"Back in the day" we used to take my Dad's old one ton Ford with a big winch from Mentasta Village to Mankomen Lake. Crossing the Slana River was a hoot and I knew one guy that lost his new pick up in the Slana River in the early 70's. My Dad and Mom built a place by the Slana River about 7 miles from Mentasta Lodge. I have not been back to the lake since the early 70's and we sold the parents place long ago and I rarely get up on the Old Tok Road. I truly miss the good times I had in the Nebesna, Slana and Mentasta areas and it was a beautiful game rich country when we landed there in 1965. Then came the pipeline and Jimmy Carter and the Native Land claims............Crap!.
My Dad had a vey well built fish wheel on the Copper River off of the Nebesna Road and he pretty well turned it over to the natives in the summer. In return him and Fred and Katie John of Menatasta became friends and he had free access to hunt and cut fire wood where he wanted. He also was pretty good about dropping off some moose and caribou meat at the village.
There was a guy up there went by Thumper that had a lifted big tired rig and drove all over that country and the river, he had it figured out. I don't think he is around any more. If I was to start going back in there I would want a big tired lifted truck and I would try and pay the Mentasta Lodge to park my other truck and trailer there. From there I would drive down to the village and cross the river and not worry about my other rig and trailer, I would want a partner with the same set up.
Going in from Chistochina does not sound like fun. I worked at Slate Creek in 1973 for Ranchers and Resource associates, a placer mining outfit. I was just off of four years and three West Pac cruises in Yankee Station during Viet Nam and living in the wall tent above tree line at Slate Creek was perfect. I don't think accessing Mankomen Lake from Slate Creek would be something I would attempt, except by snow machine.
A walk down memory lane this is............
