1898 Stampeder Campsites....

[alaskaseeker]

The two prominent Trails into the Klondike interior were originated thru Skagway and Valdez Alaska, I guess I had been inadvertently studying these trails for many years, as I was very interested in this Gold Rush, the antics of some of the characters involved and of course the many waypoints they established...After some thought I decided the Chilcoot trail was to far away for me to ever spend much time looking, but the Valdez trail basically came thru my own back yard...I poured over books written by these characters and it was quite an interesting education....I'm not going to get into that part too much as it is a lot to talk about so I will confine this into  the area that is close to my home in Copper Center.. The trail came up the Valdez Glacier then turned and followed the Klutina Glacier to the beginnings of the river it formed.. At the bottom of the Glacier was Boulder Camp not much left of that area because the Glacier had receded a lot but you could see why it was called that it truly is a boulder patch. The other camps leading to the main stopping point were pretty insignificant but Sawmill camp, the place where boats were constructed to float the Roiling Klutina River to the Copper was really a relic hunters paradise. However, it is a look and don't touch now as it is part of the massive Wrangel Park.. it took a Super Cub with large tires to fly myself and companions there but we explored took photos and really enjoyed looking at the piles of gear those old timers had packed over the Glacier and left Behind..  Whomwver is interested in knowing more can find a copy of Basil Austins "Diary of. 98er" this particular book has hand drawn maps of campsites etc all the way to the Klondike.  I found Basil Austins personal copy in Powells bookstore in Portland Oregon in the 70s ..I almost choked when I picked this book up and started looking thru it..lol I couldn't get to the Check stand quickly enough...  Very interesting reading, however keep in mind that most of these sites are off limits as they run smack dab thru this massive park system.  I just wanted to point out a few important things about history. If you want to find Things of Old, choose something and research, research, research,  it carefully...for myself I spent years doing just that and unexpectedly I found a treasure map in an old bookstore.....the one site I will talk about is very close to my home in Copper Center.. Stampeders walked all over my  land,  some paid the ultimate price and are resting in the cemetery constructed by their mates very close to the Copper River...Lots of relics I have found are in the little museum on the bypass road in Copper Center, it is a very nice place to visit if you are ever there.. I've spent hours scouring that area listening for a golden whisper that so far has eluded me, I did find 5 coins at one of the sites  all dated before 98, I'm happy with that as the Quarter, dime, nickel, and Indian heads hold a special place for me..    Hope you enjoyed my true story.....

     

[devilsrenegade]

Great true story,

Research really pays off. would be nice to dig some relics, but finding locations and obtaining permission can be difficult as only private land can be legally hunted. BLM post's warning signs all over the forests here in Montana 

 

[Swampstomper Al]

8 hours ago, devilsrenegade said:

Great true story,

Research really pays off. would be nice to dig some relics, but finding locations and obtaining permission can be difficult as only private land can be legally hunted. BLM post's warning signs all over the forests here in Montana 

 

Well, unlike NPS I suppose as long as the BLM feels it is necessary to remind folks it is a big-time no-no destroying and/or removing Native American and/or otherwise historical and/or prehistorical "stuff" from lands under its protection and supervision I am glad to see they are holding the warning posters in place by driving galvanized nails into trees.. It really bothered me when they cheaped out and used regular nails that would rust apart, lose their heads and leave tetanus-causers sticking out to prick unwary hands, shoulders and heads..

I am also happy to see they are now using the last-forever non-biodegradable vinyl-like-covered laser printable material as the notices as well.. That see-thru slot to check underneath for hidden rot..? Genius..! Those olde-style biodegradable cardboard-paper ones were sooo sloppy, what with all that breaking down and falling apart thing, eventually leaving no trace they ever existed if someone never came by ever again to change 'em out.. This way, in another fifty or one-hundred years, depending, we'll have a brand new classification of relics for future generations to discover.  It's also the main reason we can't get forest-floor rakers hired though;  either one or the other they said -- can't have both.. 

Swamp