Tundra Connections

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It’s 3am and we’re winding down after a long day of travel by skidoo, with the northern lights moving overhead tonight.

We had a good visit in Kotlik, meeting with corporation board members to talk about erosion, flooding, permafrost thaw, and other ongoing challenges. We also traded muktuk from Gambell for beluga from Norton Sound, and made plans to return this summer.

From there, we covered about 125 miles through a wide range of terrain with volcanic cones, stretches of shrubs and rock, sea ice, and long sections of driftwood frozen into the coastal slopes from Halong. Some sections went quickly and others took a bit more patience.

At our planned campsite, we were met by someone who had been following the traverse, parked out on the frozen river with his Super Cub.

We’ve now left the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and are moving into a different tundra region of western Alaska.

Onward to Unalakleet and the Iditarod Trail tomorrow!















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