Four Days in Prince William Sound
Ellen and Barbara. Two incredible people giving it their all to manage and conserve nearly six million acres of Forest Service Land in Alaska. Our mission this trip: Schrode Lake Cabin trail maintenance. Tucked away in Prince William Sound, the journey to Schrode Lake is remote, beautiful, and humbling. This trip has historically been one of the wetter trips on the summer roster, and our stint was no different. Out of our four days in the sound, there were only a few hours of reprieve from the unrelenting downpour. The saying goes “come hell or high water”. Well, we definitely had high water. Among the towering trees, lush meadows, and inlets teeming with life, the most striking thing to me was Ellen and Barbara’s commitment to the mission. Joined by volunteers through the Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation, Ellen and Barbara guided our efforts to transport tools, improve trail conditions, and perform cabin maintenance.
Anyone who has been in the sound will tell you it’s a special place. But its importance takes on a greater meaning when you witness the effort and dedication necessary to provide responsible access to some of its remote corners. The work they do is important, and I’m frustrated at the reality of small men making decisions in a dry boardroom that impact the people willing to get out there in a torrential downpour to ensure this land is protected. This work deserves more support than I think it will get in the near future. The very fact that I have the opportunity to write about this unique experience is a testament to the importance of responsible and sustainable access to Prince William Sound.
People like Ellen and Barbara give me hope. Hope that more people will come to know and understand the importance of caring for this land responsibly. Hope that their dedication, enthusiasm, and spirit are not in vain. The energy they give to this land and this work is inspiring and it’s brought me closer physically and in spirit to the place that I have considered home all of my life.
