Bill Etchells

Bill Etchells lives at about Mile 8.5 on the Edgerton Road and is known as one of the hardest working homesteaders. He does some of his farming with horses. Originally from Connecticut, Bill first came into the Wrangell mountains in the early 1960's as a guide. At that time, he would walk the horses into the mountains, crossing the Copper River near Chitina. He used an airplane to bring in the clients. Today, he boards horses and lives a pretty frugal subsistence lifestyle alone. When his wife left him, Bill got custody of their boy and he raised him on the homestead.