Kongakut River Rafting in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge- Trip ItineraryKongakut River Rafting from the Brooks Range to the Arctic Coast.• Dates: June 19th through June 28th, 2012.
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Sketch of the Kongakut Rafting trip...The Kongakut is a beautiful river valley that, especially in its lower reaches, offers a great variety of landscapes and arctic wildlife.
The Kongakut is best known for the reliability with which it treats visitors to incredible wildlife encounters. Each year 190,000 caribou from the Porcupine Caribou Herd migrate north across passes in the Brooks Range to their calving grounds on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. By late June, the caribou begin to aggregate in great numbers north of the Brooks Range. As they move shoulder to shoulder, they shape one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in North America. On previous trips we have been literally surrounded by caribou. We estimate that we have seen 20 or 30 thousand caribou in a single day. It is an awe inspiring spectacle that leaves one speechless and exhilarated.
We start our raft trip in the northern most Brooks Range Our first few days will be spent exploring the mountains, gaining spectacular vistas from the flanks of Whale Mountain. Paddling north from the peaks, on this clear fast river, we enter a region of alternately rugged and rounded foothills with excellent views of the Brooks Range to the south and the Arctic Ocean to the north. From there we enter an evocative stretch of coastal plain. As we paddle across the coastal plain and into the Kongakut’s delta, we have ever-widening views of the Brooks Range stretching away to the east and west.
In its lower reaches, the Kongakut fans out into an extraordinary prairie of rocks, low vegetation, ice and water. We pick our way through a maze of river braids to a massive freshwater ice field (aufeis) that appears to block the way, acting as gates to the Arctic Ocean beyond. Blue ice, clear water, gray gravel and the endless sky. Our time on the coast presents a unique opportunity to explore this storied region. Tent rings, old sod houses and relics from the whaling area dot the coast. View its wildlife, be awe-struck by the vivid light of the midnight sun, or walk onto the pack ice of the Arctic Ocean. In addition to caribou, we may also see wolves, grizzly bears, musk oxen, and an array of birds and wildflowers. The famed and ferocious wolverine inhabits the area, but is among the rarest of sightings.
This is a leisurely-paced trip. No experience is necessary to paddle-raft, as instruction is provided. Everyone joins in the fun of paddling under the guidance of an experienced raft captain. The Kongakut is a fast-moving river with multiple braided channels. We may need to get out and walk the rafts in shallow places. The coast is often breezy if not windy, meaning we may have to paddle steadily for several hours.
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Kongakut Rafting Trip ItineraryWhat follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.
June 18: Meet with your guide(s) for a pre-trip meeting at 4 pm in Fairbanks.
June 19: Fly north from Fairbanks across the mighty Yukon River and over the Arctic Circle. Land in the Athabascan Indian settlement of Arctic Village, pop. 120. Time allowing, tour the village before boarding our bush plane for the last leg into the wilderness. Once the plane goes, we are on our own in the immense and quiet landscape.
June 20-27: At any time during the week, we could see caribou, a grizzly bear or two, a wolf, or other arctic wildlife. We will see animals. On paddling days, we’ll travel from 6 to 8 hours per day. We will pull ashore several times each day for brief forays or to watch wildlife. At day’s end, we’ll choose a nice dry camp. There will be free time for group and personal pursuits each and every day. Evenings and mornings are good times to explore our surroundings. Guides will lead informal natural history hikes, but you are also welcome to go off on your own.
We usually plan three or four “layover days” on the Kongakut. Our first day-hikes will be in the vicinity of Whale Mountain. This area affords us great opportunities for gaining elevation, admiring wildflowers covering the slopes, and hopefully watching Dall sheep.
We will take another layover before we leave the foothills, where we’ll climb tall slopes for a panoramic view of the arctic. From the broad summits of these 2,000-foot maroon-colored foothills we can survey the breadth of the Brooks Range and the arctic coastal plain all the way to the Arctic Ocean.
Time permitting, we’ll also take a layover on the coastal plain to walk the tundra expanses colored in cream by Dryas flowers. We often see tundra swans on nests in the shimmering distance and caribou gathered on aufeis.
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 28: 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. Weather permitting we arrive back in Fairbanks by dinner time. |
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Kongakut Rafting Trip DetailsIncluded in the price of the trip: Transportation from Fairbanks, food while in the wilderness, stoves, cooking & eating utensils, boats, paddles, life jackets, safety & repair gear and professional guide service.
Not included in the price of the trip: Lodging, non-camp meals, personal clothing and gear, waterproof river bag, fishing gear, and fishing license. Gratuity for guide(s). An equipment list is provided upon registration. Rental equipment is available through Arctic Wild.
Weather & Bugs: Temperatures vary dramatically in the Arctic. Temperatures range from the 20s to 80s even in a single day. Cold rains and snow are possible, but we get lots of warm sunny weather this time of the year. As we get closer to the Arctic Ocean temperatures will drop as will the insects. Right on the coast we will encounter strong winds and cold temperatures. Bugs should not be a problem on this trip, but traveling with insect repellent (DEET) is always prudent in the arctic.
Suggested Reading: 40 years below Zero, Brower; Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Geographic; Midnight Wilderness, Debbie Miller; Arctic Dreams, Barry Lopez; Caribou & the Barren-Lands, George Calef; Earth & the Great Weather, Kenneth Brower; National Geographic, Dec. 79; Audubon, May 88, July 76; Vanishing Arctic, T. H. Watkins; North Alaska Chronicle, John Martin Campbell; My Life with the Eskimo, Vilhjalmur Stefansson.
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