Packrafting ANWR: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Aufeis

The January 27 Mountaineers meeting will feature a talk by Jonathon Creel and Nell Larson on packrafting in far northern Alaska. One of the most remote and least-disturbed wilderness areas in North America, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a wild place unlike any other in the U.S. The Canning River runs from the Brooks Range through the wetlands and hummocks of the coastal plain to the Arctic Ocean. After their plans for a different trip were scrambled during the COVID pandemic, Jonathan and Nell found themselves on a bush plane destined for a remote landing strip in the Alaska wilderness. This was the start of a 15-day packrafting trip down the Canning River that was filled with hiking, wildlife viewing, birding, mosquito-swatting….and endless aufeis - a sheet-like mass of layered ice that forms from successive flows of ground or river water. Jonathan and Nell will share some stories from their adventure, along with the nuts and bolts of logistics and trip planning for such a remote location.

Jonathan is a bird nerd who loves spending his free time hiking and exploring new places. No stranger to this venue, Jonathan previously worked at PEEC and helped create the partnership with the L.A. Mountaineers that led to monthly programs at the nature center. He now leads the Manhattan Project National Historical Park at LANL.

Nell grew up in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, where she developed her love of cold winters, abundant snow, and nordic skiing. After earning her masters in ecology and environmental management, Nell moved west to Park City, Utah “for one summer” and stayed for many years until moving to Los Alamos in 2023. Nell loves almost any outdoor activity that involves snow or water, so naturally she wound up in New Mexico.

We welcome all to this Mountaineers’ meeting on the regular fourth Tuesday of the month. The social hour, with cookies, begins at 6:45 PM and the program at 7:00 PM. The presentation will be in-person at Los Alamos Nature Center; the slides will be live-streamed on Zoom. Registration is required to Zoom and recommended for in-person – we would love to see your smiling face. Registration details can be found at https://peecla.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/peecla/event.jsp?event=64470&.

Along the Canning River, with the Brooks Range in the background.