‘Gold Star Peak’ Gets OK from Federal Panel

A peak near Mount POW/MIA was today officially designated as Gold Star Peak by a panel at the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.

The previously unnamed peak is visible from a variety of Valley locations including the Veterans Wall of Honor, the Glenn Highway heading across the Hay Flats and Reflections Lake. The name was proposed last September by Anchorage resident and Army veteran Kirk Alkire to both Alaska’s Historical Commission and the National Geological Survey (NGS).

“This was as unbelievable process, and I’m so happy that it’s over,” Alkire said Thursday during an interview from Washington, D.C. immediately after the vote. “It’s just awesome.”

“Gold Star” is a term used to identify the family members of troops killed in the line of duty. Alkire nominated the peak for the name specifically because of its proximity to Mount POW/MIA. Alkire and a team of veteran friends hike POW/MIA multiple times a year to maintain the summit flags and honor friends who were killed or missing in action. The flags they use there are typically donated by Anchorage area businesses including the Exchange on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Lowes.

To push the naming through Alkire collected letters of support from state and local officials, including Alaska’s congressional delegation and local tribal leaders. He also had to first get the OK from a state board which met late last year.

Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan is expected to announce the new name today during official remarks on the U.S. Senate floor.

Now that the name is official, Alkire will be working with local artists, including Gold Star family members, to design naming plaques to place both at the peak and somewhere in the Valley.

Originally he had hoped to install the Valley plaque at the Veterans Wall of Honor. But now plans to move the wall to Wasilla-Fishhook Road means that visitors will no longer be able to view the peak from there, so Alkire is looking for alternate locations.

On the top of his list of potential spots is Reflections Lake, which is maintained by both the Borough and Anchorage.

“We’re going to deal with both of them from the parks and planning people to get approval and weigh it,” he said. “It shouldn’t be an issue because we’re not asking for money or anything.”

Alkire said he plans to hold a ceremony officially unveiling the new name and plaque on top of the peak in late September in conjunction with Gold Star Mothers and Family Day.

Both POW/MIA and Gold Star can both be accessed at an unmarked trail head on Eklunta Lake Road.