Oral histories. Most every old timer who has lived in an interesting place has one, and they’re more than happy to share their stories, whether at the kitchen table, around the campfire, or anywhere there happens to be an opening. Depending on the story teller, these can be fascinating accounts of things that happened in the past and the way things used to be. And that … [Read more...] about Secondhand Story Tellers
Alaska Wildnerness Living
Tales and Trails in the Far North
When John McPhee visited the Alaska’s upper Yukon River in the mid 1970’s, he was met with an eclectic group of individualists who had decided to make the rugged wilderness their home. They ranged from folks like John Borg, who settled in the village and ran most every part of it, to Dick Cook, who lived off the land in a remote cabin and relished self sufficiency. The Ulvi’s … [Read more...] about Tales and Trails in the Far North
Jim Rearden’s Alaska
Alaska is a vast land filled with adventure and opportunity, but it’s also a state of mind, a symbol of freedom, and a home for some of the more adventurous characters out there. Jim Rearden was a unique and special Alaskan. He not only experienced the state and its outdoor paradise in its infancy, he also met many of the legends and crazy characters that make the place so … [Read more...] about Jim Rearden’s Alaska
Staying Alive in Alaska’s Wild: Andy Nault
“Unless you change your lifestyle, you’ve got about six months to live.” Folks have been hearing those words from the doctor, in some form or another, since the beginning of modern medicine. Most don’t change. Some try diet and exercise for a while, but lifestyle changes are hard, and most end up living out their final months in some sort of miserable state. Not Andy … [Read more...] about Staying Alive in Alaska’s Wild: Andy Nault
Sam O. White, Alaskan
So many of us dream of going to Alaska, but only a few actually take the plunge. Sam O. White was one of those early adventuring pioneers who helped shape the great northern territory before it was even a state. Born in Eustis, Maine in 1891, the young woodsman longed for adventure after fighting overseas in World War I, and found a job that would take him to wild places. … [Read more...] about Sam O. White, Alaskan