Hunting & Fishing Alaska River Trip Part II

[kraigWY]

This trip, the same hunting partner and I decided to go as far as we could up the Chena River and drift back to Fairbanks.

I failed to mention we used a 14 ft Jon Boat and a 5 horse motor for steering.

This trip was colder then the first trip, and as I mentioned we both took fifths to ward off the cold and let me tell you, it was cold.

We had drifted tell about two in the afternoon, (nipping and drifting, it was damn cold), we disided to stop at an abandoned trapper cabin to warm up and fix lunch. He got out of the boat to tie it off and I followed. Now being cold, the whiskey didn't phase me .............. until I stood up. I had one foot in the boat, and the other on the bank when the Whiskey decided to kick in.

I ended up waste deep in water.

Now any smart man would build a fire, strip and dry out the clothing. But then again, any smart man would have left the whiskey at home.

Not having a map, we figured we were only a couple hours from Fairbanks. (A smart man would have had a map).

So no being very smart we decided to make a run for town. If you can run on a river with a 5 HP motor.

We got to Fairbanks about 3 in the morning. My coveralls were frozen to the waste, I had to break the ice around the knees in order to stand up. It took me tell noon to warm up.

You cannot believe how cold you can get after falling into a river and continuing your float trip.

That was the last time I ever took whiskey hunting or on such trips.

 

[High Binder]

Re: Alaska River Trip Part II

Pics?

 

[45.308]

Re: Alaska River Trip Part II

Brand new boat maiden voyage, just a short trip to get the newness off. Got a line wet, rain started time to go home, wiggled the gas can, empty and getting home was up current. What do to, this was 40 years ago and no elec savers and Alaskan rivers not so much traffic like today, not another boat seen going down river. Sitting on the bank wet and freezing with nothing but clothes on our bodies and nothing else but fishing poles, we hear talking, cant be, we are delusional. Two guys drifting a raft from outside come by. They pull in. We ask, they have a full can of gas, we deal. Run back home was cold and nerves, when do we run out of gas. As we pulled in the bank near the rig, motor died out of gas.

Lesson learned.

 

[45.308]

Re: Alaska River Trip Part II

I was 10 miles in going solo in Jan. River, I was climbing around a swirling pool on shelf ice, 4-5 feet above the water level, fell in. Swam and used ice picks (mandatory for winter travel in Ak near water) to get out on the shelf ice. Wet and cold soaked to the bone. Pulled out sleeping bag that was very wet, climbed in my bag that inside my pack for more warmth, sparked the stove, got some hot going. Shivered for a long time until I dried out and the hot warmed me. Trickle charged, got out and found my way home by lamp and compass. Why I use synth insulation.

Got home about the time the wife called safety and was contacting the troopers.


With my bud, early spring and as we crossed a river, the ice / snow was weak and I popped through. Only my backpack catching on the lip of the ice kept me from going down and into the current that would have sucked me under and down the river under the ice. My legs wiggled in free air. He roped me up, built a bridge with tree limbs and such to spread my weight, he laid down on the ice pulling me and I climbed out using the tree limbs and then rolled until off the river ice. I broke down into tears once out. One of the most scared things to happen to me.