Mother Gold, Father Railroad – The Birth of Wasilla A history of Wasilla, Alaska by Skip Coghlan Long long ago, the great Copper River Basin ice field covered land where the Copper and Matanuska Rivers now flow, shaping mountains and valleys as its glaciers paused, advanced, and retreated. The Matanuska Glacier reached 4000 feet at […]
First Airplane Flight in Alaska – A Special Fourth of July Celebration
First Airplane Flight in Alaska by The Alaska Life On July 4, 1913, one hundred and five years ago, Alaskans had more than just Independence Day to celebrate. The day before, on July 3rd in Fairbanks, the first airplane flight in Alaska took place. Two Fairbanks businessmen, Arthur Williams and R.S. McDonald, hired aviator and […]
AMHS Legendary Captain Jack V. Johnson
Jack V. Johnson, Alaska Legend and Hero to Israel Captain Bill Hopkins, AMHS retired A memorable chief mate, Jack V. “Square-rigger” Johnson (1927 – 2014), is an Alaskan original from Kodiak. As a man who had sailed the world’s oceans at a young age, he signed onboard the S/S Exodus as a crewmember at the […]
The Suspicious Mythical Inhabitants Hiding In Alaska’s Iliamna Lake
Iliamna Lake Monster – Fact or Fiction? By: Courtney Dowd-Stanley Board a plane and head to the Lake and Peninsula Borough of Alaska near the northern end of the Alaska Peninsula where you’ll find Lake Iliamna (or Iliamna Lake), the largest lake in Alaska. This aquatic destination is located on the western side of Cook […]
Navigating the M/V Tustumena In Deplorable Weather
M/V Tustumena Navigates Through High Seas and Gale Force Winds on a Return from Dutch Harbor “We are proud of our good ship Tustumena” Captain Bill Hopkins, AMHS retired Westward, one sees a land largely untouched by people, a wild landscape devoid of timber presenting itself in sharp relief to the exploring eye. There are […]
Flying to Iliamna to Fish for Silvers
Never Let Your Guard Down A group of friends are stranded near Lake Iliamna when the weather makes a turn for the worse. by Kurt Mackenzie If I were allowed to catch only one type of salmon, let it be silvers every day. Of course, that level of infatuation can lead to letting your guard […]
The M/V Matanuska Crew Spots A Vessel In Distress
Precipice of the Deep – The M/V Matanuska – Part 2 Article and Photographs by Captain Bill Hopkins, AMHS Retired The following is a continuation of “Precipice of the Deep – Part 1.” I pulled back the curtains to my stateroom window. Although it was just turning dark, I could see the myriad of stars […]
A Couple Slowly Sinks Into The Icy Depths of Milbanke Sound
Precipice of the Deep – A Sinking Skiff in Milbanke Sound A couple slowly sinks into the icy depths of Milbanke Sound. Story and Photographs by Captain Bill Hopkins, AMHS Retired One prolonged blast of the ship’s whistle every two minutes resounded throughout the night, and the day. Rule 35 of the Navigation Rules […]
A Summer Job at Site Summit in 1972
Site Summit: Summer Job in 1972 Washing dishes, scrubbing floors and racing cars at a Cold War missile defense site in 1972 by Michael Hankins It’s not often a person is able to take the mundane job of washing dishes and write about it. My 6-month dish washing stint was much different than scrubbing pots […]
World-Class Brown Bear Viewing In Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park
Up Close & Personal in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska By: Courtney Dowd-Stanley Bear viewing in Cook Inlet and panoramic vistas in Lake Clark National Park—this is what experiencing the rugged Last Frontier is all about. If you do anything this summer, be sure to reward yourself with active volcanoes, brilliant coastal brown bears, snow-covered […]
Another Glimpse into Alaska’s History: The First Ascent of Denali
The First Ascent of Denali By Anne Sanders This coming year, 2020, marks the 107th anniversary of the first successful ascent to the top of Denali. To be exact, on June 7th, 1913 at 1:30 p.m. Walter Harper, an Athabaskan Alaska Native, became the first man to stand upon the summit of North America’s tallest […]
Growing Up In An Alaskan Village
Alaskan Village in the City by Michael Hankins The serenity of living in a rural Alaskan village is something I’d love to experience. It seems a subsistence lifestyle has distinct advantages. Hunting and fishing to stay alive makes a person stronger both physically and mentally. Clean water and air untainted by pesticides and smog can […]
