Utqiagvik

Understand

The city is commonly known as Barrow, its official name until a 2016 referendum changed it to the traditional Iñupiat name of Utqiaġvik. It is the administrative and economic center and the largest city in the North Slope Borough, and it functions as a center for Iñupiat culture and for oil extraction. Traditional hunting, fishing, and whaling are an important part of the community.

Orientation

The city is divided into three sections. The southern section is known as the "Barrow side". The larger, traditionally residential central section is known as "Browerville". The smaller, more isolated northern part is known as "NARL", after the Naval Arctic Research Lab that used to be located there.

Climate

The climate is constantly frigid, with temperatures averaging slightly above freezing only in July and August.

Precipitation is low year-round and, in a sense, Utqiagvik is in the middle of an "ice desert", despite being located right next to the Arctic Ocean.

The midnight sun can be seen from mid-May to late-July. There is polar night from late November to late January, with twilight only for a few hours from late morning until mid-afternoon.

Get in

There are no roads or rails into town. Considering the climate and extreme remoteness of the place, none of this is likely to change any time soon. The only way to travel to Utqiagvik is by plane, although there is an annual summer barge service to send and receive large heavy items such as vehicles, building supplies, and heavy equipment.

By plane

• Alaska Airlines offers several daily flights from Anchorage, Deadhorse, and Fairbanks.

Get around

By foot

Utqiaġvik is very small, and is a flat desert that almost never receives large amounts of snow. So it's easy to get around by foot even in the winter. During the colder months, you can walk directly across the frozen freshwater lagoons. Just bundle up and beware of the wind chill! In "early winter", be careful and ask locals if the lagoons are really totally frozen over yet before you walk on them.

By taxi

There are several cab companies in town. They are always driving about, and they can be flagged down easily or called by phone for almost immediate pickup. Rates vary between $5 and $9 around Utqiaġvik proper and Browerville. Within town, they are supposed to charge a $6 fixed rate per one-way trip. To go to Point Barrow or to the lake south of town to see the night sky, it is about $50 per hour.

By car

By bus

The city bus runs M-F 7AM–7PM and can be a good option for daily commutes. Visitors, however, will probably be happier taking cabs due to the convenience, as well as the fact that cab fare for a group of 2 or more people will end up costing less money because the bus charges per person.

Stay safe

Go next

• Deadhorse