King Island dancers perform at the Alaskan Native Heritage Center.  They must be saving their energy for whale hunts.  Very repetitive too.  Guess that I am not as easily entertained.  Village sites at the Heritage Center feature replicas of homes and boat buildiing stations for each of the five Alaska Native groups (Eskimo and Indians). The center's emphasis on experiential, interactive learning gives insight into the daily lives of the Alaska Native cultures and promotes preservation of heritage through special programs for native youth.

Back tracking to Eklutna we learn that these spirit houses of the Denaina tribe are an Athabascan burial tradition meshed with Russian Orthodox beliefs.  The colors differ for each family and the size of the spirit house is usually proportional to the age of the deceased. The newer Russian Orthodox Church seats 12 congregants and has standing room for about that many again.  Icons brought to Alaska by the Russian Imperial Navy in the 1800s remain in their original state.

Alaskan Sampler - Eklutna

We pick up a camper key at Alutiiq and have lunch at the Earthquake Park overlooking the Knick Arm of Cook Inlet in Anchorage.  The interpretive trail here is part of the Tony Knowles Trail, part of 250 miles of trails in town.  The tide at the upper end of Cook Inlet is 39 feet.  It's out while we're there and extensive mud flats are exposed.

Back tracking to Eklutna we learn that these spirit houses of the Denaina tribe are an Athabascan burial tradition meshed with Russian Orthodox beliefs.  The colors differ for each family and the size of the spirit house is usually proportional to the age of the deceased. The newer Russian Orthodox Church seats 12 congregants and has standing room for about that many again.  Icons brought to Alaska by the Russian Imperial Navy in the 1800s remain in their original state.

It's raining at Eklutna Campground in the Chugach State Park.  But the mosquitos are beginning to thin out inside the camper.  Makes up for the persistent moisture.  We call it a night.

Day 10 Twin Peaks Trail is not as steep as we expect and the footing along the old road is good despite the rain.  We identify Canadian Dogwood with berries and soap berries along the trail.  Views do not extend beyond the lake today. The mountains are largely obscured by the mist and clouds.  The rain stops, but the clouds don't clear.

King Island dancers perform at the Alaskan Native Heritage Center.  They must be saving their energy for whale hunts.  Very repetitive too.  Guess that I am not as easily entertained.  Village sites at the Heritage Center feature replicas of homes and boat buildiing stations for each of the five Alaska Native groups (Eskimo and Indians). The center's emphasis on experiential, interactive learning gives insight into the daily lives of the Alaska Native cultures and promotes preservation of heritage through special programs for native youth.

Day 9 The spruce in Alaska form cone clusters at thier tops giving them an odd, top heavy shape as shown on this spruce on the Parks Highway.

We stop at Wolf Song, a store and non-profit promoting the understanding and preservation of wolves.  Good film and great photos.  The co-existence of wolves and caribou are so intertwined that we learn as much about the caribou and their migrations as we do the wolves.

King Island Dancers

Yup'ik House of Southern Eskimos.  Entryways were sometimes through the roof or floor.

Skin covered kayaks were used for whale hunting by the Aleuts and sometimes the Yup'iks.  Other cultures used them for solo travel.

© Regina M. McMullan, 2000