Noatak River adventure

Saturday, August 21, 2004
We flew from Fairbanks to Bettles, AK and then flew a float plane from Bettles to 11-mile-slough, a small lake near the Noatak river. We then spent 8 days floating the river/exploring the valley and 3 days waiting for a ride out of the wilderness. I did some of the best hiking I've ever seen.
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2524-5 640 x 77 / 1024 x 124 / 10745 x 1306 Panoramic shot from this place.	2525 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2272 x 1704 Time to head down.	2526 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2272 x 1704 HUGE	2527 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2272 x 1704 Come on! Harley is waiting.
2528 360 x 480 / 576 x 768 / 1704 x 2272 On the way down, we found this Dall Sheep skull.	2529 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2272 x 1704 Sunset	2530 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2272 x 1704 "Darkness". The next morning, we set out alone on the river after leaving a beer cache for the others to find.	2600 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 Passing the Ipnelivik River, I saw a bunch of caribou close up. The dogs were napping in the boat and again did not notice the caribou. (Although, surprisingly, the dogs were great grizzly detectors. Every time we saw a bear, it was preceded by several minutes of dog growling noises).
2601 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2272 x 1704 Caribou	2602-5 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 After setting up Camp 6, we went hiking!	2602 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 Looking East at the twisting Noatak River.	2603 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 Lake Matcharak -- where we would get picked up over 4 days later.
2604 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 Matcharak again	2605 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 Dogs napping on mountaintop. They get plenty of exercise on this trip.	2606 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 A last view of Mount Oyukak	2607 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 Camp 6. We saw loads of caribou in this area.
2608 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 Quartz	2700 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 The next day, Sandy,John,Eric,JeffW hiked in the same area.	2701 640 x 360 / 1024 x 576 / 1536 x 864 The wriggly Noatak River.	2702 640 x 360 / 1024 x 576 / 1536 x 864 Sandy, I think.
2703 640 x 360 / 1024 x 576 / 1536 x 864 JeffW	2704 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 The zigzag Noatak River.	2705 640 x 360 / 1024 x 576 / 1536 x 864 JeffW, enjoying the view.	2706 320 x 480 / 512 x 768 / 1024 x 1536 Looking about.
2707 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 Caribou	2708 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 view	2709 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 Sandy and John	2710 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 Sandy and John
2711 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 At the end of our journey -- Lake Matcharak. Due to unflyable conditions (smoke), we were stuck here for the next 3 days.	2712 320 x 480 / 512 x 768 / 1024 x 1536 It wasn't altogether unpleasant.	2713 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 All the gear portaged and ready to go.	2800 360 x 480 / 576 x 768 / 1920 x 2560 John, Lake Trout
2802 270 x 480 / 432 x 768 / 864 x 1536 Ditto	2803 640 x 360 / 1024 x 576 / 1536 x 864 view from lake	2804 640 x 360 / 1024 x 576 / 1536 x 864 ditto	2805 270 x 480 / 432 x 768 / 864 x 1536 Eric, lake trout
2806 270 x 480 / 432 x 768 / 864 x 1536 and another	2807 270 x 480 / 432 x 768 / 864 x 1536 sandy, trout	2808 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 sandy, dog.	2809 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 John, fish.
2901 320 x 480 / 512 x 768 / 1024 x 1536 I had run out of dogfood. Sandy caught this fish and dedicated it for dogfood.	2902 270 x 480 / 432 x 768 / 864 x 1536 We built a fire in the rain, cooked the fish, and fed it to the dogs. Surprisingly, the dogs weren't thrilled to eat the fish.	2903 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 John's rain shelter	3000 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 Uh..ignore this picture.
3001 320 x 480 / 512 x 768 / 1024 x 1536 Finally, after waiting 3 days, we heard the blessed sound of a plane engine. The planes arrived and rescued us. The following pictures come from John and Sandy on the plane ride back to Bettles.	3002 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 Neat-o pointy mountains.	3003 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 Wow.	3004 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 Would love to get a closer look.
3005 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024 Firefighting activity in Bettles.	3006 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 Firefighting plane in Bettles	3007 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 2560 x 1920 The Yukon river through the smoke.	3008 320 x 480 / 512 x 768 / 1024 x 1536 John and Sandy flew back to Portland from Fairbanks (I drove). From the jet plane, they took these pictures.
3009 640 x 426 / 1024 x 682 / 1536 x 1024	3010 320 x 480 / 512 x 768 / 1024 x 1536 Excellent