Last updated: March 8, 2023
Itinerary
What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.
June 13
Meet your guide for a pre-trip meeting at 4pm in Fairbanks at Arctic Wild headquarters.
June 14
Fly north from Fairbanks across the mighty Yukon River and over the Arctic Circle. Land in Arctic Village, a Gwich’in settlement of about 100 people.
From there, we fly over the Brooks Range into the Arctic Refuge. Once our link to civilization wings back south, we will setup camp, and take a hike to stretch our legs. Welcome to the Arctic!
June 15 - 19
We have thirty miles to hike and time enough to get there. The first day and a half is in the mountains and we will take advantage of the topography to do some extra exploring. Midway through the hike we have a more challenging day, crossing a 2,000 ft pass, but the views are worth the effort.
At the end of the trip we will plan on a layover day where we keep camp setup and we can hike up a mountain for views of the Arctic Coast to the north!
On moving days, we’ll walk about 8 miles, which will keep us on our feet for about 6 hours. With the endless daylight this leaves ample time for exploration and relaxation. There will be good hiking from every camp, whether it’s up a peak, or out looking for wildlife in the flats. At any time, we could see thousands of caribou, a grizzly bear or two, a wolf, or other arctic wildlife. We will see wildlife, and plenty of birds so keep your binoculars at the ready.
June 20
If you are continuing north on our packrafting trip, this is a rest day and a chance to explore.
If this is the end of the trail for you, we expect the bush plane early in the afternoon. If the weather cooperates you will be back to Fairbanks in time for a late dinner and can begin exaggerating about the trip.
