Trail Report / The City of Eagle, Alaska

Allen is heading towards Eagle. From his Spot, it appears he may have stopped to camp, but that may be incorrect. We won’t hear to much until mushers arrive in Eagle and then it will only be through the Quest. There are no handlers at that check point.

After dropping Doug off in Whitehorse, the rest of the SP crew are on their way back to Two Rivers with the dogs from the 3oo. They should arrive home sometime tomorrow. Bridgett is flying in from Nome to take over handling duties for the rest of her father’s race. She and Bob will be leaving for Circle and Central soon after the Dawson crew return. Why the switch? Aliy and Ryne and a few conscripts, um I mean volunteers, have to get food drops ready for Iditarod. They are due on Monday!

A little about Eagle:

Eagle, Alaska is a short 8 miles west of the border with the Yukon Territory. It is accessible by the Taylor Highway and the Top of the World Highway during the summer months, but only accessible by airplane, snow machine (mobile) and dog team during the winter months.

The Eagle / Eagle Village area is the historic home of the Han Kutchin Indians. In the late 1800’s, Eagle was a trading center for the miners working in the upper Yukon area and had a population of over 1700 by 1898. The US Army built a camp (Fort Egbert) in Eagle in 1900 and the City of Eagle became the first incorporated city in Interior Alaska in 1901.

When the Territorial Courthouse was moved to Fairbanks in 1903, the population declined. Today, the City of Eagle has a population of about 145 and Eagle Village has a population of about 45. There was heavy flooding in the area this past spring when ice jams blocked the Yukon River.