Trails to the Whale: a new book documenting nearly 20 years of mapping sea ice trails near Utqiaġvik, Alaska

Each spring, Iñupiat hunters route and build trails across the shorefast sea ice off Utqiaġvik, Alaska to access hunting sites along the lead edge as they pursue the bowhead whale during its spring migration to the Beaufort Sea.

Since 2007, an ongoing collaboration between whalers, scientists, and local organizations have worked together to map and survey the community’s spring whaling sea ice trails and measure the average thickness of the ice. We are excited to announce a new book describing our collaborations and summarizing spring whaling and maps from 2008-2024!

This book has been compiled by the Alaska Arctic Observatory & Knowledge Hub to serve as a compilation of the history of trail mapping research collaborations in Utqiaġvik as well as to provide annual summaries of maps and activities surrounding spring whaling over nearly 20 years, 2008-2024. We hope this will be a celebration of our long term collaborations as well as a useful resource to look back on for the whaling community.

Thanks to the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) for supporting the production and printing of this book. Check out and download it here!

Citation: Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub (AAOKH). 2024. Trails to the Whale: A 20-year record of Utqiaġvik’s spring whaling trails. Edited and compiled by Matthew L. Druckenmiller, Joshua Jones, Roberta Tuurraq Glenn-Borade, Kimberly Kivvaq Pikok, and Donna D.W. Hauser. Report for the Barrow Whaling Captain’s Association. Fairbanks, Alaska. DOI:  10.7265/3PZV-6906.