Western Brooks Range Ramble, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
Sierra Club Outings Trip | Backpack
Highlights
- See fall colors on the the tundra and boreal forest
- Witness the northern lights
- View the Western Arctic Caribou herd
Includes
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Bush flights from Kotzebue
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Delicious camp meals
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Untamed wilderness
Overview
The Trip
Join us on a true wilderness adventure. In one of the most remote places in the United States, our goal will be to explore the transition zone between the boreal forest and the arctic tundra. We will also try to catch a glimpse of North America’s largest caribou herd on their fall migration. With the route that we choose we will move camp almost every day, which gives us a chance to explore more nooks, crags, and crannies in this spectacular landscape. We will move between the Noatak Preserve and Kobuk Valley National Park (the least visited national park)
The Trip
Join us on a true wilderness adventure. In one of the most remote places in the United States, our goal will be to explore the transition zone between the boreal forest and the arctic tundra. We will also try to catch a glimpse of North America’s largest caribou herd on their fall migration. With the route that we choose we will move camp almost every day, which gives us a chance to explore more nooks, crags, and crannies in this spectacular landscape. We will move between the Noatak Preserve and Kobuk Valley National Park (the least visited national park).
Autumn can be the best time to visit arctic Alaska. The bugs are gone and the berries are ripe and waiting for picking. Blueberries are common and often abundant. Cranberries and cloudberries add color and flavor to the mix. This is the time of year when the tundra and the forest are at their most colorful. The incredible variety of low-lying tundra plants turn the tundra into a patchwork of red, green, and yellow.
At this time of year, we will lose several minutes of daylight each day. The length of the day will be noticeable shorter from the beginning to the end of the trip. The evenings will be long and the low-angle light turns the colors vibrant and casts long shadows. This is a photographer’s dream. As the days get shorter, the nights get longer and this will increase our chances of seeing the aurora. Imagine an experience where you can see the northern lights from a camp beside an unnamed stream in the heart of wilderness.
Itinerary
Day 1: We begin the trip in Kotzebue, an old trading town on the coast of the Chukchi Sea. In the morning, we will take a bush flight to a landing spot deep in the heart of the Noatak Wilderness. You will want to have your camera ready for these spectacular flights. From the plane, you will be able to scan huge areas of pristine land that show no signs of human intervention.
Days 2-8: We will begin and end the trip at the same landing strip. Our route will take us on a loop from the landing strip to the ridges and drainages that flow south to the Kobuk and then back to the strip. We will keep to a relaxed routine for breakfast, breaking camp and getting on our way. Lunch will typically be on the “trail." As we traverse the tundra and notice any interesting geological or biological points of interest, we will stop for photographs and/or read the short passage about it in the Naturalist Guide to the Arctic
Day 1: We begin the trip in Kotzebue, an old trading town on the coast of the Chukchi Sea. In the morning, we will take a bush flight to a landing spot deep in the heart of the Noatak Wilderness. You will want to have your camera ready for these spectacular flights. From the plane, you will be able to scan huge areas of pristine land that show no signs of human intervention.
Days 2-8: We will begin and end the trip at the same landing strip. Our route will take us on a loop from the landing strip to the ridges and drainages that flow south to the Kobuk and then back to the strip. We will keep to a relaxed routine for breakfast, breaking camp and getting on our way. Lunch will typically be on the “trail." As we traverse the tundra and notice any interesting geological or biological points of interest, we will stop for photographs and/or read the short passage about it in the Naturalist Guide to the Arctic. By mid to late afternoon we will search for a camping spot. This will give enough time to set up tents and air out socks before dinner. The evenings will be free to explore the countryside or relax back at camp. We will want to move camp almost every day to reduce our impact on the tundra and see what is over the next hill. But we hope to have at least a day to explore with just our light daypacks.
Day 9: We will be ferried again in bush flights back over this incredible landscape to Kotzebue, where we will enjoy the marvels and comforts of modern civilization.
Logistics
Getting There
Our trip officially begins in the town of Kotzebue, in western Alaska, on Saturday. To allow for weather or baggage delays -- which, in the Arctic, is unlikely but possible -- trip members are advised to arrive in Kotzebue by Thursday evening, two days before the trip starts. Similarly, don't make flight reservations to leave Kotzebue before Monday, the day after the trip ends.
Accommodations and Food
All meals and snacks, from lunch on day one to lunch on day nine are included in the trip price. Our vegetarian-friendly meals will be lightweight backpacking food. As usual on Sierra Club trips, all members help with cooking and cleanup chores, each person assisting for two or three days
Getting There
Our trip officially begins in the town of Kotzebue, in western Alaska, on Saturday. To allow for weather or baggage delays -- which, in the Arctic, is unlikely but possible -- trip members are advised to arrive in Kotzebue by Thursday evening, two days before the trip starts. Similarly, don't make flight reservations to leave Kotzebue before Monday, the day after the trip ends.
Accommodations and Food
All meals and snacks, from lunch on day one to lunch on day nine are included in the trip price. Our vegetarian-friendly meals will be lightweight backpacking food. As usual on Sierra Club trips, all members help with cooking and cleanup chores, each person assisting for two or three days.
Trip Difficulty
This trip is rated moderately strenuous. Group gear and food may weigh 20 pounds each in addition to the personal gear you will carry. We will be carrying bear cans. With no trails and often uncertain footing, the difficulty of the hiking should not be underestimated. Good physical condition will allow participants to enjoy the trip with more comfort. Because the weather in the Arctic is unpredictable, previous backpacking experience with field-tested gear is essential for your comfort and safety. Temperatures in August can range from well below freezing to T-shirt weather. Rain is likely for some portion of the trip. If you are prepared, and can greet adverse weather as part of the adventure -- not as an ordeal -- you will enjoy this trip.
Equipment and Clothing
Trip participants are expected to furnish their own personal gear. The leaders will mail out a detailed equipment list. The Sierra Club provides group equipment including pots, cooking utensils, stoves, fuel, cooking tarp, satellite phone, bear repellant spray, repair kit, and first aid kit.
References
We highly recommend:
- Pielou, E.C., A Naturalist's Guide to the Arctic.
Other recommended books include:
- Calef, George, Caribou and the Barren Lands.
- Banerjee, Subhankar, Seasons of Life and Land.
- Murie, Margaret, Two in the Far North.
- Berton, Pierre, The Arctic Grail.
- Miller, Debbie, Midnight Wilderness.
- Lopez, Barry, Arctic Dreams.
- McPhee, John, Coming into the Country.
- McGuiness, Joe, Going to Extremes.
Conservation
This area is located in the migration route of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd. We will be in land protected by the Park Service but the caribou roam freely throughout northwest Alaska. Mineral extraction poses the biggest threat to the caribou and the delicate balance of this arctic ecosystem. We will explore and discuss the issues involved in the land, the wildlife, and the people of this special area.
Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.
Staff
Important Notes
- Carbon Offsets
- Carpooling
- Electronic Billing and Forms
- Electronic Devices
- Equipment
- Essential Eligibility Criteria
- How to Apply for a Trip
- Leader Gratuities
- Medical Issues
- Non-discrimination Statement
- Participant Agreement
- Seller of Travel Disclosure
- Single Supplements
- Terms and Conditions
- Travel Insurance
- Trip Feedback
- Trip Price
- Wilderness Manners