Photo: Sophika Kostyniuk Autumn Journey in the Southern Brooks Range, Alaska Highlights:
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Trip Number: 09024A Price: $4325 Deposit: $200 Capacity: 4 Leader:
The Trip Unfortunately, this trip has been cancelled. If you have questions, please contact us. Photo: Sophika Kostyniuk Standing on the Continental Divide of the Brooks Range, about to descend a tributary of the East Fork of the Chandalar River, author Debbie Miller wrote “the water’s sound as delicate as the fluttering sound of quaking aspen leaves,” in a place where “such gentle sounds stand out like the clean edge of a full moon against a black winter sky.” We will stand in just such a place on the Divide not just once, but twice, as our route takes us up into the Philip Smith Mountains through four different watersheds. The route starts in the broad valley and spruce forest of the Chandalar River, then follows a series of named and un-named tributaries that narrow and widen below tundra slopes and limestone palisades returning to the Chandalar some miles below our start. Depending upon the conditions of the year, the change of season will be in progress, producing shades of crimson and gold on a palette of cottongrass, bearberry, soapberry, blueberry and willow in this land where moose, Dall sheep, brown bears, wolverine, wolves, porcupines, migratory songbirds and raptors can be found.
 Photo: Howard Kellogg The group will meet the day prior to the start of the trip in Fairbanks, where we will have dinner, distribute group gear and go over logistics. The next day, August 3, we will travel as a group on a regularly scheduled flight, included in the trip cost, on a single engine turbo-prop Cessna Caravan to the Gwich’in native settlement of Arctic Village. From Arctic Village, we will travel in two groups with our bush pilot in his four seated Cessna 185, also covered by the trip cost, to our starting point on the Chandalar. We will plan to spend the remainder our travel day near our drop off along the Chandalar experiencing the bit of spruce forest we will be in and trying out the fishing for arctic grayling. Over the next four to five days we will travel thirty miles along streambeds on the south slope of the Divide, crossing one pass between tributaries of the Chandalar, to a cache of supplies for the second leg of the trip. This cache means we will carry have to carry no more than six days of provisions at a time. However, the new load will include the weight of the bear canisters in which we will store the cache. On the following day we will cross to the north side of the divide. Over the next two backpacking days we have opportunities of exploring farther to the north on a side trip to an area of historic concentrations of wildlife, and the exploratory ascent of a peak right on the Divide. Our re-crossing of the divide puts us within a day’s hike to the bush strip for a celebratory cache and our pick up. On our departure day from the backcountry, we expect to arrive in Fairbanks by that evening, August 13. Participants are advised to make further travel arrangements no sooner than August 14. Getting There Trip members are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the trip's starting point in Fairbanks. We strongly advise that you arrive in Fairbanks two days ahead of schedule to allow for delayed luggage. Arctic air travel, commercial or charter, is not always on schedule due to weather conditions as well as a more laid back business approach. You should also allow for at least one flexible day at the end of the trip in case we encounter unexpected weather delays. Note that charter flights during the trip are included in the trip fee.
All food, starting with lunch on the first day through lunch on the last will be provided. We take pride in providing meals that are tasty and filling, and make a concerted effort not to rely too much on freeze-dried foods. Vegetarians can easily be accommodated. As on most Sierra Club trips, all members help with cooking and clean-up chores. Trip participants and leaders will all share in carrying food and equipment.
This trip is rated as moderate-strenuous. Our pack loads will be minimized by the mid-trip cache, careful menu planning and consideration of necessary group gear. However, group members must carry suitable clothing for this most changeable of Arctic seasons and the group provisions can add 10-12 pounds to each person’s pack. There are no groomed trails in the Refuge. We will find ourselves on wildlife trails and making our own way along, possibly through, waterways, and over surfaces from golf course-like tundra and sand to fields of bowling ball sized tussocks, cobbles or limestone talus. The leader has it on good authority that the route is of a moderate nature for Alaska backpacking. In his experience, this does not preclude sections that may be swampy, have tussocks, talus, or steep sections not appearing on the maps, all conditions common to Arctic travel which can create an immediate difficulty for backpackers accustomed to groomed trails. Most backpackers find the off-trail experience to be more strenuous, and, though successful, do express an appreciation for the prior knowledge that such travel requires more effort. This is a new route and so has that element of the unknown that can be of great appeal to an experienced backpacker prepared for such an experience. The maximum elevation will be 5,000 feet and the minimum 2,500 feet. The route is a bit of a roller coaster with total gains of 4,600 feet and losses of 4,000 feet up and down the three passes. The average grade is 6%. We should expect to travel at an average of at least 6 miles per backpacking day. Please be frank and completely honest when completing your trip application. The trip leader will talk to you at length by phone to make sure that this is a trip appropriately suited for you, but the Sierra Club reserves the right to turn participants away at the start of the trip, if it is clear they have not been truthful in the application process.
The leaders will send out a detailed equipment list to approved participants prior to the trip and are happy to discuss any questions you may have. The leaders will conduct a gear inspection of each participant before the start of the trip in Fairbanks. Anyone who has brought inappropriate gear, such as a tent that is not waterproof, rain gear that is not waterproof, or a pack that is too small will be asked to purchase new gear in Fairbanks.
Conservation The Arctic Refuge is one of the last intact ecological systems in the world and is under considerable political pressure for development. To date, efforts to designate the entire refuge as wilderness have been rejected outright and there is an ongoing effort to open sensitive areas of the refuge to energy development. Protecting this unique ecosystem is among the highest priorities of nearly every major environmental organization. Trip participants will be educated about current developments, how to keep informed of future developments, and to become advocates for protection of this important area. In addition, Leave No Trace ethics will be used and emphasized on our trip. Our goal will be to alter the wilderness as little as possible, preserving it for the next group. Sierra Club outings in Alaska and Arctic Canada are special experiences in true wilderness, but they also carry an element of risk. Trip locales are often remote, away from the amenities of civilization, including sophisticated medical care and immediate evacuation possibilities. Many of our Alaska and Arctic Canada trips now carry satellite phones, but even with this technology, communication with the outside world can be difficult and emergency assistance can be days away. Weather in Alaska and Arctic Canada is unpredictable, and inclement weather can be severe. Among other hazards are cold river and stream crossings, tidal activity, calving glaciers, the psychological effects of remoteness, and the presence of large wild animals. You're in good hands, though, so don't worry: Your trip leaders have vast experience in the Last Frontier, and they'll provide all the guidance you need.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
Assistant Leader 
Elizabeth Taylor, also known as "ET," considers cooking for Service Trips the ideal blending of her two passions: being in the wilderness and making great things to eat. She has cooked on several service trips and, during the off-season, often cooks at the homeless shelter or for varsity sports teams in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she lives. Meals will be mostly vegetarian with Asian and Mediterranean flavors, but expect a bit of Southern cooking and yummy desserts.
Email: etaylor11@bellsouth.net General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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For Howard Kellogg, home is the desert of southeastern California, near the lower Colorado River and not far from the Pacific coast. A high school science teacher, Howard spends the school year exploring the vast and varied backcountry of Southern California by foot and canoe, leading Sierra Club chapter outings and Boy Scout adult canoe trainings. In the summer he hits the trail, leading, scouting, and exploring throughout the Rocky Mountain region.