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Sheenjek River (South side Brooks Range/Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) wildlife/hiking/paddling The Sheejek flows from glaciers high in the Brooks Range’s eastern continental Divide and flows south to the Porcupine River before spilling into the mighty Yukon. This designated National Wild River flows clear and swift from it’s headwaters, flanked by the slopes of the Romanzoff Mountains, the eastern Brooks Ranges highest peaks. Several Arctic ecosystems are traversed by the Sheenjek River. The upper open alpine terrain eventually gives way to rolling hills and boreal forest as the river slows and meanders towards the massive Yukon valley flats. Dall sheep reside on the hillsides and peaks along the upper river and bear, moose, wolves, fox, lynx, wolverine and the numerous caribou of the Porcupine Herd can be found throughout the rivers course as well as a myriad of birds. The Sheenjek valley was once a major trade route between the Gwich’in Athapaskans of the interior and the northern Eskimos along the coast as it was a natural pass over the divide. Hiking the open tundra ridges at the rivers upper reaches is excellent as is fishing in the clear water for grayling and sheefish. We’ll fly in to the upper Sheenjek River via bush plane from the small Gwich’in community of Arctic Village after a short flight from Fairbanks. We’ll travel by paddle rafts and negotiate the swift, at times, but mostly mellow waters of the river , encountering nothing more than easy class II whitewater. We’ll travel 128 miles of river, taking our time in the mountains at the start of our trip to hike and explore in the easy walking of the alpine tundra, before settling in for some serious river miles to see and discover as much country along the Sheenjeks course as possible on our way to our takeout. Here we will load up once again in bush planes for our flights back to Fairbanks. Our late Aug. trip is timed to avoid the mid summer mosquitoes and the peak of the Fall Colors. Back to Wilderness River Trips page. |
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