Hiking on Tundra

July 24th

The Brooks Range is the northernmost extension of the Canadian Rockies and it bends east to west across Alaska above the Arctic Circle. We camp several days on the south slope of the range and will camp several more on the north slope. This morning we wake up in the Marion Creek campground near the Gates to the Arctic National Park.  We are nearly alone in the campground. They are still working on repairing the campground water supply; damaged by frozen pipes last winter.  Daily run back to Coldfoot for our water.  After breakfast we mobilize to climb Midnight Dome, a tundra covered hill north of here. Hiking on tundra is a strange experience.  A spongy mesh of grass, shrubs and moss is continuous up the hill. The ground is not suitable for trails, so we pick our way crosscountry. It is tough walking because it compresses maybe eight inches each step. So climbing is like a stairmaster with vertical progress much reduced.  We trudge maybe two miles and 1,100 vertical feet to a great overlook over the valley and stream below. During the lunch break the weather closes in and a light rain starts.  We head down, stopping to pick blueberries along the way.  Maybe blueberry pancakes in the morning tomorrow. When we get to the bottom, we are pretty wet and ready to get back to camp.