June 22,2013 Sat. Day 11

Saturday morning sun was shining. Drove to native village of Kasaan.

When we got there no signs but we didn't give up started exploring and found a lady picking salmon berries. Her name was Pudge. She told us about the village. She grew up here until she was twenty, moved to Seattle for years, came back to her home village to retire. The whole village was moved because a cannery was built in thier old site. They are now in the process of building new trails to the totems and long house.

We walked the trail 30 min.

Quite and Beautiful, deer walking among the trees for this is a no hunting area. 

At the end of the trail we find this long house which is the oldest one in Alaska.

Family's would collectively live here while the men in the group would go hunting.

This is the first one I've been able to enter.  Most of the houses in Alaska are used for Ceremonies 

Inside Long House

Fire pit in the center, family settle around the pit.

Look closely at the lower right side of the totem a young deer can be seen resting

Drift wood is important for carvings

After spending a half a day at  Kasaan we left for Craig Alaska.
Had dinner at Ruth Ann's and then headed for

Twelve Mile Cabin

Bob and I rented the cabin through Dept. of Forestry for Sun June 23.  I thought we could take a chance and see if we could stay one night earlier, Sat, since Kathy and Bruce were with us.  So we all drove to the cabin it was much further then I thought and on the way down the lonely dark deserted gravel road there were many piles of Bear Poop, Wow I was now scare to go to the cabin.

We got there and no one was staying so we were able to spend the night.  Kathy and Bruce had to get to the ferry by 6:30 am so they needed to leave very early.  I didn't want to stay there without them, I was scared of the bears we knew were in the area.  So we were going to get up early and leave with them. 

We had to walk in 900 ft into the cabin.  The path was magical it looked like the movie Avatar.  The trees looked like people who would start moving and the moss looked like hair on the trees.  This is a beautiful rain forest.

The start of the trail, dark and spooky, because the thick trees keep out the light.  This part reminded me of Hansel and Gretel lost in the woods.

As I walked down the trail more light poured in, but I still was scared, I kept singing loud to keep the bears away.  Bruce was already at the cabin and Bob and Kathy were unpacking some stuff at the rigs.

The picture below is a good view of the moss on the trees

This is the out house, it was 20ft away from the cabin. It was great, clean no bugs and didn't smell because it was made of cedar. Even though it was a great out house, it was a nightmare for me to go to the tolite in the middle of the night.  Bob had to walk me, I was still afraid of the bears.

Side view of cabin, from lake side

This cabin was like a house, all cedar, smelled great.

Front deck of cabin looking over the lake

view from deck

We spent a nice warm dry night.  It was our last night with Kathy and Bruce, we enjoyed their company on the trip and are looking forward to them coming to Wasilla at the end of their trip sometime in August.  Great people!

More pictures of cabin tomorrow!