Fort Yukon, Alaska
Journey above the Arctic Circle
Picture pages: Fort
Yukon |
Plane Ride
History:
Fort Yukon history
We had a free afternoon in Fairbanks and decided to
go above the Arctic Circle to Fort Yukon, which has no roads in or out.
At the Fairbanks airport we had reservations with Warbelow’s Air Ventures, Inc.
using a bush single-engine plane for the 80 minute flight. I had
the pleasure of sitting in the co-pilot's seat with the pilot Jason.
We were flying at average speed of 150 mph and 2400
feet altitude. Some
mountains were taller than that as we flew around them.
Below us were Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, the Yukon River, and some
large strip mining operations.
The plane landed on a dirt runway.
Our Athabascan native guides were
Richard and Cathy. The population is about 500. We
were driven around town on dirt streets in an old school bus.
Some of the interesting things mentioned by the
guides:
Temperatures – record high was 86 degrees F. in
1989 and a 10 day period of 75-85 degrees below zero.
New health clinic with a Physician Assistant and 2
nurse practitioners.
The clinic cost $350,000 which Richard thought was very expensive.
It just opened this spring.
No births – women go to Fairbanks hospital.
Electricity is $48/Kw with 40% subsidy for First
Nation. One liquor store, 1
patrolman, no property tax, few have driver’s license, kids ride around
town on ATVs. Lots of new
HUD homes costing $86,000 for about 1,000 sq. ft.
No one has car insurance, $6.60/gallon for heating oil.
Gas was $7.76/gallon.
In 2008 there were 8 high school graduates, 20%
dropout rate, the high school has 32 students, all with laptop
computers, 3 churches.
University of Alaska classes – 2 with AA degrees – serves
9 villages. University uses a satellite system for instruction.
Most families have 8-10 kids.
Last year 60 bear kills, only 100 moose (usually
300 moose per year)
100% conversion to Christianity.
Oral history goes back 600 years.
Very confusing genealogy in small communities.
He showed us the chain-link fence around the
airport – dirt runway. It
was mandated by Homeland Security – no terrorists attacks yet.
On
the return to the Fairbanks Airport we received our
official Arctic Circle Club Certificate.


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