Our Very Own Piece of Alaska: murkl.com Goes “Claim Staking”
After the opening trip in the Arctic in May, our founder Murkel still had enough time in Alaska to stake a claim for murkl.com – in other words, to acquire a piece of land of our own, with the goal of building our own log cabin there. And if you like, you can come by very soon to pan for gold, watch bears and enjoy the untouched nature. The story of this little patch of earth, and of “homesteading” itself, is truly fascinating!
“Homesteading” and “claim staking” in Alaska
In Alaska you often stumble across the word “homestead.” Until the early 1970s, the government gave away any piece of land you could simply stake out with corner posts. It didn't cost a thing. There were just three rules:
1. The future owner's details had to be attached to the four corner posts.
2. Afterwards, you were required to register the land in your name.
3. And the most important rule: within one year, you had to live on the land or work it.
So far, so good, and it makes sense. The principle has proven itself, so it's no surprise that “claim staking” is still common practice today – including the corner posts driven into the ground before you can register and thus lease the land. These days, however, you pay a symbolic price for the land, which commits you to building on it or working it. If you don't, the lease price shoots up to extreme levels, so you'd better think the “purchase” through carefully beforehand.
murkl.com's “claim staking” in the best of neighborhoods
The murkl.com property is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the nearest major road and just under 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the nearest village, which has around 60 residents. A visit to this vast wilderness is truly worth it, because the Wild and Free dog kennel of Brent Sass is right “next door”! The whole area is called “Salters Homestead” and belongs to Ed and Willow Salters. The two discovered the land on a vacation trip in the early 1970s and staked it out on the spot. Ed immediately started building a small cabin, while Willow briefly went back to Arizona to sort out and wrap up the paperwork for her belongings there. And so, for the two of them, a three-week vacation in Alaska turned into a life in the wide-open wilderness that would last 42 years.
After building the cabin, Ed took care of the property's infrastructure and built a driveway – believe it or not – 15 kilometers (9 miles) long to the nearest major road. Before that, the long hikes to the “homestead” carrying everything you need to live had simply been too grueling.
“Salters Homestead” in Alaska's vast wilderness – a cherished memory for Ed and Willow today
The Salters truly created a paradise on this patch of earth. Everyone who knows Ed and Willow – and that's an incredible number of people – deeply regrets that the two had to pack up and leave Alaska a few years ago for health reasons. As they got older, they could no longer bear the wind and the cold in winter.
Their departure was just like their start in Alaska: overnight they were gone, as quickly as they had arrived. They took only as much as would fit in their pickup and trailer. Knowing them, they couldn't have stood a big farewell ceremony anyway. And what wouldn't fit in any vehicle anyway are the experiences of their many years here. Ed and Willow have not returned to this place to this day – all the more vivid and present may their memories of their time here be.
Dog sledding in the Arctic – the highlight of “Salters Homestead”
After returning home to Arizona, Ed and Willow Salters signed the “homestead” over to Brent Sass, because as former dog sled owners they wanted a home for dogs to continue on their land. So today, “Salters Homestead” is the home of the Wild and Free Kennel. Two to three people live here with 60 to 100 dogs.
This very special patch of earth is the perfect base for murkl.com in our constant search for the greatest possible ways to connect people and their very individual experiences with nature in Alaska. Anyone who has been here can feel it. And we couldn't wish for nicer neighbors.