Barrow, Alaska – the Northern Most Point in North America
Barrow, Alaska is 330 miles above the Arctic Circle, where the traditions of a culture, ages old remain at the center of life in a modern world.
The weather in Barrow can change by the hour. Visitors should bring a jacket, hat and gloves irrespective of the season. The severe winter run from September through May. Summer temperatues vary widely, but avearge about 40 degrees Farenheit.
1. In January and February experience Kivgiq, the unforgettable MidWinter Festival or”Messenger Feast” – a three day celebration of dance, song and bartering that brings Inuit from across the North Slope, Russia and Canada together to renew family ties and share age-old traditions.
2. Bundle up for a week-long spring festival in the snow during Piuraagiaqta [ pee’-ur-ahg’-ee-ahk-taa’] in APRIL. Enjoy the parade,maklak races, igloo building,dog-mushing and geese-calling contests, snowmachine races,golf on the ice and other activities.
3. Travel to Arctic in May,June and July when lush tundra is alive with over 250 species of birds including snowy owls,jeagars,swans and arctic terns. Plan your trip to America’s most northerly community in JUNE when villagers celebrate Nalukataq [nah-loo’-ka-tahk], or blanket toss festival, to mark the end of a succesful and safe whaling season.
4. In July and August, Barrow residents often join relatives from other villages and travel to areas where wild salmon berries,blue berries,black berries and cranberries are plentiful. Autumn comes early in the Artic, so prime berry picking is short.
5. From November through May, the visitors can view the awe-inspiring twilight of winter,or the sunwashed evening hours of spring, and take dog sled rides across the sea ice past icebergs.
6. In December spend the holidays watching Eskimo games-traditional feats of skill and physical prowess developed long ago to prepare people for survival in the North. Welcome the new year at edge of the Chukchi Sea, near the famous whale-bone arch – and wear the warmest clothes to watch the annual fireworks display.
