Alaska…
Posted by Karen on May 19th 2007
Written on the 2007 Alaska to Brazil expedition
So far…
Well, we can confirm that up north in the Arctic Circle at this time of year the sunlight never fades and it tends to get rather chilly. Camping at -28°C was certainly an experience! Everything froze – including us! The water tanks, the cleaning gear, the food (as fast as we were cutting it was freezing up), only the stuff in the chilly-bins stayed unfrozen! The truck had to run all night as all the vehicles up here are plugged in to heaters every time they are stopped for more than a few minutes.
The drive up to Prudhoe Bay was absolutely stunning. The mountain ranges have been as constant and beautiful as ever and the Tundra (frozen permafrost) was incredible – freezing but well worth it! As the Arctic Ocean was still frozen we were saved from doing a polar plunge (thank god, as we would never have survived it)! So we ‘stood’ on it instead.
We can now add to our list of Wildlife spotted: Moose, Caribou, Ptarmigans, Foxes, Voles, Marmots, Musk Ox, Dall sheep, Snowshoe rabbits, Porcupines, loads of native birds… oh and some Grizzly Bears! A grizzly mum and her cub in the wild. So they definately are about, camping wise, we have had no problems, although pitching your tent next to bear paw prints is not for the faint hearted.
We then visited Alaska’s infamous tiny township of ‘Chicken’, with a population of about 20, it turned out to be one of the best party destinations ever! They even have badges printed up with ‘What happens in Chicken - Stays in Chicken’ - and they are there for a reason , so there will be no more talk of knickers and cannons – (will there Cat, Janice and Barbara…)! Needless to say it was a fantastic place and well enjoyed by all.
We have now just entered Canada for a few days until we re-enter the States for the 6 day inside passage of Alaska by ferry.
(Fishing results just in: Will: 0, Zane: 0, Pablo: 0)
Until next time…
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