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You are viewing: Home > Backpacking > Mountains to Sea
Sadlerochit Mountains to the Sea Backpacking
| Location: |
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge |
| Trip Length: |
8 days
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| Activities: |
Moderately strenuous backpacking over trailless terrain, through edge of Brooks Range mountain valleys and down to the edge of the Arctic Ocean
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| Dates: |
June 20-27, 2008
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| Price: |
$2995 from Fairbanks, Alaska
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| Rating: |
M+ |
 Our 30-mile hike across the Arctic coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, takes us across wildflower meadows and crystal-clear creeks, with a soaring backdrop of the Brooks Range. The Sadlerochit Mountains are the farthest north mountains in Alaska, a mere 15 miles from the sea.
The Sadlerochit Mountains are inhabited by musk oxen, grizzly bears, the occasional wolf, bands of caribou, rough-legged hawks and eagles. Colorful valleys and unusual rock formations beg exploration, before we set out for the edge of the North American continent at Camden Bay, where waterfowl and shorebirds breed at the edge of the ice. We wander in the footsteps of polar bears. This edge of the continent is dynamic and exotic; sea lice and zooplankton teem along the shores; waterfowl fill the air, and sea ice piles up into fantastic shapes. Standing on the edge of North America, with the Brooks Range as a backdrop, encounter a vastness that you can only appreciate by being here.
 With luck, we’ll encounter at least three species of loons. A side hike to Sadlerochit Hot Springs is possible. Come see why these lands, currently threatened by oil development, are a worthy addition to the National Wilderness System.
“It was an incredible trip and I learned a lot about summer in the high arctic with the temperature range/conditions that we went through in 9 days! Thanks for a great experience (NOLS was good, but this was better!)”
-K. Pytka, Massachusetts
| Itinerary |
| Day 0 |
Travel to Fairbanks, Alaska. Accommodations on your own. We generally meet for dinner to go over trip details, gear questions, etc.
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| Day 1 |
Trip participants meet in the early morning at the small airport in Fairbanks, where we pack all our gear onto a small commercial plane and fly 150 miles north, over the Steese and White Mountains and the Yukon River, to Arctic Village, a small Gwich'in settlement (100 people) situated on the banks of the Chandalar River on Venetie Indian Tribal lands, surrounded by the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The village offers an educational cultural experience. We meet our bush pilot here, and fly in groups of 2 to 5 to the heart of the Arctic Refuge. From here, we fly by small charter bush plane across the Brooks Range, flying over miles and miles of seemingly endless mountain peaks and valleys; we land at the edge of the Sadlerochit Mts. By afternoon, we should be deep in the heart of the Arctic Refuge. Note: Our trips may also originate in Kaktovik, an Inupiat settlement on the edge of the Beaufort Sea.
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| Days 2-7 |
Trekking through the mountains. The first couple days we have an opportunity to explore side valleys with daypacks. We can climb to the top of the Sadlerochits for a panoramic view of the Brooks Range and the coastal plain. Promontories offer spectacular views and raptor habitat. Each day of hiking with backpacks, we cover about 6 miles. We may choose to cross and re-cross creeks, as they twist and tumble over boulders to the Beaufort Sea. We traverse the "core calving area," or 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where oil companies would like to develop an oilfield. Upland plovers, Lapland longspurs, golden plovers, and other migratory birds are nesting. We arrive on the coast and explore Camden Bay.
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| Day 8 |
From our last camp, we're picked up by our bush pilot and flown back to Arctic Village or Kaktovik, an Inupiat village on Barter Island. Then we catch a commercial flight back to Fairbanks.
TRIP DIFFICULTY
Although we don't cover great distances, backpacking in the Arctic is strenuous. Our daily mileage rarely exceeds 5 to 6 miles. We hike cross-country on river bars and tundra, following ancient wildlife migration routes. We wade streams. The terrain is uneven, and we cross over mountain passes. Permafrost underlies surface vegetation, and so moisture either runs off the land quickly or sits on the surface forming bogs. Tussocks, which are clumps of arctic sedge or cottongrass, rise mushroom-like across the land, making for challenging hiking at times. In other places, we find well-drained slopes that are drier underfoot for walking, but may have scree on them. All in all, hiking in the arctic is challenging. It is essential that you are in good shape, and that you have prior experience backpacking.
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| Included in trip costs |
- All transportation beyond Fairbanks
- All meals in the field
- Group cooking, camping, medical and safety equipment (We bring such items as a kitchen shelter, emergency radio, bear repellent spray, water filter and first aid kit)
- Expert leadership
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| Not included in trip costs |
- Lodging before or after trip
- Extra meals you might choose to purchase in a town or village while we are awaiting air transport
- Sleeping bag and pad, and personal equipment
- Excess baggage charges
- Please plan to bring your own personal medications
- You should plan to bring your own personal medications, toiletries, etc. You will receive a detailed equipment list.
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| Call or E-mail us for the complete packet on this expedition.
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