Dog sledding (vintage)

[boneaddict]

Some more of the Kikendall history and hauling freight, men and supplies into the Azurite.  Tough country and tough men.  Idabooner would gladly come on and expalin a few of these if you all are so inclined to hear about it. 
The first one is titled the biggest payload.

[boneaddict]

This one is titled Breaking trail.

[boneaddict]

This one is titled "coming to the mine"

[ICEMAN]

Makes me feel weak and inferior.

Maybe you need to put a book together with all these stories and photographs?

[MikeWalking]

Ah the memories. I was a sled dog at one time. Well, actually an Army Rifleman in Alaska tied to an Akio (not sure of the spelling anymore) A little plastic sled with about 200lbs of C rations and other assorted goodies for the squad. Boots and itchy itchy wool clothes from the early 50's.  Standing guard at 40 below 0 wasn't much fun but the Northern Lights took a little sting out of it.  The wood & rawhide snowshoes were a pain to walk in, very wide, but they worked better than what I have now. ya ya ya there's more of me to support now.....

[Idabooner]

Bare with me guys. I got a story started but it takes time to check the facts, I hear the coyotes calling me now so I'll finish this after dark.

[Idabooner]

I'm not a writer so I'll borrow a few lines from a couple books, to give you a little back ground.   "American Mountain People" by National Geographic, and "The North Cascadian's" by Joann Roe.

There has been several articles written about my Dad's life, my Mother kept a daily diary from their marriage until her death, about 65 years, so this stuff is factual, Boneaddict has a copy which I hope he will fulfill my Mothers wish and write a book.
In winter all supplies were moved by dog teams and sleds, handled by Ed Kikendall and his brother Chuck.  Ed had run trap line since he was on his own at 8 years old. Spent some entire winters trapping the Olympic peninsula, at 19 he went to Alaska working on the whaling boats, and for a French Canadian freighter hauling freight with dog teams, a few winters. Later in the Cascade mtn. he and Charlie Biart lived several entire winter seasons in the wilderness, trapping lynx, bob cat, mink, martin, fox and weasel, shooting rabbits and squirrels for food, and wearing the same clothes for months at a time.
The dogs were mostly cross-breeds heavily laced with husky blood. They had a contract of 4 trips a month hauling at least 80 lbs. If the dogs couldn't get in the men were required to backpack that same amount to the Azurite mine.  A round trip could take as little as two days or more than a week, depending on weather. They carried survival gear & food, besides the pay load of vital mining supplies, food, mail and if room light personal items for the crew. They brought out mail, gold, a dead man, a few very sick ones, once they took a Doctor in and had to bring him and the patient out, different sleds, Dad got into a storm with the patient as I recall it took 40 some hours, nearly killed Dad and the dogs, they got the patient to the hospital where he died later. (The New York Times got a 1/2 page write up on that one.)
    Usually the teams went up the shorter but steeper Azurite Pass out of the upper end of the Methow Valley, some times in the spring they would go over Harts Pass into Slate Creek then up over Catie Pass into Mill Creek then up to the Azurite Mine.

One emergency trip Dad and a mine worker left for the Azurite and got hit with a sudden severe storm, forcing them to hole up under a tarp spread over some windfalls while the wind piled the snow up, they spent two days snuggled up with their dogs under that tarp, Dad said the dogs got a little cross and were snapping at each other, and the air got pretty thick under there.  The mine radioed to Winthrop that the team had not arrived, the towns people become concerned and started gathering a rescue party, when a friend stated Dad was a veteran mountain man and if  he was lost or couldn't make it up there no body else could either, when the storm let up  they went on to the mine.

[Idabooner]

1st pic. was the biggest load they hauled, it was 432 lbs of pay freight, it was machine parts I think. There's 12 dogs pulling this load. The sleds were hand made from native wood and held together with raw hide, the runners were hand planed birch, the bow was made from service berry and wrapped with raw hide. Notice the shovel is always handy.

Reply #1  Is breaking trail, after every good snow fall the trail had to be walked over with snow shoes so the dogs could pull the sled through, if it was drifted it would have to be shoveled on the upper side to level it, in the 1st pic. the trail around the side hill has been shoveled level, or as in the 2nd picture if it was steep it would have to be shoveled out.  Notice how these dogs are acting compared to the dog teams you see now days.

Reply #2 Another load into the mine. That's Dad (Boneaddict's Grandpa) on the first sled as well as the other 2 pic's. Notice the dogs are all pulling.

[actionshooter]

cool, please show more

[Wea300mag]

That is really cool stuff. Avalanches must have been a real problem. Hell, today they close a major pass with less snow than that.

[Ray]

Love it. Want to see more 

[searchnfor]

Thanks for posting, what great pics and memories!

[boneaddict]

I'll get some more when I get back to work, I have a couple there.  Thanks Dad for the narration and stories.  I sure love my family history, it couldn't be more rich with the outdoors.  No onder I alwasy have an urge to strap on the snowshoes.

[Ironhead]

Thanks Idabooner and Boneaddict, I really enjoy reading about your family history. Amazing how people handled adversity back then.

[Idabooner]

That is really cool stuff. Avalanches must have been a real problem. Hell, today they close a major pass with less snow than that.

Yes, Wea300mag, snow slides and potential slides (weather and snow conditions) dictated when they could go, some times that alone made 4 trips a month almost impossible, there was several slide shoots they had to cross. It was not unusual to get part way through the trip and get hung up for days in the middle some place waiting for the snow conditions to change, the weather can change real fast in the mountains. As far as I know they never got hit with a slide with the dogs, but Dad got caught one time on skis while trapping, he managed to swing in on the lower side of a big fir just as the snow caught his skis, then was able to keep on top as the snow deepened.

[boneaddict]

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[Idabooner]

This is a better look at the biggest load ever, 432 lbs., 1st pic.   They are in Azurite pass, taking a break before going over.  Usually the wind blows the snow hard on top. Dad said a few times they couldn't git across the pass because of wind.  L to R is Dad ( ED Kikendall) his brother in law (Bud Hough) and a mine worker. The lead dog is setting on the far right, (King) a Siberian Husky.

[jackelope]

keep it coming plz...one of the greatest threads ever...

[Wea300mag]

I don't see any Goretex or Thinsulate on any of those guys, how did they survive?

[huntingnut]

Those are some awesome pics and great stories. It's great to hear about peoples heritage, especially when it comes from the family and it's right here is Washington.

[boneaddict]

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[boneaddict]

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[boneaddict]

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[Slenk]

I don't see any Goretex or Thinsulate on any of those guys, how did they survive?

Wool and Smarts . And ways we don't see anymore .

[Idabooner]

Reply #20   Lucky this time, it's an easier snow slide to get across, must have been a heavier load or expected a tough trail, there's 9 dogs, the usual team for Dad was 7 dogs and 5 for his brother. They would put the two teams together for big loads as in Reply #15 or for a short distance of real tough trail, then double back and pick up the other sled.  They did have a few spare dogs back at the kennels they could add to the teams or change off for sore feet, over worked, injuries, lameness etc.

Reply #21 Damn, probable have to lay out on the trail tonight, it's going to eat up the day just getting across this one.  It looks like a long ways across ( right side of pic.) Those ice balls are tough to break up (notice the loaded sled runners with a lot of air under them).  Dad had showed me trees with the limbs trimmed and sled runner rub marks on them 20 feet high. (after the snow melted).

Reply #22 Making time now, clear trail for a ways.  ( can you see the trail?)

[Wea300mag]

Slenk,

My post was just a jab at how weak todays outdoorsmen/women are compared to back then. I hunted back when wool was king, in fact, I still use wool pants, but those guys are quantum leaps tougher than me.

Idabooner,

Would your dad or other sled driver break the load up and haul it across the slide (reply #21) by hand a piece at a time, then get the empty sled across? or clear the path?

[boneaddict]

Not to speak for him, but I bet heunderstood what you were saying.  I know I did.  I have folks all the time harass me because I won't own a cell phone.  Well, what do you do if.......  I just smile.   My favorite hunting gear in real foul weather is still wool. 

[Hunting Cowboy]

I love the historic pictures and the information behind each. Thanks for posting these. It must be nice knowing so much first hand information about your family roots!

I also understood what you were saying Wea300mag, I worked in the woods many years ago and I still believe in wool for foul weather. (Oliver Hammer in Sedro still supplies some of the best clothing for outdoors/work)

[Idabooner]

Wea300mag,

I never heard of them breaking down a load, but it's sure an option. I think they would clear a path because it probably wouldn't slide again in that place for a while, and they were contracted to make 4 trips a month, that's 8 crossings.

[boneaddict]

I bet he was pretty handy with a snowshovel.  Thats a long trip in.  I sure wish you still had those snowshoes.  Now you know why I confiscated yours and won't let you have them back.  Do you have any dog harnesses hanging int eh garage that I need to pilfer?

[Idabooner]

I bet he was pretty handy with a snowshovel.  Thats a long trip in.  I sure wish you still had those snowshoes.  Now you know why I confiscated yours and won't let you have them back.  Do you have any dog harnesses hanging int eh garage that I need to pilfer?

Yes that's a lot of snow to break trail in, approximately 24 miles over 6,680 ft. Azurite pass and down to the mine, or the longer route 28 miles over 6,197 ft. Harts pass and then down into Carlson Cabins, 3,850 ft. and up over 5,980 ft. Cady pass and down into Mill cr. to the mine at 5,080.   4 trips a mo.,  that averages out to over 600 miles of snow trail a winter. Here's a site posted by "smdave" that fits here. http://www.ghosttownsusa.com/bttales25.htm
Yes he knew how to use a shovel and trained me at a young age.   You all will laugh at this, but  I have always been amazed at how few people with a shovel in their hands that knew how to use it, how clumsy most people are with that simple tool.  Bonaddict did you know Dad always claimed he and his brother kept experimenting and changing the rigging on (webs) snowshoes until by trail and error they come up with a trouble free in any type snow condition rigging (web to foot harness).  Some one made the trip with them and liked the rigging so well they got a patent on it, all the commercial webs in my day had this type rigging.
Yes I have old Dewey's   http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,881.msg9334.html#msg9334  harness and a couple more for the swing dogs. All the harnesses were hand made.

[Slenk]

Slenk,

My post was just a jab at how weak todays outdoorsmen/women are compared to back then. I hunted back when wool was king, in fact, I still use wool pants, but those guys are quantum leaps tougher than me.

And mine was meant the same way .Not as a jab at you in anyway. I grew up in Sheepskin coats and felt shoes that you put overshoes over when  outside .
But I'me sure that if they had what we have today their lives would be easier . And I agree with you 100%
Slenk

[MikeWalking]

Not to speak for him, but I bet he understood what you were saying.  I know I did.  I have folks all the time harass me because I won't own a cell phone.  Well, what do you do if.......  I just smile.   My favorite hunting gear in real foul weather is still wool.

Glad to know I'm not the only one without a cell phone.  I hardly need the land line at home. I do carry a VHF radio in Alaska but that's a little differant.

For the most part I think cell phones have just written a new chapter in the book of Bad Manners, and not much else.

[boneaddict]

Bad manners and reckless driving. 

[Kent Hunter]

Hey Bone and Idabooner. I love the pictures. My dad, Jimmy Sparks also ran dog team with Chuck into the Azurite. Ask Idabooner if he knew of him or ever heard of him. He was raised by Hazard and Zora Ballard who lived at Lost River. Their old place is where the road takes a right hand turn before going over Lost River now. Ballard campground is named after the Ballards. Merry CHRISTmas. I'll also try and dig up some of my dads old pictures of him and Chuck and the dog teams.

[MikeWalking]

I saw mention somewhere in here about a book?  Yes Please?  I'm the guy who has stop at every Historical Marker and such and read about the place. There's some really impressive stories out there. " Hard Luck" Harry Morowitz, Willey Keil...better not start

[Idabooner]

Kent Hunter, please post your pictures and stories, the name Sparks just sounds familiar but I can't recall any stories about him.

MikeWalking, I just went through my home book shelf and this is what I found, there is more I know but must have pasted them on to someone else. A lot of the dog pictures have disappeared over the years also.

The Smiling Country, by Sally Portman.
The North Cascadian's by Joann Roe.
Mountain People by National Geography.
Gold Mining in Washington State by Ken Martin.

[MikeWalking]

Hey Idabooner thanks. 

Arrgh gotta finish the xmas shopping for the family, then more for me

[boneaddict]

I got a signed copy o fthe North Cascadians for a Christmas gift one year from some friends of the family.  They thought it was a cool book, and that I WOULD ENJOY IT.  They were right.  I opened it and said oh cool, then I said thats my grandpa on the front cover.  They looked at me funny as they had no clue and thought I was yanking their chain.  No kiddin' I said.  Thank you very much, I had been looking for the book for awhile.  For all of you boys interested in the History of Washington, it is a GREAT book.  It covers alot of the history of the westside.  Its interesting to hear stories about Sedro and Wooley etc, all tose ittle burgs over there before they became the big burg. 

[boneaddict]

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[boneaddict]

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[Idabooner]

The first picture looks like Robinson Creek country, that's Dad on the sled and the other guy is probably a mine worker.  The workers liked to travel in and out with the security of the dog teams.  There's no doubt a building under the big snow pile on the left, could be my cabin home.

The second picture is of the lay out about 1/2  way (time wise) to the mine on the Azurite Pass route, where they usually spent the night going in, I think it was close to the river in Horse Heaven Meadows. They would bring in a couple horses in the fall for dog food. The working dogs always got fed after they were done for the day, never in the morning so they wouldn't get sick on the trail.  Notice the cross cut saw, must have been going in after a windstorm, I see the snow is plastered to the side of the trees, also notice the width of the sled runners for staying on top of the snow.
    I remember spending a night here with Dad, I was about 3 yr. old. It was very small and dark in there, like a hole, but warm.

[boneaddict]

Is this one that you showed me.  I remember seeing a couple and they were so short, for warmth I guess.  Maybe that was a trappers cabin up in Andrews creek. 

[Idabooner]

When I was in Hi School I was in there grizzly hunting and camped near it. It was hard to find the remains then.