The Tripod, January 2018

Iditarod HistoricTrail Alliance January 2018 The Tripod PO Box 2323 Seward AK 99664 IditarodHTA@gmail.com http://www.Iditarod100.org The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Pick. Click. Give. Remember when you apply for your Permanent Fund Dividend (PDF) on line you can donate part or all of the dividend to the Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance through the Pick. Click. Give. Program. All donations are tax deductible and donors will receive tax documentation from the State once their donations have been processed. Permanent Fund Dividend applications are available from January 1 to March 31, but donors may add or adjust their pledges through August 31.

The program is run by the Alaska Community Foundation in partnership with the Rasmuson Foundation, the Foraker Group, United Way of Anchorage and the State of Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Division. Donlin Project The Trail for all Seasons The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance promotes public awareness of the Iditarod Trail and its gold rush and AlaskaNative heritage by encouraging education programs and historical research, assisting in the protection, improvement, maintenance and marking of the trail and developing partnerships that foster stewardship commitments and support. U. S. Corps of Engineers/Donlin GoldProject: Draft Environmental Impact statement and Alaska National Interest Conservationist Act 810 Analysis comments are available at. www.donlingoldeis.com The draft programatic agreement is expected to be posted soon for a short review and comment period.

Endangered historic properties The Alaska Association for Historical Preservation is seeking nominations for its 2018 Ten Most Endangered Alaska Historic Properties list. More information and nomination form is at www.aahp-online.net or by sending an email to akpreservation@gmail.com. Nominations are due by Match 31, 2018.

Some web sites of interest • More TV, less exercise can lead to walking disabilities: http:// tinyurl.com/y7g5eboq • Regular Walking, Even if Minimal, Tied to Lower Death Risk: http://tinyurl.com/ycjxsk3l • The Top 52 Hiker Mistakes and How to Avoid Them: http:// tinyurl.com/ybh6hwkx • 82-Year-Old Man Breaks Appalachian Trail Age Record: http:// tinyurl.com/yaeynun2 • 10 Tips To Stay Safe In The Wild: http://tinyurl.com/ya9bwtue • Interior Secretary To Create Public Lands Advisory Committee, One That Might Suggest New User Fees: http://tinyurl.com/ ych5wm3c 1 Iditarod HistoricTrail Alliance From the past… "Iditarod Pioneer" January 5, 1918 $1,486,198 The above big black figures represent the value of the gold produced in this (Otter) district during the mining season of 1917.

Although this amount is considerably below the outputs of several past years, it is a very creditable showing when the various difficulties encountered by operators during the working months are taken into consideration, and allowance therefor made. The long run of hard luck that hovered over the dredge of Riley & Co. during the greater part of the summer, cut down the year's production of Otter creek fully one-third. It is conservatively estimated that at least $500,000 additional gold passed through various business houses of Iditarod during the summer and fall. Gold shipments from Fortuna Ledge, Ophir, Candle and other camps are not included in the above figures. NOTE: in 1918 gold was selling for $20.67 a troy ounce.

"Iditarod Pioneer" January 12, 1918 MAIL ARRIVING MORE REGULAR Henry Martella and "White Dog" Smith have certainly been putting the mails through in good time on their sections of the Seward mail route during the past few weeks, notwithstanding the fearfully cold weather and the dreadful lack of snow. On each of his trips here during the time carrier Smith has been compelled to almost rebuild his sled. There would be little dissatisfaction expressed if the entire Iditarod-Seward mail route was in the hands of carriers like Messrs. Martella and Smith. January 2018 Alaska Roadhouses Roadhouses were an important element not only on the Iditarod Trail, but on all the trails in Alaska. A good book about Alaska's roadhouses is: Alaska Roadhouses by Helen Hegerner, Northern Lights Media, 2015, 283 pages, with index and bibliography.

The book tells the colorful story of Alaska's many roadhouses, which provided food and shelter for the weary traveller. It has short histories of many of the roadhouses, numerous photographs and interesting accounts of visits to early roadhouses by the Reverend Samuel Hall Young, Judge James Wickersham, musher Leonhard Seppala, world traveler Frank Carpenter and others. Trails Across Time Trails Across Time History of an Alaskan Mountain Corridor by Kaylene Johnson-Sullivan, Ember Press, 2017, 112 pages, illustrated, maps, $19.99. This is an updated version of the 2005 edition of the book. It is a history of the Kenai MountainsTurnagain Arm transportation corridor. The corridor from Seward to Bird and Indian was established as a National Heritage Area by Congress in 2009.

Three important transportation routes are in the corridor: the Iditarod Trail, the Alaska Railroad and the Seward Highway. The books tells the history of all three and provides interesting stories of people who played important roles in those histories. It also includes helpful maps and many photographs.The source list at the end offers a great staring point for those who want to learn more about the area. Alaska Trails Steward's Program The Alaska Trails Stewards Program (ATS) just finished its second full season. The mission of the program is to provide volunteer-based trail maintenance to public land managers and others who have responsibility for safely and maintaining trails throughout Alaska. In 2017, Alaska Trail Stewards recruited 112 volunteers who contributed 756 hours of donated labor.

Volunteers improved 7,055 feet of trail on public lands in Chugach State Park, Chugach National Forest, the City of Whittier, and Kachemak Bay State Park, amounting to $23,059 in donated labor. Alaska Trails plans to continue to build this program into a robust, statewide partnership option that benefits land managers and volunteers alike. 2