WITH THE MOOSE AND CARIBOU IN ALASKA 



By WILLIAM N. BEACH 

 New York City 



Several times during the past few years Dr. Wetmore had spoken 

 to me about getting a new moose group and specimens of stone caribou 

 for the Smithsonian Institution. As I wished to get the finest possible 

 specimens of the Alaskan moose, I felt that it would be necessary to 

 arrange an expedition to go down the north side of the Alaskan Range 

 beyond Mount McKinley, a region known as the Rainy Pass section 

 of the Range. From several trips I had made to this country I was 

 under the impression that the moose there were larger and finer speci- 

 mens than in any other part of Alaska, even including the Kenai 

 Peninsula. 



From the experience gained on four previous expeditions to this 

 country I realized that a successful trip would require careful plan- 

 ning. After several conferences with Dr. Wetmore it was decided that 

 the expedition should be made in the fall of 1937, and a friend, J. Wat- 

 son Webb, agreed to join me. Harry Boyden, a former guide, was to 

 accompany the expedition, and Mrs. Webb and her two sons, Watson 

 Webb, Jr., and Harry Webb, were to start about 3 weeks ahead of us 

 and proceed to the Rainy Pass country. Their trip was to be largely 

 photographic and exploring. In order to handle these two expeditions 

 we decided it would be necessary to have 30 horses for saddle and 

 pack purposes. The general list of equipment and supplies was made 

 up, and guides were obtained. This particular section of Alaska was 

 chosen on account of the huge quantities of game that I had seen there 

 on my previous trips. It is most inaccessible and difficult to reach and 

 can only be entered by an outfit of one's own. 



Boyden left for Alaska in June with the horses, and went directly 

 through to McKinley Park Station on the Alaska Railroad, and from 

 there through the Park over the road to Wonder Lake, which is the 

 terminal of the Park Highway. Mrs. Webb and her two sons arrived 

 at Wonder Lake via plane from Anchorage about 3 weeks ahead of 

 Mr. Webb and myself, and departed down the Range at once. This 

 party had Carl Anderson as head guide. 



Watson Webb and I arrived at McKinley Park Station, over the 

 Alaska Railroad, on the evening of August 13, specially conducted by 



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