Brooks Range Voices: Tori Hulslander
The pilot, hunter, and all-around adventurer shares her love for the Brooks Range and why it’s imperative as hunters and anglers that we fight to conserve wild places and wildlife for future generations
Tori Hulslander is living her wildest dream. She grew up on a ranch in Oklahoma, married an Air Force fighter pilot, and moved to Fairbanks. Hulslander works for the Alaska Gear Company, maker of the beloved cold-weather expedition Arctic Oven Hot Tents. A lifelong hunter and a pilot herself, she and her husband take advantage of exploring and hunting the best wild country that Alaska has to offer. She is especially captivated by the Brooks Range for its unparalleled beauty, remoteness, and backcountry opportunities.
Hulslander sees how the proposed Ambler Road threatens the land, wildlife, and our outdoor heritage. She points out that land is precious and cannot be created again — and that it’s important we safeguard one of North America’s greatest remaining pieces of wilderness.
Here is her story.
Describe the types of activities you’ve enjoyed in the Brooks Range.
My husband and I love flying up in our Super Cub, just the two of us, and exploring the untouched wilderness. We typically spend anywhere from a week to two weeks at a time in the Brooks, particularly hunting moose and Dall sheep from early August through September.
Share one particular memory that stands out to you.
The memory that stands out the most is when my husband and I packed out a bull moose I shot 3 miles from our Super Cub. If you know the Alaskan tundra, then you know that one mile feels like ten. I killed my bull on Monday, and we didn’t get out with it until Friday. It was a grueling and daunting adventure.
There was a special moment when we were pack-rafting a river with my quartered-up moose during a downpour of rain. The temperature had dropped, and we knew we were in trouble. Both soaking wet from falling into the river, and still a long way from the plane, we rounded the bend in the river only to see more trouble with the river diverting from the original course. We were exhausted, but the rain suddenly stopped and, amidst the chaos, a rainbow appeared over the mountains. It was a sweet reminder of the beauty of the wilderness and the allure of danger you can only find in places like the Brooks Range.
Think of your first trip to the Brooks – what was different than you expected?
It was the first time that I looked down from the plane and saw nothing for miles: no trails, no roads, no signs of man anywhere as far as I could see. The most special thing about the Brooks is that it doesn’t feel safe. It’s truly the last great frontier where you can go places where no one has ever been.
Share at least one piece of essential gear you’d recommend packing or advice you’d share with someone going to the Brooks for the first time.
There are people who prepare and people who can live without. And the Brooks Range teaches you to live without. I like to carry a Smith & Wesson 10mm on my chest 24/7. Also a good pair of boots, extra socks, and a mini-Bible.
How do you think your experience in the Brooks would change if the Ambler Road was built? What do hunters and anglers stand to lose?
The proposed Ambler Road could have devastating environmental impacts. The road, spanning 211-miles along the south slope of the Brooks Range, threatens to disrupt the delicate patterns of wild species, including the caribou migration and the different Arctic fish species that rely on free habitat connectivity.
What aspect of the proposed Ambler Road project concerns you most?
If constructed, the road would open access to at least four major mining areas. Besides the impacts of the road itself, each mine could lead to widespread environmental degradation. This development could mark the beginning of the end for the Western Arctic caribou herd’s migration and pave the way for more industrial infrastructure, posing a significant threat to the ecosystem.
What might you say to someone who said, “I don’t understand why this road is such a big threat?”
Land, once lost, can never be reclaimed. The untouched beauty of the Brooks Range will never be the same if it’s tarnished by greed.
Why is it important that hunters and anglers across the nation speak up against the proposed Ambler Road?
It’s imperative because we are the primary witnesses to the impact that infrastructural development like the proposed Ambler Road has on our wildlife and public lands. Our identities as advocates and conservationists are rooted in our dependence on wildlife, which serves as our sustenance and a resource we are committed to preserving for the benefit of future generations and the health of the environment.
Header Image: Photo courtesy of Tori Hulslander. Find her on Instagram @torirlee1
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