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Lewis Pagel is an Alaskan outdoorsman for all seasons. Pagel moved from the Midwest to northwest Alaska in 2007 to live out his hunting and fishing dreams in the Brooks Range. He loves pursuing sheefish, grizzlies, musk ox, and all the other game this wild country has to offer.

He lives in Kotzebue, Alaska, where he’s a chiropractor and owner of Arctic Fishing Adventures, which offers all-inclusive guiding and do-it-yourself sheefish ice fishing packages. He is also state chairman for Alaska Ducks Unlimited.

Pagel knows firsthand what’s at stake for local and visiting hunters and anglers with the proposed Ambler Road. He has spoken up on why maintaining North America’s most wild swath of country is vital to our outdoor heritage.

Here’s his story.

What do you love most about living, working, and/or growing up in the Brooks Range?

What I love most about this region is the lack of obstructions. There are no fences, no barriers, no roadways, and no electrical poles to obstruct the beautiful scenery. You can experience nature the way it was created.

What types of activities do you enjoy in the Brooks Range?

My family and friends enjoy camping on the sandbars along the rivers that traverse this beautiful landscape. I spend lots of time hunting this region for food and fur. In the spring, I get to share the bountiful frozen waters with guests from all over the world as an ice fishing guide for sheefish.

Are there particular species of fish, wildlife, or plants that are especially important to you?

Sheefish are especially important to my ice-fishing guide business. There are very few places in the world where sheefish can be found, and the waterways of the Brooks Range produce the largest sheefish. Grizzly bears are my favorite animal to hunt, and this region supports a healthy population.

What makes the Brooks Range so special or unique? Why should people in the Lower 48 care about the future of this region?

Simply put, there just isn’t much untouched land left. I’ve traveled across this planet over the years and this is the only place I’ve been where you can travel for miles, literally hundreds of miles, and not see a house, car, road, powerline, or anything man made. Often, I won’t even see another person. It’s nature as nature was intended to be.

What do you think most people would be surprised to know about the Brooks Range?

It’s actually the northernmost extension of the Rocky Mountains.

What’s one piece of essential gear you’d recommend to someone planning their first wilderness trip in the Brooks?

Bring the best camera you can afford. Twice I’ve found myself in the middle of the caribou migration. Hundreds of thousands of caribou walking just feet away. The first time it happened, I only had a little Kodak film camera. I had just experienced something truly majestic and didn’t have the right gear to capture it. The next day I ordered a real camera. The second time it happened, I only had my phone camera. It was snowing and the pictures didn’t turn out great, but I did get a little video.

Is there a part of the Brooks Range that you haven’t had the chance to explore but would like to?

I have not crossed over to the north slope of the range. I got to the top and looked in that direction and was in awe of the vast openness of the landscape. I could only imagine the wildlife and adventure that laid ahead of me. Unfortunately, I needed to get back home. Maybe one day I’ll drop down the north slope of the range and see some animals that have never seen humans before.

What’s your favorite hunting or fishing memory or story from your time in the Brooks Range?

There are so many! Several years ago, I was hunting muskox. It was the second to the last day of a season that didn’t give any great days for hunting. I figured I better venture out anyway since I may never draw the tag again. It was 20 below in Kotzebue when we left, but in the area my tag was good for, the temp was around 40 below zero. We were about 80 miles from Kotzebue, snowmobiling all over and looking for musk ox. I was ready to turn back and head home when my hunting partner said we should check over the next ridge before we call it a day. Sure enough, 32 muskox stood in a little valley. Then, the adventure started.

(Note: Muskox hunting opportunities in the Northwest Arctic are extremely limited. A small number of permits are awarded each year to local subsistence hunters only through highly competitive state and federal processes.)

What concerns you most about the proposed Ambler Road and/or the associated mines?

I think water quality is my biggest concern. Mining activities could be detrimental to the waterways near the mine sites, and the roadway itself will alter hundreds of streams and rivers. Anything that ends up in that water will make its way through the Kobuk River system and into Kotzebue Sound. Dust from the road is also a major concern. There are high levels of natural asbestos in many of our village roadways and it has caused medical issues for decades. This will certainly be an issue with a 200-plus-mile road through the region. And that is in addition to what standard roadway dust is known to do to the adjacent vegetation, waterways, and wildlife that nest and feed in those areas.

How might you, your community, and/or your business be impacted if the proposed Ambler Road were built?

The road will not have any positive effect on my business. I run an ice fishing guide service for sheefish on Kotzebue Sound and the Noatak and Kobuk River deltas. These rivers are the spawning grounds for sheefish and any disruption to those waterways could be detrimental to a fish species that has such a small geographical range. Also, the city of Kotzebue is downstream from the proposed road and mine. Any pollutants will eventually make their way into the city’s water source.

What’s the biggest misconception you’ve heard about the proposed Ambler Road, and how have you responded?

The biggest misconception is that the local people are in favor of this project. The truth is that much less than half the people who live in this region are in favor of this project. This area is in need of job opportunities. That’s no secret. But there is no guarantee that locals will be hired for the road construction. And even if they are, the number of jobs is not large enough to justify a scarring of the landscape of this proportion.

What might you say to someone who said, “I don’t understand why this road is such a big threat?”

Well, its proposed path is almost entirely through wetlands. So, it’s a huge threat. Wetlands are the environment’s filtration system and in addition to hosting all the wildlife in this region, wetlands help prevent erosion of the land, keep the water and air clean, and provide food for the people and other animals of this region.

Why is it important that hunters and anglers across the nation speak up against the proposed Ambler Road?

If they don’t, then someday there either won’t be any places left to hunt and fish or there won’t be any animals left to hunt and fish. Hunting and fishing access is already limited in this region. It’s a difficult and expensive place to get to. But when you see it? Damn, it’s worth the effort. I wish every outdoorsman and outdoorswoman could have the opportunity to experience the greatness of the Brooks Range. It truly is a unique place where wildlife rules the landscape.

Kelly Reynolds is a pilot, hunter, trapper, adventurer, and photographer who lives in Fairbanks.
A lifelong Alaskan, she lives to explore the wild north. There is no place wilder than the Brooks Range, so Reynolds tries to get in as much time as she can chasing game and adventures up there. And her love of this area comes through in her impressive photography.

Reynolds believes that, as hunters and anglers, it is our duty to be good stewards of the wild places and wildlife we love. She points out that the proposed Ambler Road threatens this core principle. If built, the 211-mile industrial corridor across the Brooks Range, aimed at supporting the development of an unknown number of open-pit mines, would diminish the quality of the region’s land, wildlife, and outdoor experiences.

Here is her story.

What do you enjoy doing in the Brooks Range?

I love exploring the Brooks Range, especially from the air. My primary purpose up there is usually hunting, but I also cherish the moments I spend there for other recreational purposes.

Can you share a favorite memory from your time in the Brooks Range?

One of the most memorable experiences was a sheep hunt with my husband. While we had both explored the Brooks Range before, this was the first time we flew ourselves. Piloting our own plane from Fairbanks into the Brooks to go hunting felt like a dream come true. We saw the most gorgeous views both from the air and on the ground during that trip. The weather varied greatly, from warm days to lots of rain, yet the beauty remained constant.

I remember watching morning fog slowly roll over mountains like a river, caribou running across the tundra, the river transforming throughout a rainstorm, and discovering fish in unexpected streams. We listened to the wind snug in our sleeping bags and watched a white wolf hunt along a hill while ewes and lambs ate and played.

The experiences are easy to describe, but what’s truly hard to convey is how beautiful the land is and how it makes you feel when you’re in it.

What would you love to do there next?

I have plans to go this summer, hopefully for a float trip. I will be hunting there in the fall, as well.

Think of your first trip to the Brooks – what was different than you expected?
The Brooks Range is so diverse. Any direction you look, the land looks different from where you just came from. It’s amazing to see.

What is most special about this place?

The Brooks Range is so special because it’s so untouched. That is truly magical to me. I live and recreate in Alaska because I love to explore remote locations, particularly where no human has seen or set foot before. The beauty of the Brooks Range is truly hard to describe. It just makes me want to keep coming back and keep exploring new places.

What’s one piece of essential gear you’d recommend packing or advice you’d share with someone going to the Brooks for the first time?

My one piece of advice for someone visiting the Brooks for the first time would be to have a flexible schedule. Allow yourself plenty of time to explore. If you’re driving up the Dalton Highway and you think it will take you X number of hours, give yourself more time, because you’ll want to stop and take in the sights. If you’re hunting, ensure you give yourself extra time on each end of your trip in case of weather delays.

The one thing I can’t go without in the Brooks Range is a plane! It’s truly the best way to take in the Brooks, in my opinion.

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 construction of the Ambler Road would likely bring about significant changes to the way hunters, anglers, and all outdoor enthusiasts experience the place. I foresee impacts including disruption to wildlife habitat that could lead to a potential decline in game populations and hunting opportunities. Additionally, the environmental consequences – like land erosion, water pollution, and damage to vegetation – could impact the overall health of the ecosystem and diminish the quality of fishing experiences.

For me, hunting and fishing is not my biggest concern. We are fortunate enough to have the privilege of harvesting animals from the land and maintaining our traditions in that way, but a sustainable future that protects wildlife and the land is more important.

What aspect of the proposed Ambler Road project concerns you most?

Mainly that the construction of the Ambler Road could greatly diminish the quality of experiences in the Brooks Range for everyone. While I support the responsible use of natural resources, I believe that the Brooks Range is not the appropriate location for such development.

I’m concerned about severe impacts on the land, both at the mine sites and along the road, as well as the negative effects on wildlife, such as changes in migration patterns. The increased traffic on the Dalton Highway would be another major concern. These impacts are irreversible and go against our responsibility as Alaskans to protect our land, especially considering the scarcity of untouched areas today.

Preserving our outdoor experiences and ensuring the sustainability of our land is not only important for us but also for future generations. I am deeply troubled by the potential consequences if the Ambler Road is constructed and mining activities commence. It raises serious questions about the future of the Brooks Range.

What’s the biggest misconception you’ve heard about the project?

One prevalent misconception I’ve encountered is the notion that it’s solely a road development initiative. There’s a crucial aspect often overlooked — multiple substantial open-pit mines are integral to this project. The footprint of a road is one thing, but the development of these open pit mines is another. And that can never be reversed.

Furthermore, the public won’t have access to this road for a very long time, possibly not even within my lifetime. Instead, it’s the foreign corporations engaging in land development in Alaska that will exclusively benefit from accessing these areas.

Another major misconception that I’ve heard is that wildlife will not be impacted by the traffic traveling the Ambler Road. It was eye-opening to see the studies done by Fish and Game on the impact on the caribou migration from the Red Dog Mine’s road. There will unfortunately be some wildlife casualties on the road, but the major issue is the impact on these animals’ migration patterns. I would encourage everyone to look at that data, which clearly illustrates that there have been tremendous impacts on wildlife by a much smaller road and mine.

Why is it important that hunters and anglers across the nation speak up against the proposed Ambler Road?

I believe as hunters and anglers it is our duty to protect the outdoors. We are first and foremost stewards of the lands and wildlife that we enjoy so much. Whether someone has seen it or has never been to the Brooks Range, it is important to speak up against the proposed Ambler Road. If this plan advances, it sets a precedent for further development that could compromise so much more of the Brooks Range.

[Note: This is the first of a two-part series on Northwest Alaska’s sheefish and how the proposed Ambler Road might affect their population.]

Right now, in northwest Alaska, hardy anglers are prowling the sea ice in search of sheefish. Weighing up to 60 pounds, with some fish measuring more than 50 inches, sheefish are the largest species of whitefish and, according to MeatEater, the “greatest sportfish you’ve never heard of.”

The Iñupiat call them sii, but another name for them is inconnu, which means an unknown person or thing. Among anglers, sheefish are commonly referred to as the “tarpon of the north.”

They can be found in just a handful of watersheds in Alaska, Canada, and Asia. In Alaska, sheefish are known to spawn from the Yukon River to the Kobuk River in the southern Brooks Range. Outside of locals and a handful of diehard anglers, few have ever caught sheefish. Even for Alaskans in much of the state, chasing sheefish amounts to a dream as wild, or even wilder, than a quest for something like a blue marlin.

A Bucket-List Fish Through the Ice

Kotzebue, a community of 3,000 mostly Iñupiaq people situated at the tip of a peninsula jutting into the Chukchi Sea, offers some of the best sheefish ice fishing opportunities. To many, Kotzebue might seem like the end of the earth and then some. For Lewis Pagel, it’s home.

Originally from the Midwest, Pagel moved to northwest Alaska in 2007 to live out his hunting and fishing dreams. He loves chasing grizzlies, musk ox, and all the other game this wild country has to offer. But when it comes to fish, Pagel’s focus rarely wavers from sheefish.

His home in Kotzebue is around 15 miles from the mouth of the Kobuk River, which, besides being the known northern limit to the range of sheefish, has the biggest of the best run in North America.

Outside his work as a chiropractor, Pagel runs an ice fishing guiding business, Arctic Fishing Adventures. Pagel offers all-inclusive guiding and do-it-yourself sheefish ice fishing packages. He is also the Alaska state chairman of Ducks Unlimited. He laughed when I asked him what gets people so excited about sheefish.

“They’re a bucket-list fish,” he says. “There’s hardly anywhere in the world to catch them. Plus, they’re a lot of fun to catch. When they hit, they rip your arm right into the ice hole. One client lost two rods in a day from having fish pull them out of her hands.”

Pagel says you can icefish for sheefish all winter but most folks fish March and April. You’re a lot less likely to freeze to death or get snuck up on by a polar bear then than you are in the long winter darkness. During winter and spring, sheefish travel in large schools chasing herring and smelt in brackish water. Some sheefish overwinter in freshwater, eating nothing and living off their body’s reserves.

In the Path of the Proposed Ambler Road

Three big rivers—the Kobuk, Noatak, and Selawik—drain into the Chukchi Sea near Kotzebue. Sometimes he’ll travel as far as 15 miles to the mouths of the Noatak and Kobuk Rivers to fish, but the fishing is often good just a few hundred yards out from town on the thick sea ice. Pagel uses a 10-inch propane ice auger to drill through it.

Pagel has caught sheefish over 50 inches long and he’s brought giant fish up to the ice that were too big to get through the 10-inch hole. Sheefish can live 20 to 30 years, and don’t spawn until later in life. They’re known to be voracious, aggressive feeders. Finding them isn’t always easy, but when Pagel does, the fishing is hot.

“It’s feast or famine fishing,” Pagel says. “When they’re biting you can catch 100 in an hour. We fish spoons. When they’re hitting, they’ll take anything shiny.”

In August and September, these sheefish will migrate to the upper reaches of the Kobuk and Selawik Rivers to spawn. Fisheries ecologist Kevin Fraley points out that sheefish are very picky, concentrated spawners. Many of their spawning areas are near the route of the proposed Ambler Industrial Road, which, if built, would be a private 211-mile corridor through the southern flanks of the Brooks Range that would be used to develop an unknown number of foreign-owned mines.

Fraley is currently working on a study funded by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to get baseline contaminants data in fish from the sections of the rivers that the Ambler Road would cross. He is concerned about potential impacts to sheefish and the overall aquatic ecosystems if the Ambler Road were to be built.

“The populations of fish in the region, such as Kobuk River chum salmon and sheefish that are incredibly important subsistence resources and also represent world-class angling opportunities, could be threatened by contamination, siltation, increased harvest, and chemical spills resulting from the industrial developments,” says Fraley. “To me, the risks to these special fish populations from the Ambler Road are not worth the supposed benefits, which would mostly be the enrichment of foreign mining companies.”

Like many locals, Lewis Pagel shares Fraley’s concerns over what the Ambler Road would mean for sheefish, other species of wildlife, and the hunting and fishing lifestyle. The potential harm to sheefish populations is one of a lot of reasons he opposes the Ambler Road. Pagel points out how most of the road would go through wetlands and why that’s a big issue for fish populations.

“It’s a huge threat,” he says. ”Wetlands are the environment’s filtration system, and in addition to hosting all the wildlife in this region, wetlands help prevent erosion of the land, keep the water and air clean, and provide food for the people and other animals of this region. Mining activities could be detrimental to the waterways near the mine sites, and the roadway itself will alter hundreds of streams and rivers. Anything that ends up in that water will make its way through the Kobuk River system and into Kotzebue Sound.”

Toward the end of my conversation with Pagel, we strayed from sheefish talk to a discussion about the incredible wild country of the Brooks Range. Pagel travels a lot, often to see what the rest of the world has to offer in terms of hunting and fishing opportunities. But nothing compares to his backyard.

“Often, I’ll go sit on a ridge and look out on the land, and I’m like damn! There isn’t another place like this,” Pagel says. “I really hope it stays this way.”

The unique and very limited opportunity to fish for sheefish – whether it be through the ice on the frozen Chukchi Sea or flyfishing during spawning season in the upper reaches of the wildest rivers that remain on Earth – is one of many reasons to oppose the Ambler Road.

Sign the petition to defend these resources and unrivaled backcountry fishing experiences.

Part two of this series will look more in depth at sheefish and flyfishing opportunities for “the tarpon of the north” on the Kobuk River.

Meet the newest member of the Hunters & Anglers for the Brooks Range team, Bjorn Dihle.

As an outdoor writer and guide based in Juneau, Bjorn is lending us his considerable talent to help tell the important personal stories of what’s at stake for hunters and anglers in the Brooks Range as the proposed Ambler Road is considered. He has taken a dozen trips to the Brooks to hunt, hike, ski, paddle, fish, and test himself in the unforgiving Arctic.

Bjorn has also spoken to a range of Alaskans and other stakeholders about what the Brooks Range means to them and how they would be impacted by the Ambler Road. He’ll be sharing their stories right here on our website.

But first, here’s his own story.

Share one particular memory of the Brooks Range that stands out to you.

On my first trip, I nearly stepped on a grizzly while going through thick brush. The bear proceeded to bluff-charge and nearly made contact a few times. The night before, a blizzard had rolled in. When there was a lull in the storm, I unzipped my tent and was surprised to find a large herd of Dall sheep bedded nearby. 

A few months later, I returned to hunt caribou. It was during the rut, and it was blustery. One night, the weather calmed, and I woke to grunts and the sound of caribou digging through the snow for lichens. I’m not sure how many there were – probably anywhere from a few dozen to 50 or 60. They were all around the tent. I shone my headlamp out and could see their shadowy forms. The sky was full of stars and northern lights and mountains glowed. The next day, I shot a young bull. 

After those first two trips, the Brooks Range had full hold of me. 

If you could come back, what would you love to do there next?

My priorities have changed a lot now that I have a family. These days, I do almost all my hunting in Southeast Alaska where we live. I can’t take off and go wander for a month or two like I used to. I dream pretty constantly of all sorts of trips all over the Brooks Range, though. I hope to get back there with my sons when they are older. I will say that you can’t really go wrong making a trip anywhere in the Brooks Range. There’s pretty much nothing but dream trips up there.

Think of your first trip to the Brooks – what was different than you expected?

The thing that really blew me away about the Brooks Range was how wild and cool the country and wildlife are. My first time up there, I was 21 and a little cocky. I thought that the Brooks Range wouldn’t hold up to all the other wild places I’d hunted and explored across Alaska. I was completely wrong. My first trips to the Brooks Range were life changing. 

What is most special about this place? How would you describe it to someone who has never been there?

The Brooks Range is unparalleled for the opportunities it provides to hunt, fish, and wander the wildest country left in North America. For outdoors folks, the Brooks Range is the dream.

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.

For August and September, one of the biggest issues you’ll face is foot care, because the Brooks Range can be exceptionally wet, and you frequently have to wade creeks or even rivers. It can dump snow in any month. Some locals hike in hip-boots. Some people like something like Wiggy’s thigh-high waders. I have covered hundreds of miles in the Brooks Range in sandals and neoprene socks – I also bring lightweight boots for more technical terrain. That system works for me, but I’d recommend that you spend some time considering your “foot system” and ensure that it’s appropriate to the scope of the adventure you’re planning. 

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?

It would be a huge change and all for the negative as far as I can see. The last thing we need in America are diminished opportunities to hunt, fish, and explore. 

What aspect of the proposed Ambler Road project concerns you most?

I’m concerned about the threat to both the Alaska lifestyle and America’s outdoor heritage. There really is no wilder stretch of country left in North America. It could lead to a real loss for future generations.

Also, the Ambler Road would be a publicly funded industrial corridor to foreign-owned mines. The idea of my home state being exploited and contaminated as a resource colony for China or some other country does not sit well with me.

What’s the biggest misconception you’ve heard about the project?

I’ve heard a few hunters talk about how they are looking forward to increased road access to the Brooks Range. The Ambler Road is not proposed as a public access corridor – it’s hard to believe that it’ll remain closed to the public for long, but that’s what is on the table right now.

I’ve heard a lot of talk about how Alaska needs the project for our flagging economy, but the economic viability of these mines is uncertain. There’s no guarantee that using public money to build a road to foreign-owned mines would do anything other than hurt us. Our outdoor recreation industry has a $2.6-billion annual impact, and given how many Alaskans and visitors to Alaska hunt, fish, and love the outdoors – not to mention make their livings from it – it’s something our state’s decision-makers should value more.

I’ve heard people talk about how we need to generate our own minerals rather than use other nations’ resources, too. But most of these mining companies are based in other countries and plan to have ore shipped to Asia to be refined, so I’m not sure how that equates to mineral independence. Alaska only receives, according to a recent report, about 2.3% of the value of the minerals exported. Overall, projects like this are a net loss for Alaska.

What questions do you have about the project yourself?

I’ve chatted with people with a stake in the mining industry in that area. We’ve talked a lot about risk versus reward. I think the main “reward” that’s been pointed out to me is that it could be an economic opportunity for locals living in the western Arctic. Many of those locals have made clear they don’t want the Ambler Road. Some say they have recurring nightmares about it. 

So, I guess the question that keeps coming back to me is who would this project really benefit? And whatever the answer to that is, it’s a whole lot fewer people than it would hurt.