Skwentna River In Shem Pete's Alaska

Shem Pete’s Alaska is about the wonders that Alaska has to give. Shem Pete focuses mainly on rivers located in Alaska in this book, such as the Skwentna River, Matanuska River, Turnagain Arm, and so on. Shem Pete gives a brief description of each river, the surroundings, and the culture within the area. From what I have read, every place that Shem Pete talks about, has their own language, and is very diverse and the rivers of Alaska has the most beautiful rivers in the world. Not only are these rivers here for sight seeing, but they are also there for hunting food, and to bring back food. Shem Pete has shared a gift to all of us by sharing his thoughts, personal experiences and knowledge to help us understand more about all these different rivers and places he has traveled to throughout Alaska.

Skwentna River is a river in the southwestern region part of

Matanuska River drains an extensive amount of valley in the south which is the main reason on how the river got the name. Shem Pete states in his journal that in the 1860’s, the name Matanuska does not show up on the first ninteenth-century map, so it was named the Knik River instead of Matanuska River. Shem Pete also states how no one used boats on the Matanuska River, mostly because the trail was too cold, swift and rocky. Matanuska river also has big standing waves and holes along some sections of the trail, which causes overhanging on the lower reaches and upriver winds. Most travelers came to the river from late fall until spring when it was easier to move their supplies on sleds. Near the site of the Matanuska River, there is rumor that there is a little village site called To’xnaytlkitc. Shem Pete stated that some travelers may have came across this village, some could not locate it. A traveler, Bailey Theodore, stated that he may have seen the site, and stated how this village was the place where his grandfather had