Welcome to photo #3 from our June, 2009 adventure into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge! On this trip we climbed the highest peak in the Brooks Range – Mt. Chamberlin – and rafted out the Hulahula River to the village of Kaktovik.
Summit Day! I took this shot of guide Joe Stock and client Nick Gilson from the 9000′ summit of Mt. Chamberlin as we began our roped descent of the beautiful north ridge. Ropes and crampons were necessary, as the last 2000′ of Mt. Chamberlin is glaciated and crevassed. The weather was so perfect, that we were able to spend nearly an hour sitting at the top of the Brooks Range enjoying lunch and a 360 degree view of the high arctic. Looking north, the thin line white line at the horizon is the pack ice of the Beaufort Sea and represents the top of the North American land mass. It’s an astoundingly beautiful place.
