Jul 5

Written by:
7/5/2001 12:00 AM 

Greetings from all of us here at the Cripple River Camp. It has been somewhat rainy and windy, but the rain hasn't dampened the high spirits of the people here in camp. The first participants for the summer have arrived and the camp was ready for them. Gold is being found. In fact, a nice gold clinker was found here several days ago. Now we've all heard stories about someone finding gold in a serendipitous way, so here's a new story for you. As the camp building crew was leveling the ground for the new showers a mound of dirt several inches too tall was noticed. One crew member took a shovel and sliced off the extra dirt, leveling the building site. Just as he finished, one of the onlookers pointed and exclaimed, "look at that nugget!" There in the sand was a beautiful gold flake three-sixteenths of an inch across. Ralph Yaeger was proud of his find! Running a fast second in camp activities is fishing as the Dolly Varden trout are biting. The current unofficial camp record is 24" and four pounds, with several 22" fish coming in a close second. Tom, Perry and Joey Wilson have been busy shooting video for upcoming Outdoor Channel shows, which may run later in the summer.

Chip and Laverne Yorde have been coming up to the Cripple River Camp for the past four years. Come last Christmas they gave their four sons Dale, Duane, Dennis and Don a trip to the Cripple River Camp. (A GREAT GIFT!) Now their sons can experience first hand the unique and beautiful spot that has called their parents back five years in a row. This year is the Yordes’ forty-fifth wedding anniversary and they will celebrate it here with their boys. The first day in camp the Yorde sons went fishing (caught seven big ones) saw moose, woke up a mamma grizzly and her three cubs, and watched a herd of reindeer. A good time was had by all. (Well maybe not momma bear who was in a grumpy mood.)

Riding back from town yesterday I stopped at our beach boxes to ask about the gold recovery. It's hard to do this politely, especially since some people, mainly those getting GREAT GOLD want to keep their good fortune quiet. And let me add in here---THERE ARE NO CLAIM JUMPERS IN CAMP. Claim jumping is a more serious offense than raincoat stealing, bad joke telling, or even using the last of the toilet paper and not setting out a new roll. Back to the gold; the beach looks great this year, with some claims initially appearing a little richer than others. As the week's not over yet, only time and work will tell.

The eight-inch dredge is working and Perry stated yesterday that the trommel operation went smoothly and appeared to be moving into a very rich area. The prospects appear very good this year. Earlier at Arctic Creek while our crew was working hard getting the eight-inch dredge set up and operational, the men and women on the crew noticed a giant moose watching them. He (the moose) was watching every move. He'd move to the right, then to the left, back to the right all the time fixing the crew with an intent stare. After a few minutes the crew stopped work to watch the moose. He was only fifty feet away, and the crew had heard that a big bull moose could be territorial and MEAN. Finally, after playing stare down for a while he made a low sound, shook his head and started to trot by the crew--followed by a tiny baby moose maybe all of two days old. The he was a she, and a mother moose that wanted to check those people out before risking her new baby to a bunch of miners. As the mother and child trotted slowly away everyone went back to work smiling to themselves because of their most recent Alaskan Experience.

This is the week of the Fourth of July, which is always a big celebration in Nome. The town started decorating for this event two weeks ago. The celebration includes a parade, The Anvil Mountain Run, and many other activities. The Cripple River Camp has several trucks in the parade and many ATV’s. The riders toss candy to the children in the crowd. (Always a big hit!) This year we plan to have up to forty ATV's carrying flags. America was settled by sturdy, rugged individualists, and nowhere are sturdy, rugged individualists appreciated more than in Nome. Nomeites love to celebrate and the G.P.A.A. folk love to help them. Happy Fourth of July week wherever you are!

Until next time---shake off that cabin fevermukluks (Eskimo boots), rub your billikin’s belly (pointy headed ivory native good luck charm), and go prospecting. And may the bottom of your pan turn gold.