In Country-Part III

Two long running stories the Susitna Sentinel had major interest in the 1978: the Capital Site Planning and the Watana Dam hydroelectric studies. The new capital site was near Willow. The potential hydroelectric project was upstream from Talkeetna. Packed away somewhere I have hundreds of black and white photos of wall sized illustrations and some other documents on the Capital Site planners’ work. I also have reams of paper reports, studies and news items on the Watana Dam hydroelectric project proposed for the mouth of Devil’s Canyon. The Sentinel manned an office in Talkeetna part time in a building owned by the publisher, Thor Brandt-Erichsen. Both projects were in the Sentinel’s home coverage area.

June 1, 1978 found me at Steve Mahay’s boat ramp loading up for a run to Devil’s Canyon. Steve mentioned that June 1, after ice out, was his first trip of the year. Three things impressed this mid-westerner on that run: first, it was uphill all the way. I wouldn’t have imagined that I would notice an up river run is also up hill. “Uphill” appeared in the headline on the story. Second, we ventured into the canyon far enough to see the creamed coffee colored Susitna River water pouring over house size boulders create four and five foot waves. Third, I learned part of what ice out meant. The banks of the river where there was brush and tree growth had been scoured clean as if a D-8 cat and skinned them down.

And then there was the fishing just below the mouth of the canyon. Not great, well I didn’t catch any, but a small clear water stream ran into the Susitna River there. The iridescent blue of the mixing water was stunning. And there were fish in there. A youngster in the party caught an 18-20 inch rainbow. Steve said the creek was called Portage Creek. I’m likely not giving away a secret fishing hole today, 42 years later. We featured the youngster and trout on the front page of the Sentinel the following week. Every copy we had sold.

In August another adventure to Devil’s canyon, the Watana Dam site, popped up. Governor Jay Hammond was flying out to take look and invited the press along. I caught a car ride to Talkeetna airport with a fellow reporter. We met the Governor to fly with him to the site. Eight or nine of us loaded into a Huey; it lifted off and headed upriver. The Huey landed near the mouth of the canyon. We got out and walked over to the edge for a look-see. It looked perfect for a

dam to me; very narrow water exit; solid rock on both sides; from the top, 60 to 70 feet (my estimate) down to the river. I understood that no fish came up into the canyon or spawned up there. One of the staff familiar with the project gave Governor Hammond and reporters a short briefing. We climbed back into the chopper and took off for Talkeetna.

The share ride to Talkeetna didn’t work out for the return trip. But the car driver managed to get me a hitch–hike on a four-place Bell helicopter back to Anchorage. That was exciting. I rode right front and the floor was see-through. It seemed we were clipping along pretty quickly parallel to and just west of the Parks Highway. It also seemed my toes could touch the trees. When we got near Elmendorf we did have to climb to get over airspace reserved for military activity.

The Susitna Sentinel suspended publication in March 1979. Carr-Gottstein opened a Carr’s store in Wasilla in the Fall of 1978. The corporation published its own newspaper, a free one called the Valley Sun. Sentinel advertising dried up.

Both, the capital move and hydroelectric project followed me into my next job which started in February, 1979 at Matanuska Electric Association.

Budd Goodyear is a local freelance writer who has had articles and photos included in publications throughout the state. Goodyear moved to Alaska in 1977 with his wife and children, and has worked in the Valley, Anchorage and Palmer. Goodyear contributes historical pieces to the Frontiersman.