Jul 12

Written by:
7/12/2005 12:00 AM 

Greetings from the Cripple River Gold Camp! Today it is still raining, as it has been for the past few days. The rain goes from a fine gentle mist to a vigorous downpour then back to a mist. All the dust is being washed from the sky, out of the air, and off of the flowers and plants so when the sun appears again the newly washed colors of the tundra will have a genuine shimmering glow. Weather watching and predicting is a popular and necessary pastime in Alaska, especially along the coastline where fishing and crabbing boats go out into the Bering Sea. In our camp with gold miners and prospectors going out and about every day, we too pay close attention to the weather reports. While there is the same amount of gold available, rain or shine, it takes a sturdy dedicated person to work outside on cold rainy days when there are so many other (warmer and drier) fun things to do in camp. Still, people are seen out mining or prospecting in all kinds of weather. Lindsey, our ‘Beach Master’ for the first three weeks reports that there are a lot of miners on the beach running beach boxes, and the gold they’re getting looks great! Some claims are naturally richer than others, but many things affect the amount of gold recovered. Such as: having your beach box set at the proper angle; the speed of the water running into the box; feeding the material at the right speed; (too fast and the flour gold can’t sink into the riffles in the black mat---too slow and you waste valuable working time) and the total amount of time spent working your claim. Lindsey and her crew are here to help you maximize your gold recovery, just ask her if you have questions! Rain or not many people today are out and about from camp. Many are beach mining getting that good flour gold, several are sluicing, and a few are out gold panning hoping the rain has washed out some flood gold for them to find. I’m in the chow hall writing this Chronicle, surrounded by people playing cards, talking--telling stories--and laughing, writing letters and postcards to send home, or just reading good books. In the background Sam Rua is teaching one of his ever-popular and well attended geology (rock identification) classes. I know some of our miners are taking an early afternoon nap, recharging their internal batteries for another week of “getting that gold”. A few men and women took the entire day off and went to town to do some touring and shopping.

On a different note, for all of you who wonder where the name for this fantastic state comes from, it is from the Aleut word “Alyeska” which means ‘the Great Land’. Currently anthropologists say that during the last ice age about 15,000 years ago there was an exposed land mass called the “Bering Land Bridge” connecting North America and Siberia. This bridge or land mass is underwater today, but back then many groups of people crossed this exposed bridge. These people, perhaps searching for a better life, developed into three distinctly different groups of ‘Alaskans’. The Aleuts, whom the Aleutian Chain of Islands is named, settled mainly on the islands. The Eskimos moved into and throughout the northern and western regions of Alaska. The two great Indian nations, the Tlingits and the Athapascans settled in southeast and central Alaska. (All this information is from a paper “The Great Land” and is in keeping with current theories in modern anthropology.) Much, much later two other Indian tribes moved to Alaska from Canada in the 1700 and 1800’s, the Tsimshians and Haidas. The United States purchased the Alaska Territory from Russia in 1867, and it became the 49th state in 1959. Alaska is considered to be the final real frontier left on earth.

Now, back to camp! Carol and Stan Cook from Silver Springs Florida have been dreaming of traveling to Alaska since they first were married 44 years ago. This year their dream became reality, when they arrived at Cripple River for a three week stay. Wanting to have as many new experiences as possible they’ve really been on the go since their arrival. They took two trips to the Sinuk River, both to enjoy the beautiful scenery and to give Stan a shot at fishing for salmon. Carol said, “While at the Sinuk River I finally heard the words I never ever expected to hear from my husband’s lips, ‘Honey, I’ve caught so many big fish today that I’m actuallytired of fishing!” Following this, Stan and Carol took a trip to the Trommel Camp to run the high-bankers for a chance at coarse gold, pickers, or possibly a nugget or two. Several days later they went on a “trail ride”, with newly made friends: Ray Plant, Steve Locke and John Bame. Mark Clochey was acting as both scout and trail master on this adventure. This approximately 42 mile ride started in camp and went to the Arctic Creek Dredge Camp, on to the Trommel Camp, out to the Teller Highway, then down the highway to Nome where they ate “hummer hummers” (yummy tasty hamburgers) for lunch at a nice downtown restaurant. Tummies full, it was then down the beach road back to our camp and home. Still wanting new experiences this adventuresome couple rode their rented ATV’s side by side in the Fourth of July Parade down Front Street in Nome, throwing bead necklaces to the waiting crowd. In camp, Carol especially loved the variety of classes offered, and learned so much here that will help her and her husband Stan be better prospectors back home. Carol admitted she and Stan have only been members of LDMA (Lost Dutchman’s Mining Association) for 2 or 3 years, but she is having a ball! Carol also states that the three weeks in camp here has been, for her and Stan, much better than a cruise. Stan, who was kind of quiet during our talk, said that he “feels the same way Carol does”. Both agree that just one week here wouldn’t have done this beautiful place justice.” Both would love to come back again to Cripple River, in the near future. We really hope you do, we’d just love to have you back here with us again!

Mark Clohecy from Merrimac Ma., has been a prospector for about 5 or 6 years. In an interesting reversal, Joyce, his wife was the person really interested in prospecting and was the first one truly bitten by the “gold bug”. Joyce recalls when as a young girl she tried to pan for gold, but never had any luck. She joined the GPAA in 1999, and learned about prospecting and gold panning. After several trips to Bath, New Hampshire where they found gold, Mark contracted a case of gold fever. Although Mark came up to the Cripple River Gold Camp first, he now has been joined by Joyce and granddaughter Tabitha, who will learn the prospecting art at an early age.

Fishing this year continues to be absolutely fantastic, with many large fish being caught. Pink Salmon and Dolly Varden Trout are the most frequently caught fish, and both can be kept and smoked or eaten. The occasional Chum Salmon is also being caught, but they are released, as they are not legal to keep. It is early in the summer for Silver Salmon, but a good Silver run is expected. Eileen Yager from Covina Ca., one of our lady anglers, caught the biggest fish of her life the day before yesterday at the mouth of the Sinuk River where it enters the Bering Sea. It was a 24 inch Humpie (male Pink Salmon) and it took her about twenty minutes to land it. She was using ten lb test line and a silver lure when this fish struck. Cheered on by her brother-in-law Bob Jensen and his son Joseph, and with husband Ralph shouting advice Eileen played the fish to a standstill. After catching her breath, the fish was released back into the Bering Sea. Experienced fisher-folk are doing great, with even people who rarely catch fish catching their limit. On Perry’s ATV trip to the Sinuk River, fresh caught salmon is the guest at every cookout.

Speaking of Perry Massie, today he accidentally caught a sea gull! Lindsey Burgess helped untangle the silly bird from the line so it could be set free. This frightened bird bit Lindsey and drew blood on both her wrists, but being a true animal lover Lindsey persevered and was finally able to let the sea gull fly away to freedom. Sea Gulls are also catch and release here at our camp.

The sun is trying to break through the clouds, and the mists that have been hiding the mountains have dissipated. Maybe our little rainy spell is over. The garnet “pickers” are ecstatic as it is much easier to pick out garnets in bright light or even full sun. The small garnets here shine a deep red to a wine color in the sun, and it is fun to fill up a vial or two of these semi-precious stones. Occasionally large garnets are found, mostly brown in color but sometimes a larger red stone is found. One of the GPAA members, Bill Potter, sent in a packet of garnets to a gemologist in the lower 48. Bill said that approximately one “garnet” out of every 20 is in fact, a small ruby. Now not all rubies are gem or jewelry quality, but top quality or not----it’s still a ruby!

The white Alaska Cotton Grass is still in bloom, and on the way to Arctic Creek, the golden yellow of the Tundra Rose shines in the clear air. There are purplish Blue Bells, and light blue Jacob’s Ladder. All these colors together with the many shades of green and brown in the tundra makes the valley look like a beautiful tapestry. The colors change depending on what flowers are in bloom, or with the amount of rain we have received, so my favorite place to sit and look is always the same and yet always different, and stunningly beautiful. Many baby birds are now getting their feathers and some are leaving the nest, yet new nests appear and new eggs are laid for another generation of bug catchers. Many birds are enjoying the salmon run, and even the red fox and her pups are looking fat, sassy and sleek. I realize that I am truly blessed just to be here in Alaska to share in this wonderful experience.

I’ve just got to go check on some bird’s nests now, and see what’s in my sluice I set out yesterday, so until next time, May you life and the bottom of your pan turn Golden!

Your Friend, Arctic Annie.