Courtesy of the YouTube page:
Using text adapted from Robert Marshalls "Alaska Wilderness: Exploring the Brooks Range" (1929) and images from Expedition Arguk (2013), "The World Beyond the World" aims to celebrate that most ancient and sublime of human pleasures: moving through a mysterious, beautiful, and unknown landscape.
In 2013, Expedition Arguk walked and packrafted across 300 miles of wilderness in the Alaska Arctic in order to report on Arctic issues and create public-use media from this far-off but increasingly important region. "The World Beyond the World" was shot during the first third of our trip, which took place entirely in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. Gates of the Arctic is the second-largest US National Park, but its extraordinary remoteness and challenging weather mean that the Park sees relatively few visitors.
Damn do I love my state.
Hi Griffin, I'm Paula, a long time compulsive hourly reader and blue moon commenter. I'm planning a two week car camping trip with my husband for July. We can fly into either ANC or FIA. Since you posted this and often brag about the beauty of your state, I feel entitled to ask you a few questions :) Given it's remoteness, is Gates of the Artic a must do? I remember you writing about Denali, that it's overrated or that there are other parks as nice or nicer? Out of the 29 NP's, which are your favorites?
ReplyDeleteI'm not G, but do have a suggestion. The most awesome thing you would probably ever do in your life is to fly in a small plane around the summit of Denali. The airport in Talkeetna has several people who offer these rides.
DeleteMost are rather primitive four-seaters. We did it in a ten-seater with all the comforts.
I've been to Alaska numerous times to visit my son and grandkids (but really to fish the Kenai River - heh) but I'd never heard of Gates of the Arctic National Park, so I googled it. The map shows that it's way up north; Google notes on the map, "Vast area without roads or trails," which means I'll experience it only by means of others' photographs. Oddly enough, today's mail brought the new Alaska Magazine, with lots of photos of Gates of the Arctic National Park! Hope you watched the video - stunning.
DeletePaula,
DeleteLong time Alaskan here. I'd recommend, for your first trip, that you do visit Denali National Park and take the bus back to Eilson Visitor Center. It's a nice start to understanding how vast this state is and is very easily accessible on the road system. The geography and geology of the park is spectacular and even many of us old timers still do Denali every few years. Not many places this unspoiled on the road system. The animal life in Denali, despite all the hype, is actually pretty sparse due to the harsh interior, dry climate, but you generally see at least one of the “big 4”, Grizzly, Moose, Caribou or Wolf.
A trip across the Denali Highway, from Cantwell to Paxson is also a wonderful experience; 130+ miles of sometimes rough road cutting right through the heart of the piedmont plateau at the base of the Alaska range. A nice trip because you can drive your own car and not have to take a bus, as you do in Denali.
I agree with the commenter above that a flight seeing trip around Denali and thru the Ruth Glacier gorge is also an Alaskan bucket list activity. You can access Talkeetna and the flight services by heading south on the Parks Highway after your Denali Trip. Anchorage is 100 miles south from Talkeetna.
All of the above activities can be staged from either Fairbanks or Anchorage and can be accomplished in a few day driving trip. Camping is allowed anywhere along the Denali Hwy if that is on your list of things to do. From the Paxson end of the Denali Highway you can drive south to either Anchorage or Valdez.
Valdez is another unparalleled destination and the drive there is unforgettable. Columbia glacier tour boats depart from Valdez, as does the Alaska Ferry system if you'd rather ferry back to Whittier, then drive to Anchorage or the Kenai Peninsula.
If driving back to Anchorage from Paxson don't miss the opportunity to walk on the Matanuska Glacier at mile 102 of the Glenn Highway. MICA guide service will take you on walking or ice climbing day trips or you can walk on the glacier unguided, for quite a ways back even just wearing hiking boots or trail shoes. If you've never experienced glacier travel it’s a must do.
Southeast from Anchorage, the Turnagain Arm is a drive that wends along a fjord and is a beautiful day drive or the beginning of a trip to the Kenai peninsula or Whittier. Girdwood, home of Alyeska Resort, is about an hour out of Anchorage on the Turnagain Arm and is worth a stop. The Alyeska Prince Hotel has great restaurants and offers tram rides to the top of the mountain for spectacular views.
Both Whittier and Seward offer boat trips to view glaciers and marine wildlife or fishing charters if that's your thing. Another quick way to cover a lot of territory and take in a lot of sights in a short amount of time.
Gates of the Arctic is fly-in only and is pretty serious expedition type travel. I'd recommend not going without a guide service, which usually must be booked many months in advance, but who would provide you with all of the necessary food and gear for extended backcountry travel. Incredible part of the State. Trips often end up costing about $3,000 per person for airfare and a week stay with a guide service. A Brooks Range trip is a vacation destination on its own, unless you are planning staying a month or more in State. Weather can also be a factor, preventing small planes from flying in for your pickup and often times a week trip can turn into 10 days or more.
Sorry to ramble, I used to plan trip itineraries for visitors and found an old introductory email to a potential client…Whatever you choose to do, be safe and have fun!
The only place I'm nostalgic about is Philadelphia where I lived birth to 15. Southern New Jersey had many happy young adulthood (15-29) memories too, but across too many towns to be sentimental about the locations.
ReplyDeleteSince 30, I've endured in Virginia, but I have no praise for it, nor would coax anybody to move here, and we only did because the work was here. Naturally, Alaska looks like paradise from here.
Beautiful. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely breathtaking! I've never been to the gates but remember the same feelings they describe here when visiting Denali. We visited one town and the only way in was in one of those sputtering little planes. I remember being scared shitless when our "host" and pilot went above a certain altitude, the engine would conk out and as it twirled down to earth, it started up again. We stayed there for a week and it occurred to me that if the plane is the only way in, then we'd be back in that thing again with the same pilot. I can't recall the name of the town, will have to ask the better half, but it was amazing! Maybe ten cabins, a general store and nothing but mountains and wilderness.
ReplyDeleteOur only mistake was using a polaroid one step, they were the rage back then, but the photos all look like crap after 26 years.
Hey, Gryph, did you notice that guy named Paxson in the credits? Not the most common of names.
ReplyDelete