Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
SO REMOTE IT IS NEARLY UNTOUED.
A LAND OF PRISTINE LAKES AND WILD RIVERS.
SPECTACULAR PEAKS STAND SENTINEL OVER THIS PRECIOUS WILD.
GLACIAL CARVING HAS SCULPTED THESE GRANITE CLIFFS AND DOMES.
ATHABASKAN AND INUPIAT PEOPLE GAVE THESE PLACES NAMES,
BUT ON MODERN MAPS THERE ARE NAMELESS VALLEYS,
NAMELESS RIVERS AND NAMELESS PEAKS.
ROBERT MARSHALL, A FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN WILDERNESS SYSTEM
BROUGHT THESE LANDS TO PUBLIC ATTENTION,
AND PUSHED FOR THEIR PROTECTION.
HE COINED THE NAME, "GATES OF THE ARCTIC."
NOW, THEIR VASTNESS ENSURES THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS
CAN DISCOVER THE LAND FOR THEMSELVES.
SUMMER IS A BRIEF SPLASH OF ACTIVITY.
IT IS SO SHORT THAT ALMOST ALL THE PLANTS ARE PERENNIAL,
AND THEY HUG THE GROUND FOR WARMTH.
CLOSE TO THE GROUND, THE TEMPERATURE
CAN BE 40 DEGREES HIGHER THAN THE AIR TEMPERATURE,
A CLIMIMATE IN THE MINIATURE.
BIRDS FROM EUROPE, SOUTH AMERICA,
ASIA AND TROPIC ISLANDS GATHER HERE TO BREED,
AND TO FEED ON THE OUTPOURING OF LIFE.
AS THE DAYS SHORTEN AND THE SUN DIPS BELOW THE HORIZON,
MOST WILL HEAD SOUTH.
SOME WILL STAY,
ADAPTING TO THE EXTREMES OF THE NORTHERN CLIMATE.
AS THE LEAVES CHANGE INTO FALL COLORS,
THE PTARMIGAN CHANGES AS WELL.
SUMMER CAMOUFLAGE STARTS TO TURN WHITE.
THEY SEEK REFUGE FROM A PASSING STORM.
SNOW FALLS ANY MONTH OF TEAR.
THE PTARMIGARVIVES THE NG, ERCETER GING,
WHILE SLEEPUNDER THE SNOW.