Alaska Arctic
Brooks Range adventures |
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| December and January These are the coldest months with
temps dropping to -60F. December 21st, being the winter solstice, is the shortest
day of the year with only 4 hours of daylight. Total darkness is rare because of
light from the moon, stars and the northern lights. Some evenings are brighter than
daytime. These are often the best months for viewing the Aurora Borealis. February and March It is starting to warm up. Wildlife is more visible. Ice fishing is good. Snowmobiling is good. Aurora Borealis is good. Cross-country skiing is good. March is really good for watching wolves. April This is a great all-around month. Dall Sheep are starting to move toward lambing, wolf sightings are abundant and they are getting ready to pup. Moose are heavy with calves. The lake ice is still good for ice fishing. Snow is still good for snowmobiling. There are many more hours of daylight. May and June
July and August Warm temperatures and 24 hours of light makes for some great fishing. The spring runoff is over and canoe trips and hiking are at their best. Flora is in full bloom, the swans have returned, and geese and ducks are floating on the lake with their young. Beaver are working on their lodges, preparing again for winter. At the end of August, the trout are returning to the surface of the lake. Great fly-fishing and spin casting opportunities occur this month. September and October
November and December The temperature is getting cold, with the mercury often below zero. The lake is starting to freeze. The snow is crawling down the mountains and the bear have gone to sleep. Occasionally we will still see bear that have not gone to den yet. In 1998 there was a little ice along the shore one night and when I awoke the next morning the entire lake was frozen. That was Nov. 11th and I was snowmobiling across the lake by the 15th. Freeze-up happens quickly. Aurora Borealis is very good, travel to and from the lake is difficult.
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May can be iffy. You might start
out skiing or snowmobiling and end up
canoeing or hiking. By the first of June the ice
should have broken up but there are no guarantees! Fishing for lake trout is usually
good along the ice. June 21st is the summer solstice, and the sun doesn't set here
above the Arctic Circle. Both months are really good for wildlife viewing.
Getting out is sometimes hard but tramping around with a spotting scope or photography
gear is worth it. As the lake ice starts moving out the fishing improves. Either
fly fishing or spin casting work well.
The lake trout are still abundant.
The wolves are howling. The bull moose and caribou are in rut. The fall
colors are in full show. The Aurora Borealis are becoming visible. All the animals
are hungry and getting ready for winter. This lends itself to fantastic wildlife
photography. A canoe and moose call will give you great surprises.