The Gold Rush

After months of social preoccupation and impassioned planning, I am elated to say the journey into the Yukon has officially begun! Just weeks ago I was still searching for possible channels to acquire the necessary funding and resources needed for an expedition of this magnitude.

My greatest hope for bringing this dream to fruition was through Eddie Bauer/First Ascent/Whittaker Mountaineering's highly endorsed "Be First" Sponsorship. In February, I developed the "Summit 2 Sea" proposal for Eddie Bauer/First Ascent and then was blessed with the void of nothing but time to await an answer.

Two weeks ago, I received the phone call accepting my proposal and offering me a full expedition sponsorship. My exhilaration went through the roof as you can imagine, but just as I burst through the shingles, the cold air of preparation anxiety immediately cooled my jeans. I had originally planned the endeavor for late in June. Now I was faced with the challenge of organizing all the gear, travel, reservations, maps, team, logistics etc., in 12 days.

Sparing you the details of those 12 days, as I am currently focused on the uphills ahead, I am now in Anchorage, Alaska awaiting my transport to the gold mining town of Talkeetna - base camp for the next couple of days.

The Abascan Indians originally inhabited this area, but as is commonly known in American history, gold was discovered in the lower reaches of the Susitna River, bringing miners and prospectors into the area in 1892. Then in 1915, President Woodrow Wilson selected Talkeetna as the site for the Engineering Commission Headquarters for the construction of the Alaska Railroad that would connect Seward to Fairbanks. History is a word that defines these villiages of the interior. Over the next couple of days, I will be exploring the river stretches that we will be paddling about a month from now, but I look forward to my mind's meanderings of this bold land's historical saga. Welcome to the northwest territories friends.