Lisa Phillips' Hiking Page

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Nice to see you dropping by my site, you're probably into hiking and backpacking if you're here.

Don't forget to bring all these items when you go on an overnight backcountry hike, trust me, you'll need this stuff.

The Trailstove by Stratus (cost = around $20) has the lowest pack weight (weight of stove plus fuel) of any stove on the planet (it runs on wood that you pick up yourself so there's no weight of fuel at all). It boils a quart of water in about twice the time of a gas stove, but much faster than a Trangia Storm Cooker. If your thing is low pack weight then the Trailstove is your stove, if your thing is survival then Trailstove is also your stove. But if your dream is to be a champion of high speed water boiling I recommend something from MSR for about $150 or so.		CAMPING STOVE
A small fish net is a great thing to have in the bottom of your pack in case things don't go as planned and you run out of food.		FISHING NET
Being able to quickly and easily cut wood in case of an emergency is very important. Always bring a camp saw with you, they're great in non emergencies too to cut fire wood.		SAW
A little cooking pot for boiling water and doing some light duty cooking is very important to have, especially if your water filter stops working.		POT
Never underestimate the value of a good nights sleep. Make sure you can sleep comfortably even if it means carrying a bit more weight. A sleeping pad will keep you warm but not comfortable. I recommend an air mattress.		SLEEPING PAD
Either a Leatherman tool, Swiss Army knife, or something similar will do. These tools are excellent if you need to fix some broken gear.		TOOL

CATCH ANIMALS WITH A ROLLING SNARE
This is something you need to be able to do in case you get stuck.

Pick a spot where animals have an easy time passing by surrounded by natural obstacles where they would have a hard time passing through and where there is a small tree.

Find a piece of wood about an inch in diameter and a few inches long, cut a notch in it.

Find another piece of wood also about an inch in diameter but about a foot long. Cut a notch in this piece of wood too close to one end. Sharpen the other end of this stick, the notches on the two pieces should be such that they fit in each other and can take a good amount of pull along their axis but let go easily if the smaller stick is pushed sideways.

Make a lasso type knot on the string you will use and tie the string to the shorter stick in such a way that the lasso reaches the stick when open.
Bang the sharp end of the longer stick into the ground with a rock.

Tie the rope to the tree at an appropriate height and with an appropriate length of string. You may need to adjust this later to get it right.
Hook the notch of the short stick to the notch of the long stick.

Suspend the loop in the air with a couple of small twigs. That's it, all done.

Check your snares often since an animal may be able to escape, if you want you can attach some type of noise maker that goes off when an animal gets pulled up in the air. It's very important that you beat the animal to death before you take it out of the snare since they will bite you if they get a chance.

Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve

Fairbanks, AK

By establishing Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve (GAAR) in Alaska's Brooks Range, Congress has reserved a vast and essentially untouched area of superlative natural beauty and exceptional scientific value - a maze of glaciated valleys and gaunt, rugged mountains covered with boreal forest and arctic tundra vegetation, cut by wild rivers, and inhabited by far-ranging populations of caribou, Dall sheep, wolves, and bears (barren-ground grizzlies and black bears). Congress recognized that a special value of the Park and Preserve is its wild and undeveloped character, and the opportunities it affords for solitude, wilderness travel, and adventure. Gates of the Arctic encompasses several congressionally recognized elements, including the national park, national preserve, wilderness, six Wild Rivers and two National Natural Landmarks. The National Park Service is entrusted to manage this area to protect its physical resources and to maintain the intangible qualities of the wilderness and the opportunity it provides for people to learn and renew its values.

CONTACTS

Email - GAAR_Visitor_Information@nps.gov

Fax- 907-692-5400

Write to
Bettles Ranger Station (Field Ops)
P.O. Box 26030
Bettles, AK 99726

- or -
National Park Service (Fairbanks Hqrts)
201 First Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99701

Phone
Visitor Information - 907-692-5494 (BTT)
Headquarters - 907-456-0281 (FAI)
Visitor Information - 907-661-3520 (AKP)
Visitor Information - 907-678-5209 (CXF)
Visitor Information - 907-678-2004 (MAR)

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
The Park and Preserve are open year round. It is best to call each office prior to arrival to confirm current operational hours.

Fairbanks Headquarters: Open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed on Holidays.

Bettles Ranger Station / Visitor Center: From mid-June to Labor Day: Open 7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (sometimes closed noon - 1:00pm for lunch). Remainder of Year: Open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - Noon / 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed on Holidays.

Coldfoot Visitor Center: Open Memorial Day to Labor Day, 7 days a week, 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Anaktuvuk Pass Ranger Station: Year-round outside Visitor display. Call for ranger station hours.

Getting There
PLANE - Scheduled air taxis from Fairbanks serve Anaktuvuk Pass, Bettles, and Coldfoot. Charter flights may also be arranged. Bush charters are available from Bettles and Coldfoot into the park and preserve boundaries. Travelers to Anaktuvuk Pass can hike into the park and preserve boundaries, but anticipate covering no more than one mile per hour.

CAR - There are no roads in the park, although the Dalton Highway comes within about 5 miles of the park's eastern boundary. Other than hiking in from the Dalton Highway (across one or two rivers then over the mountain passes, normally at a maximum rate of one mile per hour) access is generally by air.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - None

Weather & Climate
The central Brooks Range has long, severe winters and relatively short, cool summers. The entire region receives continuous sunlight during the summer for at least 30 days. Conversely, winter visitors will experience long, cold periods of darkness and twilight.

The south side of the Brooks Range below 2,500 feet is generally a sub-arctic climate zone. Precipitation is low, averaging 12-18 inches in the west and 8-12 inches in the east. Snow can fall any months of the year, averaging 60-80 inches. The average maximum and minimum July temperatures are 70F and 46F, respectively. Thunderstorm activity is common during June and July, and June through September is generally the wettest time of year. Prevailing winds are out of the north. Freezing temperatures may occur at any time of the year, but particularly from mid-August on. Average minimum and maximum January temperatures are -10F and -30F but frequently reach -50F.

The north side of the Brooks Range has an arctic climate. Mean annual temperatures are colder than on the south side. Maximum and minimum February temperatures range from 33F to -47F. The warmest month, July, has a 60F maximum and 40F minimum. Precipitation is extremely light, about 5-10 inches per year, making this essentially an "arctic desert". Snow has been recorded in every month of the year, and the annual average is 45 inches. Prevailing winds are greatly modified by local terrain.

Accessibility
There are no roads or established trails within the Gates of the Arctic NP&P.

Hikers should practice Leave No Trace techniques, be aware of backcountry safety guidelines, and remain aware of the fragile ecosystems and private lands within the park.

Gates of the Arctic is a remote wilderness and travelers should be fully competent in outdoor survival skills and flexible enough to deal with common weather delays.

Administrative buildings in Fairbanks, Anaktuvuk Pass, Coldfoot and Bettles are accessible.

Getting Around
Visitors are reminded there are no facilities within GAAR and they should be fully self-sufficient and flexible at all times.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
GROUPS
$varies for One Time
All groups are required to contact the Chief of Operations at Bettles Ranger Station for group size limits and possible permitting requirements.

INDIVIDUAL
Free!
All recreational visitors (individuals or groups) are expected to participate in our FREE Backcountry Orientation (see below).

Permits
BACKCOUNTRY ORIENTATION
Free!
A resource protection and safety briefing for all recreational visitors

INCIDENTAL BUSINESS PERMIT
$varies for Annual
All groups and commercial operators are required to contact the Chief of Operations at Bettles Ranger Station for permitting requirements.

Special Use Permits
FILM CREWS
$varies for One Time
Anyone planning to film for commercial purposes within Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve must contact the Chief of Operations at Bettles Ranger Station for proper permits.

RESEARCH PERMITS
$varies for One Time
Anyone interested in conducting research within Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve must contact the Resource Manager in Fairbanks for proper permits.

CAMPING

No established campgrounds
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a wilderness designated region. Therefore there are no campgrounds, roads, established trails or other maintained visitor facilities within it's boundaries.

LODGING

No established NPS lodging
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a wilderness designated region. Therefore there are no campgrounds, roads, established trails or other maintained visitor facilities within it's boundaries.

FACILITIES

Ranger Stations
ANAKTUVUK PASS RANGER STATION
Phone - (907) 661-3520
Location - Anaktuvuk Pass, AK
Closures - Periodically this Ranger Station is unmanned. Please contact the Bettles Ranger Station / Visitor Center when you cannot reach a Ranger at this location.
Special Programs - Visitors seeking a Ranger's assistance should call in advance to schedule an appointment.
Exhibits - An outside Backcountry Orientation and Visitor Registration display is accessible year-round.

Visitor Centers
BETTLES RANGER STATION / VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year - call for current hours
Phone - (907) 692-5494
Location - Bettles Field, AK
Special Programs - Interpretive Programs are offered periodically year-round. Checkout our "inDepth Link" to the right or contact our Interpretive Specialist at the number above for further information.
Exhibits - Various displays depicting the flora and fauna of the Brooks Range are displayed in this facility jointly operated by Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve and Kanuti Wildlife Refuge.
Available Facilities - An Alaska Natural History Association outlet, reference library and restrooms are available in this location. However, because Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a wilderness designated region, there are no NPS campgrounds, roads, established trails or other NPS maintained visitor facilities within the park and preserve boundaries.

COLDFOOT INTERAGENCY VISITOR CENTER (NPS, BLM, USFWS)
Phone - (907) 678-5209
Location - Coldfoot, AK
Closures - This location is only open Memorial Day through Labor Day 10am - 10pm daily. Please contact the Bettles Ranger Station / Visitor Center any other time.
Special Programs - Call for current information.
Exhibits - Call for current information.
Available Facilities - Call for current information.

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