Interpretive Rangers Visit the Great Sand Dunes

August 15, 2018 Posted by: Lauren Utykanski

On August 8th, seasonal Interpretive Park Rangers Rachel and Thea joined one of our NPS pilots to visit the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes in Kobuk Valley National Park. From the sky, the rangers saw winding rivers, mountains, cloud formations, Alaskan villages, and wildlife. Once at the dunes, the rangers found wildlife tracks and trails, interesting formations in the sand, and unique plantlife.

To start the trip, the rangers took off in a bush plane from Kotzebue, Alaska, the headquarters of the Western Arctic National Parklands. As they flew away from Kotzebue, Ranger Thea noted how well the Inupiaq name fits the village. “Qikiqtagruq,” meaning “almost an island,” perfectly describes how this coastal town seems to be floating in the ocean. “From the sky, the homes, buildings, and connexes look so colorful,” says Ranger Thea.

An aerial view of the town of Kotzebue, AK. Photo by NPS/Lindsey Newhall.

To reach the dunes, the group flew east in the bush plane, roughly following the Kobuk River. The winding tributaries carved through the mountainous landscape. It was a slightly cloudy day, and Ranger Rachel said she enjoyed observing and discussing the different cloud formations. “We had a good time talking about the different clouds and how they were gathering near the mountain peaks,” says Ranger Rachel. Luckily, there was no serious fog, or they would be forced to cancel the trip for the second time. Backcountry flights are extremely weather dependent. Travellers hoping to fly in bush planes in the backcountry must remain flexible and ready to rearrange or change plans due to unpredictable weather conditions. Both Rangers Rachel and Thea were relieved that their second attempt to visit the dunes was successful.

An aerial view of the Kobuk River and its tributaries. Photo by NPS/Rachel Post.
 

The NPS pilot then landed on the dunes, using an old ATV as a landmark to locate the runway. Both Rangers Rachel and Thea were surprised to see how small plants populate the tall dunes. These sand dunes are surrounded by a forest of different kinds of trees, including juniper, paper birch, quaking aspen, and both white and black spruce.

The NPS plane lands on the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes. Photo by NPS/Rachel Post.
 

Ranger Rachel spent her time photographing the small flowers and grasses from up close, while Ranger Thea created “sand angels” and observed how the wind creates formations in the sand. Along the banks of Kavet Creek, there was a game trail created by caribou or moose that lead deeper into a forest of trees. The rangers also noted the fresh bear tracks along the riverbank, and took precautions by carrying bear spray and making loud noises to alert the bear of their presence. “Just to be on the safe side, we stuck to the higher ground and talked loudly, to ensure the bear would steer clear of our group. As we hiked, we kept bear spray at the ready, just in case,” says Ranger Rachel.

NPS Ranger, Thea, and NPS Pilot, Rick, hike along a dune in the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes while wearing their Nomex flight suits. Photo by NPS/Rachel Post.

On the flight back to Kotzebue, the NPS crew cruised near the Squirrel River and Baird Mountains before heading back to town, again along the Kobuk River. During their flight back, the rangers saw ducks, swans, and even more winding rivers and creeks. Some tributaries that branched off the bigger channels were bright orange, due to iron deposits. “The water almost resembled orange sherbet,” says Ranger Thea.

Ranger Thea creates a “sand angel” in the dune. Photo by NPS/Rachel Post.

 

After visiting the dunes themselves, these interpretive rangers can better understand how visitors might interact with Kobuk Valley National Park. Visitors commonly access the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes by backcountry plane—Kotzebue being a popular starting point. Once in Kotzebue, visitors to Kobuk Valley National Park can stop by the visitor’s center of the park, the Northwest Arctic Heritage Center.