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Announcing: 2020 Alaska Armed Forces Appreciation Fishing Trip
Last fall, 13 veteran or active-duty members of the Armed Forces in Alaska congregated in the scenic and quiet community of Cantwell to explore and fish Denali State Park. The all-expense-paid trip was the 2nd annual Armed Forces Appreciation Fishing Trip hosted in partnership with Kinross Fort Knox with the help of the guides at Denali Fly Fishing Guides, a TU-endorsed business. Read about the 2019 trip here. 2019 Armed…
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What 2020 holds for restoring Alaska’s Eklutna River
With great excitement, last year we doubled down on the revitalization of Alaska’s Eklutna River. We see this work as a unique chance to return salmon in historical numbers to a river of great cultural significance to the native village of Eklutna and potentially create a new sportfishing opportunity. The year was dominated by furthering relationships with partners, engaging in the process to help reduce…
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Loving the Eklutna Valley
Located on the northern border of Chugach State Park, the Eklutna Valley is home to the picturesque Eklutna Lake, a public campground, and trail network that makes it a popular and beloved outdoor recreation destination for residents and visitors of Southcentral Alaska. The Eklutna area is an increasingly favored quick getaway for staff in Trout Unlimited’s Anchorage office. TU’s increased involvement in the efforts to restore the Eklutna River to a healthy and…
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Tips for urban angling
Several streams draining from the mountains that enhance my urban viewscape snake their way through Anchorage, paralleling urban trails, bordering neighborhoods and sometimes disappearing underground for blocks at a time. While the aesthetics and natural state of the creeks range from non-existent to surprisingly impressive, for an angler it’s difficult not to look at the flowing water, assess the potential lies of hungry fish, and subsequently…
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Where gravity does the work
Chad turned to his wife Erin, “If I don’t make it back, I died doing what I love.” It was well-spoken and sealed with a kiss. The Class III rapids of the canyon are far from the roughest or most consequential white water in the state, though they have proven deadly. As with many things, it's better to be safe than sorry when drifting for adventure and a sense of freedom in…
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The stress of an ‘un-seasonable’ summer in Alaska
Ask my wife, my fishing buddies, co-workers or anyone that recently asked me earlier this fall, “how are you?” I’ve been anxious, and I am not the only one. Fall has arrived, generally meaning you can count on good to great trout fishing and more than just a chance of rain. With the winter freeze looming in the not so…
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Alaska’s Eklutna River, just add water
It felt wrong to be sitting in the middle of the dry riverbed eating my lunch. I sat in the exact spot where the Eklutna River should have begun its gravity fueled descent out of the Eklutna Lake, meandering the ancient glacial valley and carving an exquisite canyon. It did so until roughly seven decades ago. In 1955 when the Upper…
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