Arctic adventurers carry everything
Three adventurers departed Point Hope, Alaska, June 11 for a 600-mile trek the call the “longest unsupported trek” across the “most remote wilderness in the nation.”
Carrying everything they need on their backs, they plan to hike 20-50 miles a day and arrive in Wiseman, Alaska 20 days after the start.
Roman Dial, Jason Geck and Ryan Jordan say that except for the beginning and end, they will never be closer than 120 miles from a village.
Jordan, based in Bozeman, publishes Backpacking Light magazine. Each man’s food alone weighed 45 pounds at the start. He calls long-distance trips without support such as food drops a “deep way to experience wilderness.”
Plans call for no hunting, fishing or foraging during the trip.
People have been supportive, but “I think the encouragement comes from people who don’t understand what the risks and challenges are, and the people who do are more inclined to pray,” Jordan said.
Food, including high-calorie fare such as chocolate bars, chips and almond butter, will account for most of the weight in backpacks, Jordan said. They encountered eight bears in the first four days and, of course, mosquitoes and severe weather.
Follow the arctic adventures online at www.arctic1000.com.
Rich Landers
NATIONAL FORESTS
Colville NF meetings
Progress on revising the Colville National Forest management plan will be presented and comments collected by forest officials and northeastern Washington county commissioners at upcoming meetings starting at 6 p.m.:
Wednesday, Republic Ranger Station.
Thursday, Newport Ranger Station.
July 12, Ione Community Center.
Meetings will be scheduled for Stevens and Spokane Counties in July.
Info: (509) 447-7322.
Rich Landers
FISHING
Catching PDO ‘bows
“Catch a Kam with Captain Ken, “a 73-minute DVD made by a professional guide, has been released to help anglers catch rainbow trout in Lake Pend Oreille.
The video covers planer boards and terminal tackle and identifies effective flies, spoons and plugs.
Check out for free at North Idaho libraries or Idaho Fish and Game offices in Coeur d’Alene, Bayview and Clark Fork.
Rich Landers
URBAN WILDLIFE
More city deer killed
A Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden killed a mule deer in Helena last week after it attacked a woman and her dog in her yard.
The doe was no longer aggressive when the warden arrived, but her abnormal behavior required that she be killed, officials said, noting that she was probably defending a nearby fawn.
The agency has killed five aggressive Helena deer in eight months.
Rich Landers