Alaska-Yukon Expedition: 280 Miles Along Alaska’s Wild West Coast
Follow adventurer Andrew Skurka as
he skis, hikes, and rafts 4,720
miles through eight national parks, two major mountain ranges, and some
of North America’s wildest rivers in Alaska and the Yukon from March to
October. Read his blog updates here.
West Coast Wrap-Up: What I’ve Seen, posted in Unalakleet, Alaska, on March 24, 2010
Tomorrow morning I head inland via a historic portage route between the Bering Sea (the Unalakleet side) and the Yukon River (at the village of Kaltag). This is a transitional point in the route—moving from the coast to the interior—and a good opportunity for me to wrap up the last 280 miles.
My route has been completely dependent on the network of snomachine
trails between rural Alaskan villages. About 100 miles of the route
being blazed as the “Iditarod Trail” doesn’t change the reality that
local snowmachiners represent the bulk of the use—dog mushers are
exceptions, and skiers like me are freaks. The tracks are well packed,
making for fast skiing since I’m not breaking trail. They’re often
marked (but not signed), for the safety of users. Following these
snowmachine trails has been like following the Appalachian Trail,
almost… I’ve been out for ten days and have seen a person every day
thus far; sometimes it’s just been a lone snowmachiner while other
times there have been waves of two- to four-rider groups.
The landscape along the West Coast might be described as “bleak” and
“fatally monotnous,” but I’ve been thoroughly impressed by it. The
route itself has followed 50-foot-high bluffs of the Baldwin Peninsula
(for two days); it’s crossed lagoons, rivers, and frozen saltwater bays
(including 30 miles of sea ice south of Koyuk); and it’s gone through a
few sections of rolling hills, with the most scenic being overland
between Bucklanand and Koyuk. Ground cover has been mostly
tussock-covered tundra. Willows can only survive in the refuge of creek beds. I didn’t
encounter my first treestand until I
was 140 miles into the trip. And even now, at mile 280, they are still
precious. The winds are just too fierce and the year-round temps just
too bitter for much to grow out here.
I’ve been very thankful for a number of public-use cabins and rural villages that have given me an opportunity to get inside, at least out of the wind if not also into somewhere warm. (But not always—it was 4 deg when I woke up in a shelter on Monday morning.) Other nights I’ve found the most protected campsite I could (which has meant cuddled up to some willows in the bottom of a shallow creek bed) and pitched my pyramid-shaped 13-oz tarp.
On to Kaltag.
Go Further
Animals
- Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them?
- Animals
- Feature
Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them? - This biologist and her rescue dog help protect bears in the AndesThis biologist and her rescue dog help protect bears in the Andes
- An octopus invited this writer into her tank—and her secret worldAn octopus invited this writer into her tank—and her secret world
- Peace-loving bonobos are more aggressive than we thoughtPeace-loving bonobos are more aggressive than we thought
Environment
- U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?
- Food systems: supporting the triangle of food security, Video Story
- Paid Content
Food systems: supporting the triangle of food security - Will we ever solve the mystery of the Mima mounds?Will we ever solve the mystery of the Mima mounds?
- Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?
- This year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning signThis year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning sign
- The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?
History & Culture
- How technology is revealing secrets in these ancient scrollsHow technology is revealing secrets in these ancient scrolls
- Pilgrimages aren’t just spiritual anymore. They’re a workout.Pilgrimages aren’t just spiritual anymore. They’re a workout.
- This ancient cure was just revived in a lab. Does it work?This ancient cure was just revived in a lab. Does it work?
- See how ancient Indigenous artists left their markSee how ancient Indigenous artists left their mark
- Why Passover is one of Judaism’s most important holidaysWhy Passover is one of Judaism’s most important holidays
- Is this mass grave a result of contagion—or cannibalism?Is this mass grave a result of contagion—or cannibalism?
Science
- This 80-foot-long sea monster was the killer whale of its timeThis 80-foot-long sea monster was the killer whale of its time
- Every 80 years, this star appears in the sky—and it’s almost timeEvery 80 years, this star appears in the sky—and it’s almost time
- How do you create your own ‘Blue Zone’? Here are 6 tipsHow do you create your own ‘Blue Zone’? Here are 6 tips
- Why outdoor adventure is important for women as they ageWhy outdoor adventure is important for women as they age
Travel
- Slow-roasted meats and fluffy dumplings in the Czech capitalSlow-roasted meats and fluffy dumplings in the Czech capital
- Want to travel like a local? Sleep in a Mongolian yurt or an Amish farmhouseWant to travel like a local? Sleep in a Mongolian yurt or an Amish farmhouse
- Sharing culinary traditions in the orchard-filled highlands of JordanSharing culinary traditions in the orchard-filled highlands of Jordan