Since there is only one flight to Utqiaġvik per day, we had to spend a night in Anchorage, Alaska. There are no roads that connect Utqiaġvik with the rest of the state, except during a short time in the winter when people can drive on the snow. In town, most people drive trucks because there are no paved roads and the winter conditions can be tough. We use our rental trucks to get to sampling sites in the Arctic tundra or go to the grocery store.
All-terrain vehicles (ATVs), or “four-wheelers”, are also very popular among residents to reach the points not accessible by roads. For example, to get to Point Barrow, the northernmost point in the U.S., you would need to drive an ATV. Many locals also drive them up and down the beach, for local errands and into the tundra for hunting. We will use ATVs to get to many sampling locations and I expect adventurous rides!
With the weather around freezing (32 °F) right now, we will need to wear goggles to keep out the cold wind. Once we are at our field sites, we will use a mix of ATVs and kayaks to collect our samples. The land is very wet, so we have to be prepared for any conditions, whether by boat, car or foot! On some days we will also get to take a boat into the Arctic ocean to collect samples, but the boat itself will be driven by an experienced captain.
Riding in the trucks is normal. They are very comfortable and work well like any car. However, the gravel roads are extremely bumpy and there is a lot of water on the roads, so we have to drive slow. Going anywhere out of Utqiaġvik can take a long time due to the large puddles. The speed limits are also low because there are no highways.
