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THE GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK
AND THE ALASKA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (ANWR)
2008 BIRDERS EXPLORATION ITINERARY
7 days including 5 nights 6 days
Available JUNE, JULY, & AUGUST, $2,740. per person
What could be more exciting than to be part of the team to discover and document previously unknown habitat of the Grey-Headed Chickadee and the Smith’s Longspur in what can only be described as the mother of all wilderness experiences!
Saturday, DAY 1
Arrive Deadhorse on Alaska Airlines flight #203 which arrives at
approximately 3:00pm.
Transfer by van and head south along the Dalton Highway 80 road miles to the Happy Valley the center of Arctic operations for Mike's Air Taxi.
Rest overnight
DAY 2:
Travel by bush plane to your “Arctic Wilderness Exploration Station-X” where you will meet up with your trip leader-coordinators Steve and Sara Howard.
DAY 3, 4, 5 Things get real!
DAY 6:
PM of the sixth day of your trip say Cheerio (tipping is not a city in China) to your trip coordinator(s) and Depart STATION-X
Arrive Happy Valley
get a shower and a meal
rest over night at Happy Valley
SATURDAY, DAY 7:
8AM a hearty breakfast of Peregrine porridge
9AM load up in the transfer van and head north
12PM Prudhoe Bay Tour dip your toes in the Arctic Ocean
4pm board Alaska Airlines flight #204 at Deadhorse heading back to the world
Let’s talk about an EXPLORATION trip. Your entire team has collaborated in planning the logistics and coordination of each “Artic Wilderness Exploration Station- X”. Your team members have much more than a foundational knowledge and the combined level of expertise in their respective fields puts this trip over the top. They have completed the advanced research and pre-season planning to insure that your adventure is safe to the extent any wilderness trips are; properly geared for the environment and have on hand the tools necessary to enable you to accomplish the mission of discovering previously undocumented sightings in areas on the North Slope of the Brooks Range for the elusive chickaspur.
Let's talk about WILDERNESS. We have a satellite phone for emergency purposes and weather reporting. The nature of Nature :-) assures us all that no matter what the level of planning and preparedness still leaves room for the unexpected to be expected. So, fog in the morning may mean a delay in a flight but the upside could be an opportunity to observe a herd of Muskoxen or stroll along the banks of the Sagavanirktok River. Mother Nature dictates what happens and when. There is nearly an unlimited amount of daylight, so the clock is quite irrelevant and the calendar is only good to know that you missed your day to catch your scheduled flight back to the world. So chill out and enjoy the ENTIRE experience and everything will take care of itself. If you don’t bring that attitude, don’t come.
What to expect? Well, all our AWESX’s are designed to be temporary air-mobile camps; simplistic, durable, comfortable for a short period of time; light weight mountaineering type gear field tested to match the environment. We are in the wilderness and believe in the leave no trace ethics of back country camping/hiking and respect the territory of the inhabitants. Orientation regarding living with bears and other stuff Yada yada. We will eat community style meals in a community way. Some will fetch water, some will boil water, some will cook freeze dried, some will wash dishes, and everyone will bag their own crap or however we have to deal with that part. But the point is, this is not a completely do-it-yourself trip but it is not total wine and dine experience either. Be willing to pitch in and help with Station X chores and do it without being asked. There will be two people per tent so bring ear plugs and those deals that go on your nose and help you keep from waking the dead. There will be one large “bug tent” for cooking and dining.
There are variables with each AWES-X. One may be in The Gates and the Next in ANWR, one may require a series of short floats; another may require short daily flights to the research area; all will involve at least some hiking so you should be able and willing to hike a couple of miles a day. Some may be a mix of both floats and day trip excursion flights. What we have done is fix the cost to assure you that there are no added cost to worry about and that your team is prepared; what needs to happen will happen in order to have the best shot at accomplishing the mission of your Station X.
What’s included? All transfers, meals and overnight accommodations at Happy Valley, Bush flights, cots, pads, chairs, tents, rafts equipment {when necessary}, meals (freeze dried in the field).
What’s not included? (this means you need to bring): your own sleeping bag, your own BUG gear, your own trail food and snacks, your own beverages (other than coffee & tea) and your own other personal equipment.
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