Day 42 - Talkeetna, AK

Talkeetna is a railroad town that was once very isolated from the road system. Now the town is accessible via a 14 mile long paved road known as the Talkeetna Spur Road. This road is accessed at Mile 99 of the Parks Highway.

Just over 100 years old, this little town has definitely peaked my curiosity. I'm not sure if it's the town or the people that make it that way. It's cozy, unique, eclectic, and interesting all bundled into one. The many simply built log cabins show how Talkeetna's miners and trappers lived in the early days.

Talkeetna is a mixture of old and new. I guess that's what makes it so unique.

There are seven continents. Each one has a highest mountain peak. Like I've said in my previous blogs Denali is North America's. Talkeetna is Denali's mountain town. The best professional climbers from every country come to Talkeetna to use it as their jumping off point. The Walter Harper Telkeenta Ranger Station is the must go to place it you want to climb Denali. This ranger station was named in honor of the first native Athabaskan mountaineer to set foot on the true summit of Denali in June 1913. 

Each year between late April and early July over 1,000 climbers attempt to reach the top of Denali. The average expedition length is 17 to 21 days. Typically, only one-half the climbers make the summit. There are many reasons to turn around including extreme winds, cold temperature, equipment failure, fatigue, injury, and altitude sickness. In the past 100 years approximately 42,000 climber have attempted Denali. As of 2015, 123 climbers have lost their lives attempting it. A memorial has been established in  the Talkeetna Cemetery for those individuals. Just like Talkeetna very simple nothing elaborate.

Each summer Talkeetna artists paint and decorate wooden moose sculptures with local themes. Then they are placed in the Moose on Parade event where they are auctioned off. All proceeds go to the local historical society to help maintain the century old buildings. 

If time allowed we could have rode on the Hurricane Turn Train which is Alaska Railroad's flag-stop train between the Talkeetna depot and Hurricane. This train is used by people who live in the bush, as well as hunters, hikers, and fishermen. The trip is 115 miles round trip and parallels the Susitna River and traverses Indian River Canyon. The train stops for anyone wanting to be picked up (just have to flag it down) or dropped off in the wilderness. So it may run a little late depending on the number of stops.

Talkeetna has its own historic airstrip which is covered in grass and gravel extending southward right beside the ball field. Yes that's right...the ball field. The airstrip was created in 1940 and placed on the National Registry of Historic Places 2002.

On the way home I made a couple stops that peaked my interest. Firstly, I just happened to spot some Yaks lying down looking like they were enjoying the cooler weather. Yaks are native to the high Himalayan Plateau of Tibet. They were first introduced into Canada and the USA in the late 1970's and early 1980's. The average yak cow can weigh between 600-800 lbs whereas a yak bull can weigh between 1200-1500 lbs. The meat, which I have not tried is suppose to be better than beef.

As we continued down the road another stop I made was at Kahiltna Birchworks. Now, I'm from Ontario which most of you know. We are so use to having maple syrup on our pancakes . Here in Alaska it's birch syrup. So I had to try it and it definitely has it's own unique taste. Birch syrup in Alaska is concentrated from the sap of birch trees. It takes 110 gallons of birch sap to make 1 gallon of birch syrup. Comparatively, maple syrup is 40 to 1 ratio.

The sap contains .9 - 1.5% sugar right from the tapped tree. It looks and tastes much like water. The first step in concentrating the sugar is a process called reverse-osmosis. That is what this machine does.

The final step in the concentration process is the energy efficient syrup evaporator which gives the syrup its fine colour and flavour.

In the spring of 2018 they tapped 13,000 trees and harvested 125,000 gallons of sap which in turn produced 1,100 gallons of pure birch syrup. The harvest begins in mid April and lasted for 22 days. Each tree produced on average 11 ounces of pure birch syrup. And of course I could not leave empty handed. I bought some birch almond brittle and birch cream caramel candy. They are both awesome.

Another great day of exploring. I look like Dora the Explorer here.