Tok to Chicken

June 16, 2011- Thursday – We’re leaving Alaska tomorrow and heading back to the lower 48.  We’ve had such a fantastic time and done so much but it’s time.  :( 
Today we left around 9:00a.m. and went to a small mining town called Chicken.

Gold was discovered in the Chicken area in the 1890s, which founded the community.   As the story goes, the miners wanted to name the town Ptarmigan after the bird that is common in the area.  Unfortunately, people couldn’t agree on how to spell the unusual name, so they settled with Chicken.  The name stuck and so has the community despite an up-and-down history of mining.  Another legend has it the name comes from the shape of the sandbars in the river, which, when seen from above, somewhat resemble chicken feet.  Regardless and how the miners knew this 100 years ago is also a mystery.  At its peak, the town had 400 gold miners.  Today the population is 50 during the summer and 6 during the winter.  They shut down the road during the winter months and there is no traveling in or out.  They pick up the mail on Tuesday and Thursday of each week during the summer.  Needless to say I didn’t mail the Reunion reminders from there.  I will mail them from Tok, AK before we leave.   We also discovered we could pan for gold had we gotten there early this morning as it is an all day event.  I put it on my list of things to do when we come back, along with traveling the On Top of the World Road, and go to Dawson City. 

We’re back at camp and getting ready to cook some halibut!  Dave did a fantastic job, all I had to do was make a salad and warm the corn.  We have learned so much about ALASKA!  On our return trip, we know exactly what to do, see and try new things!!  We can’t wait!!!!  Our list is growing daily. /Marilyn