2008 Stikine River Migratory Bird and GArnet Festival
Wednesday, April 23rd - Sunday, April 27th
Thank you to our major sponsors Alaska Airlines and Alaska Marine Highway System
The festival celebrates the arrival of the largest springtime concentration of Bald Eagles in North America on the Stikine River Delta, the arrival of spring in Alaska as well as the history of Garnet Ledge. The variety and large springtime concentration of wildlife on the Stikine’s (Stik-Heen) delta sets the Garnet Festival apart from all other festivals in Alaska. Up to 2000 American Bald Eagles feed on the hooligan swimming up the middle and north arms of the Stikine River. The delta is a major stopover on the Pacific Fly Way for approximately 200,000 shorebirds and up to 15,000 Snow Geese and over 10,000 Sand Hill Cranes. Approximately123 different species of birds are represented annually on the delta beginning mid-April through the beginning of May. The spring run of “Hooligan” or Eulechon (a small smelt like fish) also attracts a large number of Steller Sea Lions and Harbor Seals. Lesnoi Island, located near the mouth of the river is a popular Sea Lion “haul out” during the spring Hooligan run. Occasionally, Orcas can be seen near the delta waiting to feast on stray Sea Lions or Seals.
Garnet Ledge had several owners the most notable was the Alaska Garnet Mining and Manufacturing Company. It was composed entirely of women, with Anna E. Rose, president, Anna E. Durkee, secretary & general manager, & a board of eleven directors. The purpose of the company was to mine the garnets from the ledge near the mouth of the Stikine River then cut & polish them at a manufacturing plant in Minneapolis. An excerpt from an old company brochure states, “A ruby is scarcely more beautiful than this wonderfully rich, brilliant, fiery gem from the north. It is harder and takes a finer and more lasting polish than the Bohemian garnet. Its hardness is 7.5, only 2.5 points softer than the Kimberly diamond…”Mr. Fred G. Hanford bought the ledge and in 1962 deeded Garnet Ledge to the Southeast Alaska Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America "for only so long as the said grantee… shall use the land for Scouting purposes and shall permit the children of Wrangell to take garnets there from in reasonable quantities."
Most Wrangell children will mine their garnets in early spring and sell them to visitors during the summer months. This mining expedition usually requires an overnight excursion to Garnet Ledge. Many families make camping and mining at Garnet Ledge an annual event. The ledge is located on the Stikine River Delta.
Alaska Airlines offers 10% discount for Stikine River Migratory Bird/Garnet Festival
Travel dates 4/20-4/30/08
Use Code EC02308
Birding & Garnet Ledge Information Links:
Wrangell Island Bird Check List
Birds Around Wrangell Check List
Stikine River Bird Check List
Alaska's Bird Check List
Wings over Alaska
Festival Information Links
2008 Stikine River Migratory and Garnet Festival Schedule
2008 Stikine River Migratory Bird and Garnet Festival Travel Specials
Special Guests & Keynote Speakers
Birding Festival Partner Links: