Old browser warning

Site look funky? Your browser is either Internet Explorer (hit refresh (F5) several times due to a bug in Microsoft's code that we can't work around) or is 10 years old and standards-based layouts and styling confuse it. Consider updating. One excellent option is Mozilla Firefox, versions of which are available for Linux, Mac and Windows. Safari 1.0+ and IE 6.0+ are also supported.

Kaktovik

Report

Account	The upper river flows between the peaks of the Romanzof Mountains and is characterized by class II gravel bar rapids. Most of the rapids are class II in the upper section but therer are a couple places that may require a class III move such as this one where most of the current slammed into some boulders on river right. This canyon did not contain any significant rapids and it was relatively short. There are a couple places where aufeis can persist into the summer. Before the river opens up onto the coastal plain it passes through the most challenging rapids on the run, a series of about a dozen class III headwall rapids contained within a bedrock canyon. This rapid is characteristic of those in the canyon which are headwall rapids formed as the current slams up against bedrock walls. Most of the dozen or so rapids have a hole or two to dodge. Skilled paddlers will be able to boat scout these drops but you can also hike along the canyon to view them or hope out to scout them from river level as needed. As the river leaves the mountains and emerges from the canyon it continues for several more miles as a relatively constrained channel with fun class II rapids. The wide open expanse of the coastal plain provides amazing views for hundreds of miles. This is the heart of the 1002 area that could be tapped for oil. While the channel is relatively constrained for much of the journey across the coastal plain it begins to spread out as multiple threads. At medium flows you should still be able to find a channel with plenty of water. A short distance upstream from the mouth of the Hulahula. Standing at the mouth of the Hulahula and looking back upstream. If your boat and gear are not too heavy a popular option is to portage across this tundra pond (70.05197N, 144.02497W, WGS84) near the mouth of the Hulahula where you can cross over to the Okpilak and take the channel that heads out to Arey Island. The crossing to Arey Island may include as much walking as paddling. At the mouth the Hulahula and Okpilak dump a large load of fine sediment resulting in many shallow channels. Arey Island is the pickup point for trips that continue out to the mouth. This approximately 10 mile barrier island is a narrow strip about a mile offshore that extends from the mouth of the Hulahula to Kaktovik. This village on Barter Island is the place where most trips to ANWR start and end.
Time	2005-07-15 20:00:00 GMT
Reported Date	JUL2005
River Reported	Hulahula
Reporter	Author of report Thomas O'Keefe 3537 NE 87th St. Seattle, WA 98115 Details E-mail: okeefe@americanwhitewater.org Phone: 425-417-9012
River	Hulahula [AK] Grasser's Airstrip to Arey Island (Arctic Ocean) III [detail]