PRESS RELEASE
Saturday, Aug. 27 has been added as a tour date for the public to visit historic Site Summit in Arctic Valley this summer. Friends of Nike Site Summit (FONSS) conducts a limited number of tours June through September to the Cold War-era missile site, which now includes two Aug. 27 tours: One at 9:30 a.m. and another at 2 p.m. Each tour can accommodate 50 people. A few seats are also still available on the previously-scheduled morning tour on Saturday, Aug. 6.
To comply with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson security requirements, reservations are required 30 days in advance. Participants can make reservations at http://www.nikesitesummit.net/nike-site-summittours. Those without internet access can reserve by calling (907) 929-9870 and making payment and reservation arrangements.
The tour price ($35-40) includes bus transportation to Site Summit from the Arctic Valley Lodge lower parking lot. Children ages 12 and older are welcome.
Site Summit is culturally significant as the only one of eight Nike-Hercules missile sites in Alaska still standing. Tour participants will talk to veterans who were stationed at Site Summit, find out how the missiles were launched and learn about Alaska’s role in the Cold War.
Friends of Nike Site Summit was formed by local volunteers in 2007 to advocate for the preservation of Site Summit. In 2009, it partnered with the U.S. Army (now JBER), the National Park Service, and State Historic Preservation Officer to preserve the historic mountaintop fortress overlooking Arctic Valley.
FONSS' mission is to preserve and interpret the site for the education of current and future generations about the Cold War, and, by doing this, memorialize the millions of veterans who served during the Cold War. FONSS is a committee of the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation, and works in cooperation with JBER.