It has been about two and a half weeks since I started working here in Copper Center, Alaska with the National Park Service. I am really getting settled in and enjoying the company of my new roommates. By mid-summer, there will be a total of 10 seasonal/intern workers right around my age living in what we call “boxtown”: Employee housing at the Park which consists of little cabins. We have six 10 ft x 12 ft sleeping cabins, a kitchen cabin, a common area/living room cabin, and a bathroom/showering cabin.

Boxtown at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

Everyone comes from a different region of the country: we have people represented from Wisconsin (ME! Go Packers!), Iowa, North Carolina, Virginia, Montana, Texas, and even Florida! Its been fun getting to know my roommates, hearing their stories, learning their coooking styles and good recipes and also getting advice on living the adventurous seasonal lifestyle we all currently have.This past weekend I traveled down into the Kenai Peninsula to visit a friend who works seasonally in Cooper Landing, Alaska. The drive was a little over 5 hours, but the views were stunning. The stretch of road south of Anchorage that we traveled is called the Seward highway, because it essentially ends in the city of Seward at the end of the peninsula. “Recognized for its scenic, natural, historical and recreational values, the 127-mile Seward Highway holds triple designation: USDA Forest Service Scenic Byway, Alaska Scenic Byway, and All-American Road”!

Traveling down the beautiful Seward Highway!

Cooper Landing is gorgeous!! It lies right on the river banks of the Kenai River, another famous salmon fishing spot in the State. 

View from my friends cabin in Cooper Landing, Alaska

Saturday night we were able to find some live bluegrass music in a town that lies at the end of a little dirt road, called Hope, Alaska. Hope only has about 20 year round residents and the town consisted of two buildings: a small gift shop and a cafe/bar called Seaview. People that work at the Park here, have stated that this spring is unusually late, temperatures are still reaching around 20 degrees at night and the snow has just about all melted. I am excited to experience how fast the seasons really change here and I have already started noticing longer hours of daylight as we get closer to summer! Alaska is truly a beautiful place where nature flows freely. I could not be happier to have this opportunity to spend a summer conducting research here. Next week, I travel to Anchorage for a week long training session at the NPS regional headquarters. Can’t wait to learn more about the local plants I’ll be looking for out in the field!!  

Cheers,

Morgan 

Wrangell-St. Elias NPP, Exotic Plant Management Team