Yukon - Charley Rivers

Barren mountains scored by scree slopes typify park uplands. On Nimrod Peak, you look down the Tatonduk River to its Yukon confluence. Salmon drying on n erside racks symbolize subsistence lifes ty les enduring in thi s regi on, which is wilder now than it was 80 yea rs ago. Winter's Yukon River flows beneath some 6 feet of ice that freezes up in mid-October and remains frozen until mid-May. Tnbu a 1es can be explored by lmmg sm II craft upstream from th e Yukon or by having a bush pilot fly you into the headwaters so that you can oa· ou Once au leave e Y on corridor au are com pie ely on yo ur ow n in th is se ldompenetrated wilderness. Arising at some 4,000 feet elevation, it empties into the Yukon only 700 feet above sea level, for an average gradient of 31 feet per mile and average current of 4 to 6 miles per hour. Side-streams have worn away old heights, softening the shapes of all but a few alpine peaks. The 2.5-million-acre Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve includes all 106 river miles of the Charley and encompasses its entire 1 .1-million-acre watershed. Eons have passed here without catastrophic change. Today the Yukon-Charley persists as a haven largely untouched by glaciation and 1ostly free of human imprint. Here are prime breeding grounds of the ndangered peregrine falcon, calving grounds of the Fortymile cari b u herd , choice paleontological sites, superb recreational waters, and tile timeless presence of the mighty and historic Yukon River. The pres rve lies between the communities of Eagle and Circle, Alaska . New Jers y with its 7 .5 million residents would fit between these towns , but there are only 30 year-round residents here. Truly isolated, the preserve is wilder and less populated now than it was 50 or 80 years ago. The late-1 BOOs Klondike and Nome gold rushes turned Circle-1980 popula tion 81 - into the " Paris of the No rth ," boasting an opera house. Pokes of gold we re lega l te n de r. Th is was the stuff o f Jack London 's stories and Robert Services poetry. Eag le's po p u lation - about 200 today - soa red to 80 0 . Fort Egbe rt boa sted e lec tri c lights and hot-and-cold ru nn ing wate r. Ci rc le and Eag le were sou th-ba n k trade centers o n t he great Yukon River o rou g hlare t hat bi sects A laska east to west for 1,250 river miles and s retches for 1 979 river miles from its headwaters near Whitehorse , in Canada 's Yukon Terrority, to its mouth at the Bering Sea . When not choked with stupendous, lethal spring and fall ice floe§, the Yukon serves as summer waterway or frozen winter highway. A n ient hunters had trave led through the unglaciated Yukon corridor. Thos who stayed probed the uplands for game via the stream-carved v a!leys. Forays upland took them first through thickets of willow and Ider, through stands of white spruce and cottonwood screening the rivers, then across boggy flats punctuated by stunted black spruce. Mixed white spruce, birch , and aspen gave way to brush as the hunters cli rnbed toward d ry tundra on the ridges. Above them loomed always the barren mountains scored by scree slopes and topped by gra ni te p in nacles. What sc ientists th in k may be re mn ant Ice A ge vegetation occu rs as pa tches of arct ic steppe o n su n-d re nc hed bench e s and b luffs. Now, w inte r's darkness and co ld co n spi re to con gea l th is land ab utti ng the Arctic Ci rc le . A nima ls go to g roun d or mig rate . or. Ii e th e ou ntain sheep stand h u nched against arctic w i nds. R ive rs an d strea m s f reeze - Map Warning Logistics Do not use this folder map for backpacking or navigation purposes. U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps for Eagle, Circle. Charley River, and Big Delta cove r the national preserve at a scale of 1:250,000and are available at preserve headquarters or by mail from the nonprofit Al aska Natural History Association at the park address. Thi s scale is the minimum practica l for on-the-ground use. Maps at larg er scales are available from U.S.G .S. outlets. Scheduled air tax is serve Eagle and Circle year round. The Taylor and Steese highways. mainta ined gravel roads, connect Eagle and Circle with the A lean Highway (161 miles) and Fairbanks (160 miles), respectively. Note: Areas of private land exist within the preserve boundary. Respect private land owners' rig hts. Contact preserve headquarters for details on private land ow nership. Taylor Highway is usually closed by snow from October 15 to April 15. There are no roads, maintained tra ils, or maintained publ ic airstrips in the national preserve. Most people boat or float via the Yukon River and its tributaries to reach the park. Commercial operators ca n fly you into the upper Charley River. Accommodations and services. There are no facilities in the preserve. Weather fish ing. rafting, and kayaking guide services . Write to the preserve for a list. Special note. Local residents ca rry on subsistence activities in the In summer Eagle and Ci rcle offer food service; basic groceries and supplies, including gasoline; limited lodgings; campgrounds; public boat landings; and charter boat and air services. Near Circle, Central and Circle Hot Springs offer lodgings, food service. stores. and gasoline. Circle Hot Springs Resort offers baths and a large swimming pool. Authorized commercial guides provide hunting, camping, vice rendered legendary. Dormant on Coal Creek at the Yukon. this gold dredge tells of later, capital-intensive mining. Hawk-like and flying by day low to the ground , the hawk owl inhabits boreal forests. Its chattering voice sounds sim ilar to the falcon 's. Cover photo of the Charl ey River by Stephen J Krasemann/ DRK Photo; pereg rine falcon 1llustrat1on by John Dawson Timeless Rivers of Interior Alaska In the deep Interior of Alaska the great Yukon River strikes through bluffs and mountains of an ancient landscape to unmask rocks whose histories reach back a billion years to life's beginnings on Earth. Axis of the region, the silt-laden Yukon here flows constricted and swift through a great geologic fault. Side-streams tumble from the hinterlands-further passageways long inviting human traffic. Chief among these crystal rivers are the Charley, the Kandik, and the Nation. Flowing first through upland valley, then through stream-cut valley, and finally onto mature floodplain, the Charley offers spectacular unspoiled wilderness scenery. Bags of gold dust bought admission to Circle's ope ra house in the days of instant wealth by placer mining that writers Jack London and Robert Ser- preserve with camps , fish nets, and other equipment. Respect their property and privacy. Information . For more information about the preserve write to: Superintend nt, P.O. Box 64 , Eagle. AK 99738. Maps and other publications are sold by mail by the nonprofit Alaska Natural History Association at the same address. Extreme co ld holds sway from late November to mid-March as temperatu res sometimes plunge to -70° F. Snow accumulates except where winds scourthe land. Breakup in mid-May and freezeup in mid-October may maroan trave lers. Summer brings extremes, too; freez ing nights may fo ll ow daytime temperatu res of 90° F. Thunderheads breed cloudbursts, and high wi nds produce sq ualls and whitecaps on the Yukon and wild fluetuat ions in water levels on sma ller rivers. Head for shore if equipment problems or foul weather co me up. Do not overload yo ur craft. Clothing, Food, and Gear Self-sufficiency in all respects must be you r gu iding ru le for wilderness trave l here. Schedules will probably go awry because of weather or equipment failures in some remote place. Bring emergency food stocks- more than your schedu led time req uires. If aircraft will pick yo u up at a remote location , prepare for being weathered in by bringing food for a couple of extra days. Quality clothi ng (plenty of wool) that can be layered fo r changi ng cond itions, sturdy camping and rain gear, and good insect repe llent are essentials. Te nts should have rain flies and insect netting and be designed to withstand strong winds. --· ~ -.....-- Breakup in May flushes the ice from streams and reestablishes the watery regime of wetlands and insects. Summer travel in the Interior depends mainly on the rivers. Most popular is the float trip down the Yukon, with side explorations up major tributary rivers-Nation, Kan- -_ ~--- - --- - ---- ----- :. GPO 1987- 181-41 5 / 601 10 ---~- -----~-- -~· .... ,..~~·~-·----~" Precautions What to See and Do Deep Interior Alaska lies locked in ice, cold, and darkness most of the year. Winter visitors to Yuken-Charley must be expedition-equipped for survival. Yet, when the rivers freeze and the blackspruce bogs congea l, the land is open to crosscountry travel. Return ing light and moderating temperatures in March and early April invite experienced winter travelers to explore where human tracks are rare or absent. -· .......... ~-~- over. Deprived of silt from these frozen sources, the winter Yukon runs clear under as much as 6 feet of ice. But the sun returns. The rivers break. Bird calls herald spring. Old cliff eyries of peregrine falcons are refurbished and the swift flight and stoop of these winged hunters take their toll of migrating birds. Salmon begin their runs, first the big kings and then the dog salmon. Here, 1 ,200 miles from the sea but with many miles left to swim, the powerful fish are still firm of flesh. And as they have for centuries, people gather at fish camps along the Yukon. The people who stayed after the glory days of gold faded-Han Indians already home and recent arrivals who had found a home-settled back to a slower pace, trapping , hunting, fishing, gardening. With easily exploited placer deposits of gold exhausted, mining, too, changed from a rush to long toil. Even today along the Yukon a fish camp may lie just around the bendfishwheel or net in the water, fish drying on streamside racks. Hunters track moose and caribou, and miners match their mettle against the grudging rock. Life, in all its flintiness, persists here as it has for ages, and a few hardy souls still pit their fortunes against a true frontier wilderness. dik, Charley - and day hikes in bordering highland s. Rafts and canoes. with or without motors, allow the greatest fle xibility during the average 5- to 1Q-day float between Eagle and Circle (see map). Floaters camp on open beaches and river bars, where winds keep down the insects. magn ificent summ r skyscapes, and , in th e less frequented canyon s and uplands, abundan wildlife fi ll your days with treasu red experiences. Motorized boats may start from Circle and go upriver against the stiff Yukon cu rre nt. A few peapie fly with bush pilots to th e headwaters of the Charley or other tributary streams and float down to the Yukon and out of the area. Others line their boats up the side-streams. Good upland hiki ng is available in the mountainous regions. Exposed geological featu res. historic rel ics. expansive scenery, Eagle and Circle afe histori c places wh ose style of life and weathe r!'ld bui ldings recall Atflapascan Indian history, §Old rush days , the rive fboat era, and the frontier spirit. Eagle offers tours f its historic district and Fort Egbert in summ er As a national pres rve Yuko n-Charley 1s op n to both sport fish ing nd hunting under state and federa l laws. Harsh weather. high winds. and rain buffet the preserve. Guard against hypothermia. River water temperatures are cold and mid-channel spills can be lethal. Once you leave the well-traveled Yukon River corridor in this vast country you are completely on your own. Boil drinking water at least one minute to prevent Giardia problems. Know and test your gear before you arrive. You must possess good backcountry skills for wilderness survival. Leave your itinerary with someone and notify that person when you complete your trip . Bears and moose. Respect all wild animals. Moose and bears, especially, should always be considered dangerous. Get and read a free bear Boating Safety pamphlet before you set out; write to the preserve address for a copy. This information about handling wildlife encounters could save your life. Be sure to keep food supplies separate from your campsite and equipment and make noise wh ile hiking so that you do not startle bears or moose. Winter travel is recommended only to those experienced in cold weather camping and survival techniques. Novice boaters have no business confronting rapid s and the hazards of sweepers - trees that have fallen into a stream and lodged perpendicular to its current-on these wilderness rivers. Know your boat or other watercraft and its operalion before you launch . All federal and state boating regulations apply. Carry signal equipment and a personal survival kit, inelud ing temporary shelter, warm clothing, and extra food . File a float plan with a responsible person and notify that perso n when you complete your trip. Riverwatertemperatures are co ld ; midchan nel spills can be lethal. Head for shore if you have equipment probIems or the weather warsens. Do not overload your craft. MOUNTAINS Snowy Peak 4273ft .1 302m "-- ... Circle Hot Springs Landing strip " PROPERTY Mount Kathryn 4305ft . 13 12m Mount Ernest Patty 4625ft . 14 Om l__ ~ Nimrod Peak • .-..-..~....;_.~....__,,=..~-.::.._;::::::::::;.._,,~...au...._l-L.:~.tL~~ ~-~~~...-~~~_,.,..,..,._.,,~~--'""'~--"..__......,.....;..__..~~"'-"'~~_..~~~~~~-~ountSorenson ~.,..,.~-­ PRIVATE . 1710m PROPERTY •Land ing strip North Peak Landing strip• 5232n 159Sm. Glacier Mounta:n. Copper Mountain 636711 . 1941m Wa)cutt N'. oomaai 5593tt . 11osm Landing strip• • a Fortymile (abandoned) • ~ North To Dawson / ~~,-~--~~·' 0 1O Kilo'meters Baldy Mountain 3767ft . 1148m 20 I do 0 Authorized National Preserve boundary Respect private property rights and obtain permission before entering the more than 300. 000 E::::'.l Unpaved road ~ Public~ ound acres of nonfederal lands with in the preserve. Contact park headquarters for information on the location of privateknds within the P.teServe. _,., -~ /