Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a U.S. National Park in Alaska. It is the northernmost national park in the U.S. (the entirety of the park lies north of the Arctic Circle) and the second largest at 13,238 mi² (39,460 km²), about the same size as Switzerland. The park consists primarily of portions of the Brooks Range of mountains. It was first protected as a U.S. National Monument on December 1, 1978, before becoming a n
ational park and preserve two years later in 1980 upon passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. A large part of the park is preserved as a wilderness area; some 11,321 mi² (29,322 km²) of wilderness which with the adjoining Noatak Wilderness Area forms the largest contiguous wilderness in the United States.
Lots of caribou - Delete looking forward to getting back to his relatives. while he had fun with his cousin Pleep he is worn out with crazy monkey. He bid us a heartfelt so long and Pleep insisted he come see us in Boca....oh my. Moose nuggets on Golden Harbour Drive? Oy.
KOBUK NATIONAL PARK-not!
ational park and preserve two years later in 1980 upon passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. A large part of the park is preserved as a wilderness area; some 11,321 mi² (29,322 km²) of wilderness which with the adjoining Noatak Wilderness Area forms the largest contiguous wilderness in the United States.Lots of caribou - Delete looking forward to getting back to his relatives. while he had fun with his cousin Pleep he is worn out with crazy monkey. He bid us a heartfelt so long and Pleep insisted he come see us in Boca....oh my. Moose nuggets on Golden Harbour Drive? Oy.
KOBUK NATIONAL PARK-not!
Had to cancel our flight to see this park....Buba has a headcold and all plugged up. It is really a part of the Western Arctic Parkland and is the sand dunes next to Gates of Arctic. No facilities just hike in (so not going to happen) or hire a bush plane to take you in (good plan but Buba blew that).
The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes lie 40 miles above the Arctic Circle,
yet summer temperatures there can soar to 100 degrees Fahrenheit! One of Alaska's true oddities, in some places, the sand stands 100 feet high. The three clusters of dunes within the park — the Great Kobuk, the Little Kobuk, and the Hunt River Sand Dunes — cover 25 square miles and constitute the largest active sand dunes within arctic latitudes. A must see on the next Alaskan venture.
The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes lie 40 miles above the Arctic Circle,
yet summer temperatures there can soar to 100 degrees Fahrenheit! One of Alaska's true oddities, in some places, the sand stands 100 feet high. The three clusters of dunes within the park — the Great Kobuk, the Little Kobuk, and the Hunt River Sand Dunes — cover 25 square miles and constitute the largest active sand dunes within arctic latitudes. A must see on the next Alaskan venture.REFLECTIONS ON OUR NORTH TO ALASKA "EXPEDITION"
Wild, independent and "WHERE IT DIES IT LIES" (their junk,broken down snow machines, cars etc). This place of tremendous geology and wilderness, so unspoiled and you can't get there from here has been quite an adventure. Beautiful and rugged, unsophisticated (Los Anchorage and Squarebanks-they don't know or care about urban planning) but oh so cool. It can also be a dangerous place so man up. Caribou Barbie rock on. With Alaska's fascinating history and native culture there was a lot to learn. We celebrated it's 50th Birthday as our 49th State again and again. We loved the Orthodox Church imprint in the southern half of the state. A place diverse in people, geography and topography and somehow it all blends. It's everything and more than we expected. Keith is partial to the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak. I loved meeting and being with my new friends in the Athabascan Village-Tyonek. Alaska is as varied as it is vast. I can see why the explorers explored it!
The parks (8 National Parks) and people honor and define our nations heritage. In Alaska-the wilderness and parks represent both the great sweep of American History and her natural abundance, artifacts of earliest natives, the Russian Colonial trapping period, the quest for adventure-the gold rush and of course the oil rush of more recent times. What's next Alaska? Gas? We'll never forget the flora, fauna, bears, moose, caribou, eagles, salmon we've come to enjoy and even eat. And trying to forget those pesky skeeters. The awe of the tundra, waterways (rivers, lakes) and the magnificent shorelines. Our experience has been awesome and changed my outlook on nature forever. It has been a blessing to have been privileged to be a guest in Alaska-to experience God' s work and handprint. Thank you new friends in Alaska, we will miss you and your beautiful state. Until we return.....
So back to the car and back to the ALCAN for the ride to Whitehorse Canada. We really weren't looking forward to the ride back...but guess what? The ALCAN is just as spectacular as the ride up.
