Bering and Krusenstern Parks – Mateer Custom

Bering and Krusenstern Parks – Mateer Custom

DATES

July 13, 2019 - July 17, 2019

REGION

Western Brooks Range

TRIP COST

$6,300/ person - Party of 2

calendar

DATES

July 13, 2019 - July 17, 2019
region

REGION

Western Brooks Range
price

TRIP COST

$6,300/ person - Party of 2

A great trip to follow your trip to Gates and Kobuk. Located near the Arctic Circle in Alaska are the least visited and most remote units in the National Park System. This unique trip is designed to get you to Northwest Alaska’s fascinating park units for a glimpse of the beauty and wildness that Bering Land Bridge and Cape Krusenstern have to offer.

TRIP DETAILS

Cape Krusenstern National Monument lies right on the shore of the Chukchi Sea, and in addition to its scenic beauty and stunning location, it is known for its archaeological resources. Inupiat people (Eskimo) have been using this stretch of coast for hunting and fishing continuously for the last 5,000 years. Layers of human occupation including current subsistence camps stretch along the coast. Inland we regularly find Muskoxen and a great variety of birdlife in the wetlands and on the dry slopes.

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is a volcanic landscape on the Seward Peninsula, north of Nome, Alaska. Rocky spires jut from the green tundra, volcanic craters shelter musk oxen from the coastal winds and hot springs feed rivers teeming with fish. This is likely the first place where people stepped foot in North America and it is largely unchanged since. From our base at Serpentine Hot Springs we spend the bulk of 3 days hiking and birding in this remnant of the Bering Land Bridge.

With 24 hours of daylight and four full days to explore these parks we can experience the beauty and solitude of these exceptional national parks.

Last updated: December 3, 2021

Itinerary

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

July 13

Your companions will be heading back to Kotzebue but you and your guide will fly south and west from the Kobuk to Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Arriving mid-afternoon we have time to set up camp before embarking on the first of several hikes on the tundra.

July 14

A full day in Bering Land Bridge. We will visit the hot springs, hike the volcanic landscape, explore the rock formations that dot the tundra, and watch the variety of birds and wildlife. With constant daylight, energy and imagination are the only limits to what we can do.

July 15

Take a last dip in the hot springs or take another hike in search of birds. By late morning our pilot returns to take us to Cape Krusenstern. After a 2 hour flight we land on the beach and set up camp within sight and sound of the Chukchi Sea. The coast offers a whole new suite of birdlife and vistas. We can hike the beach, explore the ancient beach ridges or trek inland into the rocky hills.

July 16

We get to spend all day exploring Cape Krusenstern. Perhaps we will watch musk ox calves cavorting in the willows or maybe spend the morning visiting with Eskimo fishermen. We can climb into the hills away from the sound of the breakers and walk the long limestone ridges. It won’t get dark so we can adventure all night!

July 17

By late morning we reluctantly break camp and await our pilot. Its a quick flight back to Kotzebue and we arrive in time (weather permitting) for the evening flight out of Kotzebue to the busy world beyond.

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 starting and ending in Kotzebue

Food while in the wilderness

Stoves, cooking & eating utensils, water filter, base camp tent, safety & repair gear

Professional guide service

Select Rental Equipment

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

Lodging in Kotzebue

Meals in Kotzebue

Personal clothing and gear

Photographic equipment

Gratuity for guide and/ or pilot.

WEATHER & BUGS

Temperatures vary dramatically in the Arctic. Temperatures will range from the 40s to 70s. Cold rains and snow are possible, but we get plenty of sunny weather this time of the year. Mosquitoes could be an issue in Bering Land Bridge so bring a small bottle of DEET repellent just in case.

RECOMMENDED READING

Ordinary Wolves, Seth Kantner, Last Light Breaking, Nick Jans.The Brooks Range, Alaska Geographic: People of the Noatak, Clair Fejes; The Last Giant of Beringia, Dan O’Neill.. More Alaska reading is available from 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!"
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Eileen - Canning River