Kesugi Ridge 1998 > Number of Photos in Gallery (56)
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Alaska-1998
The group that traveled to Alaska in 1998:
Rupert Pratt, Ed Knapp, Millie Pratt, Tom DeVito, Nancy DeVito, Keith Betscher, Jack Humphries, John Knapp.
Missing: Ed Fox and Joyce Klodnicki
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Alaska-1998
Memorial Site at Veterans Memorial Park
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Alaska-1998
Unvailing the Monument
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Alaska-1998
Reception Cake
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Alaska-1998
Byer's Lake near The Veterans Memorial Park
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Alaska-1998
Flyover-1
Two days before our hike to the crash site, we did a flyover to locate trails and landmarks. This is looking northeast and shows what I call the "saddle" where the wreckage is located.
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Alaska-1998
Flyover-2
This photo shows the western edge of the saddle and a stream flowing toward the Chilitna Valley.
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Alaska-1998
Flyover-4
This shows the same section as several other photos taken from the ground, including the one on the book cover. This is the area where Fox, Olson, and Pratt spent the first night after the crash.
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Alaska-1998
The Little Coal Creek Trailhead parking lot before starting the hike to the crash site.
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Alaska-1998
Josie and Pam, our outfitters.
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Alaska-1998
Tom DeVito, getting ready for the bugs.
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Alaska-1998
Tom, Rupert, and Keith, ready to go.
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Alaska-1998
Little Coal Creek-1
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Alaska-1998
Little Coal Creek-2
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Alaska-1998
Trail up Little Coal Creek-1
Once above the timberline and the high brush, walking was generally easier.
Photo by Dave Johnston
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Alaska-1998
Trail up Little Coal Creek-4
Resting up for the last steep climb. The Chilitna Valley and the Alaska Range is in the background.
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Alaska-1998
The llamas need refueling too.
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Alaska-1998
Because of an extensive ancient rock slide, the llamas could go no farther than the head of Little Coal Creek. Josie stayed behind to set up camp and we continued on along the Kesugi Ridge Trail. Our first obstacle was the boulder field.
Photo by David Johnston
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Alaska-1998
Kesugi Ridge Trail-2
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Alaska-1998
Susitna Valley view-1
This is the area where Fox, Olson, and Pratt spent the first night after the crash and the view we had as we started off the mountain.
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Alaska-1998
Susitna Valley view-2
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Alaska-1998
Susitna Valley view-3
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Alaska-1998
Dave Johnston with a piece of wreckage almost half a mile from the main wreckage.
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Alaska-1998
The "saddle" where the main wreckage lies near the center of the picture. The Indian River Valley and the Talkeetna Mountains are in the background.
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Alaska-1998
To describe this picture, I quote from Touching the Ancient One, page 286: "As I moved down into the saddle, I saw an area with some weatherbeaten boards and other moldy looking objects. On closer examination, I could see the remains of a parachute. Most of the harness was all but unrecognizable, but coming up from the tangle was one of the risers. It extended over and seemed almost to be a part of a rock on which it lay. Following it back between two other large stones, I could distinguish the shroud of the chute. I didn’t want to disturb it, but gently lifted the folds enough to see a tinge of orange."
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Alaska-1998
Wreckage-1
Pieces were everywhere and these three photos are only representive. In the 2004 gallery, I present a larger collection of crash site photos.
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Alaska-1998
Wreckage-2
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Alaska-1998
Wreckage-3
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Alaska-1998
Just before leaving the site, We posed for this picture with the propeller blade. Dave Johnston set the camara on a rock, set the timer, and ran back to get himself in.
L to R: Pam Barnes, David Porter, Tom DeVito, Ed Knapp, John Knapp, Keith Betscher, Rupert Pratt, Dave Johnston
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Alaska-1998
Camp the morning after the hike to the crash site-1
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Alaska-1998
Camp in the Morning-2
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Alaska-1998
Camp in the Morning-3
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Alaska-1998
Camp in the Morning-4
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Alaska-1998
Camp in the Morning-5
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Alaska-1998
Camp in the Morning-6
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Alaska-1998
Camp in the Morning-7
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Alaska-1998
Camp in the Morning-8