Kobuk Sand Dunes Camping

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DATES

TBD

REGION

Western Brooks Range

TRIP COST

TBD

DATES

TBD

REGION

Western Brooks Range

TRIP COST

TBD

Located entirely north of the Arctic Circle, Kobuk Valley National Park is the least visited park in the nation. Though nearly completely unknown, the park is full of natural beauty and fascinating human history.

The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes are a sea of sand in the Arctic wilderness formed during the last ice age as winds tore through the region depositing glacial sands in the broad Kobuk Valley. We will spend the better part of the week exploring these seldom visited sand dunes from our comfortable base camp.

TRIP DETAILS

Last updated: January 24, 2020

Itinerary

What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.

Day 0

Meet your guide in Kotzebue for a pre-trip meeting in the afternoon.

Day 1

Fly from Kotzebue straight to the Kobuk Sand Dunes. Once on the ground we will make camp and settle into our home for the week.

Day 2 - 4

We have three full days to explore the dunes. Each day we can head in a new direction. There are deep ponds and springs contrasting with the tawny sand, broad flats covered in wolf tracks and wind blown dunes which are fun to climb and offer great vistas. After a day of exploration we return to our camp for a delicious dinner. With luck and a late-August time frame, our nights may even include the aurora dancing above the dunes.

Day 5

Weather permitting, our bush plane will arrive to fly us back to “civilization”. We plan to arrive back in Kotzebue by early evening. Take a shower!

Such a joy to spend days where time was meaningless. A wonderful adventure and I would like to return next year for a longer, more challenging trip.

You mentioned to me in an email that you have terrific guides - you do indeed. Dave is a superb guide. He is personable, knowledgeable about the Arctic, and has excellent group management skills. I appreciated the time he spent teaching me to read the map, which is not easy without trails. He allowed Adrian and me to hike at our own pace and he encouraged all of us to explore the area surrounding our campsites. I know the others would concur in my praise.

- Sandra, California, USA

DETAILS

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Transportation beyond Kotzebue

Food while in the wilderness

Stoves, cooking & eating utensils

Water filter, safety & repair gear

Professional guide service

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

Non-camp lodging

Non-camp meals

Personal clothing and gear per our equipment list

Gratuity for guide

Rental equipment is available through Arctic Wild.

WEATHER & BUGS

Temperatures vary dramatically in the Arctic. It could be warm, but it could be cold and rainy. Temperatures will range from the 20s to 70s. Cold rains and snow are possible, but we do get sunny weather this time of the year too. Mosquitoes should be minimal or totally nonexistent this late in the season. Bring a mosquito head net and a small bottle of DEET repellent just in case.

RECOMMENDED READING

Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner; Last Light Breaking by Nick Jans; The Brooks Range by Alaska Geographic; Alaska’s Brooks Range by John Kauffmann. More Alaska reading is available at our bookstore.

"The wilderness was spectacular, the leadership perfect."

"I am just finishing my tenth trip with you guys. As always, the trip was more than I expected and I had a great time. See you next year!"

"Of all outfitters with whom we have worked (and that is quite a number), you were by far the most organized and responsive."

"That feeling of wide open wonder, the possibilities for nearly limitless wandering, and the image of those proud caribou...that will stay with me a long time"

"Our guide was an encyclopedia on legs. He was always willing and ready to teach, to talk, to listen, to do another hike, or to lie low in camp if we were beat. He truly gave us the trip we wanted!"