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A Fishing Story - 1989 the f/v My Colleen
by C. C. Crow photos by author
I've got a week to get down to Haines and meet the ferry to
Skagway. I'm headed for Valdez but get side-tracked when I pick up a booklet
describing the abandoned Copper River and Kennicott RR and learn there is a road
on the old railroad grade. Sounds like something worth investigating.
Side Trip to Kennicott (McCarthy)
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7-17 MON
I pay on my way out, could have saved $5.00, I don't know? Have
juice and donut break, follow broken school bus being pushed. Stop
at Potter Section House RR museum. Cruise into Anchorage, look for
Peter. Park in town and shop for socks. Go out to REI, buy film
mailers and wet boots. Go to very slow post office, mail extra
junk home. Head for Glenn Highway, skip groceries- but find Carrs
at Palmer. Eat cheeseburger. Ride into the hills. Wave to
sunbathers. Great scenery. I don't pay attention to mileposts and
pass where I intended to turn towards cool glacier. Find Little
Nelchina CG, okay. Cook ribs- meet Buzz, eat salmon and talk till
2 a.m.- thought it was mid-night! Cold, cold, burr.
7-18 TUE
8 a.m. water truck arrives to fill up. He backs by then starts his
pump up. He pulls out and drops his load- flood just about kicks
my ass! Rough morning. Has to do it all over again. I finally pull
out at 10:30. Rough road at times- great otherwise. See three
moose, should have stopped and mailed film and letter. Go to St.
Elias NP, watch film and get cool book. Go towards Chitna, stop
for lunch at Liberty Falls, then up dirt road to campground. It is
a dust mess. Road is too rough to go on. I turn around and go back
to Liberty Falls and camp. Someone camps right on top of me very
late at night.
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7-19 WED
Well, what's for breakfast? More Swiss, three, but no cat food.
These guys had the entire campground but put their tent right up
against mine. Must be how they do it in Europe I guess. Weird. I
eat cereal and leave for McCarthy. This is one of those I should
haves but I just didn't know or I couldn't figure it out. But also
I just wasn't sure I would make it all the way out. So back to
Chitina, through the RR cut across the bridge, and on to
adventure. Seventy miles up the Kushulana River is crossed a
monster of a bridge. I stop and walk the catwalk, take photos.
Then on I go. The road is potholed and washboard all the way. So
slowly I go, stop by stop. I stop and eat at the trestle ruins.
Further on mountains show great views with lakes but mostly it is
just brush and trees that line the dusty road. Sixty-one miles and
I arrive and the end of the road. I leave my bike. I should have
brought (the tank bag) and planned to stay overnight- or had
gotten up at six- it was already 4 p.m.! I walked over to the
raging Kennicott River and there with four others took two turns
across the muddy devil. Walked a little further and cross another
branch in the same manner. Then it is a short walk into McCarthy.
It's hot and I suck down two three dollar beers. The Swiss are
there. It is the turning point. I cannot go on up to Kennicott
mines and then make it all the way back. I should have thought it
out and stayed the night at the lodge or in McCarthy. I could have
brought my sleeping bag. I'm worried about all my stuff back at
camp. I have this great book so I know what is up there. So I must
turn back. I don't know... So I return the sixty-one miles plus
ten paved back to my tent. I'm tired and dusty, I stop for pop at
Silver Lake and talk to Pops. Dinner is left-over ribs, soup and
peas. I wash my hair and have a fire.
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I've left my gear behind due to the rough road. 80 year old
rotten railroad ties make the perfect washboard. Without my camping gear and faring
it's not too bad. I take it slow. This bridge is incredible. Out in the middle of
nowhere on a gravel road. Each site leads me on to the next.
Finally I make it to the end of the road. There's a parking lot
and a tram over the raging river. I don't even know what time it is. I know there
is a small town on the other side, and five miles further are the abandond mines
of Kennicott. What do I have to loose?
I sure screwed this side trip up with my lower 48 mentality.
I kept worrying about leaving my gear back at the campground unattended where anyone
could grab it. You're in Alaska. They don't do that here. Well, maybe they do, but
come on, there are not thieves behind every tree. It's much less likely. My gear
was fine. What I should have done is strap my sleeping bag and pad on the back, and
stayed the night in McCarthy, and explored the mines the next day. I vowed I would
come back- I had the historical booklet so I knew what was up there. Eighteen years
later now, I've not been back and not likely to. There are too many other great
places to explore a little closer to home. Still, one day... I'd like to go back.
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