After waking up a 4 AM, and catching a flight from Anchorage to Kotzebue (crossing the Arctic Circle), I met up with my guide and another couple that arrived the previous evening for a day trip out to Cape Krusenstern National Monument. This is a site known for having 200 generations of human habitation, right where the natives crossed over the Bearing Land Bridge. It’s just north of Kotzebue and is just a short 30 minute bush flight over.
We saw some musk oxen from the air, and evidence of bears along the beach. We landed near the Anigaaq Ranger Station, and walked around that area for several hours. The scenery isn’t as incredible here as what I’m going to see later in the week, but it was nice to be able to see the Chukchi Sea, part of the Arctic Ocean).
(Above: Bear Paw prints & scat)
The coolest thing I saw was a whale bone frame from a house from many years ago. Part of it was still intact, but slowly rotting away.
