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Multiple Sclerosis Expedition

Trip Report Written By Fly Out Ambassador Mark Rutherford

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On July 9, 2011 6 participants gathered together in Dillingham, Alaska to launch a fly fishing expedition into the Wilderness of Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. Our goals were much the same as other Alaska wilderness enthusiasts who fly out in small float planes loaded with rafts and camping gear to float and fish wild Alaskan rivers. Our commitment was: "to be prepared mentally, physically, and with proper equipment to be self supporting in the wilderness". We would be dropped off at a lake beyond the tree line to navigate shallow tundra river channels, to float, fish, and camp among the notable Alaskan Brown Bears of the region. Two of the participants were especially motivated by their commitment to live the Alaska wilderness experience to the fullest! For them as each day passes their physical abilities and health are compromised by MS, Multiple Sclerosis. A third participant with a prosthetic leg, Malcolm Daly, co-led this annual Paradox Sports trip. Karen Daly and Olly Merrill and I signed on as support.

{gallery}WildRiverGuides{/gallery}The trip fulfills an ongoing commitment shared by outdoorsmen John Merritt, Malcolm Daly, and Mark Rutherford, to make truly significant, bona fide, Alaskan wilderness expeditions accessible to significantly disabled campers. We believe that if Erik Weihenmayer, totally blind, can summit Mt. Everest and that Mark Wellman, a paraplegic, can climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, that others with disabilities will consider taking on expeditionary challenges. In this case to undertake a self propelled adventure across a vast Alaskan landscape. We undertook the first self propelled Alaska expedition with paraplegic fly fisherman Vijay Viswanathon and angler Malcolm Daly with his prosthetic leg, in 2009. In 2010 we completed a second adventure with 5 disabled participants. In 2011, to honor John Merritt's extraordinary vision we devoted the Alaska wilderness fly-fishing expedition to participants with Multiple Sclerosis. John Merritt has secondary progressive MS and his prior adventures exploring remote Alaskan fisheries are spoken of around many campfires. 

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10 Gifts You Might Have To Get For Yourself

For the Alaska Angler

 Just Click on the Image to Shop  

1. GoPro Hero 2 - $299.99 - GoPro cameras are used by more professional athletes, sports filmmakers and core enthusiasts than any other camera in the world. The HD HERO2: Outdoor Edition is the most advanced GoPro camera yet.

  

 

 

 

2. Zg Helios Fly Rod - $775.00 - Orvis set out on an adventure to make the world's lightest fly fishing rod. Along the way, they may have made the world's best. The new patent pending Helios is so innovative and, frankly, so far ahead of all other fly rods it skips generations in how a fly rod should feel, cast, and fish. It is so sublimely light, incredibly responsive, deadly accurate, and just plain easy and enjoyable to cast. A perfect trout rod for Alaska.

        

3. The Alaska Chronicles: An Unwashed View of Life, Work, and Fly Fishing - $24.95 - For seventeen weeks, Nolte had used his laptop and a satellite Internet connection to transmit his semi-daily account of what it's really like to be a fly fishing guide on a remote Alaskan river. Now published into a book, this candid account gives an interesting perspective on guide life in Alaska.

      

4. Filson Original Briefcase - $215.00 - A dependable, everyday briefcase, appropriate for the field. Inside is a wide carrying compartment, two full-length open pockets and sewn-on compartments for calculator, business cards, pencils and pens. Narrow pockets on both ends and full-length outer pockets on both sides.

5. Bozeman Watch Company Cutthroat - $6,675.00 - This stunning watch has been designed and made with the addition of a 24 hour time zone or GMT function so its proud wearer will always know what time it is in the mountains of Montana (or Alaska) where his/her favorite catch lies in waiting.

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6. Mount McKinley Flight Seeing Trip with Talkeetna Air Taxi - Starting at $195.00 - Consider a Gift Certificate for a Denali flight seeing tour and see one of the last wilderness areas untouched by modern man: over six million acres of open alpine tundra, wildlife, mile high granite gorges, ancient blue glaciers and endless icy peaks.

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7. A Bob White Print: An Outside Chance - $160 to $800 - Take a look at this signed & Numbered Limited Edition Giclee Print. A good fit for the sportsman's living room or office. We are happy to have such a talented artist and fly fishing guide as a Guide Ambassador with Fly Out.

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8. Save Bristol Bay - $ Donation - 'Tis the season of giving! This is the perfect gift for mother nature. Walk the walk, and donate to help protect Bristol Bay.

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9. Subscribe to The Drake Magazine – 18.00/year - The Drake is our favorite fly fishing publication, period. The quality of articles and content is unmatched. Although the magazine is quarterly, you are not likely to be disappointed.

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10. An Alaska Fly Out Adventure - Go back to your favorite lodge or find a new adventure via our directory at AlaskaFlyOut.com. Email the lodges directly through the listings to inquire about specials and/or holiday pricing. See our list of Fly Out Lodges here. Or, contact the Fly Out team at [email protected] for booking advice. We're the Alaska experts. 

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INTENSE Alaska Fly Out Adventure!!

Dropped: Project Alaska


In the far reaches of remote Alaska survival is an everyday game. Enter into the minds of outdoor TV personalities Chris and Casey Keefer as they set out to survive 30 days in Alaska’s backcountry. Each new day these brothers will pit their skills as hunters, woodsmen, and fishermen against an unforgiving and relentless landscape.

Shot in a documentary style, Dropped will bring viewers face to face with the harsh reality of only being able to eat what you can kill. A True test of mind, body, and soul. As they wind their way through over a hundred river miles of the most perilous and game rich country in the world, they will both attempt to kill; Caribou, Moose, Black Bear, and Wolf, armed only with a bow.

Dropped: Project Alaska premieres December 27th at 9 PM E/P exclusively on the Sportsman Channel

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Exploring the Tongass

Field & Stream: Best Wild Places

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For the second straight year, Field & Stream has partnered with Trout Unlimited on tours of America's Best Wild Places. The Best Wild Places is a joint project and offers a unique look at some of the country's best hunting and fishing destinations, as well as the challenges these amazing places face if they are to remain intact and functional for years to come. One of their feature "places" is the Tongass National Forest. Read more

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A Day in Our Bay

A Taste of the Priceless Culture in Bristol Bay

dayinourbay-logo-250A total of 151 Bristol Bay Native Corp. shareholders requested a free video camera to participate in the project, and video mentors traveled to eleven communities to train people on how to use the cameras. Shareholders were then asked to document their lives and feelings about the land on a single day: Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. Check out a few of their entries below.  

If you live near Anchorage, the "Day in Our Bay" film premieres today (Dec. 2nd) 8 P.M. at the Bear Tooth Theatre as a part of the Anchorage International Film Festival. If you can't make the showing in Alaska, check out their website at dayinourbay.org. For more videos, see their YouTube Channel.

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'Tis The Season

A Special Deal That Helps Our Wilderness

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Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska has teamed up with Pro Guide Direct, IBEX and Mountain Khakis to provide you a special deal that also helps our wilderness.

Simply click the image above and make a purchase between November 17 and December 3 to take advantage of the special promotions. On top of a terrific deal, 15% of your purchase will benefit SAA's work to protect Alaska's incredible public lands for fishing and hunting.

You can visit the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska at the following link: 

http://www.sportsmansalliance4ak.org/

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