| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22 | 9 | 0.68 |
| Feb | 26 | 12 | 0.74 |
| Mar | 34 | 18 | 0.65 |
| Apr | 44 | 29 | 0.52 |
| May | 55 | 39 | 0.70 |
| Jun | 62 | 47 | 1.06 |
| Jul | 65 | 52 | 1.70 |
| Aug | 63 | 49 | 2.93 |
| Sep | 55 | 41 | 2.87 |
| Oct | 40 | 28 | 2.09 |
| Nov | 28 | 16 | 1.09 |
| Dec | 24 | 11 | 1.05 |
Rinsing my knife in the cold river, I heard splashing in the distance. A grizzly bounded across the rushing waters, sending up a halo of glistening spray. I stepped back from the stony bank and watched, upwind.
We had just paddled our rafts up to a tight bend on the Marsh Fork, the rocky shore splaying to a backdrop of majestic purple mountains, when we heard it: an intense but muffled percussion. Seconds later, we rounded the turn and found ourselves floating directly at the sound's source: caribou, thousands of them, stepping over stones and fording the rushing river on their annual migration.
Stunned by the drama, we lifted our paddles into the rafts and floated silently into the herd. The caribou calmly yielded, allowing us our drifting passage. Their inquisitive calves, having no knowledge of humans, looked us straight in the eye. We smelled their musky coats and felt the warm steam of their breath.
Later, after making camp, we took our fly rods to the river for a few casts, attracting grayling and char, and a grizzly bear. Drawn to our scent and activity, the towering brown male appears suddenly from the foothills, rises to his hind legs, noses the breeze and lumbers toward us. Our guide has schooled us in bear protocols, and we hastily release our catch back into the river and begin whooping and hollering and waving our arms. The bear stops, grunts, and then lopes off through a field of wildflowers.
At this time of year, the sun never sets in the refuge, a wild and challenging place, where the rivers flow north and wolves howl soulfully from the mountains under Alaska's nighttime sun.
Owner and guide Juliette Boselli has been professionally outfitting and guiding remote river trips in Alaska for 20 years. After completing a naturalist degree in Outdoor Recreation, she ventured north to Alaska and immediately fell in love with the wilderness and the spirit of the place. She soon discovered river running and knew she had found her life's passion. She resides year round in a home she built on the edge of Denali National Park. In addition to guiding, she also owns and operates a seasonal outdoor store at Denali.
Arrive in Fairbanks, where you meet your guide for an expedition briefing of your journey on the Marsh Fork River, the most remote river system in Alaska's wildest country.
Pike's Waterfront Lodge DArctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Fly from Fairbanks by Caravan airplane to the state's last human outposts at Arctic Village, then over the Brooks Range en route to the vast open wilderness of Alaska's Arctic territory. Land on a clearing along the Marsh Fork, the western tributary of the Canning River. As it cuts through the Franklin Mountains, the waters of the Marsh Fork flow past glacier-capped peaks, scattered stands of black spruce, and finally an expanse of boggy tundra before the confluence with the Canning River farther north. Set camp along the riverbank in dome tents and enjoy dinner prepared over an open fire.
Mobile Camp in the Refuge B L DOver the next seven days, paddle downstream through the most pristine stretch of wilderness remaining in North America. The likelihood of seeing any trace of another human being is very small. There are no buildings, roads, light posts or background noises of civilization that we have grown to ignore. The silence of this untouched place is like none you have ever experienced.
This rarely explored territory is accessible only a few months out of the year. Your equipment, skills and guide's experience are essential in this unspoiled but challenging environment. You have no daily schedule: nature and your interests determine your adventures. Hike mountains, navigating the peaks and crags without the benefit of trails, for a closer look at Dall sheep or nesting golden eagle. You may spend several days fly fishing in the streams, and searching for wildlife such as moose, bear and wolves that come to the riverbanks to drink. For the photographer, the mountains provide ever-changing scenery, with Arctic wildflowers displaying vibrant colors. As the days drift by and the terrain changes to tundra near the Canning River, you may see musk oxen and caribou. The Arctic fox is a frequent visitor to the campsite.
Mobile Tented Camp B L DOn the last night in the refuge, camp at the confluence of the Marsh Fork and Canning Rivers at Plunge Creek. Here you meet the bush plane that takes you from ANWR to Arctic Village. A connecting flight continues to Fairbanks, where you transfer to the municipal airport for the flight home.
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