Alive in Alaska (3 page)

"You were right about this train Mr. Bigelow," Danielle said.

"I'm glad my information was true, believe me," Said Bill with a sigh.

“This is the first problem we have had on this trip,” Said Betsy, “I hope it is the last.”
 

"Maybe this is a good time to start talking about your article. Would you like to come over and share this side with me, Mrs. Bigelow," Danielle said.

“That’s a good idea. And Bill can sit by the window and enjoy the view while we’re talking.”

Bill got up to let Betsy out and pulled a camera out of his bag. He slid back in over to the window seat.
 

In the few hours that they had been on this train, they'd come to appreciate and like this young woman, Danielle Eagleton. Betsy would enjoy their interactions, and Bill liked it very much when Betsy was enjoying herself.

It was two hours and 35 minutes to be exact when the docent came on the intercom again.

“I can report ladies and gentlemen that the new lead engine is within moments of connecting with this train so that we may get underway again.
 
The original lead engine was safely stopped and positioned on a siding for retrieval.”

People in the car could notice repeated thumps coming closer and closer until 1050 jolted slightly backward. The train connected to the new lead engine, and in just moments the Denali Star was moving forward again toward Fairbanks.

For the remaining time, Danielle and Betsy remained in the 12C and 12D seats working on Betsy's notes. Bill looked over the itinerary and noted some of the excursions that he would recommend to Betsy. He wasn't entirely sure at this point whether Danielle would be interested in joining them or not. But it seemed more likely now that this young woman would be more involved in their lives.

The last of the people on the on the land tour had climbed on their bus going to the main terminal of
 
Fairbanks International. Danielle, Betsy and Bill stood curbside with the other five people booked on the flight to the Gates of the Arctic. Soon a smaller shuttle bus pulled up, and they all climbed aboard. The shuttle made a turn into traffic, and they were on their way to the general aviation side of the airport where one of the charter company's tours took passengers to the Gates of the Arctic. In a short time, the shuttle pulled into an area where two twin-engined Piper Navajos were sitting on the tarmac.
 
Ground personnel were prepping one of them for the flight. Since all the people on this trip, except Danielle, were leaving for their homes on late evening flights out of Fairbanks they had brought their luggage.
 
Danielle had only her wheeled suitcase that she placed in a provided locker like the others, but she kept her backpack with her as she always did.
 
Each of the passengers were weighed so that proper weight and balance calculations could be made for the Navajo.
 
This process was somewhat troubling to a few passengers not really willing to have their weight known, but the process was quick and was over before too much thought went into it. In the meantime, Danielle looked into the pilot's lounge area and heard that the flight would be delayed because of fog at Anaktuvak Pass. The delay would be not much longer than an hour if that, so she went back to Betsy and Bill and sat down with them and relaxed until they were called to board the flight. All on board, the Navajo taxied to the runway and when cleared for takeoff began its roll. The flight to Anaktuvak Pass flew down the middle of a valley between the mountains of the Brooks Range. These mountains did not have any of vegetation at this altitude, so the jagged peaks were at the same time beautiful but menacing. One of the things that these planes do is take supplies and shipments to these villages. It is basically the only means of transport for these people, and so whenever space is available,packages are put on board. In this case one of the seats in their aircraft was occupied by a large package.

The air was pretty smooth, but like most small piston aircraft the noise level made it difficult to talk.
 
Bill and Betsy were in the back two seats, and Danielle was in the next row up with the package in the right seat next to her.
 
She loosened her seat belt so that she could turn toward the Bigelows.
 
Occasionally, she would point out features that her friends could share, but that was about all they could communicate.

About an hour into the flight, they felt the plane beginning its descent, and the jagged peaks were moving away as the valley widened ahead.
 
Since seat belts were to be fastened all the time on the flight, no announcement was made by the pilot.
 
Soon, in the distance, a narrow strip of runway came into view.
 
The engines throttled down a bit, and the sound of the landing gear locking in place was heard.
 
The runway was lined up with the Navajo's fight path, so no turns needed to be made.
 
In moments the aircraft touched down, with applause in the cabin.

“Good flight,” Came the shout from the passengers.

“Welcome to Anaktuvak Pass, ladies and gentlemen, Chief Caesar and his crew will roll up to the aircraft to take you into the village,” Said the pilot, “Remember, this is Eskimo land and we are guests here, please respect that we are in their home.”

For all on board, this was simply a reminder of our briefing back in Fairbanks.
 
For most all, it was a reminder also, of how Alaska had handled the relationship with the native peoples.

“Welcome, I’m Caesar, I have room in my ATV for three of my guests.”

“Danielle, do you want to ride shotgun?”

“Sure.”

“I was told that you are Chief, I hope you wouldn’t mind my asking a lot of questions,” Said Betsy.

“I am Chief, but around the village I just go by Caesar.
 
When I go to Council, I, of course, go by Chief.”

 
Danielle climbed on board into the right front seat of the ATV, and Betsy and Bill got on into the two back seats.
 
The ATV was larger than most with four large knobby wheels.
 
All eight passengers plus the pilot were now aboard and the three ATVs headed for the gate of the airstrip.
 
There was a small building for the airstrip office.
 
At the gate the pilot hopped off to check in.
 
The caravan then headed into Anaktuvak Pass a small village of around 400 people.

While Betsy engaged the Chief, Danielle began to
 
explore on her own. Since she was a native Alaskan She had asked the Chief if she could.
 
It was her first opportunity to find out more about this part of her state.
 
He had graciously given her permission to walk around alone.
 
Bill was busy with camera in hand walking along with Betsy and the Chief.
 
It was near noon and part of the tour package was lunch at the village dining hall.
 
The group had been called to meet at the dining room at noon to eat and soon all gathered at a table for them.
 
Danielle came to the table along with a village girl and asked if any one minded the girl sitting with them.

“Hi all, I would like for you to meet Cissy.
 
We are students together at UAF.”

“Hi, nice to meet you.
 
Danielle and I are in the same dorm.
 
It is a great surprise seeing her here in my village.”

“Oh, and Betsy, Cissy is a Sociology Psych major studying effects of cultural interaction.
 
Sorry, folks, I know Betsy is very interested in that subject although I can’t imagine why.” She said smiling and looking at Cissy.

Cissy gave Danielle a slight punch on the shoulder.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I need your attention,” Said the pilot who had just walked in, “I was to fly on to another village to deliver supplies. However, I was not able to start one of the engines on the aircraft.
 
I have asked the mechanic at Fairbanks to fly up with a new starter so that we can go back later in the day.
 
I am sorry, but this may delay us getting back so I wanted to let you know our status so that you can plan accordingly.”

"We still have a lot to look at, so we will monitor the situation, and if we have a wait beyond the scheduled time we will let you know, in the meantime, please enjoy your visit to Anaktuvak Pass," Said the Chief.

~~~

The afternoon was longer than planned.
 
But the time was well spent, especially for Betsy.
 
The Chief enjoyed talking and answering her questions.
 
Others in the party had used their time to advantage also.
 
But it was now close to the time for dinner and arrangements were made to feed the party at no charge.
 
The chef had placed caribou stew on for the evening meal.

“Have you ever had caribou stew?” Asked Danielle.

“Can’t say that I have,” Said Bill.

"Oh Bill, remember the American Native Festival at the University two years ago?
 
We had some caribou."

“Did you like it?” Said Danielle.

"You know, I don't remember."

"I think you'll like this.
 
Fresh is critical, and this is very fresh."

They all took a spoon full as they heard their pilot call from the center of the dining room.

"Sorry to interrupt folks, but the airplane is ready.
 
We must leave in the next thirty minutes because my time that I can fly your airplane will be over for today in forty-five.
 
Sorry again, but if we are going to leave today, we must go now.
 
FAA regulations you know."

The room was suddenly noisy as the eight passengers loudly hurried to finish as much of their meal as they could.
 
Chairs pushing back, dishes rattling, and people moving to the doors as they finished up and got their belongings.

“Let’s try to get the rear seats if we can,” Said Danielle.

“Sounds good to me,” Said Bill.

Betsy was a little tired from the day and got to the ATV last.
 
The Chief was driving and thanked them for coming to the village.

"We enjoyed it, and even got to stay longer than we were supposed to," Said Bill.

“Chief, I want to thank you because I have always wanted to see the Pass.
 
It was great to see Cissy too,” Said Danielle.

"Thanks for talking with me so long.
 
My article will be so much better because of it."

“It has been our pleasure,” Said the Chief.

They rode to the plane then got on board.
 
Betsy climbed into the Navajo and took the back right seat then Bill in behind her took the back left.
 
Danielle got in and sat a row forward of the door on the left.
 
The same large package was still in the right seat across from her.
 
Both engines started and in short order, the plane was moving.
 
This aircraft had to be in the air in two minutes for the pilot to legally fly the plane.
 
Danielle thought it was a little quick, but they did need to move.

They were airborne, and the ground receded as the Navajo quickly gained altitude.
 
Finally, at cruise level, the pilot pull the engine throttle down into level flight power, and they settled in for the hour or so flight back to Fairbanks.

The noise level was not low enough to talk easily, so the three looked out the window to enjoy the shadows on the jagged mountains moving past their view.

Danielle was remembering the times that she and her father had hitched a ride on a few occasions to fly to Anchorage.
 
Headquarters in Anchorage managed most of her dad's projects, and those trips to the city with her father were great trips for her.

Looking out on the left wing Danielle began to notice a thin stream of liquid, maybe oil, coming out the left engine nacelle.
 
Her eye fixed on it, knowing that it was not normal.
 
She also began to notice an increasing vibration in the aircraft.
 
She looked toward the front of the cabin where she could see through the door to the cockpit.
 
She saw the pilot beginning to take notice of the situation, but at that very moment, the situation outside the window snapped her attention back to the engine nacelle.
 
It was now vibrating to the point that it's surface blurred then it blew apart severing part of the wing.
 

The aircraft lurched into an awkward angle.
 
The cabin was now in chaos.
 
Danielle grabbed onto the seat in front as the fear that she was going to die took over.
 
She looked back with a jerk to see Bill holding Betsy in an instinctive but futile attempt to protect her.
 
She looked in fear toward the cockpit to see the pilot in heroic efforts to pull the aircraft out of the spin.
 
In an incredible move by the pilot, the plane came into level fall just before impact.
 
Danielle blacked out.

The next thing Danielle was aware of was the quiet breeze on her face.
 
In another instant, she realized that there was nothing in front of her.
 
The seat that she was holding onto was gone.
 
She saw the evening sky and the ragged edge of the fuselage encircling her.
 
Ahead and further up the mountain was the glow of flames and twisting smoke heading into the rose colored approach of night.
 
I’m alive
,
she thought.
 
She spun her head toward the back to see Bill and Betsy still in an embrace, belted in, but unconscious.
 
She struggles a bit with her seatbelt to get it to unlatch then she was free, but the move was painful.
 
Her brain was clearing now, and she realized that for this trio the immediate danger was passed, but she needed to see what attention her friends needed.
 
She had to be as quick as possible with that because then she needed to run up the mountainside to see if others needed help.