Discovery Paddle Wheel Cruise - Fairbanks

Like all good tourist excursions taking a ride on the Riverboat Discovery starts and ends with the Trading Post. The Binkley family have offered river boat tours in Fairbanks since the 1950's. Business grows every year and children and grandchildren all participate in one way or another.

Shortly after leaving the dock we are treated to the sight of a bush pilot making take-offs and landings on the Chena River.

Along the river we see a variety of homes; including the traditional Alaskan log homes.

Seems there are always puppies waiting their turn to be musher dogs.



We were delighted to make a stop at the home of the late Iditarod Champion Susan Butcher and her husband Dave Monson, champion dog team. Not only were Susan and Dave a dominant racing team, Susan led the only climbing party to conquer Mt. McKinley's 20,320 foot height by dog team.

The team was hooked up for an exhibition run around the house. They begin training before the snows come by pulling a tractor set in neutral.



When the dogs come back they are let loose to cool off in the river.

Further along the river look closely and you are likely to find homes hidden in the trees all the way up the mountain side.

Reindeer are kept near the river to the delight of children and adults alike. Actually Reindeer and Caribou are the same animal. The original reindeer were imported from Siberia and now are domesticated. Caribou are native to Alaska and remain wild for the most part.

The main feature of this sternwheeler river trip is to visit the Chena Indian Village, which resembles the original Athabascan Indian Villages of the early 1900's.


The Athabascan Indians lived along major rivers
in a nomadic lifestyle until contact with the outside Western world. Today they live a subsistence lifestyle that includes summer fish camps. To the right is an example of a summer Bark Hut home made from the bark of trees and tree limbs. Beds are made up of grasses for warmth, topped with
animal skins for softness. Easy to assembly with available materials and no loss to leave behind.

A more permanent home
used animal furs placed
around the entire outside
of the home. Grass and
moss are used to line the
floor. When moving, the
family simply wrapped all their goods up in the skins, enabling them to move quickly and easily.

Using sapling trees and smaller branches as shown right, animals are hung for easier cleaning and cutting.

It was interesting to see the traditional log cabins, in this case the Trading Post, using sod roofs complete with flowers blooming. Again the sod on the top of homes helps to insulate for warmth.

The Cache buildings seen to the right were always built up from the ground. The Cache was one of the more important buildings as that is where the supplies were held. The hides seen, fox, wolf, caribou, mink, etc are examples of the furs used by the Athabascan people for their clothing and shelter.

After the process of tanning: cleaning, salting, and washing the animal hides, they are stretched and dried in the fashion seen to the left.

Dixie Alexander (right) seen outside her summer
home here in the Chena Indian Village has been instrumental in studying, and preserving the ways of her people, the Athabascans. Dixie
displays the beautiful skin-sewing and beadwork
designs and decoration of clothing tradition she
has carried on from her forefathers. She has been recognized for her skills through teaching
grants and commissioned pieces for museums. In
1997 the Smithsonian Institution commissioned
Dixie to make a Chief's jacket based on a traditional Athabascan Indian design, for their permanent collection at the National Museum of American History in Washington D.C.

To the left is an authentic example of an Athabascan winter coat made from animal furs and decorated with glass seed beads and buttons made from moose and caribou antlers. This coat was made by Dixie Alexander and sells for $16,000. She will take you order if you want one!

To the right is a close up example of some of the beautiful bead work Dixie has created.

The last stop on our village tour is a demonstration on how the Indians cut salmon
meat out of the skin, to be hung on drying racks.
The rest of the salmon along with Chum Salmon, some of the last salmon to run up the rivers are
given to the dogs as part of their diet.

Back on the river again, returning to dock, I took pictures of a few of the different style homes.
As you see, rolls of grass sod continue to be used
on the rooftops of homes today. It looks like the idea here was to put down the blue plastic and hold it in place until the sod can be put on.

This home fits the location and was made using vertical wood on the outside.

But, this house looks so out of place to me. It is
way, way too modern.

Now I could live in this combination of modern and wood.

The Pump House was the only commercial business we saw along the river cruise. We were told that someone very rich (maybe famous, at least in Alaska), lived there and had done a lot for the surrounding area....you want to know what, don't you...sorry I don't remember and can't find my note. Oh well, looked like a good place to stop for a drink and something to eat, but the boat didn't stop because they supplied food and drink on board. Perhaps another time.


BBFN, Karen and Don