Photographic tour from Fairbanks, Through Wiseman and Prudhoe Bay, to Kaktovik.
Wolfs and Bears and Aurora, oh my!
The Highlights
Many compliments to our Guides, Hugh Rose and Ron Niebrugge.
*note gallery scrolling is limited to each specific gallery.
The Trip
The drive up and back
Drove Fairbanks to Wiseman to Prudhoe Bay, Flew to Kaktovik, and then all the way back
The infamous Ice Road for the oil line and truckers.
Some fall colors
The pipeline. This thing is a masterclass in engineering.
Our Guide's Van. Pretty damn comfy.
Population: 13
The bridge to Wiseman. Apparently bridges DO freeze up faster.
Wiseman Post office. The logs are rotting at ~1 inch per year, so the building is shrinking. That door is now only ~3.5 foot tall. Only short people may deliver mail.
Old Ford Model T. At least some of it.
The original Caterpillar snow machine that was driven to Wiseman when established in 1920's. Top speed 3.6mph. Note the Cat logo.
Jill loved all the sled dogs.
Our B&B in wiseman. Town of 13 people.
Northern Hawk Owl practicing Kung Fu
It snowed before the leaves dropped. Made for fun colors
I finally found wild wolf, close enough to photograph.
Do not stop? Or do not start?
Red Fox
Caribou
Franklin Bluffs, named after an arctic explorer.
Tundra Swan
Short Eared Owl
What'cha doing?
Sandhill Crane
Hotel at Prudhoe Bay had gantries with hanging plugs for engine block heaters.
Road conditions driving back to Wiseman were a little rough. Rental cars not allowed (but frequently showed up; in ditches, in ravines, on their roofs, etc)
The other reason rental cars not suggested.
MuskOx in front of Franklin Bluffs
Birch Forest
Hiking outside of Fairbanks.
 Kaktovik & Polar Bears
Cute, cuddly, 900 lb predators
Our wind-up plane
The Town.
Our Limo
Our Hotel (Yes Gina, this is real, and was a hospitable place)
A bear scavenging the bone pile of one of the three whales the natives in Kaktovik are still allowed to hunt per year.
9 Month Old Cub.
The cubs (1.5 year old here) play hard.
Mom and triple 9 month old cubs.
8-900 Lb Male (we didnt get out of the boat to weight it)
Nappy time.
They found a rope to play with.
The clinch
The Takedown
Note their fur getting more and more grey.
The town of Kaktovik.
Ptarmigan. They turn white in the winter, and apparently taste like chicken.
Note the feet.
The remains of the 3 whales the villagers are allowed to hunt each year. the bears love it.
Looks like something out of Predator or Aliens.
Arctic Log Rolling Contest.
Trust me, you are going to lose.
This is the start of a sequence where mother and three cubs chase off a larger male. The camera shooting this records 8-10 frames per second.
Note who won. I dont think the fact that she was the only bear who was tagged and gps'd by NPS made her any friendlier.
The cubs will play with ANYTHING.
Snowy Owl, and an interesting choice for street name.
Jill photographing polar bear (this one is fairly far away)
Brant Geese
They would pick up and throw sticks, whale skin, rocks, and everything else.
The weather and lighting was fantastic while there.
What The ?
1 of 2. She walked up and pushed her brother over.
2 of 2... Splash.
Waiting for Surf.
Airborne Attack.
Do I still have tourist in my teeth?
After chewing on a stick, she decided to chew on her foot for 5 minutes to get the taste out.
O.... M..... G!
The start of a sequence, which we shall name "What the hell did I drink?"
#Facepalm
Monorail bear.
Aurora Borealis
We caught a break in the clouds and an epic show from our B&B in Wiseman
