News from Small Town Alaska

 This is the last update from me-- read the local papers for the whole scoop. (The Chilkat Valley News and Skagway News.) After refusing medical treatment here, pilot Drake flew the rescued man to Skagway, where he is apparently now home safe and (I think) sound.
Read the update brief here, at the Skagway News.

 They found the hiker-- and the Coast Guard picked him up off the Meade Glacier and took him to Juneau for medical treatment! Here is the story from the Daily News. Oh, good news is so nice isn't it?

The Anchorage Daily has this update on the hiker stuck on the Meade Glacier-- it looks like the Coast Guard turned back again today, and the Juneau Mountain Rescue crew wasn't able to land close enough. Right now the weather looks okay over that way-- calm and clearing, but there are snow squalls in the region that sock in everything very quickly. 

This just in from Booklist- a starred review! I'm going to have a heart attack. Or dye the gray out of my hair. Actually, I'm cleaning for a library board potluck supper tonight at my house then going for a snowshoe. Booklist gave Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs a starred review. They declare it may be the best Alaska memoir, ever.  Here's the whole thing:
 

 It is so interesting that on Monday the news was all over the papers-- Extreme Hiker Missing in Tongass was one headline--and that here in Haines we had no idea the hiker was in our backyard. Then, just as we are all talking about it and wondering and worrying-- the story leaves the state-wide papers and the web. At the same time, now it really is news. There is a serious rescue in the works and the weather is not co-operating. A 28 year-old Skagway man has been stuck without food on the Upper Meade Glacier going on a week.  And it has not been a good week for a sleep out.

 My husband Chip said he could solve the healthcare debate in a second. "It's easy, just cut the health insurance for congress. Let them try to buy the same level of care. Guarantee we'd have a new system the next day." We are self insured. In this, we wish Haines were in Canada.

 I figure since I told you someone was  stuck in the mountains between Haines and Skagway and needing help, I better let you know what is up-- Skagway News is a good source for the complete story, as will be the Chilkat Valley News in a couple of days-- Also, the Juneau Empire should have an update this evening. But in the meantime, here's what's going on as far as I can tell: the 28 year old Skagway tour guide is apparently still up near the Meade Glacier. Rescue attempts have been made most of the day today, but the weather is very bad up in there.

 They told us Haines is the best place they have ever played, and asked if they could take the full-house audience in the Chilkat Center (all 300 of us) with them on tour. They would have a lot of takers last night, what with the crazy blizzard of wet snow. The Ahn sisters also couldn't believe everyone braved the storm to come to hear them. Actually, hear and see them. I'm not sure which was more impressive, closing my eyes and listening to the music, or watching them play it. They had so much fun, and made it seem so easy.

 Marnie looked out the big windows of the Chilkat Center and said " let's hope the Coast Guard is on its way" as we finished Morning Muscles today at 7 am.  Only half a dozen of us were there, probably because of  the big storm yesterday and last night.  The same storm turned back rescue crews trying to pick up a stranded Skagway hiker, (or maybe, I heard at the concert last night, a kite skier) out near the Meade Glacier between Haines and Skagway. He has had no food for a few days and is cold.

 The visiting Ahn Trio, twins Lucia and Maria, and their sister  Angella watched the Academy Awards last night at our house with the same interest we had watched the weekend high school basketball games from Sitka. (We are a little depressed that the girls lost by one point to Mt. Edgecumbe for third place.