Alaska's Western Brooks Range
Caribou Migration Backpack, Kokolik River Canoe, and Kobuk Valley National Park- Dunes Exploration.

Looking for an Alaskan Adventure well off the beaten path? Unknown of the unknown, home of the 400,000 strong Western Arctic Caribou herd, the western Brooks Range is the most remote and unraveled part of Alaska. You almost certainly will not encounter other parties (or even footprints) on any of our western arctic trips. Expect encounters with wildlife.

 

Our Western Arctic trips are the trips our guides covet and vie for. The remoteness of the area and the richness of its fauna coupled with its storied history make this a world class, if totally unknown, destination for Brooks Range backpacking. The gentle gradient of most rivers make the western Arctic ideal for Alaska wilderness canoeing.

 

 

 

The Kokolik river regularly delights travelers with hordes of caribou, fun paddling and raptors around nearly every bend. for 2010 we are offering a backpacking trip on Archemides ridge similar to what is described in a recent Backpacker Magazine article.

 

As the Brooks Range heads west, the craggy peaks and arid climate give way to broad colorful ridges, rich and productive tundra, and some of the highest densities of wildlife anywhere in the Arctic. Except for the few Inupiat residents, the entire Western Arctic is un-peopled and remote. Trips offer unparalleled opportunities to view the 400,000 animal Western Arctic caribou herd as they migrate just after calving, predators in tow. On a canoe trip a few years ago we watched 60,000 caribou swim the river in a single day. The river turned white with shed hair!

 

For bird enthusiasts, the Western Arctic is a fantastic place to see Asian migrants such as Bluethroats, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Northern wheatears, and Yellow wagtails. Yellow-billed loons and other rare waterfowl can be seen near to the coast. Raptors like Gyrfalcons, Golden Eagles and Rough-legged Hawks commonly nest along the river corridors.

 

If you want to see wildlife in a truly wild place a Western Brooks Range trip is the adventure for you.

 

Western Brooks Range Trips 2010
Itineraries	Location	Start	End	Days	Price	Type
Caribou Migration Backpack	Archemides Ridge	June 11	June 17	7	$3,600	Backpack
Caribou Canoe	Kokolik River	June 11	June 21	11	$4,700	Canoe
Kobuk Dunes Exploration	Kobuk Valley National Park	July 19	July 24	6	$3,400	Base camp or Backpack
Don't see the Western Arctic Trip for you? Contact us about a custom trip.