Above the Arctic Circle
October 26, 2007 
I’m visiting my cabin in Bettles, AK. That’s 180 air miles north of Fairbanks and 30 miles west of the Dalton Highway. We are off the road system so, the only way in is via the Koyakuk River or by plane. Most folks who live here are pilots, trappers, park rangers, dog mushers, or wilderness guides.
Evansville/Bettles was established nearly 100 years ago by gold miners looking for pay dirt. They floated down the Koyakuk River from Coldfoot and found the natives friendly. It’s been a mixed community ever since. It was also a place where the Eskimo and the Athabascan fought hideous battles over this influential trading area. The Koyakuk has always been the dividing line between the two groups. Once the white man began mapping the area, and establishing towns, the tribes became less nomadic and began to settle, inter-marry and finally called Evansville, home. If you’re white, you called it Bettles, if you’re Native you call it Evansville.
No matter what you call it our village, it is considered the Gateway to the Arctic. It has an airfield and a float pond which supports one of the oldest lodges in the state (Bettles Lodge). In addition, Bettles is the headquarters and visitor center for the The Gates of the Arctic National Park causing the population to swell with outdoor adventurers.This is where outdoor adventurers gather and stage their supplies before flying north into the largest unspoiled place in Alaska.
During the winter the population drops down to 15-20 people depending on the day. Because Bettles/Evansville is so remote, the economy is very stressed. Heating oil is $6.10/gallon. There is no grocery store so all food has to be flown in at $.60/lb making liquids very expensive. Beer and wine, olive oil, soda are considered luxuries. Fresh vegetables become very special and some folks invite themselves to dinner if they know that fresh broccoli is being served. Simple things become important.
This Saturday night we’ll have a potluck at the Evansville Tribal Council and finish up with a friendly evening of Bingo. It’s expected that all 25 people in town will attend, except for Cheryl Poore who is on duty at the “Weather Box” to report the weather every hour for the FAA.
All in all, it’s a beautiful part of the world. Some call it the end of the road, I call it paradise.
Thanks for a very interesting post. Sure makes me want to see it. I’ve not been on the ground in that corner of the country, but flew with a friend who’s a pilot from the Seward Peninsula along the southern edge of the Endicotts. Looked fabulous. And thanks for the link to the file from Alaska Airlines magazine.