▁D onn elly ▁and ▁ ▁Mc Car thy , ▁she ▁rode ▁by ▁horse back , ▁on ▁w ag ons , ▁for ded ▁through ▁ice ▁at ▁the ▁Tan ana ▁River , ▁and ▁was ▁taken ▁through ▁the ▁Sal cha ▁River ▁in ▁a ▁native ▁he wn ▁craft . ▁ ▁On ▁dog ▁s led s , ▁she ▁was ▁stra pped ▁in ▁for ▁stability , ▁and ▁once ▁rolled ▁down ▁a ▁hill ▁when ▁the ▁s led ▁det ached . ▁They ▁stopped ▁at ▁numerous ▁road h ouses , ▁which ▁in ▁Al aska ▁served ▁the ▁same ▁purpose ▁as ▁an ▁inn ▁or ▁stage co ach ▁stop ▁in ▁other ▁states . ▁They ▁provided ▁food , ▁shelter ▁and ▁basic ▁necess ities . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁road h ouses ▁was ▁at ▁Richard son , ▁▁ 7 0 ▁miles ▁sout heast ▁of ▁Fair b anks . ▁N amed ▁for ▁Wild s ▁P . ▁Richard son , ▁the ▁community ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁a ▁few ▁hundred ▁people , ▁and ▁the ▁road house ▁was ▁run ▁by ▁Fred ▁Wil kins . ▁Tw enty - four ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁trip ▁began ▁in ▁Cord ova , ▁they ▁arrived ▁in ▁Fair b anks . ▁After ▁visit ing ▁a ▁gold ▁mine ▁near ▁Fair b anks , ▁she ▁completed ▁her ▁trip ▁with ▁a ▁boat ▁ride ▁along ▁the ▁Y uk on ▁River ▁and ▁expl ored ▁the ▁Y uk on ▁Territ ory . ▁At ▁the ▁trip ' s ▁end , ▁ ▁Me use bach – Z esch ▁had ▁decided ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁Al aska . ▁ ▁S abb at ical ▁and ▁move ▁to ▁An ch orage