General Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Alaska: Gambell. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure taht what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING THE UNITED STATES: Non-United States citizens will need a valid passport and may need a tourist visa. Consult your nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for details.
HEALTH: Alaska presents no major health hazards. Perhaps the most serious problems stem from the use of inadequate gear. Warm and waterproof clothing and boots, and sturdy, waterproof walking boots are absolutely essential. Please study the clothing recommendations in the printed General Information. Comfort in Alaska is first and foremost a matter of keeping warm and dry. Although we do not schedule rigorous activities (except north of Nome, when we look for Bristle-thighed Curlew if the road is open), walking over uneven ground and spongy tundra and gravel is inevitable, as are periods of rain or snow. One should be in reasonable shape.
Insects can be a nuisance from mid-June to mid-August so we normally miss the worst influx. An ample supply of repellent and suitable clothing are the best protection.
While large mammals are dangerous, they pose little threat if a few common sense rules are followed.
Participants on trips to Gambell should understand that they will be isolated from all but the most rudimentary medical care and that air transport to a hospital can easily be prevented by bad weather. Reasonably good health should be considered a prerequisite for trips here.
PACE OF TOUR: The days of walking will seem long and tiring: loose and rounded beach gravel, snow and slush, puddles and hummocks, the craters and mounds of the “boneyards,” and the steep mountainside with its tricky footing on boulders between deep drifts of snow. See TRANSPORT below.
CLIMATE: Alaska has a varied climate. Coastal weather is normally cool to cold. Gambell and Nome experience freezing temperatures into late June, and mid-summer maximums are usually in the low 50s F. Late May and early June temperatures range between 25° and 40° F on Gambell and warmer (sometimes much warmer) at Nome. Wind, rain and snow occur frequently, often in rapidly changing combinations.
Temperatures at inland localities are milder: 40s to high 50s F. in late May and early June and as high as the 90s F. in mid-summer. Again, rain is always possible.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Gambell is a Yupik village of about 650 people at the northwestern tip of St. Lawrence Island. We visit Gambell by explicit consent, as the native corporation has the authority to control access. Single accommodation may not be available at Gambell. Bring your own soap, shampoo, and towel. We bring a cook with us, and our food is interesting, tasty, and nutritious.
DRESS: Informal throughout.
TRANSPORTATION: On the mainland, we’ll be using 15-passenger window vans or minivan, depending on the group size. We will take a maximum of eight passengers plus the leader/driver. Participants should be able to ride in any seat in tour vehicles.
The Anchorage-Nome flights are on commercial airlines.The Nome-Gambell flights are on small planes.
At Gambell we’ll provide one ATV for every two participants. We’ll provide a brief course in ATV operation at the start of our stay, and each participant will be required to sign a specific liability waiver in which they acknowledge that the operation of an ATV involves some risk. Please note as well that there may be situations where the leaders, for birding reasons, will ask the group to walk. One should be in reasonable shape, and should expect to walk up to a mile at a time.
SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, the stricter policy will prevail. There is no smoking allowed in the Sivuqaq Inn at Gambell.
GENERAL INFORMATION & CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the General Information & Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Spring Alaska: Gambell and Nome will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Updated: July 2008