Talkeetna Wilderness Woman contest

There;s a little wilderness town called Talkeetna just outside Denali off the Parks Highway. It's an awesome little town with a cat for a mayor, and the show "Northern Exposure" was modeled after.

They have a bachelor auction every winter (raised 23k for charity this year) and during the ball they have a wilderness woman contest.

quote:

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Legend has it there's nothing tougher than an Alaska woman, and one competition sets out to prove exactly who’s the toughest.

Each year, a hardy group of women gathers in Talkeetna -- the small, quirky community of 900 people nestled in the northern Matanuska Valley -- for the annual Wilderness Woman Competition.

The challenges test a variety of “skills” any good Alaska woman should have, from hauling water and chopping wood to “shooting” a moose and making a sandwich for a man lounging in a recliner.

The event is all part of the craziest weekend of the year in Talkeetna, when each December women from all over the state flock for a chance to get their hands on a real Alaska mountain man at the Talkeetna Bachelor Auction. The auction raises funds for women in crisis in Talkeetna. This year, the auction raised $23,000, selling off dates with 40 of Talkeetna’s most eligible bachelors.

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Video

If you ever get a chance to come to Ak, Talkeetna is a must. The first time I went, there were two ladies bathing nude in the river. Some of the weirdest folks I've ever met, but some real outdoorsmen who live there. IT's a meeting place for the off the grid types, and mountain climbers.