Wiseman under the Midnight Sun

It’s easy to relax and just soak up the spectacular scenery in Alaska. It is easy to forget that this vast country is built on the sweat of men and women who are exceptionally skilled at survival. I wanted to try and see a piece of real Alaska.

So, we caught a plane to Coldfoot. Why Coldfoot? Because it is about 55 miles north of the Artic Circle (66 degrees 33 minutes north latitude). This is pretty much what Coldfoot looks like:

 

Notice the slushiness? That’s breakup. The water doesn’t soak in as it’s perma-frost. Mozzies breed like mad up there. I tried to catch a couple so I could put a saddle on them and have a ride but they can be elusive buggers.

We left Coldfoot air strip and caught a ride to visit Jack Reakoff in a small town called Wiseman. There are a half a dozen families living in Wiseman and a total of 3 kids including Jack’s daughter Suvi. Jack is everything I imagined a born and bred Alaskan would be…except better. He understands his country and lives in tune with the wilderness. He farms in the long summers and grows enough potatoes and turnips to get him through winter. He also grows a few zucchini and tomatoes for sport. In winter, he traps for fur. He hunts for meat. Yet he shows great respect and understanding of the native animals in the area. He’d rather face a grizzly than a moose…and he thinks little of visiting hunters who kill only for antlers and leave the meat to rot. He explained the hardship of the Alaskan winters and yet made it sound like a small piece of heaven. It’s all about being prepared.

There is nothing in Wiseman except the people and the land. No services like town water or power.  No school. No shops. No petrol station. No hospital. Nothing. But the skills of people like Jack and raw beauty.

Best thing I have done in Alaska…visiting Wiseman. And I will go back in winter as Jack assures me it is the best place to see the Aurora. Just got to get Rob used to the idea but hey, at least there won’t be any mozzies.

Jack Reakoff of Wiseman

Harry Leonard's cabin...he lived here until the age of 93.

Harry Leonard is the guy pictured.

One of the original huts in Wiseman. It's slowly sinking.

Inside Harry's hut...our boat has more room.

Imagine pooping in here at -80F

Our ride to Coldfoot...the State Trooper's plane is the blue one

Wiseman

The Trans Alaskan pipeline and bridge crossing the Yukon...the white buildings are one of the 11 pump stations along the pipeline that pressurise or de-pressurise the oil as it moves along the line

This is the pipeline which runs from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez...800 miles. It's elevated over the permafrost and as the oil is hot, the mounts have special gas cooling so as not to melt anything. If  the pipeline was underground, it would melt the permafrost and sink. Not to mention the damage to the environment. Quite an engineering feat.