LIVING & BROADCASTING VALDEZ: JOE & LAURIE PRAX
Alaska Couple And Community Advocates Discuss Essential Town Functions And Magnificent Scenery Of Great American North
One would never be able to guess that Laurie Prax grew up in California with the sun, the heat... A Valdez, Alaska resident, Prax is always outdoors and – as a huge part of Valdez' radio station KVAK Radio 93.3 FM and 1230 AM – she is also immersed in most events and activities that take place throughout the small town.
With just over 4,000 people, Valdez is a huge leap from the San Francisco Bay area she left 25 years ago. And gone is the heat, the sandy beaches... Located two hours away from the nearest town, Valdez gets more snow than anywhere else in the world. They see 330 inches of snow a year. A few weeks ago they experienced over 100 mile an hour winds. But that's normal for winter in Valdez.
Unless it's more than 30 degrees below, nothing is canceled. School is still in session. Sports teams still play. People still drive to work. Businesses remain open.
For the 25 years that Prax has lived in Valdez, she has only experienced one four hour delay.
“We never cancel anything.”
It's actually this resiliance that kept Prax interested in Valdez after she moved with her husband, Joe, to the small town.
“They made the biggest impact on me,” she recalled. “They have this desire to be a little more active here. You can't just sit inside.”
Nothing is easy in Valdez. People have to shovel their car before they can even get anywhere. But it's this harsh environment during the winter that brings the community together. People are always involved, always excited, and that's what makes working at the radio station something special for Prax.
“When we do an event or activity or have trivia on air, people are so excited and involved,” she said. “They just have a more care-free attitude about things. They don't take things too seriously.”
It's the kind of town where everyone wants to be involved, where a radio station can really make a difference. In the summer there's a bunch of volunteers who put together Gold Rush Days, a celebration of the town's history. The week-long event features game nights for families, parades, duct tape boat competitions...
“You realize the difference when you go back home,” she said. “Back in San Francisco they're paying $500 for their kid to go to gymnastics.”
A small quaint community covered in snow... It's hard to believe one of their top sources of revenue is tourism.
So who is visiting Valdez and why?
That 4,000 count population sky-rockets to 20,000 in the summer for the town's multiple fish derbies. There's the Halibut Hulabaloo from June 9 to the 18th, Kid's Pink Salmon Derby on July 22, the Women's Silver Salmon Derby on August 12 and more.
Participants who catch the largest halibut during the 10-day Halibut Hulabaloo fishing derby will win $15,000. Past winners have been over 200 pounds. In 2015, the Hullabaloo winner was Jeffrey Group, of Berlin, Wisconsin. His winning catch was just over 170 pounds.
Salmon are another huge draw. Valdez has about 20 to 30 million salmon released out of their hatchery in Port Valdez. The Silver Derby features a $15,000 cash prize as well. Past winners have caught salmon over 17 pounds. The Kid's Pink Salmon Derby is for children age five to 16. Where else can a five year old catch an 8 pound fish? Families can participate for free and even gather for a BBQ.
Then there's Prax's favorite: The Valdez Women's Silver Salmon Derby. This special derby has been running for 13 years and it's the only women's fishing derby in Alaska. She described it as “half party, half fishing.”
The first year they expected only 50 people but there were over 200. The most women who have participated in the one-day even was 742. Said Prax: “There's women everywhere. The men are not invited. The ladies just get a little bit crazy!”
With a costume contest, door prizes, chocolate, music and a bar it's easy to see why the day may get a little out of hand. And as one of the hosts, Prax has seen it all first-hand.
But Prax's husband, Joe – the owner of a local clothing and sporting goods store called The Prospector – doesn't feel too left out. He has some events of his own in Valdez.
He's president of the Valdez Fly-In and Air Show, the premier bush flying event in Alaska. The mid-May event is a gathering of pilots and aviation enthusiasts who come together for the event's world-renowned take off and landing competitions and entertaining air shows. Between locals and people flying in, they see about 2,000 people that weekend and over 400 airplanes.
“Anybody interested in aviation will really have a good time,” said Joe. “The competition is so close to you. It's good for people who want to take pictures. We've had a plane take off in 19 feet. There's pretty impressive numbers and people really get into the competition.”
In a press release from last year's competition, there's mention of an 18 year old, Laura Joy Erb, who competed for the first time in her Cessna 150, making a 207 foot takeoff and 172 foot landing for a total of 369 feet.
Then there's the skiing competitions and bike races.
Said Joe: “Valdez does events really well.”
So people come for the fishing. They come for the flying. But more and more people have started coming to Valdez “just to check it out,” said Prax.
“The scenery is pretty amazing,” she explained. “My mom would never come here in the winter. But if you like the snow... There's snow, skiing, snowboarding... To see people's faces when they look at the mountains and the terrain we have... It's amazing. We have an Ice Climbing Festival.”
In the summer, the snow has melted.
“It's a beautiful drive,” she continued. “You can bring your RV. You can go hiking, go tour a glacier, tour a fishing hatchery, go fishing... A lot of people who live here take for granted what's up here. But there's so many things to do and see here that you can'd do or see anywhere else.”
During those three months, Valdez is packed. Out of town visitors. Tourists. Adventurers. Travelers. Campers. Retired couples. Young families. The businesses are hopping. Restaurants are packed. It's sunny from five in the morning to midnight. Everyone is out fishing and hiking.
It's strange to think that in just a few months Valdez will be quiet again, back to its usual 4,000 population, covered in snow.
Olivia Richman
Make Sure To Check Out:
Archangel Road & Trail is located in the Hatcher Pass East Management Area, near mile 14.4 Hatcher Pass Road. High ground clearance vehicles are recommended.