Photo: Eric Rorer Wild, Wild Western Arctic, Brooks Range, Alaska Highlights:
Includes:
Trip Number: 08020A Price: $1,995 Deposit: $200 Capacity: 10 Leader:
The Trip  Photo: Eric Rorer This trip has been canceled. If you have questions, please contact us.
This trip will be unique for a couple of reasons. First because it follows a route that has been completed only once before, and second because it offers what could be the last opportunity to see Alaska's highly threatened western Arctic in its pristine state. This area encompasses some of Alaska's most beautiful countryside. Home to the 500,000-strong Western Arctic caribou herd, this vast region encompases native, federal and state lands, almost all of which are under threat of development for oil, gas, coal, or mineral extraction. We will start at a point near the frigid Arctic Ocean where there is a chance to see whales and other marine life. Our journey will then cross the caribou migration routes, up into the towering peaks of the De Long Mountains. If the conditions are right, the wildlife viewing could be incredible. We may be able to see tens of thousands of caribou as they congregate in the post calving aggregation.
We will meet as a group for dinner the night before our trip begins, to get acquainted and to answer last-minute questions. On the morning of day one, we will use a small, chartered aircraft to shuttle groups of three into the De Long Mountains. These flights take about an hour each and include spectacular views of the tundra and mountains. Cameras are required.  Photo: Eric Rorer Our starting point will be a landing site near Cape Beaufort. This coastline should offer spectacular ocean views and possible marine life sightings, including whales. Then we will make our way south hopefully with the wind at our backs crossing the migration route of the caribou. When we travel through the plains and foothills that stretch out to the De Long Mountains, we stand a chance of seeing tens of thousands of caribou as they congregate after the calving season. This will require a good deal of luck, however, as the migration occurs at slightly different times each year. In the weeks prior to our departure, we should be able to get reports on the herd's location. This area is also home to an abundance of other wildlife, including grizzlies, wolves, and wolverines. We plan on having a food cache up in the foothills. The trip will end at a landing site in the De Long Mountains, where our pilot will meet us for the return flight back to Kotzebue. Please note that weather conditions in this part of Alaska are highly unpredictable, and could necessitate last-minute changes -- minor or fundamental -- to this itinerary. As with all good adventures, one must expect the unexpected. Getting There Our trip officially begins in the town of Kotzebue, in northwestern Alaska on the morning of day one. To allow for weather or baggage delays -- which, in the Arctic, are quite possible -- trip members are advised to arrive in Kotzebue at least 36 hours before the start of the trip. Similarly, don't make flight reservations to leave Kotzebue before the day following the end of the trip.
 Photo: Eric Rorer All meals and snacks are included in the trip fee, beginning with lunch on day one and ending with lunch on the last day. As usual on Sierra Club outings, all members help with cooking and clean-up. Any special diet requirements should be discussed with the leaders well in advance to be sure they can be accommodated. Trip members and leaders will all share in carrying trip food and equipment. Participants must supply their own tents, sleeping bags, and other personal equipment. Please see below for further details.
Moderately strenuous. Group gear and food may weigh 20 pounds each beyond the personal gear you will carry. With no trails and often uncertain footing, the difficulty of the hiking should not be underestimated. Good physical condition will allow participants to enjoy the trip with more comfort. Because the weather in the Arctic is unpredictable, previous backpacking experience with field-tested gear is essential. Temperatures in June and July can range from well below freezing to t-shirt weather. Rain is a certainty and snowfall and high winds are likely. If you are prepared, and can greet adverse weather as part of the adventure, you will enjoy this trip.
Trip participants must furnish their own personal camping equipment. The Sierra Club will provide cooking equipment, stoves, fuel, emergency radio, first-aid kit, water purification, and all food, including snacks. Personal equipment should be thoroughly field-tested before the trip. A more complete list will be sent to approved trip participants, but the following general list gives an overview of what is needed.  Photo: Eric Rorer • Tent: Freestanding three- of four-season tent with full-coverage rainfly. Should be able to withstand very high winds. • Sleeping bag: Down or synthetic. Should realistically be comfortable down to 15 degrees. Should be in a waterproof stuff sack. • Sleeping pad: Either inflatable or closed-cell foam type. • Hiking boots: Heavy-duty with good ankle support. Must be well broken-in to avoid the most frequent first-aid problem on Alaska trips -- blisters. • Raingear: Two-piece (jacket and pants) of good quality. Useful for wind as well as rain protection. Gore-Tex or coated nylon. No lightweight plastic. No ponchos. • Clothing: Wool or polypro pants and shirt. No cotton jeans. Polypro underwear tops and bottoms -- two sets. Three pairs of socks. Warm jacket or vest, wool gloves and cap, and mosquito headnet. • Miscellaneous: Basic personal hygiene and first-aid items, eating utensils (cup, bowl and spoon), one-quart water bottle, insect repellent. Optional: Camera, lightweight binoculars, small day pack, pocketknife, bandana, and hiking poles
Maps Books
Conservation  Photo: Eric Rorer In the battle to save Alaska's wilderness, much of the western Arctic has
essentially been conceded to development interests, much the way Glenn Canyon
was conceded in efforts to protect the Grand Canyon in the early 1960s. While
the struggle over opening a 2,000-acre parcel of the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge to oil exploration has captured national attention, the Bush Administration
has quietly opened several million acres in the western Arctic for oil, mineral,
and natural gas extraction. Although this move has garnered some resistance from
environmental groups, development on a massive scale is a virtual certainty. Travel in Alaska and the Arctic Sierra Club outings in Alaska are special experiences in true wilderness, but they also carry an element of risk. Trip locales are often remote, away from the amenities of civilization, including sophisticated medical care and immediate evacuation possibilities. Many of our Alaska trips now carry satellite phones, but even with this technology, communication with the outside world can be difficult and emergency assistance can be days away. Weather in Alaska is unpredictable, and inclement weather can be severe. Among other hazards are cold river and stream crossings, tidal activity, calving glaciers, the psychological effects of remoteness, and the presence of large wild animals. You’re in good hands, though, so don't worry: Your trip leaders have vast experience in the Last Frontier, and they’ll provide all the guidance you need.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Gary Keir has led backpacking trips in Alaska for the Sierra Club since 1997, and this will be his eleventh trip in the Arctic. For fun, he enjoys rock climbing, playing the guitar, flying to Paris for the weekend, and making souffles. As much as he enjoys the solitude and serenity of the landscape, he also enjoys the camaraderie of the group during these trips. Gary is a computer whiz for the YMCA in New York City.