July 19, 2009
Hot Springs Doubleheader, the end
A short day, but we still had to hustle into Ruby on short rest to catch our flight back to Fairbanks at 1 p.m. On the way, we saw our first clothed boaters on the river, Sam and his friends from Maine, who were fishing and watching a black bear wander along a gravel bar.
After one last swim in the Melozi, we popped out to the Yukon. Here's Jim on the big river, about a mile away from Ruby.
Then, we were in the Warbelow's Air Courtesy Shuttle, after a quick trip to the store for some Pringles and to hug Ginger.
The best thing about the Courtesy Shuttle is that 1975 Iditarod champ Emmitt Peters, the "Yukon Fox," drives it. And then he hangs around and tells great stories while you wait for your plane to Fairbanks . . .
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Comments on Hot Springs Doubleheader, the end »
Thanks for the great writeup and pictures from Melotzina!!
Love the blog and am more inspired than ever to take a long rafting trip. Thanks for introducing me to yet another journey I didn't know existed in Alaska.
Hi Ned,
I really enjoy your blog site here. Just finished reading you book Walking My Dog, Jane, and thought I'd look you up on the computer and found the blog! Great book! After a long day at work, I looked forward to settling down and walking the pipeline with you. ha!
My husband and 2 of our kids took our second trip to Alaska this past June. Part of the trip involved a kayak trip that started out from Valdez (the motor boat part that took us to the ice burgs with our guide)but there was the Pipeline at the beggining so I could at least visualize its size.
I appreciate your insight and feeling toward Alaska. There is something there that I find difficult to put into words. I cannot wait to return and further explore this awesome state.
Anyhow, just wanted to tell you I enjoyed your book and will visit your blog site to see what other adventures you're embarking upon. Take care now.
Beth (Hawaii)
Am missing the Melozi now. Nice quiet river . . .
12-22-09
Long story short…my Uncle Bob Moore helped build the cabins at Melozi Springs. He worked for Leornard and Pat in 1972 and apparently had his own cabin there… heated from the springs. He worked out of Galena. I just found a letter he wrote in December 1972. Amazing….will look at the rest of your blog.
Hi Ned
Just found your blog about wonderful Melozi Hot Springs. It's great to read about it and see all the pictures, it brings back so many memories!
Actually my friend Raphael and me first visited the place in 1999 after having spent the winter in a log cabin at Tozitna Creek outside Tanana. After the breakup we hiked out to Slokenjikh Creek where we had stored a canoe we brought there during winter with dogsleds. From there we floated down Slokenjikh Creek and entered Melozi Creek. A little ways upriver from the confluence with Little Melozi River we stopped and hiked across the ridge to the Hot Springs.
A few years later we came back with a whole bunch of friends from Switzerland because we loved the place so much and spent about two weeks out there. The hot pool we had built still seems to exist..
After that we hiked back to the Melozi where Brownie from Galena (http://www.yukoneagleair.net) had dropped some rubber rafts by floatplane and we spent a few more days floating down the river back to Ruby.
Hope we can make it back there some day as long as the place still is in ok shape somehow… it's a really magical place as everyone that visited seems to have noticed.
Was good to read about it again
Cheers, Roman from Switzerland