Pavlof is one of three volcanos in Alaska at Level Orange. Orange means that the volcano is experiencing unrest, and may be experiencing an eruption with little to no ash emissions.
We have one volcano at Level Yellow, which is at an elevated unrest. It this particular case, Davidof volcano has experienced a swarm of earthquakes in the past 24 hours.
An Alaskan who grew up in Maryland was always curious about the storyline behind a, seemingly random totem pole, that has stood in a Potomac park since he was a kid. Trying to track down information locally didn’t seem to get him anywhere. At one time, the totem had a plaque, but that had long since disappeared.
So he threw the question out to social media in Alaska, and received a response “within minutes”. In fact, he was forwarded a copy of the program from the totem pole’s dedication back in 1966.
The totem pole was hand carved in Haines, Alaska on commission for the Potomac Area Council of Camp Fire Girls. My favorite response to the totem inquiry: “I’m sitting here with one of the carvers right now, my father-in-law, John G. Hagen of Haines, Ak. He remembers the pole. Says he, Leo Jabobs, Carl Heinmiller, and maybe a few others worked on it. They worked at American Indian Arts in Haines, AK as masters carvers.“
The carver’s son, John Hagen Jr, said he was thrilled to learn that his father’s work was being enjoyed so far away from Alaska. He added that the commission of totem poles at that time allowed the tradition of totem carving to continue.
It turns out that social media has a purpose after all.
Source: Alaska Public Media
Unlike the Iditarod, the Yukon Quest will be anything but normal for 2022. Unlike the All-Alaska Iditarod Sled Dog Race, the Yukon Quest is an international race running between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, YT. This year, there will be no border crossing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The usual 1000 mile race will be separated into four smaller races for 2022. On Saturday, February 5, the YQ350 will start with teams running from Circle to Fairbanks and back to Circle. Also getting its start on Saturday is the YQ200, which is a one-way run from Fairbanks to Circle.
February 19 will see two races start in Whitehorse. The YQ100, which runs from Whitehorse to Braeburn; and the YQ300, which is a roundtrip between Whitehorse and Mandanna Lake.
Fred Machetanz first came to Alaska in 1935, spending two years in Unalakleet. He left for New York, only to request service with the U.S. Navy in the Aleutians, returning to Alaska in 1942.
After WWII, Machetanz returned to Unalakleet in 1946. Eventually, he settled in the farming community of Palmer, where he died at the age of 94, in 2002.
Bering Sea ice is at its highest level this late in the season since 2013. Which is good news for Alaska in 2022. Not only does the extended sea ice help out our wildlife, but it offers protection for communities like Nome from fierce winter storms.
Dog mushing season is in full swing in Alaska, and the big races have started up. This past Friday, the Kuskokwim 300 had its start time, and that race wrapped up on Sunday.
On Saturday, the Akiak Dash had its annual run. The Dash is a dog mushing free for all on the Kuskokwim River. Dog teams line up on the river, and make a mad dash from Bethel to Akiak and back. 17 teams ran the dash in 2022, and Jackie Larson, of Napaskiak, repeated as Dash champion.
Video credit goes to KYUK and the students of the Lower Kuskokwim School District.
Frederic Edwin Church based the above painting on the sketches from the Isaac Israel Hayes’ 1860-61 polar expedition.
The Ikaaġvik Sikukun Story:
The reduction of sea ice off of Alaska’s coast is the subject of the new documentary “Ice Edge”. Iñupiaq residents of Kotzebue went to work with researchers at the University of Alaska – Fairbanks and Columbia University to document the changes, as well as look towards the future.
Seals are a vital component to the Native diet along Alaska’s northwest coast. The study finds that over the past 17 years, the seal hunting season has decreased at least one day, and sometimes more, each year, due to the change in sea ice.
The documentary can be watched on YouTube in its entirety. It is sectioned into 14 segments, to make it easier to watch a little at a time. On Thursday, one can join a viewing party and take part in a Q&A afterwards, on youtube, facebook, and other social media suspects. The live viewing party begins at 10am AST on Thursday January 27.
The Iditarod Sled Dog Race will go back to a normal route in 2022, and finish in Nome for its 50th running. Last year, the race was a “there and back”, and did not venture into the historic gold rush city.
The Iditarod will require mushers to be vaccinated for the anniversary race. Even with the vaccination requirement, the usual checkpoint at Takotna, will not take place, as the community has decided not to host the checkpoint this year due to pandemic concerns.
It should be noted that the Iditarod race commemorates the 1925 “Great Race of Mercy”, when several teams of dogs and their mushers relayed the diphtheria serum to Nome to combat an epidemic.
The Iditarod is scheduled to start the first weekend of March.
