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Gallery: Noatak

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Map

This is the gallery of photos from a canoe trip down the Noatak river in Alaska, done in July and August of 1996. I have also put my journel from the trip on line, with photos, and made it available at:

Noatak Trip Journel

I think that including the narative makes it more interesting than just looking at these pictures.

We flew in from Bettles to the head waters of the Noatak river, near Gull Pass. From there we paddled to Noatak village where we flew out to Kotzebue.

Pre-trip preparations

I sew us a bug tent.

Turned out that some of our bags were over the weight limit, particularly the huge dry bages filled with food. So, at the air port we had to scramble to repack things. Richards going to wear his boots on the plane and Pete is sorting through the food.

Arrival at the Noatak headwaters.

	The plane that brought us in is ready to leave.		First thing we do is set up the bug tent. This is where we ate most of our meals in here unless it was too windy/cold/rainy for mosquitos.
	We took a day hike and Andrew and I reached a high point on the ridge to Oyakek Mtn, where we saw this glacial remnant.		Pete cooking in the bug tent.

Hiking in Alaska

After a couple days we took off for a three or four day hike from our drop off point into the mountains to the north east. We hoped to make it to the ridge crest and over look the land further north east. We didn't make it. Hiking in Alaska turned out to be harder than anticipated...we didn't make it to the crest. Also, this is when the rain really started.

	First day of hiking was all side hilling on this slope, in the rain.		We didn't make it as far as intended and camped at this small gravel bar, deep in the valley.
	Richard and I are seen in camp.		Pete crossing the river on our way out.
	We took the high route home.

The early days on the river.

The upper part of the river was fairly narrow (at least until the rain brought it up 3+ feet), in a relatively narrow valley. Our first several days on the river we would get tired after 4 hours of being in the canoes. With the river at flood state there were rapids at most bends, some significant. Near the end of this section of the rive we rolled both canoes in one day (clear weather fortunately).

	Andrew and Pete putting their canoe into the river.		Richard finishes loading our canoe.
	Myself and Richard in our canoe.		Myself, Pete, and Richard with his large bag of nuts.
	Andrew in the bow position.		Richard in the bow position of our canoe.
	Andrew writing something during a lunch break.		Pete caught a fish.
	On a late day we stopped to cook dinner at 9pm, then paddled till 11pm.		Andrew admires the fish, ready to cook.
	We scurry around packing camp.		Portrait of Andrew near beginning of trip.
	Nice lighting at Midnight. The weather cleared, briefly.		Drying out gear after rolling the canoes.

The middle of our time on the river.

Most of our cameras got wet and stopped working soon after rolling the canoes. Andrew was able to keep his camera dry but the battery, when was low at the start of the trip, got so weak that for the remainder of the trip it would only work in warm, sunny weather. In this portion of the river the mountains set back 10 to 30 miles and we were moving through open tundra. We started regularly doing 8 hour days, covering 20 to 30 land miles.

	Andrew double bagged for protection.		Andrew fishing at Cutler River.
	By this time, food was much relished.		Early on, our endurance was low. When we got tired of being in the canoe we would get out and rest on a gravel bar. When we got cold on the gravel bar we'd get back in the canoe. Latter on, our endurance was high. When we got tired of being in the canoe we would get out and rest on a gravel bar. When we got cold on the the gravel bar we'd get back in the canoe.
	Crew of three.		Myself, in the bug tent.

End of the river.

By now we are in a good rhythm and able to do long days, sometimes paddling hard into the wind. Despite what the pictures show, the weather has not really improved. We get a few clear days with several cold wet days. Food is limited, but OK thanks to early conservation. But we are still short a couple dinners.

By now we have figured out that the best place to camp is at the confluence of a tributary river. The Noatak, in flood, carries a lot of silt, but the tributaries flow clear and beautiful from remote mountain ranges that beckon us to return some day. After a couple particularly hard days we come to the exceptionally beautiful Kugururok river and camp there. Here there is enough clear flowing water that we are able to catch several large fish and have such a meal. Life is so great here that we elect to spend an extra day.

Richard and I at the kitchen. Andrew cooking pizza.

Pete reading. Richard in the bug tent.

Our last camp. Andrew at our last camp.

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Page last modified: Sep 05 19:07 2010 by Tom Unger

	Richard and I at the kitchen.		Andrew cooking pizza.
	Pete reading.		Richard in the bug tent.
	Our last camp.		Andrew at our last camp.