John River (Alaska)

The John River (Iñupiaq: Atchiiniq^[4]) is a 125-mile (201 km) tributary of the Koyukuk River in the northern part of the U.S. state of Alaska.^[3] It was named after John Bremner, a prospector and explorer who was one of the first non-native persons to go there.^[3] It flows south from Anaktuvuk Pass in Alaska's Brooks Range, into the larger river at a point near Bettles,^[3] slightly north of the Arctic Circle.^[5]

John River
John River near Bettles
Location of the mouth of the John River in Alaska
Etymology	John Bremner
Native name	Atchiiniq (Inupiaq)
Location
Country	United States
State	Alaska
District	North Slope Borough, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area
Physical characteristics
Source	confluence of Contact and Inukpasugruk creeks
• location	Endicott Mountains, Brooks Range, North Slope Borough
• coordinates	68°07′34″N 151°45′23″W[1]
• elevation	2,076 ft (633 m)[2]
Mouth	Koyukuk River[3]
• location	1 mile (2 km) northeast of Bettles, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area
• coordinates	66°54′49″N 151°39′13″W[1]
• elevation	600 ft (180 m)[1]
Length	125 mi (201 km)[3]
National Wild and Scenic River
Type	Wild
Designated	December 2, 1980

In 1980, the 52-mile (84 km) segment of the John River within the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve were designated "wild" and added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.^[6] The designation means that the segment is unpolluted, free-flowing, and generally inaccessible except by trail.^[7]

The John River Valley is an important migration route for Arctic caribou.^[6]

History

In 1901, the Schrader-Peters expedition explored the John River, the Anaktuvuk River, and continued onward to Point Barrow. In 1931, Robert "Bob" Marshall explored the John River up to the Arctic Divide, and described seeing a "quadruple rainbow".^[8][9]

Boating

It is possible to run the John River in canoes, kayaks, and small rafts, though conditions vary from place to place. The upper 35 miles (56 km) are rated Class III (difficult) on the International Scale of River Difficulty and "should be attempted only by experienced paddlers with solid wilderness skills."^[10] Below this, the river is rated Class II (medium) for the next 47 miles (76 km), then Class I on the lower reaches all the way to the mouth. Dangers on the upper river include sustained whitewater, swift currents, a difficult 4-mile (6 km) portage, and the possibility of water too shallow to run.^[10]

See also

• List of rivers of Alaska
• List of National Wild and Scenic Rivers