A native Alaskan in traditional garments greets visitors

Gold panning, caribou and the Continental Divide await intrepid visitors to Alaska's Arctic Circle

April 6, 1998
Web posted at: 12:45 p.m. EST (1745 GMT)

By Diana C. Gleasner

KOTZEBUE, Alaska (Los Angeles Times) -- Northward Ho!

Kotzebue is a fascinating place to visit, but we wouldn't want to live there.

The frozen tundra landscape is bleak, with wind-chill temperatures plummeting to 100 degrees below zero at times during the long, dark winter. Rusting hulks of various cars, trucks and snow machines litter the small community. The Arctic Ocean is frigid, even in August. And besides, the only Dairy Queen north of the Arctic Circle has gone out of business.

We had signed up for a tour called "Arctic Adventure." Including both Nome and Kotzebue, it lived up to its billing. The plan was to travel by air from Anchorage to Kotzebue, spend the day, fly over to Nome, overnight there, tour the community the next day and then return to Anchorage.