by Kris Murray & David Jett
Years ago, I saw someone wearing a T-shirt with a drawing of the great big state of Texas centered inside the boarders of the state of Alaska. It seemed like a humorous way to poke fun at those who tout the grandiosity of a big, flat, snow-free state. It wasn’t until March 7-12, 2000, when the International Snowmobile Media Council made a trip to America’s largest state (Alaska) that I fully realized how comparatively tiny the rest of us are (Texas included).
Want the facts? Alaska measures one 1/5 the size of the continental US or 586,000 square miles. It stretches 1200 miles from North to South and 1500 miles East to West. Alaska has 33,000 miles of coastline and 1800 named islands. Alaska is home to 17 of the 20 largest peaks in North America. There are 3 million lakes over 10 acres in size. There are 3,000 rivers, 10 of which are over 1,000 miles long. Alaska has 100,000 glaciers... one of which is the size of Rhode Island. A million caribou live in Alaska, almost twice as many caribou as people. Alaska has the first, second and third largest: National park, National forest and wildlife refuge. It also has everything else you’d imagine in America’s final frontier.
Do you know what happens to all of that spectacular country each and every winter? You guessed right… the entire amazing state of Alaska freezes solid and is covered with snow. What an amazing playground!
Twenty three members of the International Snowmobile Media Council flew to Alaska and experienced its beauty in the best way possible… from snowmobiles. Not one ISMC member flew home disappointed. The list of participants included: Steve and Cozy Lueck—ISMC Chair; Clark and Dan Collins—Blue Ribbon Coalition; Wayne Neb, Gretta and Larry Tucker—On The Trails With SAM; Larry and Jeanine Lancaster—Oregon Snowmobile News; Oly and Kate Olson—Cal/Nevada Snow Tracks; Henry Hartman—Keystone Snowmobiler; Marilyn and Ron Ruediger—South Dakota Snow-Plainsman; James Shanks and Max Meyer—Nebraska Snow Express Jan and Eric Ingstrom—Scandinavia’s Snowmobile Magazine and your publishers, David Jett & Kris Murray from J&M Publishing—Washington Snoflyer, Idaho Snow Biz and Snow Tracks. We were all joined by the hometown publishers, Steve and Linda Wilhelmi, who produce the Alaskan Snow Rider.
The Anchorage Hilton hosted a warm welcoming reception shortly after the flight landed. That’s where we first met Jim Henderson and Janine Oros Amon with the Anchorage Convention and Visitor’s Bureau; our guides, fearless leaders and entertainment for the trip. After a good night’s rest in comfortable rooms, the entire group enjoyed breakfast and camaraderie early on March 8. There was little time for chit-chat though, our motor-coach was ready to roll.
First stop: Deshka Landing
At the completion of a very scenic two hour ride to Deshka Landing, we (the ISMC representatives) piled out of the motor-coach and hopped aboard an assortment of new Ski-Doo and Polaris sleds, provided by Korey Cronquist, Butch Clark, Bruce Friend, Rudi Von Imhof and Warren Griffin. Korey Cronquist of Team CC Ski-Doo led the way out of the snow park and onto the frozen Yentna River. We started slow, in near single file fashion. It wasn’t long before the pace quickened. Imagine if you will, over two dozen sledheads fanning out across a frozen river, throttles wide open, smiling inside their helmets as we all took in amazing scenery and rocketed towards our destination atop the Yentna.
Fifty-five thrilling miles later we dismounted in front of the Northwoods Lodge. Half of our contingent found lodgings there. The other half went “next door” to the newly opened Bentalit Lodge. Both feature outstanding accommodations, mouthwatering cuisine, and everything else you’d want in a remote Alaskan lodge. Eric and Shaun Johnson, owners of the Northwoods and Bill and Annette Brion, proprietors of the Bentalit, were very gracious hosts. The Bentalit Lodge served an Italian dinner that rivaled anyone’s favorite fine Italian haunt. The next morning, during breakfast at the Northwoods, the Northwood’s timbers and frozen tundra shook with a moderate level earthquake, which is fairly rare for the area.
Using the Fish Lakes area as a home-base, many a fantastic trip could be made. It is difficult to believe that such wonderful lodges could be found more than 50 miles from the nearest road! Only one word can describe country like that: heaven. Okay, maybe there’s one phrase that aptly describes the area too, “What a playground!”
Dog sled trips were also available from the lodges, guided by one of the Junior Iditerod’s top finishers. We had to ride the dog-sleds, after all, we were in Alaska.
The very next day our group split in two. We headed back towards the Deskha Landing with the “fast group,” this time via a backwoods route that was absolutely splendid! It was longer than the previous day’s ride, and filled with whoops, side-winding trails, but lots of flat-out, wide-open, thumb-pinned speed whenever we were on the frozen Yentna River. Everyone was out of steam by the time we reached our motor-coach.
That evening we dined at the Sourdough Mining Company, a seriously recommended feast-house in Anchorage. There we were met with plate after plate of hot ribs, chicken, halibut and the “best corn fritters ya’ ever ate.” After dinner, over-stuffed and smiling, we headed for the Girdwood area and checked into the extremely posh Westin Alyeska Prince Resort, built at the base of Alyeska world-class ski resort.
A sound night’s sleep and we hopped back on the motorcoach, headed south to Placier Valley. A bumpy ride across the wind-blown tundra was rewarded with extreme close-ups of Spencer Glacier. The awe felt by all of us brought a unanimous vote that this was our lunch stop. We headed back after lunch and the snowmobiling portion of our Alaska excursion was complete.
Back at the Alyeska Princess, most of the snowmobilers rode a cable car up the mountain to see one of the best views you can get in Alaska without a snowmobile. The rest of us went skiing. With skis strapped on, pointed down, it was amazing to realize I was skiing on amazing slopes while looking at sea-water just a few hundred yards from the base of the mountain. “What a playground!”
That evening Jim Henderson and Janine Amon staged the party to end all parties. The following morning, it was back on the motor coach. Our destination for the final day in Alaska was Seward. There, we boarded a tour boat named “Renown” for an excursion in the Kenai Fjords. In less than a three hour tour, we saw bald eagles, sea lions, sea otters and mountain goats. However we didn’t see anything that was more than a hundred feet above sea-level, as this was the only day of our trip that we weren’t treated to spring sunshine. Clouds lay low during the entire boat ride. Nevertheless, the Kenai Fjords were enjoyed by all. One exception may have been Cozy Lueck, your ISMC Chair. She took a pretty good sized wave in her lap when the vessel entered the Gulf of Alaska and turned sideways to the swell… “Brrrrr!”
Back in Anchorage late that afternoon, most ISMC members spent a final night at the Regal Alaskan Hotel. That’s where good-byes were said, everybody looking forward to next year’s adventure.
Jim Henderson and Janine (Danger Girl) Amon of the Anchorage Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (ACVB) guided and participated in the adventure from our arrival at the Anchorage Airport to the most remote destinations imaginable. Their zeal made every aspect of the trip even better than it would have been without them. Everything a snowmobiler could hope to see was delivered to ISMC members in grand fashion during the entire four-day adventure. The trip was exciting and fun, informative and incredible. Red carpet was rolled out at every stop, the Alaskan way. The folks in Alaska know how to party, they know how to cook a great meal, and they know how to make visitors feel more than welcome. If, after reading this, you have the yearning to explore Alaska… DO IT! Don’t talk about it, don’t fantasize about it, don’t start planning it for the year 2013, DO IT NOW!
We know that you’ll enjoy Alaska as much as we did or even more. For snowmobilers, it truly is an amazing playground!