A way to survive on Alaska’s west coast

You might have heard of Unalakleet, a village marking the first coastal checkpoint for mushers in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. But Unalakleet, an Iñupiaq word meaning “place where the east wind blows,” is also the name of a river managed by BLM Alaska. 

A river sits beneath an overcast sky, its smooth surface interrupted by little ripples. Green vegetation reflects on either side of the water, and rolling hills with patches of snow are visible in the distance.
The Unalakleet River on an overcast day. Photo by Stolf Short (BLM).

Unalakleet River is one of six Wild and Scenic Rivers managed by BLM Alaska. These rivers were designated by Congress due to their outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values. It is the BLM’s responsibility, in cooperation with other federal agencies, to preserve these rivers so they can be enjoyed by present and future generations. 

Starting in the rolling Nulato Hills, Unalakleet River flows west across miles of active, scenic tundra until it reaches the coastal village of Unalakleet. Eighty-one miles of the river are designated as Wild (not technically Scenic), though the westernmost portion of the river is on Native land and is not managed by BLM Alaska. 

Two birds fly just over a grey-green river, their wings almost touching the surface. Their feathers are mixed black and white with bright orange feet. Green and brown plants are on the bank of the river behind them.
BLM conducts breeding bird surveys on the Unalakleet to monitor populations, including Mergansers like these. Photo by Craig Townsend (BLM).

For thousands of years, Unalakleet National Wild River has connected coastal Iñupiaq and Yup’ik peoples with Athabascan groups in interior Alaska. A relatively short overland trail called Kaltag Portage connects Unalakleet River with the Yukon River, making it an efficient way to travel in an area mostly without roads. In the 19th century, Russian merchants used the river and its portage to move people and goods. Reindeer herders from Lapland settled along the river and prospectors followed shortly after, looking for gold on the Seward Peninsula. The prospectors eventually brought a mail route, a telegraph line, and cabins along the river that can still be seen today. 

The biggest draw of Unalakleet National Wild River is its fishery, which provides subsistence, commercial, and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. All five species of Pacific salmon—Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, and Sockeye—are found in the Unalakleet, contributing to salmon runs that exceed 100,000 fish. Annual salmon runs provide the bulk of the local community’s income. In addition to salmon, arctic grayling, Dolly Varden, arctic char, and whitefish are found in the river year-round. Other recreational opportunities include summer hunting of trophy-size brown bear and moose in the Nulato Hills or watching Iditarod mushers race 35 miles along Unalakleet River on their way to Nome. 

A musher and his team of sled dogs run along a trail. Around them, the terrain is mostly flat with tussocks of brown grass sticking up from a shallow layer of snow.
An Iditarod musher running his team between the Kaltag and Unalakleet checkpoints. Photo by Bob Wick (BLM).

Unalakleet River supports the subsistence lifestyle of many villages in the area. In the fall, powerboats are the main mode of transportation for subsistence hunting of moose along the river. In the winter, trapping beaver, fox, lynx, marten, muskrat, and wolf provides cash for residents. When things start warming up in the spring, subsistence lifestyles are supported by hunting and gathering the eggs of local waterfowl. 

In the remote west coast of Alaska, Unalakleet National Wild River stands out as an invaluable resource for fishing, recreation, and subsistence. Plan a visit to see it for yourself at Unalakleet Wild and Scenic River | Bureau of Land Management. 

 

 

Story by:

Jordan Oldenburg, ACE member

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