Korohusk Cabin Donations
Erin K. Johnson Memorial Fund: Korohusk Public Use Cabin Construction
We
are pleased to announce that the Board of Friends of Eagle River Nature
Center, with permission of Chugach State Park administrators and the
Chugach State Park Advisory Board, have agreed to support building a
public use cabin three miles from the Nature Center on a magnificent
point overlooking the Eagle River. Barbara and Steve Johnson have been
raising funds to fulfill their vision of building a public use cabin
that will be enjoyed by Alaskans in memory of their daughter Erin.
When completed, it will be the most remote cabin on the Nature Center
side of the Historic Iditarod Trail and along the path of the proposed
Long Trail. All proceeds from the cabin's rentals will support the work
of the Nature Center - a perfect fit for the Erin K. Johnson Memorial Fund.
Erin (seen to left here with her father Steve)
and her family spent a great deal of time hiking and camping in the
Eagle River Valley since she was very young. As she grew up, they hiked
the Crow Pass /Historic Iditarod Trail, skied up the valley to Eagle
Lake in the winter, and spent many days camping on the river bars around
Icicle Creek and in the winter at the Rapids Camp Yurt. Later, Erin
continued doing hiking trips up the valley with her husband, Abe, and
friends. She climbed Korohusk Peak and stayed at the Yukla Yurt with her
friends to use as a staging ground for packrafting the river's rapids.
Eagle River Valley has been a very special place for the Johnson
family, so when it came time to find an organization to offer funding
for a cabin the Nature Center turned out to be a perfect fit.
The
Johnson family hope to raise donations via the fund they established
with the Alaska Community Foundation over the next year so that the
cabin may be built during the summer of 2023. They will be soliciting
in-kind material donations along with volunteers to help with much of
the work. Nevertheless, the current estimated need is $90-$100,000.
Materials and finished wall panels will need to be helicoptered to the
site. The ultimate goal is to build a low maintenance, well-insulated
cabin to sleep 6 people. If more money is raised, then all the
additional revenue will be used for long-term cabin maintenance and
upkeep. The Johnson Family are grateful to Jason Arnold, of RIM ARCHITECTS and retired architect, Matt Vogel for volunteering their time and expertise and locating a great site and producing concept designs.
Although the cabin will be built in memory of Erin, the cabin will be named Korohusk Cabin.
This name, according to Chief Alex of the Eklutna Tribe, is a Dena’ina
name meaning “come in”. This seems fitting for a welcoming cabin
located in a beautiful setting below Korohusk Peak. We hope you will
consider donating to this worthy cause and help make the Korohusk Public
Use Cabin in memory of Erin a reality. Donations are being taken via
the Alaska Community Foundation's Erin K. Johnson Memorial Fund.
Friends of Eagle River Nature Center are very grateful to the Johnson's
for their generosity and for taking on this enormous task. We hope
that everyone who enjoys the yurts and cabin, as well as our supporters
will help in this effort. If you have any questions please contact us.