Arctic Refuge explorers
I loved this autobiography by Mardie Murie. It's all about her delightful coming of age adventures in Fairbanks in the early 1900's, including being the last person to leave Fairbanks by horse & dog sled before they were replaced by machines. Her adventures really take off when she marries Olaus and they take their honeymoon into interior of Alaska to pursue his studies of the wilderness in what becomes, with their help and blessings, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She makes light of all the difficulties inherent in living in very cold and dark winter conditions and mosquito infested days of the midnight sun. I would read any of her books. I also highly recommend Mardie & Olaus' co-written book "Wapiti Wilderness" which continues the saga of their lives in Jackson Hole in the 30's. They take turns writing the chapters. Olaus even includes journal entries from early trappers in JH. If you like nature, animals, Alaska, adventure, outdoors, then you'll enjoy these books. I wish I had known these two people. They are/were very special. Great armchair travel stories of an era past!
