LaVonne's Fish Camp

Kotzebue, Alaska

 

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Kotzebue, Alaska

 

Kotzebue, Alaska

 

Kotzebue, Alaska sits on 3-mile-long spit at the northwest end of Baldwin Peninsula in Kotzebue Sound. The town 3,082, above the Arctic Circle by about 30 miles, is the hub of commerce, culture and outdoor activity for the northwestern Arctic region. The Noatak, Kobuk and Selawik rivers flow into the sound near Kotzebue, allowing boat traffic to carry cargo and residents into the valleys where such villages as Noorvik, Ambler and Noatak lie. Kotzebue is also the center of air traffic in the region.

Wildlife and wind

A casual eye may see a windswept, forsaken district full of mosquito-laden lakes on the flat tundra and long gravel beaches. But what a treasure lies there. The northwest Arctic is a haven for wildlife and a heaven for who subsist on it or merely want to observe it. Birders come with binoculars to see the migratory waterfowl. In this flat area, the Inupiat Eskimos devised their own way of seeing: the blanket toss, in which a group flings an observer high into the air to look for walrus, whales or other game.

Kotzebue has long winters and cool summers, which means there's ice in the sound from early October until early July. The average low temperature during January is minus 12; the average high during July is 58. The record temperatures are minus 52 and 85. Snowfall averages 40 inches, with total precipitation of 9 inches per year.

History of Kotzebue area

The new federal census shows the population of Kotzebue is three-quarters Native, mostly Inupiat Eskimo. The area, occupied for 600 years as a fish camp and trading base, was known long before the German Lt. Otto Von Kotzebue ''discovered'' Kotzebue Sound in 1818 for Russia. According to the Alaska Place Names Dictionary, a reindeer station was established in 1897, and the new permanent community got a post office named after Kotzebue Sound in 1899.

With the three big rivers nearby, Kotzebue was a trading hub for groups subsisting on nature's provisions. Chum salmon are important to the subsistence lifestyle, as are the enormous herds of caribou. Musk oxen, bears and smaller mammals also live in the area. In the summer, waterfowl and other migratory birds arrive by the millions to nest in the thousands of lakes and ponds on the tundra and river deltas; some end up on the table.

National parks and refuges

Kotzebue Sound is surrounded by federal lands, several of which protect both wildlife and archeological sites indicating the arrival of humans over the Bering Land Bridge perhaps 13,000 years ago.

Cape Krusenstern National Monument, northwest of Kotzebue on the coast of the Chukchi Sea. Noatak National Preserve, north of Kotzebue. The Noatak River, classified as a national wild river, is protected its entire route. Kobuk Valley National Park, east of Kotzebue. The park is home of a 25-square-mile patch of sand dunes and the Onion Portage archeological dig. Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, east of Kotzebue and south of Kobuk Valley. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, south of the sound. In addition to its archeological value, the preserve is an important nesting ground.

Getting to Kotzebue

There are no roads leading to Kotzebue, 26 miles north of the Arctic Circle, which is on a Sound bordering the Chukchi Sea. It is 162 miles across the Bering Sea from the Siberian mainland. Kotzebue with a population of approximately 3,500, is a central hub for the surrounding 25,000 square mile area that is home for an additional 4,000 Inupiat Eskimo in eleven villages.

Alaska Airlines provides flights seven days per week into Kotzebue from Anchorage. Alaska Airlines (Jet Service) Phone: 1-800-426-033

ERA Alaska provides one flight daily Monday through Friday into Kotzebue from Fairbanks. ERA Alaska Phone 1-800-478-6779

Summer clothing - should be comfortable and in layers

Plan to dress in layers! Headgear, foot wear, and gloves need to be wind and rain proof, warm and comfortable. Jackets with hoods are a must! The weather can vary from 35oF to 80oF in a 24-hour period. Polypropylene long underwear and Gortex outer wear works best. The rain is usually wind driven so good rain gear is essential for warmth in the Arctic. However, should you be here on a freaky hot day of 75 to 80 degrees, bring shorts and a swimsuit along for the momentous occasion.

Other things to bring with you

  • Sunglasses (have good UVA & UVB Blockers C as the tundra and ocean waters can be quite bright and hard on the eyes)

  • Eye covers or eye mask (if you think you will have problems getting to sleep in the 24-hour daylight)

  • Mosquito repellent, spray type for clothes and roll-on stick or creme for face (There’s lots of Mosquitoes when the wind stops blowing; early June to middle July they are at their peak. If they really bother you, buy an inexpensive head net or a treated jacket.)

  • Binoculars (makes watching birds and possible moose, caribou or musk ox much more interesting)

  • Over-the-counter and/or prescription drugs (Kotzebue does not have a drug store - it has a Public Health Service hospital for emergencies - OTC drugs are sold in three small grocery stores in town with limited selection.)

Websites

Weather - Kotzebue, Alaska

City of Kotzebue

Last modified: February 28, 2010