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North to Alaska 11 -- Going logging (almost)
2008.02.02
Wood, like other freight, is hauled behind the snowmachine in sleds like this one, which is Theo's.
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Wood, like other freight, is hauled behind the snowmachine in sleds like this one, which is Theo's.
1
We started heading out on Saturday, but didn't get far before we had a problem, the attachment on George's sled broke and we held off the trip until Sunday. Here, from left, are Nikolai (Nick's 17 year old son), Nick, and, with his back to the camera, George. This is on the river shortly after we began.
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We started heading out on Saturday, but didn't get far before we had a problem, the attachment on George's sled broke and we held off the trip until Sunday. Here, from left, are Nikolai (Nick's 17 year old son), Nick, and, with his back to the camera, George. This is on the river shortly after we began.
2
Filling up the snowmobile with gasoline. This is Theo's method of trying to keep gasoline prices down!! Actually, Theo took one of his many rifles just in case we found a snowshoe hare or some other food on the hoof.
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Filling up the snowmobile with gasoline. This is Theo's method of trying to keep gasoline prices down!! Actually, Theo took one of his many rifles just in case we found a snowshoe hare or some other food on the hoof.
3
We began to get a lot of snow as we headed upriver to get the wood. On the way we came across an older Yupik man and his wife who were stuck on the river in the snow. We ended up digging them out and helping them get on their way.
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We began to get a lot of snow as we headed upriver to get the wood. On the way we came across an older Yupik man and his wife who were stuck on the river in the snow. We ended up digging them out and helping them get on their way.
4
This is the spot that the pickup was bogged at. It doesn't look like much but we dug down into the ice a fair bit to get him enough traction to get out. This put us behind so much, and with the weather deteriorating, we decided to head for George's fish camp which was not far from where we dug the fellow out.
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This is the spot that the pickup was bogged at. It doesn't look like much but we dug down into the ice a fair bit to get him enough traction to get out. This put us behind so much, and with the weather deteriorating, we decided to head for George's fish camp which was not far from where we dug the fellow out.
5
Theo and George at George's fish camp. In the summer George and his family come out here to camp and fish. They take salmon from the river by rod and reel and by net. Then, they dry them at this camp, and eventually smoke them to preserve them for winter food.
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Theo and George at George's fish camp. In the summer George and his family come out here to camp and fish. They take salmon from the river by rod and reel and by net. Then, they dry them at this camp, and eventually smoke them to preserve them for winter food.
6
Sara and Nick got stuck on the ice in the deep snow. Here they are coming into the fish camp.
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Sara and Nick got stuck on the ice in the deep snow. Here they are coming into the fish camp.
7
Inside the shelter where the fish are hung to dry on the poles across the top. They then smoke the fish. George says that they do see the occasional bear, but there aren't many near Bethel so they don't have too much of a problem with them being after their fish.
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Inside the shelter where the fish are hung to dry on the poles across the top. They then smoke the fish. George says that they do see the occasional bear, but there aren't many near Bethel so they don't have too much of a problem with them being after their fish.
8
We started a fire to cook some of the meat we had brought. I asked Nick if he was going to the start the fire by rubbing two sticks together and he told me, "Yes, and if that doesn't work we'll light a match." Here Theo is demonstrating the traditional Yupik method of lighting a fire in the bush.
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We started a fire to cook some of the meat we had brought. I asked Nick if he was going to the start the fire by rubbing two sticks together and he told me, "Yes, and if that doesn't work we'll light a match." Here Theo is demonstrating the traditional Yupik method of lighting a fire in the bush.
9
We had an excellent barbecue with strips of different kinds of meat, including moose, caribou, and salmon. Everything was delicious. Liz, Theo's sister and George's wife, had marinated some of the meat beforehand.
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We had an excellent barbecue with strips of different kinds of meat, including moose, caribou, and salmon. Everything was delicious. Liz, Theo's sister and George's wife, had marinated some of the meat beforehand.
10
Here we are around the fire, from left are Nick, Theo, Sara, and George. After the barbecue we turned back and headed home. It was a great day, even though we did not get any wood for Nick.
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Here we are around the fire, from left are Nick, Theo, Sara, and George. After the barbecue we turned back and headed home. It was a great day, even though we did not get any wood for Nick.
11
On Saturday January 26, George, Theo's brother-in-law called and asked if we wanted to go logging. There are no trees in Bethel, but in some areas upriver there are small cottonwood trees. George's friend Nick has a woodburning fireplace and we were going to go out and get wood for him. We had a few problems on the way, like stopping to help an old man and his wife who had got stuck on the river, and a blizzard that developed as we were on the way. So, we ended up stopping at George's fish camp and having a bush barbecue!
