Feature Copy: Yukon River region
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Ask an Alaskan adventurer where to find the heart of the Great Land, and they'll likely tell you to venture to the waters of the mighty Yukon River.
No roads lead into the national park and preserve that contains 128 miles of the Yukon River as well as the entire Charley River basin, including 106 miles of the wild and scenic Charley River. Visitors take boats or planes to get to what many consider to be the most spectacular rivers in Alaska.
Adventure-minded visitors come here from all over the world to raft, kayak, canoe, hike, fish and camp. Although certainly a rugged place, expert tour companies run several trips that allow for the skill and comfort level of an array of travelers. One of those guides is Karen Jettmar of Anchorage-based Equinox Wilderness Expeditions. The Yukon and Charley rivers are favorites for her and many of her customers.
"It's one of those park areas that's a total sleeper. It doesn't have high mountains or one major geographic thing that draws people, but it is one of the most beautiful national parks that we have and it actually has everything," she said. "The Charley River starts in low mountains and is totally clear. It's just a gorgeous river, spacious and remote. Then you come into the Yukon River that has this great sense of history as you pass by all these old trapper and prospector cabins."
In the summer, life along the Yukon River is simple and beautiful. Light is abundant, with 24 hours of sun beginning in mid-May. Summer high temperatures average in the low 70s. Spectacular thunderstorms can punctuate the day. The riverside is lined with small, mostly Native settlements. Some of the villages serve as bases for backpacking, boating or birdwatching excursions, and a handful of wilderness lodges cater to hunters and fishermen.
The preserve itself includes caribou from the Fortymile herd, which migrate to Canada and back. Moose browse along streams and lowland areas, while Dall sheep occupy heights above the Charley River. Other wildlife commonly sighted include grizzly and black bears, wolves and small mammals.
Over 200 species of birds have been reported in the preserve, including bald and golden eagles, rough-legged hawks and gyrfalcons. This wilderness area also provides North America's finest habitat for the peregrine falcon. And scientists from all over the world come here to study wolves.
The region is rich in natural history. Though archaeological surveys are only now beginning, evidence indicates people have lived in the area for at least 10,000 years.
Because the area was virtually untouched by glaciers, a diverse cross-section of vegetation and rocks that reveal a near-perfect record of geological history from 800 million years ago amaze scholars.
Gold was discovered on Coal Creek here in the early 1900s, feeding Alaska's gold rush. People flocked to the Yukon-Charley area until the 1930s, when fur prices dropped and major gold strikes such as the Klondike were found in other areas. Today the broad, swift Yukon still flows by old cabins and mining camps.
By contrast, the Charley River watershed is virtually untouched by modern life. Its crystal clear waters have given it the distinction of being one of Alaska's finest recreational streams. The two rivers merge between the gold rush boomtowns of Eagle and Circle.
A popular rafting or canoeing route starts in Eagle at the southeast edge of the preserve, travels the Yukon River to Circle and ends when a chartered airplane picks up travelers along the Steese Highway. Another popular option is to fly into the Charley River and arrange for pick-up where it flows into the Yukon River, or continue paddling all the way to Circle.
In Eagle, visitors can get a taste of history and enjoy a beautiful free campground, good showers, good food and take a tour of the town. In particular, the Eagle Historical Society offers an intelligent, well-organized tour of artifacts and buildings around town.
Self-sufficiency is the rule. Visitors are completely on their own once they leave the well-traveled Yukon River corridor and should be prepared with extra supplies, and leave a copy of their itinerary with park service rangers.
From Fairbanks, the preserve is accessible primarily by small plane or boat from Eagle, 12 river miles south of the preserve on the Taylor Highway, or from Circle, 14 river miles to the north on the Steese Highway.
For information contact the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve Headquarters, P.O. Box 74718, Fairbanks, AK 99707 or call (907) 456-0593, or contact the Eagle Field Office, Eagle, AK 99738, or call (907) 547-2234.
For Alaska Visitor Information write to: Dept. 712, P.O. Box 196710, Anchorage, AK 99519-6710, call 800-862-5275, or visit the web site http://apr.travelalaska.com
Alaska Travel
Industry Association
2600 Cordova St. Ste. 201
Anchorage, AK 99503-2745
P. (800) 327-9372
F. (800) 276-1042
E. ATIAmedia@gci.net