Cape Krusenstern

Northwest Alaska Areas Alaska Cape Krusenstern Noatak Kobuk Valley National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Tim Thompson/National Geographic Society Seal hunting remains economically important for Native Aiaskans along coastal parklands. Annual salmon runs provide oceanic food—a sudden burst of animal protein—to inland Alaska. People and wildlife work furiously to exploit its brief influx. Cottongrass blossoms brighten summertundra. 1 he Noatak, a river of multitudinous mountain kingdoms, runs nearly 300 miles to its mouth at the Chukchi Sea north of Kotzebue. Rivers provide transportation as well as food. George Weurthner George Weurthner Sunset on the Kobuk River mirrors golden aspen leaves. Ponds typically dot moist tundra, particularly in river flats, as here along the Kobuk River. Expansive Arctic and Subarctic Wildlands Cover: Herds of caribou roam the parklands in northwest Alaska. Photo by wniiamBoehrr Known simply as the Northwest Alaska Areas, three units of the National Park System stretch eastward from the Chukchi Sea for some 2 9 0 miles to the upper Noatak River. Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Kobuk Valley National Park, and Noatak National Preserve together protect some 9% million acres of subarctic and arctic wildlands. They also offer, on the Noatak and Kobuk Rivers, some of North America's finest waters for wilderness expeditions. West to east, these parklands encompass the Brooks Range, northernmost extension of the Rocky Mountain Range, north of the Arctic Circle. They trace the treeline or northern limit of tree growth as the boreal forest gives way to the tundra that stretches northward to Point Barrow on of years, its resources and productivity were carefully preserved for the benefit of future generations. The National Park Service has a compatible mission—of stewardship of this vast reach of northwest Alaska for the use and enjoyment of this and coming generations. From the visitor center in Kotzebue it is difficult to imagine the extent of the Noatak River—whose name means "passage to the interior "—or the expanse of the annual caribou migrations throughout the immense area that these parks encompass. the Beaufort Sea. The Northwest Alaska Areas protect the archeologically significant beach ridges of Cape Krusenstern, the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, and most of the expansive watershed of the Noatak River. With Gates of the Arctic National Park they extend 3 5 0 miles inland and encompass 16.8 million acres. Linked to this expansive topography is the wide-ranging, nomadic western arctic herd of barren ground caribou. Its aggregate numbers exceed 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 animals today. The tundra offers a thin veneer of life across which caribou must move to forage for adequate food. In summer the land is covered with a profusion of low-growing plants, including dwarfed ground willows, saxifrage, lupines, reindeer moss, and lichens. The caribou Noatak Cape Krusenstern Beach ridges at Cape Krusenstern. Cape Krusenstern National Monument is a coastal plain dotted with sizable lagoons and backed by gently rolling limestone hills. Treeless, the cape gives you the feeling of being able to see forever. Cape Krusenstern's bluffs and its series of 114 beach ridges record changing shorelines of the Chukchi Sea (see map). They also record in time sequence an estimated 6,000 years of prehistoric human use of this coastline. In summer a tremendous show of wildflowers colors the beach ridges and nearby hills. Huge numbers of birds come to the coastal area for nesting. Some archeological resources here are older than well-known remains of ancient Greek civilizations on the Mediterranean Sea. Shifting sea ice, ocean currents, and waves have formed—and continue to f o r m spits and lagoons possessing important scien- has a strong presence in native stories of this region. Native peoples here were often semi-nomadic, following the caribou migrations. Even the coastal peoples of Cape Krusensten ranged inland to hunt caribou and to hunt and trap other land mammals when the sea mammals so important to their lives were scarce. Throughout these parklands, local residents still pursue caribou hunting, fishing, trapping, and other subsistence activities. Special provisions of the legislation establishing these Alaska parklands allow local people to continue these activities. Many residents rely significantly on locally harvested animals, fish, and plants for satisfying basic food needs. The Inupiat people traditionally valued the land so that, through wise use over thousands Kobuk Valley Noatak River—the name means "passage to the interior.' tific, cultural, and scenic values. In fall, migrating waterfowl use the lagoons as feeding and staging areas. The broad plain between the hills of the cape and those in the northern section of the monument is the tundra-covered bed of a huge glacier formed 250,000 years ago—and the former course of the Noatak River. Activities: Kayaking along the coast and through the lagoons is possible. Camping, hiking, backpacking, wildlife watching, and photo opportunities abound. Caribou are the only members of the deer family in which both male and female have antlers. Bull antlers may extend up to 4 feet from the head and have a similar spread. As one of North America's largest mountainringed river basins with an intact, unaltered ecosystem, the Noatak River environs feature some of the Arctic's finest arrays of plants and animals. The river offers equally superlative wilderness float-trip opportunities—from deep in the Brooks Range to tidewater of the Chukchi Sea. Noatak National Preserve lies almost completely enclosed by the Baird and De Long mountains of the Brooks Range. In this transition zone, the northern coniferous forest thins out and gradually gives way to the tundra that stretches northward to the Beaufort Sea. The Noatak basin is internationally recognized as a Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, largest of the park's dune areas. Biosphere Reserve. Under this United Nations scientific program the area's ecological and genetic components are monitored to establish baseline data for measuring changes in other ecosystems worldwide. Information can also be gathered here on sustainable uses of natural resources by humans, as exemplified by the Inupiat and other native peoples who have lived off the land of northwest Alaska for many thousands of years. The Noatak River is classified as a national wild and scenic river from its headwaters to the Kelly River. Activities: Gentle and slow moving except in its distant headwaters, the Noatak offers fine canoeing, kayaking, and rafting. Aircraft landing on gravel bars or rivers and lakes provide access for fishing, hiking, backpacking, hunting, and other recreational pursuits. Kobuk Valley National Park is also mountainenclosed—by the Baird and Waring mountains (see map). Major natural features that the park protects include the central section of the Kobuk River, the 25-square-mile Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, and the Little Kobuk and Hunt River dunes. Additional dunes that have been stabilized by vegetation now cover much of the southern portion of the Kobuk Valley. Sand created by the grinding action of ancient glaciers has been carried to the Kobuk Valley by winds—westerly in summer and easterly the rest of the year—and by water. River bluffs, composed of sand and standing as much as 150 feet high, hold permafrost ice wedges and the fossils of Ice Age mammals. Up to 1,500 feet wide, the placid Kobuk River falls a mere 2 to 3 inches per mile. Its valley provides important over 140,000 square miles, including the entire three parks that make up the Northwest Alaska Areas. The herd —North America's largest—is more than 300,000 at this writing. Arctic Coastal Plain. Many of the caribou begin to cross the Noatak southward in late August and the Kobuk in September. The winter range lies south of Kobuk Valey National Park and theSelawik National Wildlife Refuge. fall and winter range for the western arctic caribou herd. Bands of bulls and cows may be seen here from late August through October as they migrate across the Kobuk River on their extensive annual migrations. Native people have lived along the Kobuk for at least 12,000 years. Their history is best recorded at the Onion Portage archeological site. The Salmon River, within Kobuk Valley National Park, is classified as a national wild and scenic river. Activities: Motorboats, kayaks, canoes, and rafts are used on the river for a variety of floating experiences. The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes can be reached at their northern tip—once you have floated the river into hiking range, that is—by an easy crosscountry hike from the Kobuk River, following the uplands near Kavet Creek. Caribou, Nomads of the North Range and Migrations Known as "nomads of the north," caribou have lived in most of Alaska except its southeastern panhandle. In their yearly wanderings, caribou of the western arctic herd range Caribou migrations are one of the wonders of the subarctic and arctic realms. Traditionally, caribou have been among this region's chief food sources for humans, predators, and scavengers. The populations of some other animal species may even fluctuate with that of the caribou. Native peoples have depended on caribou for food, clothing, shelter, and tools, using the entire animal. For food: meat, greens from the stomach, and fat. For clothing: hides for coats called parkies, trousers, boots called mukluks, and mittens, plus sinew to sew them. For shelter: hides for tents. For tools: antler and bone for needles, sleigh brakes, fish spears, knife handles, arrowheads, hide scrapers, Spring migration begins in March: the herd's main body crosses the Kobuk and Noatak rivers moving northward to calving grounds on the a n d SnOW ShOVelS. Illustration by Robert Hynes Life on the Tundra Truly migratory, caribou move about the tundra in constant search of plant foods to support their body weight: 150 to 300 pounds for bulls. Tundra is a mat of mostly prostrate vegetation that can grow where short summers and other conditions preclude tree growth. Wet, moist, and alpine tundra are illustrated below. Tundra is often underlain by permanently frozen ground called permafrost. The ground surfaces of wet tundra and moist tundra Wet Tundra thaw in summer and stay waterlogged because permafrost prevents ready drainage. Alpine tundra often grows on rocky ground that drains very rapidly: the ground thaws in summer, but plants must resist drying out. Caribou teed on grasses and grass-like sedges; small shrubs and their berries; and twigs and bark. In winter, when these are not as available, they eat significant amounts of a lichen called reindeer moss. Caribou can dig through snow to find food unless the crust is too hard, in which case they may suffer malnutrition and even starve. Besides the predators described at right, chief antagonists of caribou in summer are the caribou warble fly, caribou nostril fly, black fly, and mosquito. Caribou may even stop eating while trying to avoid the Arctic's summer hordes of biting insects. Mosquitoes, however, are an important food s o u r c e converting the productivity of plants into protein— that sustain abundant bird and fish life of the north. Adult bulls can accumulate fat deposits—mostly on the back and rump— that weigh 60 pounds or more in early fall. They lose the fat during the rutting, or mating, . season. Caribou have adapted to this harsh and demanding environment in many ways. Hollow caribou hair traps substantial air for excellent insulation against the cold. Its buoyancy is evident when the animals cross rivers: they float very high. The caribou's dew claws and spreading, cleft hooves help support its weight on soft ground and snow. In winter the hoof's sharp edges help the caribou on frozen terrain. Alpine Tundra Moist Tundra Wolves and Other Predators The principal predators of the caribou are the wolf and bear. Wolverines, foxes, and eagles prey on calves. Any of the above, as well as weasels, lemmings, some hawks, ravens, Canada jays, and gulls, will scavenge caribou carcasses. Some wolves, especially on North Slope calving areas, will follow the caribou herd. However, many wolves reside in specific locations. Wolves hunt caribou by stealth and ambush, by relay running, or by cull ing victims of falls from running in a tightly massed herd. Healthy adult caribou can normally outrun single wolves and have the advantage on ice. Wolves have the advantage on soft tundra and in some snow conditions. Northwest Alaska Areas Alaska Cape Krusenstern Noatak Kobuk Valley George Weurthner In the rutting season Dall sheep rams battle fiercely An angler lands a grayling on light tackle. Access and Information V* both by scheduled airlines and by many Alaska package tour companies. Transportation. People generally reach the Northwest Alaska Areas by scheduled airlines from Fairbanks or Anchorage. Scheduled flights are available from Kotzebue to the villages of Noatak, Kivalina, Shungnak, Ambler, Kobuk, Kiana, and Noorvik. Air taxi or charter flights are available from Pacific walruses live in both the Bering and Chukchi seas. Their strong ivory tusks are used in fighting and climbing —and in For information write or call: Superintendent, Northwest Alaska Areas, National Park Service, P.O. Box 1029, Kotzebue, AK 99752. Telephone (907) 442-3760 or 3890. For a list of U.S.G.S. topographic maps, books, and other publications write: Alaska Natural History Association, P.O. Box 1029, Kotzebue, AK 99752. There are no National Park Service developments, services, campgrounds, or trails in these park areas. Summer access to and through them includes motorized and non-motorized watercraft, aircraft, and by foot. Light aircraft land on gravel bars and tundra airstrips or on rivers, lakes, and lagoons. Floating the major rivers can be the experience of a lifetime At Cape Krusenstern kayaking along the coast and through lagoons is possible. Camping, hiking, backpacking, wildlife observation, and photography are popular activities. parenting, forfetching young from ice floe crevasses. Kayakers float the wild Noatak River. Musk oxen circle up, heads out in their collective defensive At Kobuk Valley motorboats, kayaks, canoes, and rafts are used on the river. The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, up to 150 feet high, are an easy hike from the Kobuk River. At Noatak fine canoeing, kayaking, and rafting opportunites abound on the Noatak River. Aircraft also provide access for fishing and backpacking. Private property. Private lands are located within all three areas, generally along rivers and beaches. Respect property and privacy. Subsistence use. Local residents engaged in a subsistence way of life are legally permitted to continue subsistence. Please do not interfere with subsistence camps, fishnets, or other equipment. Fishing. Fishing can be good when rivers are clear and fish are running. Species include grayling, arctic char, sheefish, salmon, pike, and whitefish. An Alaska fishing license is required posture effective against most natural predators. L. Ayres George Weurthner Tiny redback v o l e s studied here—loom large in the Arctic's food chain. A hiker contemplates the valley of the upper Noatak River in a land- Precautions Regulations Activities Kotzebue, Ambler, Bettles, and Fairbanks. Write to the superintendent for a list of authorized air taxi services for Cape Krusenstern National Monument, l^Kobuk Valley National S K Park, and Noatak " J 8 w National Preserve. Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Kobuk Valley National Park, and Noatak National Preserve together are known as the Northwest Alaska Areas. Their visitor information center in Kotzebue is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and for longer hours during the summer. Here you can buy topographic maps, aeronautical charts, and books on the region, and get information on hunting and fishing regulations, location of private lands within the park units, minimum impact camping, bear safety, and other important topics. Kotzebue can be reached only by air. Its airport is served William Boehm George Weurthner with their mighty, curledback horns. National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior for all persons 16 years of age or older. Alaska fishing seasons and regulations apply. Hunting. Sport hunting is permitted in Noatak National Preserve with an Alaska hunting license. Alaska seasons and regulations apply. Kobuk Valley National Park and Cape Krusenstern National Monument are closed to sport hunting. Subsistence hunting by local residents living in identified resident zones is permitted in all three areas. State and federal subsistence hunting regulations apply. Camping. The three park areas have no designated campgrounds. Tundra and river bars are often used for camping. Use river bars with caution: Rapid changes in river levels can occur without warning. Camp only where escape routes are available to safe higher ground. Keep gear above river level and secure boats and other floatable items. This is a vast area subject to harsh weather, high winds, rain, and snow. Guard against hypothermia, an all-season killer. Animals are wild and must be respected. Before traveling in the backcountry, review the brochures about handling wildlife encounters. These are available at the visitor center or by mail. Mosquitoes and biting flies are prevalent; headnets and/or repellent are recommended. Drinking water should be boiled for one minute before use. Giardia lamblia can be a problem. You must possess good backcountry ski lis for wilderness survival. Know— and test—your gear before you arrive. For your scape whose distances roll onward like seascapes. Bear warning safety, leave your itinerary with someone and notify that person when you complete your trip. Winter travel can be recommended only to those experienced in arctic camping and survival techniques. Grizzly and black bears are common to the parks. They are unpredictable and dangerous. Never surprise them or approach closely; stay cautious and alert at all times. Make noise—loud talking, ringing a bell, shaking stones in a can, etc. If you meet a bear, yield the right-of-way by moving slowly away, not by running. scented foods such as bacon and smoked fish at home. Burn and carry out all garbage. It is legal to carry a firearm for bear protection. Clean camps are essential to reducing bear problems. Foods, lotions, toothpaste, shaving cream, etc. and their odors attract bears. Keep sleep area and cook area separate. Store food and scented articles in airtight containers. Leave 1 GPO 1990-262100/00164 Map warning: Do not use this map for hiking or river running. Write to the superintendent for information about U.S.G.S. topographic maps.