It is hard to believe that this coming June 19th will be five years since Erin was killed by a predatory black bear. There is not a day that goes by that we don’t think about her and feel the hole left by her absence. Anniversaries are a difficult time, but we are so grateful for all of you for your generous support to keep Erin’s happy, nature-loving, adventurous spirit alive through donations to support science education, getting people outdoors, and protecting Alaska’s wild places.
Since Erin’s Memorial Fund was first established, we have talked about how to honor Erin’s spirit not only through giving to organizations she cared about, but also through the creation of a physical space in her memory. After consultation with family, friends, organizations, and different user groups, we are pleased to announce that the Chugach State Park Superintendent, CSP Citizen’s Advisory Board, and the Eagle River Nature Center Advisory Board have all agreed to support building a new Public Use Cabin about three miles up Eagle River Valley on a point overlooking the river near Echo Bend. While the cabin will be created in Erin’s honor and with support from her Memorial Fund, construction and maintenance of the cabin will be overseen by the Eagle River Nature Center.
Eagle River Valley is a special place for our family, so it is a fitting location to construct a cabin in her memory. Erin spent a great deal of time hiking and camping in Eagle River Valley from the time she was very small. She continued to spend time exploring the valley with her friends as a teenager and adult.
The current plan is to build the cabin during the summer of 2023. Initial estimates for cabin construction costs is $80-100K, however, that is subject to change given how volatile construction materials are and the need for helicopter sling loads. Any additional funds raised in excess of construction costs will be saved for future maintenance and upkeep costs.
A huge thanks to Jason Arnold of Rim Architects, and retired architect Matt Vogel, for working on the concept design and volunteering a significant amount of time and energy to identify a good site and developing the final plans. We are extremely grateful to have their expertise and their willingness to see this project through completion, however long it takes.
To ensure that donations for the cabin will go directly to supplies and constructions costs, we have set up a separate fund at the Alaska Community Foundation. It is called the EKJ Memorial Cabin Fund (https://alaskacf.org/funds/ekj-memorial-cabin-fund/ ). The cabin will be named Korohusk Cabin after Korohusk Peak nearby.
We are very excited that this public use cabin will further support Erin’s legacy and the goal of her fund by encouraging people to enjoy nature with friends and families while supporting science education at the Eagle River Nature Center. We are sincerely grateful and honored to have Dick Griffith, a strong backer of the Eagle River Nature Center and someone who knew Erin since she was a little girl, help us get the fund started by giving a generous donation to get the project off the ground. Thank you so much, Dick!
We hope you will consider donating to help make this Public Use Cabin in memory of Erin a reality!
Very Sincerely,
The Erin K. Johnson Memorial Fund Board:
Barb and Steve Johnson, Abe Schmidt, Annie Brownlee, Kyle Shedd
Parents, Steve and Barb Johnson, with view from close to the selected cabin site.