Page 229 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

ARC TIC AND WESTERN ALASK A  227

Polar Bears VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Polar bears (Ursus Practical Information
maritimus) are marine 580 miles (928 km) N of Fairbanks.
mammals that wander Transport map D1. * 4,200.
across the Arctic ice in n Momegana & Ahkovak St,
search of walruses and 852-5211. _ Kivqiq Midwinter
seals. Rivaling Kodiak Festival (early Feb), Piuraagiaqta
bears as the world’s Spring Festival (Apr), Nalukataq
largest four-footed (late Jun). ∑ north-slope.org
carnivores, these bears
Polar bear on Alaska’s coastal plains Transport
keep warm due to their ~
hollow tube -like hairs which seem white in the sunlight. Currently,
about 3,000 to 5,000 polar bears live in Alaska, and one of the best
places to see them is around Barrow’s rubbish dump or on the nearby
sea ice and gravel beaches. Sadly, recent climatic factors, resulting in College, which works with
decreasing ice, may make it increasingly difficult for them to hunt. the Barrow Arctic Science
Consortium to research the
Arctic environment.
bowhead whale commemo- cape, Point Barrow, which is
rates this indigenous tradition. the northernmost point of land
Next to the arch is the former in the US and divides the
trading post (closed to the Chukchi Sea in the west from
public) of the first European the Beaufort Sea in the east.
settler, Charles Dewitt Brower, At about 71 degrees N, it is
who arrived in Barrow in 1884. roughly at the same latitude
Married twice to Inupiat as North Cape in Norway, but
women, he acted as post- without the warming waters of
master, census taker, military the Gulf Stream, it experiences
recruiter, and unofficial sur- considerably harsher climatic
geon. Brower’s grave, marked conditions. In the winter and
by whalebones, is located spring, polar bears den in the
beside the nearby lagoon. area. Any sort of food will
attract their attention so
} Point Barrow visitors should ensure they
12 miles (19 km) N of Barrow. 8 leave no waste on the beach.
North of Barrow, a coastal Along the route to Point Stress test being conducted on Arctic sea
gravel road leads to the lonely Barrow is the local Ilisagvik pack ice, Point Barrow

Point Barrow
Sights at a Glance 12 miles (19 km)
1 Ukkuqsi Archeological Site B O X E R S T R E E T C AVE C AVE
KARLUK STREET
2 Will Rogers and Wiley Post H E R M A N S T R E E T B A V E N U
Monument OKAKOK ST RA MAD I SO N ST
BROWERVILLE E
3 Inupiat Heritage Center
4 Whalebone Arch Whalebone Arch N O R T H S TA R S T R E E T Inupiat
LA U
Heritage Center

T A H A K S T R E E T
Arctic
Tasigarook Lagoon A H K O V A K S T R E E T
Ocean
Isatqoaq
Lagoon
HOPSON AGVIK ST
ST
KIOGAK S T
AIVIK
STEVENSON STR EET N A C HIK S T R E E T KONGEK MOMEGANA STREET T A K P U K S T R E E T
ST
ST
NACHIK ST
Ukkuqsi KONGOS AK ST NANOK ST
Archeological EGASAK ST O K P I K S T R E E T
APAYAUK ST OGROOK STREET Wiley Post Monument 0 meters 200
Site Station Will Rogers and
Bus
Airport
PISOKAK STREET
Freshwater Lake Will Rogers and Wiley Post Crash Site Buildings 0 yards 200
1 mile (2 km) 15 miles (24 km)
For keys to symbols see back flap Dog sledding in the Gates of the Arctic National Park
226-227_EW_Alaska.indd 227 02/05/17 2:32 pm