Pat Kauffman joined Happy Hikers 20 years ago in 1999 after meeting Donna Basinger during Vacation Bible School at Anchorage First Presbyterian Church. I like to think of our Happy Hiker timeline in segments; two segments are:
BP ‘BEFORE PAT’
WP ‘WITH PAT’.
By 1999 our ‘Alaska Grown’ founder, Patty Hamre, was beginning her teaching career and no longer available to lead hikes. Pat Kauffman, retired from a teaching career, was ready for new hikes in the mountains surrounding Anchorage where she was born and raised.
Pat’s father was a mayor of Anchorage and cofounder of Wolfe’s
Department Store. He also had a gold mine in Hatcher Pass and other mining operations. Pat’s mother was a nurse at the Alaska Railroad Hospital and worked with Dr. Joseph Romig. Pat’s curiosity and CAN DO outlook, traits passed down from her parents Ray and Esther Heverling Wolfe, gave Happy Hikers the perfect boon. We appreciated every potential trail to which her finger pointed, - except her idea to climb Berry Pass and pack raft the West Fork of the Twenty Mile River in one day.
With Pat, came husband Craig (so much fun to talk with at the back of the line), daughter Michelle Holler (before children), granddaughter Diana Wilson (middle school), grandson Andrew Wilson (the chattiest preteen boy I ever met), and Robin and Bjarne Holm (hikers and tour guides extraordinaire). It was many years later that daughter Debbie Wilson joined Pat and Suzie on the trail.
Not only did Happy Hikers gain Pat’s family, but also their real estate and toys! Every February Pat opened up their Nancy Lake Cabin to car loads of Happy Hikers with duffels, skis, and snowshoes. Every summer Pat and Craig hosted Family Day for Happy Hiker families at the cabin, with Craig as speed boat driver. On occasion Craig hauled our camping gear on his four wheeler. In December Pat hosted a Holiday Luncheon after our Wednesday Snowshoe with tables elegantly set for forty-five! When the Virginia Happy Hikers came to Alaska in 2018, Pat and Craig graciously housed four Virginia Hikers for two weeks.
About 2012 labradoodle Suzie came to live with Pat. Suzie kept Pat on the trail four or five days a week. Happy Hikers benefitted because additional opportunities to hike were added to the weekly schedule as
‘NO CONTACT’ hikes.
A few images of Pat stick in my mind. First is Pat’s POINT. From the back of the line I see her turn to another hiker and POINT. The words accompanying the POINT go something like this - “Why can’t we go over that peak and pick up the lower trail and come out….”
The second image involves Pat’s RESOLVE to finish. I see her at the head of the pack after 18 long miles to Long Lake, pushing on without an ounce of ‘whine’. Or tumbling head first toward a dangerous cliff on Jewel Mountain, only to get on her feet, accept Carol’s bandages and sling, and lead the way down. Polymyalgia rheumatica and breast cancer barely slowed her pace. She displayed the same RESOLVE in games (which she loved to play), meal planning, dog training, and knitting. It was painful to watch Pat knit! The RESOLVE to finish a project trumped any inherent pleasure in knitting.
Many have memories of Pat in church, Mothers Club, on snow machine trips, RV trips, and world tours. All Happy Hikers have memories of Pat as a generous and resolute friend with whom we have shared hundreds of miles of hiking up and down rocks, in mud, and through tundra and snow. She leaves us with direction for the next segment of our Happy Hiker Timeline - ‘AP’ or ‘AFTER PAT’ - and her arm is POINTING…
We are profoundly grateful to say we knew Pat Kauffman.
Donna Basinger
