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Riverboat Discovery
Welcome aboard! Your three-and-a half hour cruise will take
you into the heart of Alaska and the heart of a family who has made the
rivers of Alaska a way of life for four generations. You will see a bush
plane taking off from a "bush" style runway, visit the home and kennels of
four time Iditarod winner Susan Butcher, witness the "wedding of the
rivers," and gain insight into the ancient Athabascan Indian culture.
Alaskan Native guides who have worked and lived in Alaska will take you on
a personalized tour of the Chena Indian Village.
Visit the home and kennels of four time
Iditarod champion Susan Butcher, as we pass Trail Breaker Kennels along
the Chena River. Learn first hand about kennel life and the challenges
that go into making a champion dogsled team. Susan's husband Dave Monson,
a champion of the Yukon Quest, or a senior handler shares stories of life
in the dog yard and on the trails, as puppies play in anticipation of
joining the team.
Susan and her husband Dave Monson ran in and won almost every major dog
sled race worldwide. Additionally, Susan accomplished many challenges
never before attempted, including taking a team of dogs to the summit of
Mount McKinley! You will get a chance to see her Iditarod champion dogs in
action and meet them up close as you hear more about dog mushing. Be sure
to visit the Susan Butcher Gallery located at Steamboat Landing. There you
will see many of Susan's trophies, awards, photographs and personal
mementos. You will also have an opportunity to take a photo with a sled
that Susan used to win the Iditarod.
The highlight of the cruise is a
one-hour stop at the Chena Indian Village, where Alaskan Native guides
will take you on a guided tour. You'll see an Athabascan Indian village
with cabins made of spruce logs, a cache used for storing supplies, and
fur pelts. Our guides will explain how the wolf, fox, martin, and beaver
were used to provide food and protection in the harsh Arctic climate.
Our guides will show you a spruce bark hut, which Athabascans used as
primitive shelters, and an authentic birch bark canoe made without any
metal fasteners. You'll visit the home of renowned Athabascan beadwork
artist Dixie Alexander and see the garments she's sewn from animal hides.
She'll let you see her latest projects, and when one of our guides models
a Yupik Eskimo winter parka, you will want to have your camera ready. To
the side of Dixie's cabin are hides of the largest game animals in the
Interior--moose, bear, and caribou. You'll learn how Athabascan Indians
called animals, how they tanned the hides, and how they preserved them.
In addition, you will visit the fenced dog yard where Iditarod champion
Susan Butcher keeps some of her dogs. You'll get to see them up close and
hear stories about how these champions helped Susan win four Iditarod
races. At the end of your tour, you'll have 15 minutes to wander around
camp, revisit stops, and take any pictures you may have missed. Your
friendly Alaskan Native guides will also be happy to answer any of your
questions. See an
Alaskan bush pilot display a short field take-off and landing from a grass
runway along the banks of the Chena River. Bush pilots and planes played a
vital role in the pioneering of Alaska, succeeding the riverboats in
Alaskan transportation history. Because of Alaska's vast remote areas,
service by airplane was (and remains) essential to the timely delivery of
supplies. When bush planes first entered the country, sternwheelers ruled
the transportation business. It didn't take long for the bush plane to
prove its utility and send the riverboats into retirement.
Today, Alaska has the highest per capita ownership of private aircraft.
Due to the limited access to rivers in much of the state and the seasonal
nature of riverboating, bush pilots can be seen practicing their skills in
virtually all parts of Alaska year round.
The fish camp is the summer home for Interior Athabascan Indians who
practice a subsistence lifestyle. Fish camp is also where family elders
work side by side with younger generations, passing down their history and
culture. It is at the fish camp that they catch fish to feed their dogs
and themselves throughout the winter. The fish are caught in a fishwheel,
which scoops the fish from the river as it is turned by the current.
Watch Dixie Alexander demonstrate how fish are cut and prepared for human
and dog consumption. Dixie will also be at the Chena Indian Village where
she will demonstrate Athabascan hides and beadwork, some of the Interior
Indians' most prized cultural skills.
Step into the past at Steamboat Landing, one of the finest gift stores in
Alaska. Stroll along the picturesque boardwalk beside the Chena River and
enter any of our four turn of the century shops. Discovery Trading Post
offers unique Alaskan gifts at the lowest prices in Alaska. The Susan
Butcher Dog Mushing gallery features mementos of the Iditarod champion's
lifestyle. The Binkley and Barrington Shop offers Alaskan made products
and much more. The Pioneer Hotel is a replica of Fairbanks' first luxury
hotel and features many custom souvenirs. Open daily during the summer, or
you can contact us year-round via the internet.
Discovery Trading Post features Captain Jim's Gourmet Smoked Salmon. Our
alder smoked Alaska sockeye salmon is the best there is! We guarantee you
will be delighted with this unique and delicious taste of Alaska. Our
attractive gift packs include three cans of gourmet smoked salmon, along
with a free booklet with our favorite salmon recipes as well as history
about the Riverboat Discovery. Just send us your order and we will take
care of the rest. We promise convenience, top-notch service and the best
smoked salmon you have ever tasted.
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