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Show OSNWEST CCR?CP.ATIO:i Box 2633 .... t Fifteen Cents m Volume Three Wednesday, June 14, 1978 Number Thirty-Nine ark City Trio Tackl laskan Wildernes By Steve Dering Seventy miles above the Arctic Circle lie the headwaters of the Noatak River. From its starting point near the 8,510-foot Mt. Igikpak in Alaska's Brooks Range, the river courses westward for more than 400 miles, threading its way through millions of acres of true wilderness before emptying into Kotzebue Sound. The land parted by the Noatak is wild, remote and virtually unblemished by human contact. It is the last pure ecosystem in North America and may be the last in the world. It will be experienced by three Park City residents. John Clayton, John Elwell and Don Sturges will be among only a few score of people to travel the entire length of the Noatak this year. In the planning stage for more than a year, the adventure is described by Clayton as a "once in a lifetime opportunity." "All the trite cliches are there," Clayton said. "I like to be outside and this is about as far outside as you can go." . The trio will navigate the 435-mile Noatak in Folbots, which are folding kayaks, and they expect to be on the water for a full month. Clayton and Sturges will leave Thursday by jeep on a 3,500-mile journey to Fairbanks, Alaska. For approximately one week of this month-long leg of their trip they will abandon the Alcan Highway for the Stewart Cassiar Highway a gravel road which traverses out-of-the-way terrain. Elwell, who will remain in town to await the outcome of his litigation against the Park City School District, will join the group in Fairbanks on July 5 and they hope to be on the river the following day. From Fairbanks, the trio will fly northwest aboard a twin-engine plane to Bettles Field and from Bettles they will take a bush plane to the headwaters. "It's way the hell and gone," Clayton said, commenting on the location of the river. "It has almost never been run and there has been very little interest in it until lately." Clayton tried to organize a trip down the more-often-traveled Yukon River last year but was unable to find any companions. He then began pondering the possibility of a Noatak trip and later discovered that Elwell and Sturges were interested. All three are experienced outdoorsmen and, coincidentally, educators. Clayton, 37, is a vocational education consultant for the Granite School District. Sturges, 32, teaches at Park High and Elwell, 45, was principal of Marsac Elementary School before the school board, in a controversial decision, declined to renew his contract. That decision has been taken to the courts and is expected to be settled at the end of this month. Young Receives Republican Nod Gerald Young of Oakley will be the Republican candidate this fall for the two-year Summit County Commission seat. Young received a majority of the 30 delegate votes at the party convention held in Coalville June 6 but he did not gain the 70 percent needed to prevent a primary election. However, incumbent commissioner Dale Leavitt, Young's opponent, withdrew from the race, saying he wanted to augment party solidarity. Leavitt, from Kamas, has been a controversial figure in the Park City area due mainly to his push to have the city take over the Memorial Building. As expected, incumbent Commissioner Bill Wallin was nominated to run for the four-year county commission seat. In the voting for other county positions, Carl T. Ovard repulsed the challenge of Dawna Maxfield to gain the nomination for treasurer. Kecc! Pace will run for auditor, Ten j Although each man has experience in most aspects of living in the wild, each has his specialty. Clayton's forte is backpacking, camping and other technical aspects of outdoor living. He will serve as expedition leader and, as such, will be responsible for all final decisions. "John's responsible for everything," Elwell laughed after noting that Clayton camps 100 days each year, both summer and winter. "They just want someone to shoulder the blame," Clayton retorted facetiously. Elwell's specialty is boating and aquatics. Clayton described him as a "good water man" who has "been on the river for years." He also boasts wide experience as a skin diver in California and Mexico. The former elementary school principal will be testing a new type of wet suit for a West Coast company to determine how it works with kayaks. He also intends to dive for gold along the bottom of the Noatak. Wet suits are a "must" for all three adventurers. The water temperature of the Noatak is 45 degrees and without protection life expectancy is three to five minutes after , submersion. Although he built his own Folbot when he was in high school, Sturges' area of expertise is map reading and hunting. He will be counted on to provide direction and much of the wild food the trio expects to eat during the journey. Elwell expressed confidence that personality conflicts will be minimal during the long river trip. "We're all very compatible," he said. "John and I are fishing buddies and Don and I are drinking buddies." Two Folbots will provide transportation down the watery path of the Noatak. The two-man kayak is extremely stable due to weight distribution and a low center of gravity. It has been proven ocean worthy by Dr. Hans Lindeman, who paddled and sailed one in the South Atlantic from Spain to the Caribbean, and also has been used on the Nile. Weighing 79 pounds empty, the Folbots will be crammed with a thirty-day supply of food (weighing over 100 pounds), camping gear, firearms, clothing, camera equipment, emergency first aid and rescue equipment and other odds and ends. The food, for the most part, will be the dehydrated variety supplemented with some canned meats and fruits. The trio also will hunt and fish along the way. Artie ptarmigans (similar to a grouse or pheasant) are abundant as are three fish species grayling, sheefish and salmon. Part of the camping gear will include a tent specially modified for the expedition by Clayton. The tent features a special netting designed to bar entrance to a small biting fly LaMar Christensen will be the Republican candidate for county attorney and incumbent Ron Robinson once again will run for sheriff. Republican Party Chairman Glen Brown and Robert Burns will vie for seats in the Utah Houst of Representatives. The 30 delegates also selected voting representatives for the state Republican convention, to be held July 29 in the University of Utah Union Building. The allotment of these delegates by area was determined by the voter turnout during the last general election. State delegates are: North Summit Bryce Bell. Merlyn Johnson. Edison Stephens, Reed Pace. Carl ' H ard and Glen Brown Smith summit Preston Marchant. Lewi'- Manhant. lie Russell and DeMont .McNeil Park" (in-Diane Wallin. Jack Roberts and A! ('oup'-r es known colloquially as "noseeums." 'in a word, they're terrible." Clayton said. "They're almost invisible and they go right through conventional mesh." It may be called the Noatak but the Park City trio does expect some attacks, especially from the insect world. "We will have big bug problems," predicted Elwell, who has been above the Arctic Circle twice previously. "There are heavy duty flies and mosquitos." Tundra mosquitos can drain a quart of blood from a caribou in a week. In addition to the tent mesh, the rivet-travelers rivet-travelers will wear head nets, use insect repellent and experiment with Vitamin B compounds, said to be effective in warding off insects. "We shouldn't have much of a bug problem while we're paddling." Clayton observed. "And we'll try to camp where it's windy whenever possible." A shotgun, a rifle and two pistols, all Parkerized to prevent rust, will be part of the baggage. And hunting isn't their only purpose. In addition to daily sightings of caribou, wolf and arctic fox, the expedition expects equally frequent encounters with grizzly bears. "This is bear fishing territory," Elwell remarked. "We will be armed in the tent and when fishing." The pistols will be sheathed in shoulder holsters when any of the trio is in the water with rod and reei. Continued On Page 10 'Almost A Sure The welcome return of aestival activities was celebrated Sunday as more than 300 supporters flocked to the Kimball Art Center for the second annual fundraiser, this year aptly dubbed "Almost Summer." Among the more entertaining events offered during the day of complimentary activities was the Utah premiere of the Steve Tisch film that lent its name to the fundraiser "Almost Summer." After the full house showing in the Silver Wheel Theatre, participants rode the Car 19 trolley or walked in the golden sunset light to an extravagant hors d'oeuvres and champagne reception at the art center. Tina Lewis, president of the event's sponsor, the Kimbali Art Guild, greeted guests at the entrance to the center's brightly decorated main gallery. Japanese kites in a myriad of colors and shapes fluttered peacefully over the grass sodded banquet table heavily laden with the culinary delights provided by the Park City Catering company. Masterminded by Charlie Anderson, the sumptuous feast included such eye openers and belly inflaters as fresh fruit with hot fudge, a never-ending supply of Swedish meatballs, a bigger-than-a-breadbox clamshell overflowing with fresh shrimp, and, of course, ovs: ts on the half shell.. . The gala festivities added $5,000 to the center's funds and brought rave reviews for those who arranged the activities. Use of facilities was donated by the Park City Racquet Club, the Park City Golf Course and the Alpine Slide. Two fast-paced exhibition tennis matches were staged by Jim Anderson, Bob McBroom, Bill Latimer. Ron Bollinger and Derk Wharton at the Racquet Club. "The whole event was fantastic," said fundraiser chairperson Laurie Tisch. sister of the movie producer. "It seems impossible, but it was even better than last year's fundraiser! " Ms. Tisch said preparation for the event took six weeks "and a lot of devotion." The idea for another movie premiere fundraiser came about when brother Steve was visiting Park City a few months ago, Laurie said. "A few people mentioned the need f4V - if - -A X ,r If f i - John Kluell, .Ilm Cht ton and Will spend a montli on Alaska 114 ough uninhabited territory. Summer' Benefit Success For KAC S3- Mm'- ! 1 ks$? V - 7 Kxeeutive producer of 'Almost Summer' Steve Tisch (right) discusses his latest film. for another fundraiser, and Steve offered us his new film, just like last year." Last year's successful event highlighted the Tiseh-produced film, "Outlaw Blues." starring Susan St. James and Peter Fonda. "What's interesting about last Sunday is it drew people who could well afford the $25 ticket, as well as those who saved up so they could attend. It was very flattering," Ms. Tisch noted. - especially want to thank Tina Lewis, who worked so hard and masterminded the beautiful interior design for the party." Mrs. Lewis had equal praise for both Tischs and the large number of volunteers, donators and supporters. "This event . was another huge success," Mrs. Lewis said. "It drew such a nice mix of people of all ages and backgrounds dressed up and in their grubs!" "It really did look 'almost summer,' except David Fernandez will have cocktail sauce on his front lawn!" Lewis joked of the art center director who had designs on the sod tablecloth for the front of his Salt Lake house. Mrs. Lewis said the art center plans to throw some less extravagant events in the future to encourage more local participation. In July the Don Miii ucn U H u NuaLik 1 1 1 i:i II a elm" center hopes to host a square dance or disco dance contest on the plaza. The disco idea may have been spawned from the diehards who stayed after hours at the art center Sunday to do some foot stomping. Mrs. Lewis said the art center has preliminary plans for a best bib and tucker fundraising ball reminiscent of the mining heydays in the fall. "Again, I want to thank everyone for their terrific cooperation, the facilities that were so generously donated, the extravagant edibles, and all the help that has brought nothing but rave comments!" .IIIItllllM ! INSID 1 v WWII Glider Pilot Page 3 ft Slowpitch Starts Page 7 'Pretty Baby' Reviewed Page 9 Two Duel In Primary Lloyd Stevens came within four votes of securing the Democratic nomination for the four-year Summit County Commission post Tuesday night but a challenge by Ike Koleman has forced the race into a September primary election. Stevens, a Park City resident with family ties in Oakley, gained support from 52 of the 80 delegates present, four short of the 70 percent required to skip the primary. Koleman, of Snyderville, garnered 27 votes. If all delegates had attended the Democratic convention held in Coalville 112 votes would have been cast. Stevens told delegates that growth in the county's canyons must be controlled and that farmers must be given incentive to retain their land. He also stressed the benefits of tourism and the importance of what Continued on Page 10 I i -H r - V.. " tf WBoher Intermittent cloudiness Friday through Sunday but generally dry. High temperatures will be in the 70s with lows between 35 and 40. |