Ipiutak Tours

Like a finger...pointing out into the unknown, Tikigaq... Point Hope, so named by Cpt. Beechey of the H.M. S. Blossom in 1826, after Sir Johnstone Hope, 120 miles above the Arctic Circle, Ipiutak...beckon's, let Ipiutak Tours take you through...

Overhead you will pass Sissolik, historic trading and meeting place, five minutes out of our service hub of Kotzebue, Alaska...fifteen minutes later the terminal of the Red Dog Mine, jointly operated by COMINCO and NANA...twenty-five minutes into the flight over the native village of Kivalina, Alaska, best Char fishing this side of the Kobuk...forty minutes after take-off you are in the vicinity of Project Chariot at Ogotoruk Valley, Dr. Edward Teller's failed program a.k.a. Project Chariot, the demonstrated peaceful use of the Atomic Bomb, ten minutes later you are at Point Hope, Alaska, longest, continously occupied village in North America...We'll meet you there...

Tigara: The Old Town Site vacated on or about 1974-76, because of beach erosion, there see 1,300 Bowhead Whale Jawbone ( Baleaena Mysticitus ), used predominately for construction of homes, learn how we use this bone today...during the late 1950's over 6,000 bone were counted by a contracted scientist for the former Atomic Energy Commission... I was once asked..."What is the significance of those whale-bone posts." My response... " Clothesline!?"...see our two remaining Qaligi's the Oonasiksiqaaq, and the Qaagamaaqtuuq, and learn how these extended family groups maintained our whaling tradition...then follow the whale-bone trail stakes north to...

Aaron & Abram Tooyak, during spring whaling

The Former site of the Episcopal Church: Established in 1890 in response to CORWIN's, Lt. Cmdr. Stockton's, report of the deplorable conditons of the population there at the time in 1889...Responding to the call Dr. John B. Driggs of Wilmington, Delaware. " As the vessel came to anchor, Dr. Driggs noticed the beach becoming populated with Eskimos, apparently in welcome. Imagine his disappontment when he found that the Eskimos were all armed with bows and arrows, spears and knives, and hostile to his landing on their beach. " The Man of Alaska Peter Trimble Rowe by: The Right Reverend Thomas Jenkins, D.D., Morehouse-Goreham Co. New York 1943...here you find the only whale-bone fenced cemetary in the nation. There rests the Third Bishop of Alaska, the Rt. Rev. William J. Gordon, as does martyr, Rev. Augustus Reginald Hoare...adjacent to the cemetary lies...

Point Hope Cemetary in winter. Bowhead Whale bone jaw fenced.

Ipiutak: Surveyed in 1895 as the selection site of the Episcopal Church, the land is described as " Successive sand and gravel ridges, formerly sea beaches " by E.H. Edson...this site was discovered by Dr. Froelich Rainey in 1939. Ipiutak ca: 0-500 A.D. established Point Hope, Alaska as the longest, continously occupied village in North America. Now it is a federally registered historic site, and sits a scant quarter mile from my office window...there you will see remains of walrus, a staple of the people of Ipiutak, hear about the Man with Ivory Eyes, thought as an old wives tale to keep children from staying out all hours of the night, during the long midnight summer days...Birder's will welcome the thought that 59 different species were sighted a in a mere 50 hours of observation at or near the Ipiutak Lagoon, to include the rare Asian vagrant's...Eurasian Dotterel...Temminck's Stint, and the Rufous-necked Stint...  

  Walrus Ivory mask (color enhanced) recovered from burial at Ipiutak ca: 0-500 A.D., now at the American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York   

Ipiutak Tours Overnight                           

Ipiutak Tours Overnight: For those who sense of adventure lasts more than a day, then allow us to accommodate you through an overnight stay at the local hotel. Owned and operated by the local village corporation, the Whaler's Inn provides food and lodging for about $175.00 per day, call your local operator for phone number's for current rates...You must also make additional arrangement's with the local airline's agent , once you have arrived, for reservations out the following day...We will be glad to assist you.

Ipiutak Tours would like to invite you to enjoy a wheeled dog sled ride with local Iditarod Musher, Russell Lane, of Lane's Kennels to...

Jabbertown: So named because of the whaling station that hosted upward to 120 whaling ships, during the American Commercial Whaling Period...lasting from ca:1841 to about 1910...presently Beacon Hill, is the final resting place of some of those whaler's...meet Chief Attungoruk, headman who invited Charles Brower to be a part of his crew ca: 1885..then by AMC Hummer continue on to...

Marbelled Murrelet, winter

Cape Thompson: Bird Sanctuary, learn about Ogotoruk Valley, and Project Chariot...meet the late Howard Rock, Artist and founding editor of the Tundra Times...developed in response to the lack of voice by this bush village abutting the Atomic Energy Commission, and several Alaska Chamber's of Commerce...take in the sights along the twenty-five miles of beach to the Cape Thompson Bird Sanctuary, observe the rookeries through scope, or binoculars or provide your own...In season you may be able to see Grey Whale, Musk Oxen, Caribou...Whistling Swan, Sandhill Crane, Golden Eagle, the famous Alaskan Mosquito and maybe even a Brown Bear...

Yearling Polar Bear killed in August 1999

Learn about......

Ogotoruk Valley: In the late 1950's and the early 60's, the former Atomic Energy Commission, through then Lawrence Livermore Labratory, and Dr. Edward Teller chose Ogotoruk Valley as the site to demostrate the peaceful use of the Atomic Bomb...studies were done to determine the subsistence gathering activities of the Tikigaqmuit...those scientist directly involved in those studies allied themselves with the people of Point Hope against the A.E.C. to stop this experiment...up to then, no definitive studies were available to determine the effects of nuclear radiation on the Tundra, or in the Arctic for that matter...nevertheless, the outcry was heard, and the madness was ended, no nuclear device was ever detonated...The Cape Thompson Bird Sanctuary saved (we still gather bird's eggs there )...however, thirty-fiveyears later seventeen pounds of radioactive material was discovered, and disposed of...

Cabins located on the beach of Ogotoruk Valley, a.k.a. Project Chariot

Kuukpuk River: learn about Ooaqsaaqhaaq, Kuukpuk, and Iitivlaagruuq... used by generations of Tikigaqmuit as fishing and hunting camps, berry patches that we still use today...

Although we will take the best care of you possible, we do ask that you sign a release...physical fitness required.

Food and shelter are available, but do prepare for the weather...although it may be spring, or even summer, like the animal's the weather can be unpredictable...because of the time and distance involved in travelling to and from Cape Thompson, time will be limited to sightseeing only...

Tigara Map

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Longest, continously occupied village in North America

Bird Map

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Rates: (subject to change without notice)

A deposit of 50% is expected one month prior to your arrival. Full payment is expected upon arrival. However if there is a cancellation due to circumstances beyond our control then we will gladly refund your deposit. It will be the responsibility of the buyer to notify us of a cancellation, and how best to arrange return of a deposit. A cancellation made,without cause, after the expected arrival date will not be refunded.We will assist you in your booking arrangements with the local airlines agent, once we know your expected arrival date.We do have flights that service Point Hope throughout the day; Please have your travel agent arrange your bookings.

Flight arrangements may change due to weather, please plan accordingly. All bush flights are through our service hub at Kotzebue, Alaska. We cannot be responsible for flight cancellations originating from there.

Ipiutak Tours Walking Tour

$110.00 per person. Plus a free, Ipiutak Project CD-ROM ( $35.00 value. Limit one per family unit and subject to availability).

Ipiutak Tours Overnight

$225.00 per person. Please let us know if you are planning a Dog sled musher's ride. We will assist you with arrangements, at no extra cost, however availabity is subject to change without notice.We will be happy to assist you with hotel arrangements, with adequate notice. Hotel and Dog sled ride charges are seperate and subject to change without notice, and not the responsibility of Ipiutak Tours.

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Air Tansportation: from your present location...through...

to Service hub at Kotzebue, Alaska: Alaska Airlines, Frontier Air ( contact your local travel agent )

Carriers servicing Point Hope, Alaska:

Bering Air

Cape Smythe

Baker Aviation

Overnight accomodations: ( call for current rates )

Kotzebue, Alaska: Nuulaagvik Hotel, Bay side Inn

Point Hope, Alaska: Whalers Inn

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Ipiutak Tours

1037 Umigragvik St.

P.O. Box 1

Point Hope, Alaska 99766

(907)368-3690

for question or comments about this page

email: tooyak@aol.com

Check out these links:

http://www.ipiutak.com

weather: wales to cape lisburne

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