Atop an Arctic Ridge

When I first saw the Kokolik River from the approaching bush plane, I was disappointed. The undramatic river flows quickly out of the Brooks Range and does not become large enough to float a canoe until it is well away from the mountains. The ridges surrounding the Kokolik appear low and barren, the river (when I laid eyes on it) a muddy twisting thing winding past low rocky bluffs.

From the ground, I wasn’t any more impressed. The tundra, not yet green, was a mottled brown of vegetation and rock. It took me a couple of days, at least, to stop making comparisons to other rivers I’ve paddled, and other places I’d explored. When I did, I gained a new appreciation for the subtle landscape of the Kokolik. The long ridges extended for miles and miles (hundreds of miles actually) from the river and they climbed deceptively high above the surrounding lowlands. The walking was incredible, no tussocks to battle, just perfect, alpine-like tundra and gravel. In the first few days of the 10 day trip, we walked far more miles than we paddled, choosing to spend long days in the boats at the tail end of the trip and instead occupy our time wandering the high and windy ridges above the river.

About this image: I made this from the top of one of the final ridges before the river flowed out onto the coastal plain. Unlike most days of this trip, this one was cloudy, cool and windy. (Most were sunny and stiflingly hot.) Ironically, the light was far better on this overcast day than it was on the many sunny days, and I kick myself for not realizing that at the time. The Kokolik is far, far north of the arctic circle and during our mid-June trip the sun never set, circling us endlessly. The light was hot and flat, yielding bright highlights and black shadows. But this day, was rich in texture and I wish I’d taken more full advantage of the opportunity. Good light is not always what you expect it to be.

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