Comments on: A trip to Melozi Hotsprings – like the Shining, only with hot water

By: Molly Childs Johnson

Molly Childs Johnson — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 06:23:00 +0000

One summer in 84 or 85 I spent several weeks out at Melozi with my school friend and her parents who held the lease. It hurts my heart just a little to see it abandoned. There was a lot of heart and life in the hot springs that summer. At that time there was a green house, a pool house and my favorite cabin was called the Fat City cabin because, in comparison it was pretty fancy. There was running hot water to the main lodge and to a shower house that had a beautiful view of the creek. There were even pets. A dog and a big old tom cat who was tougher than nails. During the time we were there we hosted soldiers from the base in Galena who came to fish and hike. Thanks for sharing your pictures!

By: Melozi Scott

Melozi Scott — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:18:05 +0000

Hey guys,

My dad and his first wife were the last ones to have the lease on the lodge. They dropped it because when it came time to re-new the lease, the land was in such good condition (additions, fixing up of the buildings, etc) the state asked for way more money on the lease than what they thought was reasonable.
Speaking of comparisons to the Shining, is it weird I find it creepy people sleep in our old bedrooms and find our old lives so fascinating? There was a blog about someone’s trip to the lodge and they posted a picture of a picture of my dad and older sisters next to our plane. It’s interesting how people think this place fell into dis-repair so long ago.

By: Karen Edmondson

Karen Edmondson — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 22:23:14 +0000

Hi John, Susan was my sister-in-law. Susan and Ken were caretakers at the hot springs for about 3-4 months. Sue was a very talent artist and she and Ken were coming back into Anchorage on that Feb 1st to enjoy Fur Rendezvous and sell some of her work. There were over 200 sortie for over two weeks trying to locate their plane. The plane was found in September 1984 by a friend of the pilot who, when hunting, always kept a look out the plane. He spotted it in the bottom of the lake only a few miles from where it took off. The pilot remains were the only ones found in the plane. Sue and Ken were a very special couple who loved the outdoors, Alaska in particular. We still miss them. Her older brother Tim and I would love to hear of any information that anyone would have about them as well.

By: spruceboy

spruceboy — Wed, 11 May 2011 04:50:52 +0000

Wow, your the first person to mention visiting in the winter – I assume you came in from Ruby? How is the snow-machine ride in?

By: Kirby

Kirby — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:22:04 +0000

I have taken many trips up to the Melozi hot springs in the winter on my snowmobile from 2006-2008 and spent many nights in the main lodge on the swing couch watching the fire crack, the fireplace in the main lodge will keep the inside temp about 50 dig with an outside temp of about -30. It was good to see some summer time photos of this place.

By: spruceboy

spruceboy — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:17:40 +0000

Mike, I enjoyed your book, good luck with the second printing. I didn’t that that photo, one of the other people along on that trip did – I past on the request and they will get in touch with you.

By: Michael Travis

Michael Travis — Mon, 02 May 2011 16:08:54 +0000

Hi, Jay -

My book, Melozi, is going into its second printing and I would like to use your fireplace photo. I will give you credit for your photo, so I will need your last name. Please let me know.

Sincerely,

Mike

By: Matt Markiewicz

Matt Markiewicz — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 05:48:47 +0000

I enjoyed reading about your trip to Melozi. In 1981, my wife Gretchen, and I lived there with our infant son Justin. The new lodge partners, Skip and Maureen, hire me as the maintenance worker and Gretchen as the cook. I finished building the pool enclosure. I was screened in and fantastic. We heated the lodge and our greenhouse with water from the hot springs. We even had a hot flush toilet. It was paradise, but we didn’t have many guests. Skip and Maureen went broke flying in supplies. In the fall of 1981, Gretchen our son and I hitched a ride out on a bush plane. Over the years, we lost track of Skip, Maureen, Pat Carol and Browne. Your photos brought back lots of memories, but it is sad to see the place in ruin. It was a magical place. Matt

By: spruceboy

spruceboy — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:32:43 +0000

I am sorry, I don’t know anyone connected with the running of the lodge, or much about the history of the place, alas. The place appears to have lots of history behind it.. and some of it sad. I am sorry to hear about the accident involving your friends. We camped at the lake were the accident occurred..

Michael D Travis recently published a book about Melozi – its called “Melozi: A Teenager’s Search for A Summer Job Lands Him An Adventure In The Alaska Bush” and is available via Amazon here – it might have some information on your friends.

There is a note on Ned Rozell’s blog about this crash, see:
http://www.alaskatracks.com/405/hot-springs-doubleheader-day-2/

By: John McBride

John McBride — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:13:01 +0000

Greetings, I lost two very good friends at Melozi; Sue Edmonson and Ken Earliwine who both died on February 1, 1983 on a return plane trip from the springs after being there for several weeks. They found the bodies year(s) later underwater in a lake. It seems the plane crashed and then slid down a hill side and into a box canyon/lake which then froze over. Sad story; anyone have any recollection of them

Time frame re: Sue Edmondson and Ken Erliwine were caretakers during the winter of 1983 at Melozi. They left the hot springs on February 1, 1983. The plane was finally found in September 1984 in near Tanana. The pilot, Sue and Ken were found in the wreckage. Any stories or information about Sue and Ken and their time at Melozi would be greatly appreciated. Sue was my very dear and cherished friend.