As the noise of the plane disappeared over the horizon something changed. Al of a sudden it hits home: the only people around for hundreds of miles are the five of us.There is nobody, no roads, no houses, no campsites… Just us. And a national park the size of the Netherlands….
Flying into the Gates Of The Arctic NP
We’ve come a very long way. The Gates of the Arctic NP is about 300mi above the Arctic Circle in Alaska. It was easy getting to Fairbanks. This university city in northern Alaska was the starting point. After meeting up with the others on the trip (a family from Florida) we took a plane from Fairbanks to Bettles. This is a small outpost close to the south-east border of the Gates of the Arctic NP. There we transferred to a float plane. This plane will take us into the National Park.
The float plane taking us into the park
Now we’re all used to airlines weighing our luggage at check-in. The process at the air terminal in Fairbanks was a bit more intense. First we were weighed ourselves. After that each of our pieces of luggage was weighed. All these were then added up. Because they have to make sure of the total weight of the airplane before take-off.
It feels like an adventure even getting into the park. Especially as I’ve never been in a float-plane before. As we’re flying low over the Arctic wilderness I keep my eyes peeled to see if I can spot any bears, wolves or reindeer.
Feeling The Wilderness
Once we’ve landed we wade through the shallows of the lake onto the shore and start unloading the plane. We ferry the cooking gear, tents, inflatable kayaks, food and satellite phone from the plane onto dry land. When we finish the plane immediately turns around and takes off again. The plane does a last fly-by and waggles it’s wings as a goodbye. It disappears from view and the noise dies away. As it does so something changes. All of a sudden it feels real. We’re in a national park the size of the Netherlands. And we’re pretty much the only ones there. Hunting season is finished so the Gates of the Arctic National Park is pretty much empty: no houses, no cabins, no roads, no campsites…. Just us.
Setting Up Camp
There’s no time to think about this as we start setting up camp. After about half an hour the tents are pitched and all our gear is closer to our starting point for tomorrow. When we finish I take the opportunity to feel what it’s like being here. I take a hike on my own. This area has no high vegetation. Muskeg, blueberries, grass and lots and lots of views. I can only find short trees that grow in gullies where they’ve been sheltered from the wind. The sky feels like it’s miles high with the clouds higher up than I’m used to.
It is also very, very wet. Everywhere you walk there’s standing water. Little puddles here and there. Later I find out that this is because of the permafrost. All the rain that falls and all the snow that melts either finds it’s way downriver towards the Arctic Ocean (the Killik flows East before turning North towards the Beaufort Sea).
That night we see our first Grizzly in the distance. She’s on the other side of the river and raking berries from the blueberry bushes. I can’t imagine she doesn’t see us, but she doesn’t show any interest. That’s when I realise what feels different: for the first time in my life it feels like this is not MY world. This world belongs to the animals here – the bear, the wolf, the moose – and I’m a visitor. Up to this point whenever I’ve seen a wild animal it’s always felt as if they were the guest. I guess I’ve found another definition of wilderness…. It’s a strange, exciting and nice feeling.
Read about wildlife encounters on this trip and see pictures here