Fairbanks is a great focal point for both, especially for the central and eastern parts of the Alaska Range, and equally so to the monumental Brooks Range, one biggest and most remote mountain regions on the planet; a place to fill a dozen lifetimes worth of exploring. For me, summer was getting off to a late start. What was originally proposed as a start to our work projects at Takahula Lake in mid-late June, began in earnest here in Fairbanks the first week of July.
I spent that time cutting trees and clearing a site for a future cabin build here on my property in the Goldstream Valley to the north of Fairbanks. Eventually, my workmate Richard Baranow arrives in town, and along with our other workmate Jared Brantner, we embark on several days of material purchasing and logistics for three people, two dogs, and over 12, pounds of food, tools, building materials, and supplies for 8 weeks worth of construction projects. Our project site is a cabin situated on the shores of Takahula Lake, located within the Gates of the Arctic National Park and adjacent to both the Alatna River and the Arrigetch Peaks region.
Bettles, Alaska, located over miles north of Fairbanks, is a tiny village situated along the prominent and historic Koyukuk River and home to less than thirty people. Angela has been living there recently for her new job at the Bettles weather watch station, but with all the chores at hand unloading airplanes and organizing, we barely have time to see one another.
The launching point for a most trips into this part of the Brooks Range generally begin here, with an airstrip that can receive both small and large aircraft; and from which smaller bush planes can take one deeper into the heart of the Brooks. From Fairbanks, we charter a Cessna Caravan via Wright Air Service to get the three of us, the two dogs Taka and Hula, all of our personal tools and gear, and a weeks worth of food to Bettles.
For the remainder of our nearly 10, pounds of lumber, food, and building materials, a Curtiss C Commando is employed and scheduled to arrive in Bettles that very same day. Once in Bettles, the task of unloading and organizing everything was at hand so it could all be flown the 60 plus miles to Takahula Lake with smaller pound loads via DeHavilland Beaver, an aircraft of legendary status in the world of remote Alaska bush flying.
