The Alaskan Tundra and Brooks Range describes the unique and fast-disappearing world of northern and coastal Alaska. Mostly treeless, the stark beauty and surprising history of this often harsh world is shown by special reference to the National Parks of the region, especially the Gates of the Arctic and Katmai National Parks.  Stunning pictures of these parks and travels to and from them illustrate the awesome panoramas available to the motivated traveler.

This book is the first of a planned series that documents the National Parks within an ecological framework. The book starts with detailed ecological descriptions of this zone and the seven sub-regions that make it up.  These descriptions, accompanied by detailed maps, focus on the geology, geography, climate, vegetation, wildlife, and human activity found on the  Tundra. Then there is a brief overview of the history of the region paying particular attention to the pre-history of native settlement thousands of years ago.  Included also is a story, based on our travels, that compares and contrasts four tundra towns that we visited - Anaktuvuk Pass, Kotzebue, Nome and King Salmon.  Interspersed are descriptions of the nine National Park units located in this region, including special attention to the four that we visited.  The book ends on a more personal note with some reflections on the impact - Impressions - of the Alaskan Tundra on the author.  The concluding sections include resources to help others in planning their own trips to the region.

It is a curious mix of history, sociology, geography, ecology, and travel stories all meant to communicate the complexity and beauty of this unique region.  Most important, though, are the pictures, taken on our travels which convey, much better than the words, why you would want to visit this unusual part of the country.  You will search far and wide for a more comprehensive overview of this region or a more compelling reason to go there.

MisterParks (Michael Young) is a retired professional with a keen interest in ecology and the National Parks. With a bucket list of more than 220 National Parks, he and his wife are traveling the country seeing the parks and the surrounding countryside. The MisterParks Travels series tries to describe the National Park units within an ecological context. With stunning photographs and personal stories MisterParks tries to tell the stories of these parks in a way that will make everyone want to visit them.