Backpacking guides and outfitters

Backpackers Guides and Outfitters

Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.
Edward Abbey

Gates of the Arctic National Park

Set in Alaska's Brooks Range this park is huge at 11 million acres and visited lightly with less than 5,000 visitors a year. The highest peak in the park is Mount Igikpak at 8510 feet, and is the headwaters of the Noatak River. There are 6 Wild and Scenic Rivers in the park. The high country and north slopes of the Brooks Range are tundra; wide open and treeless the south slopes are forested and more like the interior of Alaska. Remains of ancient caribou skin houses can still be seen in Gates of the Arctic National Park.
Gates of the Arctic Mountain Terrain
Mountains in the Gates of the Arctic N.P.

To get here you will need to get flown in. There are a number of fly-in services available to choose from that have scheduled flights into Anaktuvuk Pass, Bettles, and Coldfoot. Also guide services offer fly-ins as part of their guided trips. It is highly recommended that hikers use a guide service when exploring this area as this is a very remote and wild area. One such guide service is Arctic Wild. They specialize in 1 to 3 week, fully guided and outfitted adventures and are highly experienced.
Caribou basecamp Gates of the Arctic
Cariboo in the Gates of the Arctic N.P.