3.27 On the way to Fort Yukon
Kathy Geiger Bording Plane
We got on a small turboprop Beechcraft 1600 operated by Frontier air for the 30 min flight to Fort Yukon. Fort Yukon doesn't have any roads going to it. The only way in is by airplane or in the summer by boat up the Yukon River. Supplies like oil, gas, cars, food and snowmachines are barged up the Yukon River in the summer.
When we arrived the bags were put on the tarmac for us to pick up and take inside the airport buildings.
Robert at Ft Yukon Airport
Other people met the airplane and picked up freight.
Ft. Yukon snowmachine
There was no one to meet us at the airport. The teacher that invited us Ms. Brenda Jones had broken her leg falling on the ice. We called the school and found out that Ms. Jones was there. We were getting ready to walk with our gear to the school when a nice man in a white truck offered us a ride.
Ft. Yukon School
At the school we met the principal and were escorted to Ms. Jones classroom. Cathy helped some of the students with their math.
Ft. Yukon Class
School was on early release for Spring Carnival. We caught a ride with a student, dropped our bags off at Ms. Jones house and went to watch the snowshoe races. The dog sled races for kids had happened the day before, and the men's races were scheduled for the weekend.
Ft. Yukon Banner
Most of the kids walk to school, but a few ride their snowmachines. After school, it is common to see high school kids riding their snowmachines. Ms Jones wasn't the only one with a broken leg. Two of her students had broken their legs in a snowmachine accident.
Students on Crutches
The houses In Fort Yukon are well suited for their environment. Many of them are made of thick logs, with a layer of fiberglass insulation between the logs to fill any cracks, and a layer of silicon sealant to seal the insulation. The houses tend to be small and easy to heat. Ms. Jones cabin had running water, sewer, and oil heat with a wood stove backup.
Ft Yukon House
The houses also have an arctic entryway, which helps to save heat. An arctic entryway covers the door to the cabin with an unheated box that has a door leading inside. The entryway is like a mud room in a New England house and can function as a natural freezer in the winter.
Ms. Jones invited Nancy, one of the village elders, to meet us. Nancy described the subsistence way of life in Fort Yukon and the importance of hunting and fishing to provide food for the people. Nancy was concerned about how global warming could affect the livelihood of Fort Yukon. Cathy described her work, and we all talked about politics and issues in the news.