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The “North Pole Of America” Sinks Into Darkness For 66 Days. Here’s Everything You Need to Know About This Small Town in Alaska.


Extraordinary is a regular Tuesday here.

Utqiagvik in Alaska is America’s North Pole. We’re talking midnight sun, months of darkness, and ancient Inupiat traditions.

Where else can you munch on whale blubber and join an Arctic Frisbee tournament on the same day? Grab your warmest coat and dip into life at the top of the world.

Oh, and keep an eye out for polar bears.

America’s Northernmost City

Once known as Barrow, this place has one of the largest Iñupiaq settlements.

It sits at the meeting point of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. No highways lead there, even though it’s the economic center of the North Slope Borough.

If you wanna go, you’re flying.

Alaska Airlines and a few regional carriers run regular flights out of Anchorage and Fairbanks. This 2025, they’re adding a new Tuesday morning flight in August.

Sun Rises After Two Months of Darkness

Blackout curtains? You barely need any.

Utqiaġvik experiences polar nights for 65 days. Come winter? It ghosts the place from November up till January—just open tundra and ice.

Blame the Earth’s tilt. That slight lean shifts the Northern Hemisphere away from the sun. No sunrise, no sunset, just darkness.

Est. 2020, Only 4,927 People Live Here

Stepping into Utqiaġvik feels tough at first.

Dirt roads stretch as far as the eye can see. Fun fact: those roads are built on permafrost that’s been around for 16,000 years.

And living here isn’t cheap.

If you see folks filling trash bags with water at Piuraaġvik (“The Place to Swim”), don’t freak out. Tap water’s pricey, so we just grab it straight from the lake. Old Tutu’s been running that place forever.

Whaling’s a Big Deal

Utqiaġvik clings to the ocean for its survival.

Whaling shapes the way people live and thrive in this remote outpost. Nalukataq celebrates the end of the spring whaling season, honoring the whaling crew captains.

If you’re around in May, witness people being tossed in the air, walrus-skin blankets, and the sacred Whalebone Arch which connects the area to its traditional whaling history.

History Runs Deep

Archaeological digs show the Inupiat have been around since 500 AD. The place is one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in North America.

Check out Birnirk while you’re at it—this ancient site has 16 dwelling mounds, some rising as high as 14 feet. Driftwood and whalebones frame the walls of these ancient dwellings.

The Inupiat Heritage Center (IHC) will be offering tours where people teach crafts through the Elders-in-Residence and Artists-in-Residence programs.

A Tribal College That Teaches Life Skills

Operated by the North Slope Borough, Iḷisaġvik College is a cornerstone of Alaska’s history. Not only is it the only tribally controlled college in the state, but it’s also the northernmost accredited community college in the U.S.

And if you’re in town for the Utqiaġvik Migratory Bird Festival in June, make sure to check out the cultural workshops the college hosts. This year, they’re rolling out Arctic Survival 101. Wanna learn how to build an igloo? Yeah, they’ve got you covered.

Climate Change Isn’t a Joke Here

Former North Slope Borough Mayor Edward Itta has called Utqiaġvik ground zero for climate-change research.

Last year, a team of National Science Foundation (NSF) researchers met at the Barrow Arctic Research Center for the Permafrost and Infrastructure Symposium.

If science is your thing, sign up for their Citizen Science Program at the Barrow Observatory in 2025. You can help track polar bears—but, hey, don’t go hunting for them yourself.

Eskimo Donuts & Whale Blubber’s Your Meal

Most perishables and groceries are flown in by air cargo. So food’s expensive.

Make sure you’re traveling with a full wallet. When you’re snacking, drop by Brower’s Cafe. They’ve been dishing out the best Eskimo donuts—think fry bread, but better.

Swing by the Northernmost Food Truck and try some muktuk—whale blubber. It’s the real deal. If you’re lucky, join their community feasts with caribou and goose soup.

The post The “North Pole Of America” Sinks Into Darkness For 66 Days. Here’s Everything You Need to Know About This Small Town in Alaska. appeared first on When In Your State.



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