Wild and remote, the Killik begins in the mountains north of the Arctic Divide in the northwest corner of Gates of the Arctic National Park. Our trip begins with a scenic flight over the Central Brooks range, passing the jagged spires of the Arrigetch. From shallow, swift, rocky origins in the mountains, the river changes its personality a few times along its journey to the Colville River. We travel through an immense U-shaped, mountain-rimmed valley, meandering through big oxbows, stopping to explore white sand dunes and ancient glacial lakes, and to spot waterfowl. The Killik is a major migratory route for the Western Arctic caribou herd, and we hope to see them constantly, small and large bands on the move. The valley also draws an exceptional population of grizzly bears, wolves, and other wildlife.

As we descend the river, it cuts through ancient glacial moraines, and begins to drop in elevation, gaining speed. We dodge boulders and willow-covered islets, as we careen toward the Colville River, pausing to climb in the hills and ridge tops, where Alaska's earliest people have left signs small camps, and stone "inukshuk." The Killik is well off the beaten path, and the sense of space and isolation here are all-encompassing.