Throughout many of the villages in rural Alaska, populations fluctuate often with families moving in and out. Most families hop from village to village because anywhere they go the seem to have family. However, there comes a time when more people move out than move in. The school numbers drop below the cutoff and schools close. This causes more families to move to villages with schools. Before you know it, a village has come to an end. But what happens when some of the residents do not want to follow the pact?
Welcome to Ugashik, a village that has all but died out. The population at last count was 5 (from what I’m told at least). Five people who didn’t want to leave when the rest of the village slowly moved on. Ugashik is all but a ghost town these days. On sunny, clear days we can see Ugashik from Pilot Point. The village sits about halfway between Pilot Point and Mount Chiginagak (which is about 40 miles away). In the picture, you can make out the village at the base of the mountain range.
To think that there is a village in which only a handful of people live in is something I can’t wrap my head around. I’m told by locals that the residents of Ugashik don’t get along with each other very well. I was able to meet two of Ugashik’s remaining residents on the day of our store opening after they had flown in. When I met them, they were kind enough and asked about the school. But to know that they make up almost half the population in their village just blows my mind.
While they are alone in living there, Ugashik is a great place for smelt fishing and hunting, so many of the people from Pilot Point travel there in the winter. I’m told that when the lakes freeze over, it’s a great honda ride and that when you arrive, you’re bound to see many families from PIP there. I hope to get the chance to go out with Al and Sue sometime, but the eeriness of it also makes me want to leave well enough alone. Another thing that I’ve heard is that there is supposed to be a road being constructed to connect Pilot Point in Ugashik. I’m not sure what the progress is, but I don’t think it will be done anytime soon.
I understand having roots and not wanting to leave them, but I have to wonder what they do with their time. Sure I get lonely in Pilot Point, but I can go visit any of the families whenever I need some socialization. To live in a village where you don’t get along with the other people you live with just seems incredibly lonely to me. One thing that I know for certain is that I will never again complain about the smallness of my hometown!
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