How can we spend time in Alaska without stepping foot on the most northern point in the United States? We knew the answer to that question and booked a short trip to Barrow, whose name recently changed to Utqiagvik. Don’t ask me how to pronounce it though.
The population is just over 4000, with oil and gas being the main industry, but it was originally an Eskimo village known for whaling. The only way to get there is by boat or plane. Most goods arrive between May and September by barge and all visitors come via airplanes. After our early morning flight, we dropped our bags at King Eider Inn, one of two main hotels in town and began to see what Barrow had to offer.
Most residents of the North Slope Borough own at least one ATV and a snow machine, as they call it. All roads are gravel and you can’t go far out of town in any direction. The rental car we were issued was in pretty bad shape, but at least we didn’t have to worry about getting it dirty.
We drove around the heart of the village but also ventured out, finding a small cluster of homes located about two miles out on a narrow peninsula on the Arctic Ocean. The native villagers lived in these homes, not in igloos (at least not in the summer).
It felt like we were driving through a third world country. I’ve seen similar living conditions in Central America, but never in the US.
We kept driving this road until it ended. I read somewhere that there is a hiking trail that continues ten miles farther.
There was one large store in town that sold groceries and household items. It was the main place to buy anything you might need, but we were shocked by the price of food. I had to take some pictures to back up my story.
Wow! How can anyone afford these prices? I would probably give up drinking soda if I lived here. These prices are for everyone, not just the tourists. I say that because many markets in Belize and other foreign countries have two prices, one for tourists and one for locals.
The biggest shock to me was the price of orange juice. I guess refrigeration adds to the cost of getting it here. Nothing can be grown in the tundra. No one had flower pots on their porch or gardens in their yard. There were no trees on this flat section of land for miles and miles.
How do people survive living here? The minimum wage is $14 per hour and a lot of residents receive food stamps and other assistance. A gallon of unleaded gas is $5.90, which explains the popularity of ATVs. Alaska has a shortage of teachers and the advertisements quote $55k starting pay, housing, and relocation assistance along with other incentives. They live a simple life, but it’s not easy.
Surviving the dark days of winter, with 5 months of sub zero weather, takes a special type of person. We heard that a lot of the population has never left the area. Everyone we spoke with seemed happy and genuinely friendly. Crime is very low in Barrow.
Flights are a little over half full, so it is easy to hop over from Anchorage or Fairbanks for a day trip. We stayed two days and a day trip would have been enough to see everything. Bring your rain boots or snow boots and be prepared to walk in dirt and mud.
If you want to drink alcohol, you have to bring your own. They do not sell any liquor or beer in Barrow, including stores and restaurants. The rule was put in place for the safety of the people. You could freeze to death if you ended up in a ditch or passed out in the cold.
Overall, I’m glad we included this stop in our tour of Alaska. I will share about some of the interesting things to see in my next post.
It was a great adventure! Great job on the blog! So glad I got to be a part of it!
So glad you came along!