Behind the Scenes: Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve Superintendent Interview

HAPPY TUESDAY PARK PEOPLE! Today we are releasing our conversation with Mark Dowdle, Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve Superintendent. Gates Of The Arctic is the most remote park in the National Park Service and that creates unique and fascinating things from a management perspective, making Mark’s conversation one not to miss! Listen NOW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts 🪩🎉

Keep reading to hear my favorite moment from the interview, a new thing I learned and an interesting fact about Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve, all from my interview with Gates Of The Arctic Superintendent, Mark Dowdle!

Favorite Moment from Interview with Mark — Listen here

• A Meditation of Sorts: Given Gates Of The Arctic’s remote nature (being the most remote park in the National Park System), Mark did a really cool exercise where he had me close my eyes and described Gates Of The Arctic, painting a picture of its grandeur and remoteness. It is a remoteness and wildness that is hard to even imagine. Listen to the episode to do the exercise for yourself!

One Thing I Learned Interviewing Mark

• Rusting of Streams & Permafrost: I had heard of the term permafrost before but don’t think I could have told you what it was before this interview. Underlying a lot of the topsoil in Arctic Alaska is permafrost, which is technically permanently frozen soil. Given climate change, Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve (and surrounding areas) is seeing effects from the permafrost melting. When permafrost melts, the ground can start to sink (something to be aware of for folks building houses or properties in that area), but also there are a lot of minerals and metals locked up in the permafrost. And when the permafrost starts to melt those minerals and metals are actually released into streams. This release is called the rusting of streams because it gives the water a rusty or reddish color.

  • It is actually a relatively new phenomenon so they don’t know how it is going to affect the wildlife and ecosystem. Gates Of The Arctic is currently running studies to try and understand the potential effects.  

Interesting Fact About Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve

• Fairbanks Alaska Public Lands Information Center: The visitor center in Fairbanks that helps prepare folks for expeditions into Gates Of The Arctic or other surrounding wilderness areas (like Econ Charlie Rivers or Kobuk Valley National Park). It provides free trip planning information on parks, forests, refuges, recreation areas & wild rivers. The center came up when I was telling Mark how I don’t feel I have the skillset to go backpacking in Gates Of The Arctic and how I wouldn’t know how one even begins to navigate that type of remote wilderness. There are so many cool and great resources out there, but I would still, with my current skill set, only feel comfortable going with an official guide or group. 

Maddie’s Outdoor Obsessions

This section will always highlight my favorite picks from the past week in the outdoor & adventure world

• National Park Diaries: I got to meet Cameron, the man behind National Park Diaries and instantly felt grateful to have found another creator in the educational national park space. There aren’t many of us telling the stories behind the national parks (rather than highlighting must see attractions, etc), but Cameron and I discussed how providing education about a place can only enhance your experience when you are there. It is like going to an art museum, if you know the history or story behind the art you are going to appreciate your time there more and find more value in your excursion. Check out his YouTube channel -- his videos are awesome!

• Rumpl: This camping blanket is on my wish list. Their slogan just makes you want to go on an adventure: “Blankets made for whatever unfolds”. I eye it pretty much every time I am at REI and just need another camping trip to go on as an excuse to get it. It is a little too hot in Texas to warrant me buying one, so guess I just need to camp in the mountains more ;) 

• Whole Earth Provision Co: A Texas-based outdoor retailer that you’ve gotta put on your list if you are ever in Austin, Dallas, Houston or San Antonio. In terms of a local company that pours into their community, Whole Earth Provision Co takes the cake! They’ve put on the Banff Film Festival in Austin the past 17 years, and they are huge supporters of the Texas State Parks. Swing by a store or buy online to support a homegrown business. 

K thx for making it this far, love y’all — see you all for our next episode release June 4th!!

Maddie

p.s. Get your friends to sign up for the newsletter at whorunsthispark.com/newsletter.