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Obituary
) Craig, known as the "go to person" for land status in Southeast Alaska and one of the key founders of Eaglecrest, passed away March 1, 2021 at the age of 81. Born August 24, 1939, in Missoula, Montana, Craig spent many years honing his outdoor skills- hunting, fishing, hiking and camping. By his senior year in high school, he had already spent a summer alone on a fire lookout station. Craig graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in Forestry in 1961. Upon graduation he was inducted into the US Army where he served for two years. He finally began his career in the USFS in Kooskia, Idaho. At the first opportunity, he transferred to Juneau to serve as the Snow Ranger for the Dan Moller Ski Trail. When he learned of plans underway to construct a road up the trail toward Third Cabin that would end in an avalanche area, he questioned whether there might be a place more suitable for a winter recreation site. The Fish Creek area was selected and Craig designed and wrote the first prospectus for bids for the Eaglecrest ski area. Once Eaglecrest was running, Craig put his Forestry degree to use for the State of Alaska Department of Economic Development and later for Governmental Coordination and as special consultant on forest-related projects for the State. Under Governor Hammond, he was contracted by the Department of Natural Resources to coordinate the 1982 national forest land selection Statehood Act. He was later hired to reconstitute lands for the Mental Health Trust in Southeast Alaska. In addition to arranging complicated land exchanges, Craig managed to climb some of the surrounding mountains, take his family hiking, camping, and picnicking, find powder on the icefield for helicopter skiing and support music and theater in the community. He was appointed to the State Board of Forestry in 2000, served for five years on the Board of the Southeast Alaska Land Trust and was a member of the Society of American Foresters. Craig jumped at Missoula during 1959-60 seasons.
Identifier
Lindh_Craig-J_Missoula_1959
Publication Date
May 2021
Keywords
Smokejumping; Smokejumpers -- United States; National Smokejumper Association; Wildfire fighters; Obituaries
Disciplines
Forest Management
Recommended Citation
National Smokejumper Association, "Smokejumper Obituary: Lindh, Craig J. (Missoula 1959)" (2021). Smokejumper Obituaries. 185.
https://dc.ewu.edu/smokejumper_bios/185
