Last updated: January 5, 2024
Itinerary
What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.
June 12
Meet with your guides for a pre-trip meeting at 4 pm at Arctic Wild headquarters in Fairbanks.
June 13
Fly 200 miles north from Fairbanks, across the Yukon River and the Arctic Circle to the Gwich’in Athabascan settlement of Arctic Village. From there, we board an even smaller plane and carry on through the Brooks Range to a river bar alongside the Aichilik River. Once the plane goes, we are on our own in the immense and quiet landscape.
June 14 - 19
At any time during the week, we could see caribou, a grizzly bear or two, a wolf, or other arctic wildlife. On the three anticipated paddling days, we will be “on the go” for 6 to 8 hours. We won’t be in the rafts that whole time and will pull ashore several times each day for brief forays or to watch wildlife. At day’s end, we’ll choose a nice, dry, scenic camp. There will be free time for group and personal pursuits. Guides will lead informal natural history hikes, but you are also welcome to go off on your own.
We will plan two or three “layover days” and 3 full paddling days. Our first day hikes will be in the Brooks Range foothills. This area affords us great opportunities for gaining elevation, admiring wildflowers covering the slopes, and hopefully watching wildlife.
Our final layover will be on the arctic coast. Hiking along the beaches is excellent and a pretty good workout. Depending on sea ice conditions, we may be able to climb an icy “pressure ridge” formed by the frozen Arctic Ocean.
June 20
Await the arrival of our bush pilot, who will land on the beach. We will fly south across the breadth of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge back to Arctic Village where we will switch to a larger plane. Weather permitting we arrive back in Fairbanks for a late dinner.
