Brooks Range, Alaska

Andy Young · Post by **Andy Young** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 2:22 pm

Hi,

I might be taking a few days off in the next week or so, and flying up to the Brooks Range. Surprisingly, this is an area of the state that I have never visited. We (my gf and I) want to get a look at the Arrigetch peaks, but other than that, have no solid plan. I am wondering if any of you can suggest good places to go, places to land, camp, etc. I am flying an M-6 on 8:50s. As I am fairly new to this plane and the tires are small, I am limiting myself to places that are pretty darn smooth and hard, and not less than 1000 feet long. I've heard Wiseman is nice. I'd like to use Crevice Creek, but a co-worker asked the owner, and he said "no".
Other ideas?

Thanks.
Andy

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 6:07 pm

I have floated quite a few of the rivers up there. Beautiful country and about as remote as you can get. Talk with Dirk in Cold Foot. He owns Coyote Air that operates off the strip there and can direct you pretty much anywhere you want to go.

BatMaule · Post by **BatMaule** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:22 am

Andy,

I've flown in the Western Brooks a bit. The Arrigetch are awesome and really a "must see" in Alaska as far as I'm concerned.

Landing sites are possible along the Alatna River but you may be restricted by the smaller tires. ( Don't want to break anything out there!) There are some nice big bars along the John River and great camping. We stopped in at Wild Lake once and were greeted warmly. Didn't stay though. Another really neat spot to land (and camp?) is right in the middle of the "Gates" between Frigid Crags and Boreal Mountain. There is a commonly used drop/retrieve strip there that is about 1000ft useable. Coldfoot, Wiseman, and Anaktuvuk Pass are nice stops.

Be sure you get yourself a copy of the Nat Geo/Trails Illustrated map of Gates of the Arctic. Lots of great detail on those maps.

If you are up for a longer route with a few logistical challenges, flying up the Kobuk and down the Noatak is a great trip. In my M6, fuel in Kotz-Bettles-Kotz with the addition of one 5 gal bag of fuel worked well. We did this in June this year and the water levels were high which made finding landing spots a little difficult but the water should be down by now and I would think you'll have lots of options even on the 8:50s.

Good luck and have fun. The colors will be fantastic!

Paul

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 11:21 am

We have floated the Johns River and there are indeed some great landing opportunities there. Mellow river and a great family float with beautiful scenery. This is the Johns;

Dirk kicked up a rock on this drop-off that punched a hole through his elevator. Looked like flak damage! He has installed "mudflaps" on those 35's now to prevent that.

The Koyukuk River through the Gates of the Arctic;
This is Mt. Boreal, the Eastern "gate" on the day we were dropped off. One of the only three sunny days of the trip... There is a really cool area about 5 miles north of this area. If you have never seen pingos, it is a worthwhile and easy hike. Remember where you parked...

Fridgid Pk, the Western side of the "gate".

It started raining the day after we were dropped off and didn't stop until the day before our take out at Bettles... The river was at flood stage the whole time and that would really cut down on your landing areas.

These are both rivers off the south side of the Brooks range. If you want pics of the North side, I have a few of those as well. There are no trees north of the Brooks Range. The only other trip we did on the south side was the Wind River to the Chandalar on the east side of the Dalton Hwy. I don't have those uploaded into Photobucket yet. If you want to see them, let me know and I'll loade them.

We had always intended to do the Alatna River through the Arigatch Peaks but it never happened. I have been told, from someone that has done the trip, the hike from the river to the Arigatch basin is a real brushbusting grunt. Plan on staying for several days if you walk up there. There is also reportedly a warms springs up there somewhere...

Andy Young · Post by **Andy Young** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 6:09 pm

Thanks everybody,

Great info; it gives me some good starting points for planning.

Andy

aero101 · Post by **aero101** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 1:27 pm

100LL I think is currently up around $9 per gallon in Bettles these days. Chandelar Lake definitely worth the trip up the valley. Bettles not bad either! Not a lot of options for gas up that way, suggest you carry some extra in 5 gal jugs. Enjoy trip, usually lots of fog, low ceilings, etc, etc starting in September, especially along Yukon River. WX forecasts very poor that whole area due to lack of population centers.

chetharris · Post by **chetharris** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:19 pm

Andy,

Sorry Paul and I missed you when we stopped by Kantishna earlier this summer.

There is definitely gravel to land in the Brooks. The 8.50's will work but I encourage you to consider Bushwheels soon. They offer more options and increase the safety margin.

I was in the Brooks earlier this summer. You will have a blast. My lovely wife, Darcy, and I flew a Northwestern Alaskan loop with Paul and his lovely wife, Erin, earlier in the summer. It was a near epic experience. I miss it still.

Part of our adventure included flying up the Kobuk and down the Noatak. If you go that route, talk to the folks at Northwestern Aviation in Kotzabue. They were very helpful and did not seem to mind sharing a few landing zones. Also consider talking to Buck Maxon. Uncle Buck is one of the best. He has been flying that area since the 60's, and has probably done more with a Maule than most of us combined. Last I heard he still spends his summers in Kotz. Kicks around in a t-crate these days --lsa.

The Great Kobuk Sand Dune On The Way To Bettles

Bettles is a nice little town. I have enjoyed the few times I have visited. Always seem to stay longer than I intend . You will almost certainly visit for fuel. Bring along an extra can or fuel bag for piece of mind. Paul had the Bushwheels fuel bags. They were nice, easy to pack, and easier to stow when empty. Expensive, but on my list for the ever expanding kit. I could have made Kotz without the extra fuel, but It would have been tight. Get the extra fuel, as you might have to scout longer than intended for landing sites.

Bettles Lodge In The Midnight Sun

Two camps in the Brooks really stick out in my mind. We had one on the upper reaches, of the main branch, of the North Fork, of the Squirrel River. Plenty of places to land, but his one was on a bench, had water, and you could have landed it on almost any compass heading. I hope to go back some day.

North Fork Suirrel Camp

Another memorable camp was on the upper Noatak about four miles downstream from Lake Matcharak. We found this spot just after touring the Arrigetch and viewing Igkpak from the north. We crossed from the Alatna to the Noatak via Gull Pass. The gravel there was about 850'. It was plenty long for my fully loaded M-5. Definitely one of my favorite camps during our flyabout. A 206 landed somwhere upstream by Matcharak, so there is plenty of gravel in there. Just be careful.

Camped On The Upper Noatak Three A.M.

Good luck. Enjoy the adventure.

Regards,
Chet

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 10:01 pm

I thought the Bettles Lodge burned down!???

aero101 · Post by **aero101** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 9:34 am

It was there a couple weeks ago for their 1st annual Bush Blast? Anyone heard who crashed the Maule at Atigun Pass a couple weeks ago in the low WX?

Duane · Post by **Duane** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:38 pm

I haven't heard of one Jim, but that doesn't mean a lot. Also I use this website for an overview of accidents reported to the NTSB.
http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/month.aspx

Post by **Christine** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 3:40 pm

chetharris wrote:
Another memorable camp was on the upper Noatak about four miles downstream from Lake Matcharak. We found this spot just after touring the Arrigetch and viewing Igkpak from the north. We crossed from the Alatna to the Noatak via Gull Pass. The gravel there was about 850'. It was plenty long for my fully loaded M-5. Definitely one of my favorite camps during our flyabout. A 206 landed somwhere upstream by Matcharak, so there is plenty of gravel in there. Just be careful.

Camped On The Upper Noatak Three A.M.
Chet

Just breathtaking! If someone (or me) makes another Maule calendar for next year, please make sure to submit this one

Andy Young · Post by **Andy Young** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:05 pm

Chet, et al,

Thanks for all the info. I hear you on the bushwheels. I had them on the Scout I used to have. I do a lot of long-distance travel with the Maule now, and I must admit that I'm getting addicted to the high speed; be hard to give that up. That, and I found myself getting too agressive with the Scout once it was on bushwheels, and it got me in trouble a few times. So for now, I'll stick with the 8.50s and previously-established, good landing zones.

If anybody has a definitive on whether the Bettles Lodge is still in operation, I'd love to know; we tried to call them today, but no answer.

Andy

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 6:17 pm

I'm guessing it is still there. Those pics aren't old and I had heard it burned several years ago. My info must have been wrong. It is a neat place! Glad it is still standing.

BatMaule · Post by **BatMaule** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 8:22 pm

Definitely still in operation as of June 2012, Andy. We enjoyed a nice breakfast there after camping one night on the airstrip. Nice folks.
Paul

Brooks Range, Alaska

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