. Once they 85 have successfully completed the class, they will apply for a tour guide position at the Alaska Railroad, in which only 10-15 students will be selected. Students who do not obtain a position at the Alaska railroad are provided assistance to find employment within the local travel and tourism industry. The Alaska Railroad Tour Guide program started in 1981 with the Anchorage and Fairbanks School Districts. The Alaska Railroad funds this program with an instructor provided by the school district to teach the 11 week program. Students will receive a semester credit for this class, as well as life-long public speaking and job interview experience. Now’s a good time to pass around your photo album/flora/fauna books. CAPTAIN COOK STORY (Cook Inlet, Turnagain Arm) Although the Turnagain arm developed into a popular route for early Russian fur traders and Alaska Natives, Western Europeans only discovered the Turnagain Arm after Captain James Cook sailed into this area of Alaska in 1778. In search of the Northwest Passage, a passageway connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, Captain Cook sailed one of his ships, the Resolution, into this area. As he made his way up the arm, Captain Cook soon discovered that the body of water was not the Northwest Passage but rather a river of some sort as he could not see further inland. After his revelation, Cook had to “turn again” to safely get his ship out of the arm in his quest for an alternate route to Asia. After hearing of Captain Cook’s discovery, Captain George Vancouver, an extremely knowledgeable navigator, retraced Captain Cook’s voyage up “Cook’s River” and discovered that the river was indeed an arm of the sea. From that point on, British maps showed the body of water as Turnagain Arm. Turnagain Arm drains into the Gulf of Alaska and then finally into the Pacific Ocean. As I've mentioned, the body of water we’ve been following is known as Turnagain Arm, and it flows into Cook Inlet. Captain James Cook inspired the name for it back in 1778. At the time, Captain Cook was on his third voyage of discovery for the King of England. His mission was to sail through the South Pacific and claim any new islands discovered in the name of England, then sail north exploring the Pacific Coast, searching for the fabled Northwest Passage. In Cook’s time, it was believed that a major waterway connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. If this waterway existed, it would dramatically shorten the time it would take for ships to sail between Europe and the Orient. So, many explorers were hoping to be the first to find the Northwest Passage, including Cook. Captain Cook set sail from England aboard the ship the Discovery. (Accompanying him was renowned artist of the day John Webber, and a midshipman who would eventually find his own fame as a world explorer, George Vancouver.) Sailing with the Discovery was a second ship, the Resolution, commanded by William Bligh. The two ships sailed into the South Pacific, then north along the coast of Alaska, exploring the many waterways hoping to find the fabled Northwest Passage. When Captain Cook and his men reached what we now know as Cook Inlet, they were tired and discouraged. Though Cook was doubtful that this body of water was the supposed Northwest Passage, on the urging of his men, he sailed up into Cook Inlet until he got to the point where Anchorage now sits and the inlet split into two arms. He sent Captain Bligh up the northern section of Cook Inlet, which was then and still today known as Knik Arm, and Cook sailed into the body of water we see to our 9:00 side. The silt that fills this valley creates a very “anfractuous” channel (twisting and turning, yet never breaking) that snakes along the arm Captain Cook had to continually “turn again” to stay within the deepest 86 part of the channel. When he reached the end of the arm, realizing that it was indeed, not the fabled passage, he sadly wrote in his journal that he had to “turn again” and named this body of water Turnagain River. Years later, George Vancouver navigated this waterway and determined it to be a part of Cook Inlet and changed the name to Turnagain Arm. The Cook Inlet is fed by the Susitna, Matanuska, and Kenai rivers. The Turnagain Arm is fed mostly by Twentymile River, Portage River, and the Placer River. When Captain Cook met up again with William Bligh they continued on exploring Alaska's coastline into October of 1778. By then the winter ice flows were threatening the boats so Captain Cook decided to sail back to the Hawaiian Islands to wait out the winter. He planned to return to Alaska and the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula to continue searching for the Northwest Passage the following spring. However, during this return trip to the Hawaiian Islands a confrontation broke out between the Hawaiians and Captain Cook and his men. This fight resulted in Captain Cook's death. At 51 years old, Captain Cook had spent more than 30 years of his life at sea and opened up a world of undiscovered lands. Many of Captain Cook's maps and drawings were so accurate they are still accepted today. And many places in Alaska still bare the name that Captain Cook gave them. Ironically, William Bligh's name seems to be synonymous, throughout history, with disaster. He was with Captain Cook on his failed voyage to Alaska and he was with Captain Cook when Cook was killed in the Hawaiian Islands. Later Captain Bligh's men mutinied on him when he was Captain of the ship the Bounty; some of you may be familiar with the book Mutiny on the Bounty. Historical note. Bligh and 18 men were put in a 23 foot uncovered launch which was so heavily loaded the gunwales were only inches above the water! With only a compass and quadrant he sailed 3,618 miles, a 47 day voyage. He lost one crew member to hostile natives and one to malaria. This sailing feat is unmatched in history. And lastly, in 1989, while maneuvering to avoid floating ice from Columbia Bay, the Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker ran aground on none other than Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, spilling 11 million gallons of oil, causing the worst oil spill in our nation's history! Cook’s two ships, the Discovery and Resolution, had worked their way northwest from what is now Oregon and Puget Sound, along the British Columbia and Alaska coast, hoping to find the long-sought Northwest Passage. They were in Cook Inlet by late May and early June 1778, hoping it would lead to the imagined passageway to Europe. It didn’t, once again, but Cook sent his crew exploring in small boats, which led to the naming of Turnagain Arm, so named because it was a disappointing “turn again” for Cook’s crew (Cook originally called it “River Turnagain”. William Bligh, later of Bounty fame, was a master’s mate in Cook’s crew and led the boat crew exploring what is now Knik Arm, reporting the discovery of a large river at its head (either the Matanuska or Knik Rivers) as well as beautiful mountain scenery to the north, possibly the Alaska Range and even Denali, known to the Lower 48 as Mt. McKinley. Cook’s ships were in the Inlet for just over a week, long enough to establish that this wasn’t the Northwest Passage. While here, though, Cook took time to land at what is now Point Possession on the Kenai Peninsula to proclaim the region for English. That happened on June 1, 1778, where his crew claimed possession of the area in front of dozens of puzzled local residents, the Dena’ina. It was the first significant encounter between Europeans and Dena’ina. The visit to Cook Inlet was part of Cook’s longer exploration of the Alaska coast from which included a stop in Prince William Sound, which Cook named, along with Bligh Reef in the Sound, which was to become famous in 1989 when the tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on it and spilled millions of gallons of crude oil. 87 Prince William Sound, interestingly, was almost named “Sandwich Sound” by Cook after the Earl of Sandwich in England (and who invented the sandwich as a food item). The Sound was renamed by Cook after Prince William, a scion of the royal family when his journal was published. Leaving Prince William Sound, Cook ventured west along the Alaska coast in subsequent exploration, and after leaving Cook Inlet, he named Bristol Bay and Norton Sound and other features after places and people in England, as was the custom at the time. As he continued his quest for the Northwest Passage Cook entered the Chukchi Sea through the Bering Strait and, amazingly, got as far as Icy Cape, on Alaska’s northwest coast, before being stopped by ice. The two ships were almost trapped by ice off Icy Cape, in fact. 88 STATE SYMBOLS STATE NICK NAME "The Last Frontier" - The name Alaska is derived from the Aleut word "Alyeska," meaning "great land." STATE CAPITAL Juneau, located in the southeast region of Alaska, has a population of 30,684. STATE MOTTO "North to the Future" Our motto was chosen in 1967 during the Alaska Purchase Centennial and was created by Juneau newsman Richard Peter. The motto is meant to represent Alaska as a land of promise. OFFICIAL STATE HOLIDAYS Seward's Day Last Monday in March Seward's Day commemorates the signing of the treaty by which the United States bought Alaska from Russia, signed on March 30, 1867. Alaska Day October 18 Alaska Day is the anniversary of the formal transfer of the territory and the raising of the US. flag at Sitka on October 18, 1867. STATE SEAL The state seal was originally designed in 1910 while Alaska was a territory and not yet a state. The rays above the mountains represent the Northern Lights. The smelter symbolizes mining. The train stands for Alaska’s railroads, and ships denote transportation by sea. The trees symbolize Alaska’s wealth of forests, and the farmer, his horse, and the three shocks of wheat represent Alaskan agriculture. The fish and the seals signify the importance of fishing and wildlife to Alaska’s economy. FLAG The blue field is for the sky and the forget-me-not, the state flower. The North Star is for the future of the state of Alaska, the most northerly of the Union. The dipper is for the Great Bear, symbolizing strength. FLOWER The forget-me-not, which grows well throughout Alaska, is the state flower. GEM Alaska’s state gem is jade. Alaska has large deposits of the gem, including an entire mountain of jade on the Seward Peninsula. TREE The tall, stately Sitka spruce is the state tree. It is found in southeastern and central Alaska. 89 FISH The giant king salmon, which weighs up to 100 pounds, is the state fish. MINERAL Gold is the state mineral. Gold has played a major role in Alaska’s history. FOSSIL Wooly Mammoth per the 14th Legislature - 1986. SPORT Dog mushing is the state sport. It was once a primary form of transportation in many areas of Alaska. BIRD The pheasant-like willow ptarmigan is the state bird. This bird changes color from light brown in summer to snow white in winter. MAMMAL The moose was made the official Alaska land mammal when Governor Tony Knowles signed SB 265 into law on May 1, 1998. Moose can be found from the Unuk River in Southeast to the Arctic Slope, but are most abundant in second-growth birch forests, on timberline plateaus and along major rivers of Southcentral and Interior. They are not found on islands in Prince William Sound or the Bering *Sea, on most major islands in Southeast, on Kodiak, or the Aleutians groups. INSECT The four spot skimmer dragonfly, per legislation (HB 239) introduced by Senator Georgianna Lincoln on behalf of elementary students in her district, and passed by the 19th Legislature in 1995 (Ch 49 SLA 95). MARINE MAMMAL Bowhead whale per the 13th Legislature - 1983 90 QR LINKS 91 We're Not In Whoville Anymore: Welcome to Goose Creek Tower - 2016 Land of Alaska Nellie - 1939 A History of The Alaska Railroad Runaway Train Trailer Alaska The Outpost State The Great Alaska Earthquake Alaska Nellie Singing the National Anthem POETRY THE SPELL OF THE YUKON BY ROBERT W. SERVICE I wanted the gold, and I sought it; I scrabbled and mucked like a slave. Was it famine or scurvy—I fought it; I hurled my youth into a grave. I wanted the gold, and I got it—  Came out with a fortune last fall,— Yet somehow life’s not what I thought it, And somehow the gold isn’t all. No! There’s the land. (Have you seen it?) It’s the cussedest land that I know, From the big, dizzy mountains that screen it To the deep, deathlike valleys below. Some say God was tired when He made it; Some say it’s a fine land to shun; Maybe; but there’s some as would trade it For no land on earth—and I’m one. You come to get rich (damned good reason); You feel like an exile at first; You hate it like hell for a season, And then you are worse than the worst. It grips you like some kinds of sinning; It twists you from foe to a friend; It seems it’s been since the beginning; It seems it will be to the end. I’ve stood in some mighty-mouthed hollow That’s plumb-full of hush to the brim; I’ve watched the big, husky sun wallow In crimson and gold, and grow dim, Till the moon set the pearly peaks gleaming, And the stars tumbled out, neck and crop; And I’ve thought that I surely was dreaming, With the peace o’ the world piled on top. The summer—no sweeter was ever; The sunshiny woods all athrill; The grayling aleap in the river, The bighorn asleep on the hill. The strong life that never knows harness; The wilds where the caribou call; The freshness, the freedom, the farness— O God! how I’m stuck on it all. The winter! the brightness that blinds you, The white land locked tight as a drum, The cold fear that follows and finds you, The silence that bludgeons you dumb. The snows that are older than history, The woods where the weird shadows slant; The stillness, the moonlight, the mystery, I’ve bade ’em good-by—but I can’t. 92 There’s a land where the mountains are nameless, And the rivers all run God knows where; There are lives that are erring and aimless, And deaths that just hang by a hair; There are hardships that nobody reckons; There are valleys unpeopled and still; There’s a land—oh, it beckons and beckons, And I want to go back—and I will. They’re making my money diminish; I’m sick of the taste of champagne. Thank God! when I’m skinned to a finish I’ll pike to the Yukon again. I’ll fight—and you bet it’s no sham-fight; It’s hell!—but I’ve been there before; And it’s better than this by a damsite— So me for the Yukon once more. There’s gold, and it’s haunting and haunting; It’s luring me on as of old; Yet it isn’t the gold that I’m wanting So much as just finding the gold. It’s the great, big, broad land ’way up yonder, It’s the forests where silence has lease; It’s the beauty that thrills me with wonder, It’s the stillness that fills me with peace. 93 THE CREMATION OF SAM MCGEE BY ROBERT W. SERVICE There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge I cremated Sam McGee. Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows. Why he left his home in the South to roam 'round the Pole, God only knows. He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell; Though he'd often say in his homely way that "he'd sooner live in hell." On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail. Talk of your cold! through the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail. If our eyes we'd close, then the lashes froze till sometimes we couldn't see; It wasn't much fun, but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee. And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow, And the dogs were fed, and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel and toe, He turned to me, and "Cap," says he, "I'll cash in this trip, I guess; And if I do, I'm asking that you won't refuse my last request." Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no; then he says with a sort of moan: "It's the cursèd cold, and it's got right hold till I'm chilled clean through to the bone. Yet 'tain't being dead—it's my awful dread of the icy grave that pains; So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, you'll cremate my last remains." A pal's last need is a thing to heed, so I swore I would not fail; And we started on at the streak of dawn; but God! he looked ghastly pale. He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee; And before nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee. 94 There wasn't a breath in that land of death, and I hurried, horror-driven, With a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid, because of a promise given; It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say: "You may tax your brawn and brains, But you promised true, and it's up to you to cremate those last remains." Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code. In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load. In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring, Howled out their woes to the homeless snows - O God! how I loathed the thing. And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow; And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low; The trail was bad, and I felt half mad, but I swore I would not give in; And I'd often sing to the hateful thing, and it hearkened with a grin. Till I came to the marge of Lake Lebarge, and a derelict there lay; It was jammed in the ice, but I saw in a trice it was called the "Alice May." And I looked at it, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum; Then "Here," said I, with a sudden cry, "is my cre-ma-tor-eum." Some planks I tore from the cabin floor, and I lit the boiler fire; Some coal I found that was lying around, and I heaped the fuel higher; The flames just soared, and the furnace roared - such a blaze you seldom see; And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal, and I stuffed in Sam McGee. Then I made a hike, for I didn't like to hear him sizzle so; And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled, and the wind began to blow. It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled down my cheeks, and I don't know why; And the greasy smoke in an inky cloak went streaking down the sky. 95 I do not know how long in the snow I wrestled with grisly fear; But the stars came out and they danced about ere again I ventured near; I was sick with dread, but I bravely said: "I'll just take a peep inside. I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked”; ... then the door I opened wide. And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm, in the heart of the furnace roar; And he wore a smile you could see a mile, and he said: "Please close that door. It's fine in here, but I greatly fear you'll let in the cold and storm— Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, it's the first time I've been warm." There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge I cremated Sam McGee. 96 THE BALLAD OF CASEY JONES BY WALLACE SAUNDERS “Come, all you rounders, if you want to hear The story told of a brave engineer; Casey Jones was the rounder’s name, A high right-wheeler of mighty fame.” Of mighty fame, of mighty fame, A high right-wheeler of mighty fame. Casey pulled into the Memphis yard Fed up, beat down and dog tired, Another driver had called in sick, Asking Casey to do a double trick. Casey smiled, said, “I’m feelin’ fine, Gonna ride that train to the end of the line. There’s ridges and bridges, and hills to climb, Got a head of steam and ahead of time.” Ahead of time, ahead of time. Got a head of steam and ahead of time. Caller called Casey, half-past four; He kissed his wife, the station door, Climbed into the cab, orders in his hand, “Could be my trip to (the) Promised Land.” Through South Memphis on the fly, The fireman say, “You got a white eye.” The switchmen knew the engine’s moan The man at the throttle was Casey Jones. Was Casey Jones, was Casey Jones. The man at the throttle was Casey Jones. The engine rocked, the drivers rolled, Fireman hollered, “Save my soul!” “I’m gonna roll her ‘til she leaves the rails, I’m behind time with the Southern mail. Been raining hard for weeks and weeks; Railroad track like the bed of a creek. Rated down to a thirty-mile gait — The Southern mail two hours late. Two hours late, two hours late. The Southern mail was two hours late. Fireman say, “You running (too) fast. You ran the last three lights we passed. Casey say, “We’ll make it through, She’s steamin’ better than I ever knew.” Casey say, “Don’t you fret. Keep feedin’ the fire; don’t give up yet. Run her ‘til she leaves the rail. To be on time with the Southern mail. The Southern Mail, the Southern mail. To be on time with the Southern mail. Checked his water, his water was low, Looked at his watch, his watch was slow. Put on more water, put on more coal, Put your head out the window see my drivers roll. See my drivers roll, see my drivers roll, Put your head out the window see my drivers roll. People said Casey couldn’t run But I can tell you what Casey done; 97 Left Memphis, quarter ‘til nine Vaughn, Mississippi, right on time. Got within a mile of the place, A big headlight stared him in the face; Shout to the fireman, “Jump for your life.” Give my love to my children, say goodbye to my wife. Casey said, just before he died, “There’s a lot more railroads that I’d like to ride;” He said the good Lord whispered, “It’ll never be,” The Illinois Central be the death of me. Headaches and heartaches and all kinds of pain Ain’t no different from a railroad train. You can take your stories, noble and grand, All just a part of a railroad man….. 98 MYTHS AND LEGENDS THE NAMING OF THE BIRDS - TLINGIT (WRANGELL) NOW Raven went around among the birds, teaching them. He said to Grouse, "You are to live in a place where it is wintry. You will always live in a place high up so you will have plenty of breezes." Then Raven gave Grouse four white pebbles. He said, "You will never starve so long as you have these four pebbles." Raven also said to Grouse, "You know that Sea-lion is your grandchild. You must get four more pebbles and give them to him." That is why the sea-lion has four large pebbles. It throws these at hunters. If one strikes a person, it kills him. From this story it is known that Grouse and Sea-lion understand each other. Raven said to Ptarmigan, "You will be the maker of snowshoes. You will know how to travel in snow." It was from these birds that the Athapascans learned how to make snowshoes and how to put the lacings on. Raven came next to Wild Canary, that lives all the year around in the Tlingit country. He said, "You will be head among the very small birds. You are not to live on the same food as human beings. Keep away from them." Then Raven said to Robin, "You will make people happy by your whistle. You will be a good whistler." Then Raven said to Kun, the Flicker, "You will be chief among the birds of your size. You will not be found in all places. You will seldom be seen." Raven said to Lugan, a bird that lives far out on the ocean, "You will seldom be seen near shore. You will live on lonely rocks, far out on the ocean." When Raven came to Snipes, he said, "You will always go in flocks. You will never go out alone." Therefore we always see snipes in flocks. Raven said to Asq-aca-tci, a small bird with yellowgreen plumage, "You will always go in flocks. You will always be on the tree tops. That is where your food is." Raven said to a very small bird, Kotlai, the size of a butterfly, "You will be liked. You will be seen only to give good luck. People will hear your voice, but seldom see you." Then to Blue-jay Raven said, "You will have very fine clothes. You will be a good talker. People will take colors from your clothes." Then Raven said to Xunkaha, "You will never be seen unless the north wind is going to blow." That is what the name Xunkaha means. To Crow, Raven said, "You will make lots of noise. You will be great talkers." That is why, when you hear one crow, you hear a lot of others right afterward. Raven said to Gusyiadul, "You will be seen only when warm weather is coming. Never come near except when warm weather is coming." To Hummingbird Raven said, "People will enjoy seeing you. If a person sees you once, he will want to see you again." Raven said to Eagle, "You will be very powerful and above all birds. Your eyesight will be very good. It will be easy for you to get what you want." 99 Then Raven put talons on the eagle and said they would be useful to him. Thus Raven taught all the birds. 37 RAVEN AND MARMOT - ESKIMO (BERING STRAITS) ONCE Raven was flying over a reef near the seashore, near seabirds that were perched on the rocks. Seabirds cried to him, "Oh, you offaleater! Oh, you carrion-eater! Oh, you black one!" Raven turned and flew far away crying, "Qaq! qaq! qaq!" He flew far away across the great water until he came to a mountain on the other side. Raven saw just in front of him the hole of Marmot. Then Raven stood by the door watching, until Marmot came home, bringing food. But Marmot could not enter his hole because Raven stood in the way. Marmot asked Raven to stand to one side. Raven said, "No. They called me ' carrion-eater.' Now I will show them I am not. I will eat you." Marmot said, "All right, but I have heard that you are a very fine dancer. Now, if you will dance, I will sing. Then you can eat me, but let me see you dance before you eat me." Raven agreed to dance. Then Marmot sang, "Oh, Raven, Raven, Raven, how well you dance! Oh, Raven, Raven, Raven, how well you dance!" Raven danced. Then they stopped to rest. Marmot said, "I like your dancing. Now I will sing again, so shut your eyes and dance your best." So Raven shut his eyes and danced clumsily around. Marmot sang, "Oh, Raven, Raven, Raven, what a graceful dancer! Oh, Raven, Raven, Raven, what a fool you are!" Because Marmot, with a quick run, had darted between Raven's legs and was safe in his hole. When Marmot was safe in his hole, he put out the tip of his nose and mocked Raven. He said, "Chikik-kik, chi-kik-kik, chi-kik-kik! You are the greatest fool I ever saw. What a comical figure you cut when dancing! I could hardly keep from laughing. Just look at me — see how fat I am. Don't you wish you could eat me?" Raven, in a rage, flew far away. BEAVER AND PORCUPINE - TSIMSHIAN NOW Beaver was the friend of Porcupine. Much they loved each other. Then Beaver invited Porcupine to his house on the large lake. There in the very middle of the lake was the house of Beaver. Now Beaver, on his part, liked the water, but Porcupine had no way to go from the shore to the lake, because he knew not how to swim. Therefore feared Porcupine that he should die should his stomach be filled with water, because he knew not how to swim. Therefore this did Beaver: from the lake to the land he went for Porcupine. Only twice rose Beaver above the water, going to where Porcupine was sitting on the shore. Then said Beaver to Porcupine, “I carry you. Fast hold my neck.” Porcupine was afraid. He said to Beaver, “I might die.” “You shall not die.” Thus said the Beaver to the Porcupine. Then went up Porcupine to the back of Beaver. Beaver said, “Fast hold my neck.” Myths and L 37 egends of Alaska, edited by Katharine Berry Judson (1911) 100 Thus did Porcupine. Then swam Beaver out on the water. But not long did he swim. Beaver dived. Then much troubled was Porcupine because he knew not how to swim. Now the Beavers really own the country of the water, but among the mountains is the country of Porcupine. Twice rose Beaver above the water. Then reached he the middle of the great lake where floated his home. But much troubled was Porcupine, lest he die in the water. Then they entered the house of Beaver. Then they ate. Now this for food had the Beaver: sticks were the food for his feast. Then really troubled was the Porcupine, there to eat sticks. Yet Porcupine ate the stick. Well, then one day, said Beaver to Porcupine: “Friend, now we play.” Then said Beaver how he would play: “I carry you. Four times I emerge from the water.” “Surely I die.” Thus said the heart of Porcupine. Yet he agreed. Beaver said, “Fast hold to my neck. Lie close against the nape of my neck.” Then was ready the heart of Porcupine to die. Then dived Beaver. Yet first struck he the water with his tail. Thus he first splashed water into the face of Porcupine. Then dived Beaver. Long was he under water. Then a little dead was Porcupine. His stomach was full of water. Three times the Beaver rose from the water. Then only once more remained. Then again dived Beaver. Almost dead was Porcupine. Then with him he returned. From lake to land he took him. Then Porcupine went back to his tribe. When again he reached his tribe, to his house he invited the people. Then into the house of Porcupine went the invited ones. Then he told them what Beaver had done in his great house on the lake. He told the people what Beaver, who had invited him, had done. He said, “Almost dead was I through my friend.” Then said his people, “Good! You also invite him. Also play with him.” This did Porcupine. He also invited Beaver, his friend. To the house of Beaver did he send. Then came Beaver into the valley. Up he went. Then came he to the house of Porcupine. Then this did Porcupine: when Beaver entered into the house, Porcupine struck on the fireplace with his own tail. Then it burnt. Then Beaver made a song: “In the middle burnt the tail of little Porcupine, pa! In the middle burnt the tail of little Porcupine.” Then ran Porcupine around in front of Beaver to play with his friend. Now when this was finished, what did the Porcupine? He got food for the Beaver to eat. Then this did the Porcupine: bark of a tree and leaves of a tree did he give him for a feast. Then, on his part, Beaver was afraid to eat. Then this said the Porcupine to his great friend, Beaver: “Eat fast, friend. Eat fast, friend.” Then so did the Beaver. Then said Porcupine, “Friend,”—thus said he to Beaver—“to-morrow morning we play, you and I. There stands a tree on a grassy slope. There is my playground.” Then they slept. But Porcupine sang, “Now along the edge I walk . . . out falls my shooting star.” Then spoke Porcupine to the sky, and the sky did so. Clear became the sky. The ground was ice in the morning. Now again Porcupine invited the people to a feast for great Beaver. Then Porcupine said, “We play, friend. There stands my playground.” Now very sharp was the cold. The ground was ice. Where water ran down, slippery was it with ice. But Beaver followed Porcupine. Then again was Beaver troubled. Always slippery were his hands, but long were the claws of Porcupine. Then Porcupine returned to see great Beaver. Then said Porcupine, “Come, do it, friend.” Thus said Porcupine to great Beaver. But the Beaver could not cross, because icy was the mountain. Then this did the Porcupine: he took the hands of Beaver, then across he led him. Thus across he got. Porcupine was going to play with Beaver, just as he also did once. So they reached the place where stood the tree. 101 “Good! Go up!” Thus said Porcupine to Beaver. Then much troubled was Beaver. He was afraid. “Well! See!” Thus said Porcupine. So Porcupine went up first. Up he went to the very top. Then he let go the top of the tree. As soon as he dropped, this he said, while coming down: “An-de-be-laq! An-de-be-laq!” Then he dropped on a stone, but arose. Not dead was he! Then said Porcupine to Beaver, “See, friend! It is not hard.” Then up on the tree carried he Beaver. He said, “Fast hold to my neck.” And very fast he held to the neck of Porcupine. Then when Porcupine reached near the top of the tree, he put Beaver on a branch. Then greatly afraid was Beaver for his hands were not good for holding fast to a tree. Only a Porcupine knows that, because long are his claws. Then thus said Porcupine: “Really hold fast, friend. I go down first.” The Beaver did so. All around the branch were his hands. Then Porcupine let go the tree. Into space he went. Again he said, “An-de-be-laq! An-de-be-laq!” Then once more he dropped on the stones, but not dead was he! Much troubled was the heart of great Beaver, in holding the branch. Much troubled was he at falling. Then about the foot of the tree ran Porcupine. Then up he looked to where was his friend. Thus said Porcupine: “Go on, friend. It is not hard. Look at me. Not dead am I because I fell!” Then Beaver let go the branch. Thus said Beaver as he fell, “Loop! Lo-op!” (“Stone! Stone!”) Then Beaver struck the rocks. He lay on his back. He was dead. 38 SUKDU, OR TRADITIONAL DENA’INA STORIES One Dena’ina story tells of three hunters who attempt to kill a brown bear. The first loses his life to the bear because he lacks skill, the second also falls to the bear because he acts without thought, and the third succeeds in his kill because he’s skillful, acts thoughtfully, and speaks with respect and humility to the bear, which then respects him in turn and allows itself to be killed. In another, a man who helps a mouse over a windfall is later helped by that mouse to feed his starving family. You put the bones of the salmon back into the water so that it might “put on its clothes again” and return to feed you the following summer. But throw bones on the ground and trample them, and you will end up hungry.39 Myths and Legends o 38 f Alaska, edited by Katharine Berry Judson (1911) https:// www.gutenberg.org/files/47146/47146-h/47146-h.htm 39 https://www.humansandnature.org/earth-ethic-nancy-lord 102

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