Boy, 9, harpoons whale off Barrow, Alaska

Whaling for subsistence is part of the native culture in Barrow, Alaska. Still, news that a 9-year-old boy this week harpooned a 33-foot whale might be unsettling to some.

The Anchorage Daily News reported the story on a blog and details are sparse. But the story implied that it's rare for a boy to be allowed to join a whale hunt, much less deal the telling blow.

Here's the account, shared by Barrow resident Bridget Edwardsen:

On Tuesday around noon, Panigeo crew struck a whale. Pauyuuraq Brower of Barrow shot the whale with the darting gun. Then Paul Patkotak, 9-year-old son of Maria & Ellis Patkotak, harpooned the bowhead whale and officially killed the whale.

Paul is a 4th grader at Ipalook Elementary School & is very into his culture. He loves to go whaling with his uncle Qulliuq Pebley, who is the Captian of Panigeo Crew, he loves to go subsistance hunting and camping. The family was overjoyed in tears when they heard that their 9-year-old Paul harpooned the 32' 7" whale.

This is big news for Barrow, usually kids are not allowed on the boat until they are a certain age. I think Paul is the youngest kid to actually harpoon & kill a bowhead whale. Once they arrived & beached the whale, the family was overjoyed. His mother could not believe that her son actually caught the whale.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Paul Patkotak. Credit: Barrow resident Bridget Edwardsen

Grizzly bear killed by hunters in front of 'disgusted' wildlife watchers in Alaska

Hunters in Alaska appear to have exercised extremely poor judgment by shooting and killing a grizzly bear alongside Alaska's Kenai River in full view of wildlife watchers.

A lengthy account of the incident was posted today on the Redoubt Reporter website.

According to an eyewitness, about a dozen people were watching the bear swimming and fishing from various points on Sterling Highway.

After a while, two men got out of a car wearing  camouflage clothing and carrying rifles. They proceeded toward the bear.

Pamela Locke told the Redoubt Reporter: "The lady walking with me stopped them and said, ‘You’re not going to shoot that bear, are you?’ They were kind of smiling and laughing and said, ‘Yeah, we are, if it crosses the highway.’ And she said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.'"

Locke said the men shot the bear after it had crossed the highway, into legal hunting territory, as it was fleeing up a hillside. Hunting from or even close to highways is illegal, and the case is under investigation.

Larry Lewis, a wildlife technician with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, said it is not illegal to shoot in front of other people, but he implied this seems to have been a clear violation of hunter ethics.

“In our hunter education program and in our general dealings with hunters, we try to discourage people from taking game in a manner that can disturb others,” said Lewis, who is also president of the Kenai Peninsula Chapter of Safari Club International.

Said Locke: “I’m just disgusted at the whole situation. My family supports ethical hunting, but this is anything but sportsmanlike. And any decent hunter knows if you don’t have a clean shot, you don’t shoot. It took at least five shots to put it down, aiming up the hill while it was running away."

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A grizzly bear fishes in the Kenai River before being shot and killed by hunters. Credit: Pamela Locke

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano has remained conspicuously quiet

What a beautiful photo of Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano, which is restless but not threatening to erupt as it did many times during the spring. 

There was genuine concern after a lengthy series of violent eruptions that Redoubt's tempestuousness would last through the summer and spoil the fishing business on and near the Kenai Peninsula, east of Redoubt across the Cook Inlet.

In fact, with the peak July and August seasons behind, resort and fleet operators can say they dodged a bullet. Redoubt, which in 1989 and 1990 erupted sporadically over a period of seven months, remained on an yellow alert code throughout the summer.

The yellow code means a volcano is exhibiting signs of elevated unrest. An orange code means a major eruption is imminent, suspected or underway but poses a limited hazard to aviation because of insignificant volcanic ash emissions. A red code is used when a major eruption is imminent, underway or suspected with hazardous activity on the ground and in the air.

Presently, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, the cautionary advisory remains in effect: "In the unlikely event of a major dome collapse, significant ash production, hot block-and-ash flows and flooding in the Drift River valley could all result."

If Redoubt erupts, Outposts will post the news. Meanwhile, I just wanted to share the image, one of many posted on the observatory website.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A steam plume rises above the cooling lava dome at Mt. Redoubt on Sept. 18, as viewed from near Homer, Alaska, on the Kenai Peninsula. Credit: Dennis Anderson / Night Trax Photography

Alaska's ski train falls victim to hard times, cancels spring trip

It's the end of an era in Alaska. The popular ski train has been canceled because of economic problems endured by the Alaska Railroad Corp.

The Anchorage Daily News reports that the railroad informed the Nordic Skiing Assn. of Anchorage that it was canceling next spring's charter on the same day it laid off 127 employees. The train has transported thousands of skiers into Grandview and Curry backcountry.

The NSAA had been chartering the train for 37 years, and the ski train was popular long before then. "We have pictures of people on the ski train back in the '40s. It is a long, loved Alaska tradition," Diane Moxness, executive director of the NSAA, told the newspaper.

Skiers from all over the world had visited Alaska to ride the ski train. Said Kenny Powers, who had been riding the train since 1980: "I don't have any doubt that the Grandview ski train was the best one-day tour in the world. Nothing can compare to it anywhere for total awesomeness.

"It's not only beautiful, but you have 700 people get off a train and just disappear. It was like you were alone in the wilderness, there was so much room. It was just a wonderful, joyful day."

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Winter enthusiasts spill out from the Alaska Railroad ski train, ready to explore the wilderness. Credit: Kaylene Johnson

San Diego swimmer crosses chilling Sitka Sound without wetsuit

As feats of endurance go, Claudia Rose's recent swim across Alaska's Sitka Sound is pretty remarkable. 

The distance from Kruzof Island to Sitka is only eight miles, but there were strong currents and swarms of stinging jellyfish. The water temperature was only 54 degrees -- and Rose did not wear a wetsuit.

The 45-year-old from San Diego required 4 hours, 36 minutes to complete the feat and is believed to be the first person to swim across the sound, wetsuit or no wetsuit.

"I'm much more interested in things people haven't done," Rose says in story posted on the website of the Anchorage Daily News.

A former triathlete, Rose took up swimming because of medical issues that left her unable to run for long periods. Among her other accomplishments is a 21-mile crossing from Santa Catalina Island to Los Angeles in 2006.

Said Sitka's John Dunlap, who helped Rose plot her Sitka Sound route: "It's an amazing thing to hear or read about. Having actually seen it, I marvel at what a test of endurance it was."

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Claudia Rose enters the water off Inner Point on Alaska's Kruzoff Island before crossing  Sitka Sound. Credit: Ralph Lufkin / Daily Sitka Sentinal via The Associated Press

Alaska's aerial wolf hunting program under attack in Congress

Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. George Miller, both California Democrats, have introduced a bill in Congress that, if passed, will all but ban the aerial hunting of wolves in Alaska.

Alaska officials would have to declare a biological emergency showing the imminent collapse of a species before the wolf hunts can take place, and could only allow such hunting to be conducted by state or federal wildlife employees, barring private contractors.

"Shooting wolves from airplanes is not sport -- it is cruel and inhumane," Feinstein said in a written statement to the Anchorage Daily News. "It undermines the hunting principle of a fair chase and often leads to a slow and painful death for the hunted animals. This practice should be banned."

The legislation would close a loophole in the 1972 Airborne Hunting Act (which bans most aerial hunting in the U.S.) that allows Alaska to issue permits for such hunting of wolves on non-federal lands.

"What this bill does is essentially makes it impossible for Alaska to manage wolf populations in any sort of responsible way," said Pat Valkenburg, Alaska Department of Fish and Game deputy commissioner. "We finally have a program that works and to end it because of the emotional feelings of uninformed people is just not a good idea."

Could Palin outlast Obama in a distance race? You betcha!

Sarah Palin might not be faster in a sprint but tells Runner's World magazine, "I betcha I have more endurance" than President Obama.

So consider this a challenge. Both politicians are into fitness, though the one who emerged victorious in the marathon known as the presidential election is a smoker who admittedly has had trouble quitting.

(Huge advantage to Palin.)

One resides in the White House, where he also works out, far removed from the pristine Hawaiian paradise where he grew up. The other still lives in Alaska, where the air is clean and pure.

(Another advantage to Alaska's governor, who failed in her bid to become vice president on the Republican ticket, but not for lack of effort.)

Palin, in fact, is an avid jogger and a hunter and angler. But she might not be as coordinated as Obama, who plays basketball and golf.

In Runner's World, she recalled stumbling and falling during a downhill jog at  Sen. John McCain's ranch. "I was so stinkin' embarrassed that a golf cart full of Secret Service guys had to pull up beside me," she said. "My hands just got torn up and I was dripping blood."

(Advantage, Obama, who has yet to noticeably stumble.)

So that's the tale of the tape in a nutshell. Who do you believe would win in a 10K or marathon? Because of the smoking factor and a president's workload, I betcha Palin would claim the triumph -- if she could avoid tripping.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Sarah Palin in a yoga pose near her home in Wasilla, Alaska. Credit: Brian Adams / Runner's World

Large Alaska halibut landed by girl, 6, who was hoping for a mermaid

The Homer, Alaska, Chamber of Commerce is promoting the season long Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby while reminding entrants, and tourists, that the daily bag limit for halibut off Homer is two, in reference to a recent controversial reduction to only one halibut per day in Southeast Alaska.

That said, the derby has a new leader: David Moore of Gill., Colo., who landed a 235-pound halibut Saturday aboard the Last Laugh out of Poi Boi Fishing & Wilderness Lodge.

More refreshing: There are some women participating in the contest, which pays monthly cash prizes for heaviest fish in several categories, for specially-tagged halibut and for winners at season's end.

The leader in the Lady Angler category is Tegan Humphrey, 6, who on Sunday boated a 138.8-pound halibut (pictured) aboard the Bear Force 1 out of Big Bear Halibut Charters.

Afterward she told a derby official: "I was a little disappointed that is wasn't a mermaid."

Also somewhat disappointed is a visitor from Canada who last week reeled in a tagged halibut that would have been worth $10,000 ... if he had paid the $10 derby entry fee. Apparently he didn't want the added expenditure.

The derby runs through Sept. 30.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Halibut Derby ladies' division leader Tegan Humphrey, 6, stands between the 138.8-pound fish she caught Sunday and boat Capt. Rob Hyslip. Credit: Homer Chamber of Commerce

 

Two climbers fall to deaths on Alaska's Mt. McKinley

Two climbers who perished Thursday after plummeting 2,000 feet on Alaska's Mt. McKinley have been identified as John Mislow, 39, of Newton, Mass., and Andrew Swanson, 36, of Minneapolis.

They reportedly were roped together when they fell while on the Messner Couloir, from about 16,500 feet to about 14,500 feet.

Both were doctors and experienced climbers, and their bodies were recovered, according to a story in today's Anchorage Daily News. McKinley, at 20,320 feet, is North America's highest peak. More than 300 mountaineers remain on the mountain, which is within Denali National Park & Preserve.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Mt. McKinley as photographed from an airplane in 2007. Credit: Ron Drake

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano a beautiful sight for anglers--so far

Fishing season has begun in Alaska and anglers visiting the Kenai Peninsula will want to tote cameras regardless of how well the salmon and halibut are cooperating.

That's because Mt. Redoubt volcano is erupting in a mild manner--for the time being--and generating spectacular imagery. The accompanying photo was taken May 26 by Dennis Josefczyk, from the peninsula, which is about 50 miles east of the volcano, across the Cook Inlet.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory reports low seismic activity and as long as that remains the case travel disruptions should be minimal or nonexistent. However, Redoubt's mood could change instantaneously so visitors are encouraged to check the AVO website and consult their airline carriers in the days leading to their departure date.

Good fishing everyone. Hope you enjoy the show.

-- Pete Thomas

Halibut limit reduction in SE Alaska frustrates sportfishing outfitters

Alaskans and fishermen planning to visit Alaska probably are aware that a new federal rule designed to protect halibut stocks is scheduled to go into effect June 5. It will reduce the daily catch limit aboard charter boats from two to one in Southeast Alaska.

Additionally, guides and crew are prohibited from catching and retaining halibut during charter trips. The issue is controversial, and those affected by the new National Marine Fisheries Service rule are steaming like the state's Mt. Redoubt volcano, which has been erupting for weeks and could harm tourism throughout Alaska -- largely by disrupting flight service -- during peak fishing season in late June and July.

As for the halibut rule, Seth Bone, who runs Kingfisher Charters in Sitka, predicted the battle isn't over yet. "The same thing happened last year, but it was challenged in court and reversed," said Bone, whose fleet targets salmon, halibut and rockfish. "I expect that there will be another legal challenge this time, and we'll see what the outcome is."

Not everyone is complaining. A  two-fish daily limit remains in effect on the Kenai Peninsula, where the season-long Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby began May 1. It annually draws anglers from throughout the U.S. The top fish so far, however, is a 170-pound halibut caught by Homer's Tom Barkman.

I realize this is a contentious issue, and there's a lot at stake because fishing trips in Alaska are not cheap and visitors are accustomed to bringing home box-loads of halibut steaks and fillets. But a single fish can weigh more than 400 pounds. How much meat does a tourist really need to justify the expense?

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Tom Barkman (left) stands alongside a 170-pound halibut caught May 10 off Homer. Credit: Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby

EBay will continue to allow postings of guided trophy hunts

EBay has decided to continue to allow postings for guided trophy hunts of large predators, upsetting wildlife advocacy groups that have urged the Internet auction site to ban such listings.

In February, a coalition of groups including Big Wildlife and Raincoast Conservation sent correspondence to eBay CEO John Donahoe requesting that the site cease allowing the posting of hunting auctions for such big game predators as bears, wolves and mountain lions.

Late last week, the wildlife advocates received a letter from eBay Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Tod Cohen, which stated that "after an extensive review the conclusion is that we will not be expanding the scope of hunting experiences prohibited at this time. Respecting the diversity of opinions and points of view found within the eBay community, our general rule is that if an item can be sold legally off eBay, it can be sold on eBay."

"EBay does have a detailed set of rules covering the sale of animal and wildlife-related goods and services, and has worked closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as several animal conservation and protection groups to craft our Animal and Wildlife Products policy," Cohen wrote. "We prohibit the sale of bear parts on eBay and additionally do not generally allow the sale of any live animals, and we worked with the U.S. Humane Society a few years ago to ban the sale of canned-hunt experiences where there is a guarantee of a successful hunt involving a fenced-in animal."

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano showing increased activity

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano has started showing increased activity again.

Though it's still at an "orange" watch level instead of a "red" eruption level on the Alaska Volcano Observatory website, the most recent observation posted on the site states that seismic and rockfall activity is at a heightened level.

Scientists monitoring the volcano believe an eruption is likely in the coming days.

Their observations conclude that the growing lava dome is becoming increasingly unstable. Should a dome failure occur, it likely would result in a significant explosion producing high-altitude ash plumes and possible ash fall in parts of south-central Alaska.

Sounds as if the slumbering giant is reawakening.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo courtesy of Dennis Anderson/Night Trax Photography

So long Earl Gustkey, a true character and rare breed of journalist

Earl Gustkey, who died Friday after a brief bout with leukemia, was my predecessor on the L.A. Times outdoors beat. He was a character whose many traits included deep passion for all topics he wrote about -- including women's basketball!

I remember Earl best as an outdoors reporter, who held that beat during the newspaper's heyday, when an expansive sports section routinely splashed colorful stories about the great outdoors on its pages.

He was meticulous in reporting. When he'd return from his adventures, he'd tear pages from his notebook and piece them together in chronological order atop his desk, then start writing.

Stories about Earl are too numerous to list here, but one of my favorites was the time he visited remote Christmas Island, northwest of Australia, to write about fly-fishing for bonefish. Hawaii-based flights to and from Christmas Island were on Saturday's only, and Earl missed either the outbound or inbound and got to remain at large in an exotic locale for two weeks.

He was old-school; he wrote primarily about fishing, hunting and wildlife, until giving up the beat in the mid-1980s. When I took over and started writing about surfing, skiing and snowboarding, Earl didn't complain to me personally, but he probably objected and would still object today.

I cannot envision Earl as a blogger or Tweeter, and perhaps a changing newspaper landscape was partly why he retired in 2001 and moved to Montana, which he once referred to as God's country. He was 69, and he will be missed.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo by Los Angeles Times

Alaskans ponder a future with increased offshore drilling

Alaskans are passionate about many things, offshore drilling among them.

In case you missed it, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar held a public hearing on the topic Tuesday in Anchorage. Gov. Sarah Palin, who not long ago questioned the science used to make predictions regarding diminishing sea ice, implied that increased natural gas production on the outer continental shelf could help ease global warming.

Some but not all were in agreement, because another thing Alaskans are passionate about is the pristine nature of their environment. Proposed drilling sites include Bristol Bay and the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, the last two of which are home to Pacific gray whales and other marine mammals.

Marilyn Savage, a resident of Fort Yukon, was quoted on the KTVA website as  saying, "The offshore drilling will hurt the lifestyle of my people and my grandchildren and the unborn. They have no voice here, and if I am not speaking for them here, who is?" 

Those in support said jobs and revenue generated by drilling were important, while opponents claimed the risk to the environment would simply be too great.

Salazar, at least, is to be commended for visiting Anchorage and listening to the citizens. He said he has not yet taken a public stance on the issue, but Alaskans can probably look forward to more drilling in the not-too-distant future.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A protester in a polar bear suit waves a sign outside of the building where U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar held a public hearing in Anchorage on the federal government's proposed five-year oil and gas leasing program. Credit: Al Grillo / Associated Press

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano: Will it disrupt salmon-fishing season?

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano has been relatively quiet -- it remains at an "orange" watch level instead of a "red" eruption level -- but it's still emitting steam and producing interesting imagery for the region. Redoubt is located about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage and 50 miles west of the Kenai Peninsula.

The question is not if but when the volcano will erupt anew.  According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, seismicity remains elevated, and numerous small earthquakes are occurring within the peak. With Alaska's lucrative salmon-fishing season set to begin next month, there are a lot of concerned concessionaires, especially on the Kenai.

I've talked to some, who predict the volcano will not have an affect on the fisheries themselves. But any new series of eruptions is sure to affect airline service, and that could be devastating for business. The volcano does not present a safety threat to tourists, aside from diminishing the normally pristine air quality.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Turen Grice / courtesy of the Alaska Volcano Observatory

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano is a sight to behold

It has been a while since Outposts shared images from Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano, which continues to rumble and bark and spew steam and ash high and far across a wintry landscape.

The top image was captured Tuesday by Neil Sutton from Cannery Road on the Kenai Peninsula, about 50 miles to the east across the Cook Inlet. The bottom image was captured Thursday by scientist Kristi Wallace. It shows a fellow scientist gathering ash fall and how the ash is discoloring snow.

Meanwhile, Redoubt continues to make breathing uncomfortable for many and to disrupt travel to and from Anchorage on Alaska Airlines (though there are currently normal operations and no ash fall warnings). Also, this weekend, six million gallons of oil at the nearby Drift River terminal will be moved to a safer location.

The volcano's last major eruption was Tuesday and scientists with the Alaska Volcano Observatory say a lava dome is forming. That hardened lava atop the crater might ultimately become unstable and lead to more explosive eruptions. In fact, this tempestuousness might last months, as it did in 1989-90.

No good will come of all of this--the continuous disruption of airline service could be ruinous during the peak summer tourism season--but the images it generates are pretty spectacular.

--Pete Thomas

 

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano continues to erupt

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt certainly seems to be keeping scientists and researchers on their toes and alert. No sooner does the volcano seem to be quieting down than another eruption occurs, spewing ash and steam into the air. 

The most recent occurred about 7:25 p.m. Friday (Alaska time). The Alaska Volcano Observatory website states that the eruption emitted an ash cloud up approximately 51,000 feet.

It closely followed one at about 5:35 p.m. that sent ash to an estimated height of 40,000 feet, and was the third or fourth eruption of the day.

Alaska Airlines had resumed flights into the area only to post an alert on its website stating that flights may experience delays or cancellations because of the extremely active volcano.

I have a feeling that this is only the beginning of this, as the eruptions seem to be growing in frequency.

—Kelly Burgess 

Photo: Mt. Redoubt bellows steam and ash across the Cook Inlet.

Credit: Al Grillo / Associated Press

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt spews ash 65,000 feet, placing Kenai Peninsula residents on alert

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt sounded a late wake-up call this morning, erupting at 9:24 local time and sending a cloud of ash 65,000 feet, causing another disruption of service on Alaska Airlines and placing Kenai Peninsula residents on alert.

The explosion produced a swift mud flow down the Drift River and the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the Drift River drainage because of rapidly melting snow and ice. Residents within the drainage area were advised to seek higher ground and those along streams and creeks were urged to "protect life and property."

An ash fall advisory was in effect until 4 p.m. for the western Kenai Peninsula, 50 miles to the east. I just called Mark Glassmaker, who runs Alaska Fishing Lodge on the Kenai, and he said the wind had changed to a southerly direction toward Homer, at the south portion of the peninsula.

"The only sign that anyone on the Kenai Peninsula has felt is just a really light sulfur smell," Glassmaker said, adding that he did not expect Redoubt to seriously jeopardize the upcoming salmon-fishing season.

"I've been doing this for more than 20 years and had volcanoes go off in the middle of season and it has not had much of an effect on the fisheries or wildlife," Glassmaker said. "But if it happens in the middle of July, during our busiest month, and a lot of flights shut down, it'll be a bummer."

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt quiets, Alaska Airlines flights resume

Alaska Airlines has resumed flights to and from Alaska after assessing conditions following six volcanic eruptions of the state's 10,200-foot Mt. Redoubt volcano on Sunday and Monday.

It states on the airline's website: "Scheduled service to Bethel, Nome and Kotzebue will operate pending favorable reports that ash clouds have moved out of the area."

In all, 35 flights were canceled because of the explosive eruptions, which sent ash clouds as high as 60,000 feet.

The airline was forced to seal its grounded jets from abrasive ash particles. Redoubt, located 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, has been relatively quiet today but scientists anticipate more violent explosions. The last time Redoubt erupted, in 1989-90, explosions occurred sporadically over a period of five months.

Travelers are encouraged to check Alaska's website and the Alaska Volcano Observatory website in advance of scheduled flights.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo from webcam Monday evening courtesy of Alaska Volcano Observatory/U.S. Geological Survey

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano erupts a sixth time, sending ash plume 60,000 feet high

There's no doubt: Alaska's Mt. Redoubt has lost its temper--again.

The volcano this evening--after a daylong period of relative calm in the wake of a series of explosions beginning late Sunday night--blew its top for a sixth time, sending a plume of ash and steam 60,000 feet skyward.

There's little more information at this point from the Alaska Volcano Observatory. (To read the L.A. Times story on the effects of the initial explosions, click here.)

The accompanying graphic shows the north-northeast direction of ash fall after the initial explosions. That was a relief to residents throughout the state's more populated south-central quadrant.

But if history is a judge, Alaskans are in for a lengthy period of sporadic explosions, and ash fall will be at the mercy of prevailing winds.

The five-month series of 1989-1990 eruptions from Mt. Redoubt had a severe impact on aviation and the oil industry, as well as on residents and businesses on the Kenai Peninsula, 50 miles to the east.

Because of ash fall, schools on the peninsula were closed for long periods and many residents experienced respiratory problems.

After Monday night's explosion, the National Weather Service issued a new ash-flow advisory, suggesting that residents in the Susitna Valley seal windows and doors and protect water supplies.

--Pete Thomas

Graphic courtesy of Alaska Volcano Observatory. Photo shows emissions from the crater on Saturday, before the eruptions began Sunday night. Credit: Cyrus Read/AVO/USGS via Getty Images

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano erupts with five major explosions; ash cloud ascends 50,000 feet

*UPDATE: Includes new comment from Skwentna resident regarding ash fall.

**UPDATE: Travelers asked to check flight status as some flights have been canceled.

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt Volcano, which had been in a tempestuous mood for two months, erupted Sunday night at 10:38 p.m., sending an ash cloud 50,000 feet above sea level and prompting several flight cancelations.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory recorded four more large explosions during the night. Tina Neal, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said that "so far the major population centers in south-central Alaska have been spared any kind of dusting of ash."

The enormous plume was drifting to the north over an expansive wilderness parcel and so far only the small town of Skwentna, 100 miles north of Redoubt, had reported experiencing ash fall, mixed with snow.

In an interview, Eric Johnson, who runs Northwoods Lodge in Skwentna, said he did not hear the eruptions. "I did not know it erupted till daylight when I could see the funny-looking color on the snow," he said. Johnson, whose lodge specializes in snowmobiling in the winter and fishing in late spring and summer, said he's canceling reservations for the next couple of weeks because the coarse ash can damage snowmobiles.

Alaska Airlines was forced to cancel at least 19 flights and is asking travelers to check their flight status on its website.

Neal said the duration of eruptions varied from 10 to 20 minutes. Redoubt is located 110 miles southwest of Anchorage, due west of the Kenai Peninsula across the Cook Inlet.

Iditarod claims fourth dog as 1,000-mile race winds to a close

**UPDATE: An 8-year-old dog in the team run by Rick Larson died Friday, increasing to five the number of dogs to have died in this year's Iditarod.

As the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race winds to a close, the death toll among dogs has reached four. The latest casualty in the grueling competition was a 5-year-old male dog named Maynard.

He was part of a team guided by Canadian musher Warren Palfrey. The dog died Thursday about an hour from of the finish line at Nome, Alaska.

Animal rights advocates have been highly critical of a race that they say is tantamount to canine torture.

About 30 mushers remain on the trail of a race won Wednesday by Fairbanks musher Lance Mackey. It was Mackey's third consecutive event title, and afterward he retired his lead dog, Larry.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Kazen, one of Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race musher Warren Palfrey's sled dogs, rest in its pen before the ceremonial start of the race on March 7. A different member of Palfrey's team perished Thursday on the trail. Credit: Al Grillo/Associated Press

Lance Mackey three-peats in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

The man in the photo is Lance Mackey crossing the finish line in Nome to win the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for the third consecutive year and cement his status as a legend in the grueling but adventurous sport.

His dogs, especially lead dog Larry, deserve as much credit as the 38-year-old Fairbanks musher.

Lance and Larry, et al, crossed the finish line Wednesday at 11:38 a.m. in brilliant sunshine after almost 10 days on a bitter-cold trail, which, unfortunately claimed the lives of two huskies owned by a rookie musher.

Only two other mushers have won three consecutive Iditarods: Montana's Doug Swingley and the late Susan Butcher.

Outposts salutes Mackey and wishes a safe finish for the rest of the competitors, man and beast alike. For a full story on the finish, check out today's online version of the Anchorage Daily News.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Lance Mackey drives his team up the finish chute of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race today in Nome, Alaska, to win his third Iditarod in a row. Credit: Al Grillo / Associated Press

Iditarod claims two dogs as Mackey leads 1,131-mile race amid harsh conditions

The 1,131-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is nearing completion. Lance Mackey, a cancer survivor who once lived in a tent, is leading comfortably as he attempts to win the grueling competition for the third consecutive year.

But "comfortably" is not necessarily an appropriate term. Mackey is the only musher to have reached Elim, which is only 123 miles from the finish line at Nome. But he and all of the mushers have had to endure brutal conditions — including wind-chill readings of 50 below — that have led to rescues and the deaths of at least two dogs.

Rookie mushers Lou Packer, Kim Darst and Blake Matray have either been rescued or are being rescued. All are said to be OK. Two of Packer's dogs, however, are confirmed dead, and it's hoped a necropsy will determine the exact cause.

According to a story in the Anchorage Daily News, thin-coated huskies are most vulnerable when conditions turn especially harsh.

The sad news about the dogs is sure to draw criticism from animal rights advocates.

— Pete Thomas

Top photo: Defending champion Lance Mackey during Sunday's arrival at Unalakleet, Alaska. Mackey still leads the 1,131-mile race from Anchorage to Nome. Credit: Associated Press

Mt. Redoubt volcano in Alaska placed back on Orange alert

Alaskans are on alert once more as scientists have elevated the status for Mt. Redoubt volcano from yellow to orange.

Orange is a "watch" level just below red, which signals an eruption is imminent or underway.

Scientists with the Alaska Volcano Observatory and U.S. Geological Survey changed the status Sunday afternoon after detecting a substantial increase in seismicity and witnessing a vigorous steam plume.

In that plume was the first ash emission from Redoubt since the last long series of volcanic eruptions in 1989-90. However, it remains unclear whether Sunday's ash emission was from magma. And Kristi Wallace, a USGS research geologist, assured that an eruption has not occurred.

Asked whether an eruption is imminent, she said it does not appear to be the case, as tremor activity has since quieted within the 10,197-foot peak, which is located 103 miles southwest of Anchorage.

In fact, scientists estimate the chance of an eruption to be about 50-50 at this point.

If Redoubt does erupt, residents and visiting tourists on the nearby Kenai Peninsula, and perhaps even in Anchorage, might experience one or two millimeters of ash fall.

"That's not a lot, but it's enough to be a distraction and cause some havoc," Wallace said.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Mt. Redoubt's north flank, as photographed Sunday from the south. Steam plume contained some ash, causing heightened alert. Credit: Heather Bleick for Alaska Volcano Observatory / U.S. Geological Survey

Alaska's predator control program now allows hunters to use bear paw snares

About the same time Alaska's Mt. Redoubt volcano was downgraded from orange to yellow, meaning an eruption is less likely, the state's Board of Game set off its own fireworks by announcing new guidelines in a predator control program that now allows the use of paw snares to catch and kill bears, and helicopters for access.

You may recall the criticism leveled at Gov. Sarah Palin during her bid to become vice president over her support for the aerial hunting of wolves as part of the program.

Under new guidelines, hunters can use snares to trap black bears in a specific area and can access the area via private helicopters. As for wolves, state employees are now authorized to use poison gas to kill orphaned wolf pups in dens (orphaned, presumably, after aerial hunting).

Most existing wolf-kill programs have been renewed, and the board did reject a highly controversial plan by the state's Department of Fish and Game to allow private hunters to shoot wolves from helicopters east of Fairbanks, along the Canadian border.

Naturally, the program is again under fire. In a story in the Anchorage Daily News, Defenders of Wildlife spokesman Wade Willis said, "Those are all big expansions based on just the desperate nature of the Board of Game and the [Department of Fish and Game] to be successful. Their backs are against the wall. Really how much farther can you go?"

Overall, the program is designed to remove enough predators to allow other animals, such as moose and caribou, to rebound and flourish.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A black bear in Alaska stands and takes notice. Credit: Associated Press

Fred Hall fishing show opens today at Long Beach Convention Center

Employers throughout Southern California take note: If you have workers who enjoy fishing and have called in sick today, chances are good you'll find them inside the Long Beach Convention Center after 2 p.m.

Today marks the opening of the 63rd Fred Hall's Fishing Tackle and Boat Show, and for anglers it's not to be missed.

The world's largest fishing show runs through Sunday and features more than 3,000 exhibits and nearly nonstop seminars.

For many, it's a place to choose and book their next big fishing vacation, as concessionaires from Alaska to Argentina, and points far beyond, will be on hand.

For others, it's a place to load up on the latest fishing supplies at a time when springlike weather is beginning to beckon them back onto the ocean and to their favorites mountain streams and lakes.

Iditarod set to begin for mushers and the real athletes -- their dogs

The Iditarod Sled Dog Trail Race begins Saturday in Anchorage, Ala., so it's only a matter of time before someone or some animal rights group cries out about cruelty to canines.

In fact, as any musher will attest, dogs enjoy the grueling competition as much as mushers do. Some dogs will become injured and a few will succumb to the severe weather and the incredible workload along the 1,150-mile route to Nome.

But sled dogs are bred for and live for this kind of competition, and seem to achieve the same sense of satisfaction their handlers feel after a successful, if long, bitter-cold day on a blustery wilderness trail.

Lance Mackey this year will try to three-peat as Iditarod champion with a lead dog named Larry. Larry was part of Mackey's "dream team" in 2007, when he won the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest 20 days before winning the Iditarod.

Redoubt volcano in Alaska: a view of the restless giant from Anchorage

Calm before the storm?

The accompanying photo of Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano was shot from south Anchorage on Feb. 23.

Weeks have passed since scientists implied that an eruption is imminent, and the watch level remains Orange, which means "heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption."

This afternoon's report, from the Alaska Volcano Observatory: "Seismicity consists mostly of small discrete earthquakes. The web cams show clear views of the volcano this morning.

"The dark area on the north flank of Redoubt in the HUT web cam image appeared during a brief episode of strong tremor late yesterday afternoon. The dark area is evidence of a water rich flowage event coming from Drift Glacier."

Outposts has nothing more to report, at this point, but wanted to share one of the more colorful recent images.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo courtesy of AVO/USGS. Credit: Cyrus Read

Economic worries won't stop Fred Hall show from ushering in fishing season

Sales might not be as brisk during this year's Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show at the Long Beach Convention Center, but thousands will attend regardless of the beleaguered economy to help usher in the spring fishing season.

The 68th rendition of the show will run March 4-8 and boast more than 3,000 exhibits, and offer almost nonstop seminars. Trucks, boats, kayaks and trailers will be for sale, along with every type of fishing excursion and modern fishing product known to man.

You can subscribe to any of numerous fishing magazines -- Fish Taco Chronicles has nothing to do with Mexican food but is crammmed with stories and photos -- and meet such radio/TV personalities as Pete Gray, Philip Friedman, Dan Hernandez and Ronnie Kovach.

Redoubt volcano in Alaska still rumbling as eruption watch continues

If Alaska's Mount Redoubt is going to blow its top, will it hurry up already?

For weeks, the volcano has rumbled and grumbled and scientists remain reasonably sure an eruption -- the first since a long series of them in 1989-90 (see photo) -- will occur.

But the tempestuous 10,200-foot peak 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, towering above the Cook Inlet across from the Kenai Peninsula, is keeping scientists and Alaskans guessing.

On Monday, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, there was "elevated seismicity dominated by ongoing volcanic tremor and occasional small earthquakes."

A 3.6-magnitude earthquake 45 miles northwest of Anchorage was "clearly seen on Redoubt webicorders."

Fly Fishing Show to take center stage this weekend in Pasadena

Spring is inching closer and so is another fishing season, which means the big fishing shows are coming to Southern California.

The annual Fly Fishing Show is this weekend at the Pasadena Center. It'll feature new products as well as booths manned by authors, fly-tiers and representatives of destination lodges around the world.

There will be about 50 presentations, demonstrations and other fly-fishing shows per day. A schedule of "Destination Theatre" shows and  seminars is available on the Fly Fishing Show website.

Hours are 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $15 for adults (or $25 for a two-day pass), $2 for children under 12 and free for children under 5.

Also forthcoming is the Fred Hall Fishing, Tackle and Boat Show on March 4-8 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Outposts will have more on that mega-spectacle soon.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Jerry Land displays silver salmon caught and released on the Mulchatna River, Alaska. The fish was enticed by a purple egg-sucking leech. Credit: Bennett J. Mintz

Sarah Palin and aerial hunting of wolves receive letter of support

By now, just about everyone who follows the great outdoors and/or politics has seen the video posted below, during which actress Ashley Judd lashes out at Sarah Palin for her support of what Judd terms the "brutal" aerial hunting of wolves.

Alaska's wolves are "intensively managed" in zones where moose and caribou populations are deemed dangerously low. The program allows hunting from airplanes in these areas. Wolves are spotted, chased and shot.

Today, Palin, who is Alaska's governor and a hunter, received support in the form of a letter sent by a group of pro-hunting organizations representing nearly 3 million members. The group labeled the Defenders of Wildlife, for whom Judd was speaking, an "animal preservation group."

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, which spearheaded the letter-writing campaign, labels aerial hunting a "scientifically valid and sound method of predator management." The letter itself cites "the critical importance of science in wildlife management" and states that "the future of effective wildlife management necessitates that emotional pleas not substitute for reasoned analysis."

In closing, alliance Senior Vice President Rick Story writes, "It is simply wrong for an environmental group to use Hollywood glitz and glamour to hide science from the public."

I support hunting as a means of wildlife management -- and management is necessary in wild areas surrounded by civilization -- but I have seen aerial-hunting footage, and it's pretty brutal and non-sporting.

However, it is a long-standing program that has been in place longer than Palin has been governor. That's not to imply it's a good program, but it's really something Alaskans ought to decide among themselves.

-- Pete Thomas

Armageddon? In wake of so many disasters, one can't help but wonder

It feels like Armageddon.

Part of Australia becomes a raging inferno, killing more than 180 people and perhaps millions of animals, and elsewhere Down Under, floods have forced people from their homes and into watery streets they now share with crocodiles.

Costa Rica is still reeling from an earthquake and subsequent landslides last month, which killed more than two dozen people and left hundreds homeless.

In parts of the continental United States, ice storms and tornadoes in the last two weeks have caused death and destruction.

Meanwhile in Alaska, a volcano near the Cook Inlet appears ready to blow its top and threatens to rain smoke and ash over much of the Pacific Northwest.

All of this -- plus a good deal more, I'm sure -- at a time when the economy, thanks to years of corporate greed and consumer naivete, has tumbled into an abyss so deep and gooey it might not climb out for years.

Reaction: What is the cause of all this? Can anyone age 50 or younger recall a more depressing or frightening time on this planet? Are all of these disasters some karmic response to man's blight-like existence on earth, or pure coincidence?

Sarah Palin falls under video attack by Ashley Judd over aerial hunt program

In case you missed it, below is a video in which actress Ashley Judd blasts Sarah Palin for her support of the aerial hunting of wolves in Alaska.

It's the first major attack on Alaska's governor regarding this issue since Palin was a candidate for vice president --and it's just as vicious as previous attacks, with Judd, on behalf of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, urging Palin to "stop the senseless savagery."

Allowing Alaskans to run down and shoot wolves from the airplanes or helicopters is certainly inhumane, but the program, which Palin supports, is considered a necessary means of predator control. Unlike previous attacks, though, this one seems aimed squarely at Palin.

In a statement from her office, Palin fired back. "It is reprehensible and hypocritical that the Defenders of Wildlife would use Alaska and my administration as a fund-raising tool to deceive Americans into parting with their hard-earned money," she said.

For the record, Alaska's wolves and and bears are "intensively managed" in six zones where moose and caribou populations are deemed dangerously low. Enjoy the video...

--Pete Thomas

Mt. Redoubt volcano's 'unrest' recalls 1989 eruption

The latest from the Alaska Volcano Observatory on the status of Mt. Redoubt: "Unrest at Redoubt Volcano continues. Seismic activity remains elevated above background."

Sounds like a broken record, but at least Mt. Redoubt is providing ample warning and has all of Alaska on alert.

Longtime residents surely recall a five-month stretch that began in late 1989 during which the 10,197-foot volcano provided a string of eruptions and a steady outpouring of smoke and ash.

A United Press International article that Dec. 15 featured this initial announcement: "Redoubt Volcano southwest of Anchorage shook with thousands of small earthquakes Thursday, then erupted and shot a cloud of ash seven miles high."

Farther down in the story: "The eruption followed 24 hours of constant warning tremors, which calmed down after the eruption ended, then picked up again.... The ash plume — which shot 35,000 feet above the two-mile-high mountain — was carried toward Anchorage by strong winds... But the ash cloud skirted Anchorage and dusted towns beyond the city."

A day after a second, more violent eruption occurred that Dec. 17, the Associated Press reported: "Haze from the volcano drifted over Anchorage, Alaska's largest city with more than 200,000 people. The debris caused power outages, disrupted air travel and triggered public-health warnings."

But it was Christmas week and the economy was not in shambles. Shoppers, according to the report, filled "the streets and malls over the weekend."

—Pete Thomas

Photo: Mt. Redoubt during an eruption on April 21, 1990, as viewed from Alaska's Kenai Peninsula.

Credit: J. Warren / AVO-USGS Images

Mt. Redoubt volcano, like a ticking bomb, keeps Alaskans on high alert

Like a ticking bomb, Mount Redoubt rumbles and heats from within, venting steam from newly-formed fumaroles, keeping Alaskans who live in its shadow on extreme alert.

Overnight "a high-intensity burst of volcanic tremor" occurred for six minutes, reports the Alaska Volcano Observatory. The observatory asserts "there was no eruption associated with this tremor."

Increasingly, though, it's appearing that the volcano will indeed erupt, which is an ominous prospect for those living in communities directly across the Cook Inlet on the Kenai Peninsula.

Volcanic ash and dust is jagged and can irritate skin, eyes and respiratory systems. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable.

The prospect of an eruption is not welcome by visiting fishermen either. In a few months it will be salmon season on the Kenai and in surrounding areas. A prolonged eruption, like the one in 1989-90, may adversely affect water quality and fishing.

But for now it seems entirely up to Mother Nature. Will the eruption occur today, tomorrow, next week or next month? And how extensive will the eruption become?

Only time will tell.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: The north flank of Mount Redoubt on Super Bowl Sunday 2009. Credit: Chris Waythomas / Alaska Volcano Observatory/U.S. Geological Survey

Mt. Redoubt volcano in Alaska is steaming; eruption watch continues

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt has not erupted, but scientists and residents remain on alert and an eruption still appears imminent.

Latest update from the Alaska Volcano Observatory: Seismicity remains relatively unchanged since Friday afternoon, but a flight crew has observed steady melting around the summit area.

The website states: "Holes in the ice continue to grow, exposing more steaming rock. Volcanic gases continue to be detected. Clear web camera views currently show a steam plume rising from the area of the 1989-90 lava dome."

What can Alaskans expect if Redoubt blows for the first time since 1989-90?

It depends on their proximity to the 10,197-foot peak (see map, below) and direction and velocity of wind.

However, it could be ugly and uncomfortable. When Redoubt erupted sporadically during a five-month period 20 years ago, it sent a column of ash at least 8 miles high, perhaps into the stratosphere.

It nearly caused the crash of a commercial jet by destroying its engine blades and led to the establishment of the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, which informs pilots of new eruptions and possible related dangers.

Mt. Redoubt volcano in Alaska still rumbling, but no eruption yet

The latest report on volatile Mt. Redoubt's status, from the Alaska Volcano Observatory website: "Unrest at Redoubt Volcano continues, though no eruption has yet occurred. Seismicity levels have risen within the last eight hours. Redoubt remains at Aviation Color Code ORANGE and Volcano Alert Level WATCH."

Also posted on the site, which is limited because of heavy traffic, was this 8 a.m. report: "Seismicity at Redoubt is varying in intensity but is still well above background. We have seen higher amplitude seismicity for the past several hours but appears to be subsiding a bit at this time."

Meanwhile, to the south, in Washington state's Puget Sound area, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake rattled residents early this morning. That probably is coincidental.

Outposts has a call into one of the scientists at Mt. Redoubt and will share any information he may provide.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Drift River-area structure was inundated during the last eruption of Alaska's Mt. Redoubt beginning in 1989. Credit: Alaska Volcano Observatory

Mount Redoubt volcano in Alaska expected to erupt 'within days'

Alaskans are not running in mad panic for cover, but many are concerned about the imminent eruption of Mount Redoubt southwest of Anchorage.

Fox News is reporting: "Mount Redoubt continues to rumble and simmer, prompting geologists to say this Alaska volcano could erupt "within days."

The Anchorage Daily News cautions: "Mount Redoubt is still rumbling and simmering, prompting geologists to repeat their warning that an eruption may be imminent."

It would not be a pleasant period in Anchorage if Redoubt were to blow its top, if its previous eruption is any indication.

For five months beginning in December 1989, smoke and ash from the 10,197-foot peak disrupted international air traffic and deposited volcanic dust throughout the Anchorage region.

That eruption also delivered mud flows from Redoubt into the Drift River drainage.

Sarah Palin would have looked better hunting a turkey

When I first saw the latest Sarah Palin video on YouTube, I thought it was fake.

But apparently Alaska's governor did in fact visit a turkey farm in her hometown, Wasilla, and perform a traditional Thanksgiving gobbler pardoning, which was followed by her press conference while a traditional slaughter took place in full view of the cameras.

Amazingly, the interview went off without a hitch, though not as far as the non-pardoned turkeys were concerned.

Outposts does not even want to know what Palin has in store for a Christmas encore.

--Pete Thomas

Sarah Palin's support for aerial wolf killing may have merit

During her bid to become vice president, Sarah Palin became a target among conservation groups for her support, as Alaska's governor, of the aerial killing of wolves in Alaska.

(To view the Defenders of Wildlife video advertisement, click here.)

Perhaps rightly so. The practice is cruel and not at all sporting. But the practice apparently is working. Experts, citing the removal of predators as a major factor, say more caribou in the Southern Alaska Peninsula herd are surviving.

Craig Medred, outdoors reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, in a story today, points out that surveys completed in October counted an average of 39 calves per 100 cows, compared to only one calf per 100 cows in 2006 and 2007.

The recent removal of 28 wolves from the region is largely credited.

The caribou herd had shrunk from nearly 5,000 at the start of the decade to about 600 last year, and the state would like to see it maintained at about 3,500. It requires a 20% or better calf survival rate just to keep from declining further.

Overall, under an aerial hunting program that began more than five years ago under Gov. Palin's predecessor, about 700 wolves have been killed, many by ordinary citizens.

And though the program may be working, it's hardly ideal. After biologists shot 14 wolves in three packs last spring, they discovered they'd left 14 pups without parents. Those pups were euthanized to spare them starvation.

Animal rights groups contended the pups should have been placed in zoos.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Caribou roam the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge in this U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service file photo

Barack Obama hastens gun, ammo sales; Sarah Palin first in line?

What's happening in Alaska undoubtedly is happening throughout rural America. Gun sales are brisk, particularly for military-style weapons, because people are concerned about stricter gun laws after Barack Obama becomes president and Congress begins leaning more to the left.

The Anchorage Daily News today ran a story under the headline "Armed and nervous in Alaska."

Jack Murray, owner of Alaska Shooters Supply, is quoted: "Obama is the best gun salesman we've had in the last 50 years." Murray added that the day after the election, he sold more guns than in any single day in 21 years. "I was crying all the way to the bank," he said.

Nationwide, perhaps because of an expected Democratic victory, FBI background checks on prospective gun owners increased 8% in a period ending Sept. 30, compared with the same period in 2007.

Ammunition is selling at a rate that would indicate an impending invasion, because of feared ammo taxes. "I've  probably sold 70,000 or 80,000 rounds of ammunition over the past couple of days," Ken Feinman, manager of Wild West Guns, told the Daily News. "I think there's an element of panic going on, and it's pretty much universal among the shops here."

A sign atop his store reads "Huge Obama Sale ... Buy, Sell, Trade." (See photo.)

Wayne LaPierre, president of the National Rifle Assn., has been quoted as saying, of Obama, "I don't think he'll be able to stand up to that anti-Second Amendment wing of the Democratic Party that's just been spoiling for a chance to ban America's guns."

So far, Sarah Palin, the now-famous governor-huntress, has not chimed in on the issue. But do you think Alaskans are talking about her while waiting in those long lines?

You betcha.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo credit: Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News

Sarah Palin look-alike contest has moose seeking cover

Alaska is known for its fine hunting and fishing, but more known these days for its bespectacled hunting and fishing governor, who is aspiring to become vice president on the Republican ticket.

Sarah Palin’s immense popularity has prompted a Sarah and Todd Palin look-alike contest at Blues Central in Anchorage. It resumes tonight and next Wednesday, with the finals Oct. 29.

Grand prize: a guided moose-hunting trip and a rifle. And this, more than anything, is luring participants from far and wide.

One woman dressed up before flying to Anchorage and many eyes were upon her. She took a cab to Blues Central and experienced stage fright when she was the first person called to take the stage.

But when inquired about the energy policy she stood and shouted, "Drill, drill, drill!" while punching the air, and the crowd went wild.

The Anchorage Daily News was on hand and took note of the lyrics of a Barby Doll-esque Sarah named Janet Metzner, of the band Alaskan Barby & the Kendolls:

I'm an Alaskan Girl with my  big attitude
I wear jeans, T-shirts and my combat boots
If I want your lip I can scrape it off my shoe
If I want your opinion I'll beat it out of you

Whitney LaRose, a surgeon's assistant at a Kenai-area hospital, is a mother of three who is typically in bed by 8:30. But she broke that habit for two reasons: “I love guns. And I want to go on a guided moose hunt.”

Somewhere in the vast wilderness, those great creatures are raising their heads, twitching their Bullwinkle ears, wondering what seems amiss, then going back to munching in lush meadows, or whatever it is they do.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: The real Sarah Palin enjoys a bit of fishing. Credit: Associated Press

Sarah Palin a Defenders of Wildlife target

In case you missed the Defenders of Wildlife ad criticizing Sarah Palin's support of the aerial hunting of wolves -- and you did if you live in California or any other state besides Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Colorado, Virginia, Wisconsin and Missouri -- it is now posted on YouTube.

The commercial, which aired in those states in the days leading to Thursday's vice presidential debate, denounces with graphic footage a practice the Republican vice presidential nominee has supported as the state's governor.

In fairness, the commercial does not state that Palin, who is a hunter, supports the aerial hunting as a means of predator control to increase the number of moose and caribou in portions of Alaskan wilderness. Some citizens in these rural areas rely on the latter species for sustenance.

Aside from that, the ad is accurate. Citizens are allowed to shoot wolves from the air in five rural areas. Officials say more than 700 wolves have been killed since the program began under Palin's predecessor, almost five years ago.

Outposts has provided only the short version of the ad.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images