Flying bush in Alaska is an experience unto itself. Everything is weather dependent and weather is mostly not dependable. For travelers on a tight schedule this can make for frustrating hours or even days. And Alaska doesn't come cheap either, so hanging around some remote village, soaking up local culture while waiting for a break in the clouds, can be maddening. I was once holed up in Dillingham, in southwest Alaska, for three days, trying to get to Round Island to photograph the walrus haul-out. Eventually I did make an appearance, albeit abbreviated.

On a recent trip to the Brooks Range things were a little better. The restless group only had to fidget and pace about ten hours away in the village of Bettles before the clouds finally parted, just in the nick of time. Another 30 minutes and we would have had to overnight in the local bunkhouse.