North Slope

July 27th

Along the way people told us what to expect as we go further north.  Above the Brooks Range, expect the weather to be different (it is)  and expect more mosquitoes (there are).  Before we leave trees behind for the rest of the trip, we stop to collect firewood to tie to the top of the van. We soon work our way through the pass, deferring to eighteen wheelers who need a  lot of the unpaved road on the turns.  Arriving at Galbraith Lake, a light rain and a bit of wind makes setting up camp a little trying. We are beginning to see the footprint of the oil industry on the North Slope; first in passing Pump Station Four with its industrial buildings and workers housing, then a large gravel quarry used for nonstop highway maintenance during the summer, and finally by the presence of a temporary workers housing at our campsite, complete with 24 hour generator noise. Mosquitoes are much more plentiful here and I spend much of the time in a headnet. The small good news is that they are not very fierce, but I still have a lot of bites. We are north of the last tree and had made a stop along the way to gather firewood to tie to the top of the van. Smoke seems to keep the mosquitoes at bay. After dinner of reindeer sausage,  scalloped potatoes and fresh salad from the Wiseman trapper's garden, the rain settles in for a steady soaking lasting through our next morning's chilly, windy hike up the valley system behind our camp.