Moose Passings

Willow Hetrick
Turnagain Times
Moose Pass Correspondent

Kenai Crewsers Rowing Club Spring Recruitment

The Kenai Crewsers Rowing Club spring recruitment meeting is going to be held at the Rez-Art Coffee House in Seward on April 29, from 7-8 p.m. Anyone who is interested in becoming a rower is welcome to attend. The Crewsers row on Kenai, Trail, and Bear Lake regularly. Don't forget that the KCRC started in Moose Pass as part of a grass-roots movement to bring rowing to Alaska. Now there are rowing clubs all over the State! Moose Pass resident presence is still very high in the Club, but they need more!

Spring Fishing Update

We were able to drill through the ice at Carter Lake! Fishing was very slow; only six fish were caught in eight hours. Floating the Kenai River is nice and quite right now. Try to get out there before it closes on May 2 and before the summer rush of fisherman. At the mouth of Skilak Lake there are lots of swans congregating, which is always fun to see.

Moose Passers Play in Seward High School Alumni Game

Every year, the Seward High School Booster Club hosts an alumni basketball game to raise money for the high school sports programs. I only recently, after moving home, started playing. This year was particularly special for me, because I had the opportunity to play against another Moose Pass basket-baller: Gretchen Lindquist.

Why was this so special you may ask? Well, not only is Gretchen a wonderful young lady and from Moose Pass, but I babysat Gretchen when she was a baby and now I am playing against her in alumni basketball games. Her brother, Jared (whom I also babysat), played in the boys varsity game and put up a fight to the alumni boys. Perhaps instead of special I should say scary (for me)? Also on the varsity girls' team were Tess and Meg Berry of Moose Pass, who are both awesome and tough ball players and will be back next year to hopefully lead the girls to State Championship playoffs. Note to all basketball fans: Gretchen, Jared, Tess and Meg are players to follow! The Seward high school girls won by 2, but there is always next year. I am proud that such wonderful athletes hail from Moose Pass, our reputation is being carried on! Great job this year Gretchen, Jared, Tess and Meg.

2nd Annual Chugach Backcountry Fishing Tournament

On April 4, Chugach Backcountry Fishing held its Second Annual Ice Fishing Tournament at Carter Lake. This year there was a great turn-out: upwards of 35 people attended! Some participants walked up the trail and some were hitched on the back of snow machines. Bruce Jaffa flew up much needed supplies for the day in his plane Saturday morning: Thanks Bruce! To shuttle all of the people up there it took many trips by volunteer snow machines, so thanks to all of those people as well! Once we were up there, snow machines were running people up the mountain to snowboard and ski down. Ruby, Sadie and Neil Lindquist were at Carter Lake on Saturday and made us a wonderful snowman! Chugach Backcountry Fishing provided the food and refreshments, but many people pitched it to make it a wonderful potlatch at a frozen alpine lake. Anna Clock of Seward came it first place with the longest (but not fattest) fish and won a float-fish trip on the river of her choice with Chugach Backcountry Fishing. Second and third place received company sweatshirts.

2010 Motorized Vehicle Use Maps Released

The Chugach National Forest has released the 2010 edition of the Motorized Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM). The maps are reissued each year. The Chugach has three maps, two covering the Kenai Peninsula, and one for the Copper River Delta. The maps display National Forest System routes and areas designated as open to motorized travel and illustrated the routes and areas open to summer off-road vehicle use. The 2010 maps have no significant changes from the 2009 edition and can be found on our website at fs.usda.gov/chugach or the Seward Office: (907) 224-3374.

Bird Treatment and Learning Center Alaska Bird Series

On Sundays, the Alaska Bird Treatment and Learning Center and the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center host an educational presentation and question and answer session featuring rescued birds and their handlers. On Sunday April 18th is Phoenix, an Osprey, and handler Terry Johnson. On April 25 is Sparky, a Bald Eagle, and handler Kristin Guinn. The presentations are free to the public and are at 2:00 p.m.