November 2022
It is Thanksgiving week here in the United States and up in Alaska we have are celebrating the Aurora Borealis' return to the night sky. The days are growing shorter, true daylight does not start until after 10am here in Anchorage and even later the further north you go. We have had our first snow, followed by the first thaw and with that treacherous conditions on the streets, trails and sidewalks. November is the first real month of winter weather here and we are getting ready. The freeze and thaw cycle can create real hazards driving and recreating, the best sport right now? ICE SKATING! Just make sure the ice is thick enough! November has been a great season for skiing and fat biking around on the trails. Some who are adventurous and willing have found some spots for backcountry skiing. Turnagain Pass has been busy with the first skiers and snowboarders carving turns down the gentle slopes. The avalanche safety courses are all filled up and people are learning how to read the snowpack for possible dangerous layers that could create sloughs or avalanche if triggered. The ski shops are busy mounting skis and helping customers select the best gear for their preferred winter sport. We here at Northern Sun took the day to head out to Hatcher Pass, one of the best spots for nordic skiing, nordic touring, split boarding, snowboarding, alpine touring and telemark skiing. Hatcher Pass is home to Hatcher Pass State Park and Independence Mine. You can ski around the state historical site as the Matsu Ski Club grooms the trails for both classic and skate skiing. One of the most unique places to ski in our nation. Not many people can say they have skied around an old mining town! As the seasons change, our relationship with the landscape changes and how we move through it in our day to day lives. Currently we are clicking into skis, looking at the night sky for a glimpse of the Aurora and gathering with friends and family to celebrate the harvest.
We are grateful this year for the various opportunities to recreate in beautiful country. We thank the Dena'ina people for the use of the land to recreate on and the leadership and stewardship they teach us. Below is a quote from the text Dena'ina Elnena A Celebration, a text comprised and edited by Lake Clark National Park, that includes years of research and documentation of the stories and history of the Dena'ina people and their traditions. We are grateful for this text and those who are working to protect the traditional ways to live in harmony with the landscape.
"Everything on earth has a spirit. They call it "K'etniyi", means 'it's saying something' that's how we believed long ago. We believed that everything had a spirit and should be treated with respect. From a rock, water, mountains, animals everything. This is what's missing today." -Nick Carlitoff Sr.
Dena'ina Elnena A Celebration: Voices of the Dena'ina, Karen E Evanoff
