Alaska scene wins June 'AOPA Pilot' photo contest
Dave Palmer loves flying and the Alaskan wilderness. That is why he built a cabin at Chilkat Lake, located in Alaska's southeastern panhandle about 30 miles from Haines, Alaska. The lake is accessible only by airplane or riverboat, so Palmer transported most of the cabin's building materials, including power tools, a generator, solar panels, furniture, and even the kitchen sink, in his Cessna 180 on floats. The photo, taken from the cabin's deck, reflects spectacular mountains, which reach a height of 5,000 feet. That same vista often includes brown and black bears, mountain goats, and moose. On one occasion, a moose swam between the right and left float of a Cessna 206 moored at the cabin's dock. Palmer is a longtime AOPA member and the airport manager for Juneau International Airport. Go online to see a full-size version of the photograph and to find out how you too can become a contender for cash prizes totaling $9,500.
