Barrow, Alaska, USA

Barrow: Adventure Travel in Alaska

Three-hundred miles (480 km) north of the Arctic Circle lies Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost community in the United States. Barrow has a population of 4500, of which approximately 65% are Inupiat Eskimos. The community is named after Sir John Barrow of the British Admiralty, who never set foot in Alaska, let alone Barrow, but did send six expeditions to the Arctic in search of the Northwest Passage during the 1820s.

Local archeological findings reveal that Barrow has been continuously occupied by humans for thousands of years. In the last few decades, Barrow has grown more modern with cars, trucks and recreational vehicles, but there are still no paved roads. Barrow is developing into a modern society with stores, a hospital, local law enforcement, cultural center, schools, cable television, electricity, plumbing and Internet access, but many of the residents still hold onto their traditional “old” ways of hunting, fishing and using the various parts of the animals for making crafts, clothing and tools.

Much of the economy in the nine Inupiat villages, including Barrow, which occupy the North Slope Borough (88,817.1 sq. miles of land) are supported by royalties derived from oil development that was discovered in the area in 1968. About half of the workforce in Barrow are employed in local government positions. Other sectors of the economy include tourism and private businesses that support the local government and populace. The median household income in Barrow, according to a 2007 census was $82,622.

In the not too distant past, the local Inupiat people were migratory and followed the animals from place to place year round. Up until the late 1800s and early to mid-1900s, most of the local natives lived in homes made of sod in the summer and snow and ice (a.k.a. igloos) in the winter. These unorthodox building materials were used by the local indigenous population for countless generations, as trees do not grow anywhere on the north slope.

Weather in Barrow can be extreme, especially during the winter months. Temperatures can dip to -40°C (-40°F). There are colder deep freeze areas in Alaska, but Barrow’s frequent cold temperatures often combine with high wind conditions that can plummet the wind chill to a bone-chilling -62°C (-80°F). In the summer time, temperatures average between -1°C and 10°C (30°F and 50°F) .  

The extremes of Barrow do not only include weather. During the summer months, the sun will rise into the sky and not set for 82 straight days. In the winter, the sun sets and doesn’t rise again for over two months. However, the endless nights of winter do provide opportunities to view the dancing rays of colorful lights that are known as the Aurora Borealis. This amazing spectacle is the result of solar winds striking the Earth’s magnetic field. Nature’s “northern lights” occur most often in the southern and northern hemispheres of earth during the dark, cold winter months.

When Russian, American and European whalers and explorers first began coming to the northern shores of Alaska in the mid-1800s, one of the major fears these sailors had was contracting scurvy, a medical disorder that results from a lack of vitamin C. Northern regions of Alaska lack the ability to grow fresh fruit or vegetables or receive enough sunlight during the extended winter months to provide humans with sufficient doses of vitamin C.

As a result, many of the “white” sailors perished. Meanwhile, not a single Inupiat ever developed the condition. How the natives escaped this debilitating and often fatal condition, remained a puzzling mystery until about 1920. A study revealed that native peoples were able to obtain enough vitamin C from freshly killed meat and fish and since most of it was eaten raw, the vitamin C wasn’t lost, as it often was when the “white” sailors cooked their meals or ate food from canned goods.

Today, those who wish to visit Barrow must fly on one of the commercial airlines that travel in from Fairbanks and Anchorage daily, as there are no roads connecting Barrow with other areas of state. Airline tickets and motel rooms, along with everything else in Barrow, is expensive due to its remoteness. However, those adventuresome souls who wish to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to set foot in one of the harshest environments on earth, will come away with a whole new perspective on life.

Some of the favorite mementos of visitors are to obtain a certificate that says they traveled north of the Arctic Circle, took the “polar bear plunge” in the Beaufort Sea or indulge themselves in photographing local natives as they perform ancient dances, singing, craft making and blanket toss, which is a traditional fun activity for the Inupiat and other Eskimo people within Alaska. It is an activity that is done for fun, especially during festive activities, such as after a whale has been harvested by local hunters during the spring or fall hunt.  

The "blanket" is made of several bearded seal skins sewn together in a circle. Four wooden posts are erected to hold the skin like a trampoline in each corner and numerous people (15-30) hold all around the edges. A single person climbs onto the center of the skin and is tossed into the air when the people along the edges pull back the edges at the same time. Some people can "fly" up to 30 feet into the air.

Wildlife viewing is also highly desirable, but since there are no caged animals or zoos on the north slope, catching a glimpse of a polar bear or other wildlife is possible, but not guaranteed.

There are three main hotels in Barrow, the Top of the World Hotel, the King Eider Inn and the Airport Inn. Summer rates among the three can range from $125 - $250 per night depending on the hotel, quality of room and number of people. Winter rates average from $90 - $200 depending on the same conditions. The King Eider is closest to the main commercial airline terminal, Alaska Airlines and is the nicest, but usually in high demand and the most expensive. All three are within close proximity of the airport. There are also at least a half dozen restaurants in town that serve American, Chinese, Japanese and Thai food.

The best time to visit Barrow depends on each individual. Most tourists visit in the summer months between May to August. June and July are the warmest months. However, Barrow also has winter visitors, especially Asians, who like to visit Barrow and experience the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), which appear during the cold, dark winter season.

If any of the above topics strike your fancy, then when you plan a trip to Alaska, you may want to include a visit to Barrow on your itinerary. Most local travel agencies will be glad to assist you in planning your visit so that you may experience all that the last frontier has to offer.

Quyanaqpak (Inupiat word for “thank you.”)

About the Author

Gary Moore is an Alaska Native and a lifelong resident of the state, who currently lives and works in Barrow. He is a former freelance journalist for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and holds an Associates degree in applied business from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He spends his free time traveling, photographing and learning about the history of different cultures from around the world.