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Nome: Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Nome?
Nome is on the coast of western Alaska, on the Seward Peninsula. It is near the Bering Strait, and is less than 100 miles from Russia. For a map see About the Location.
What is the weather like?
Nome's weather is dominated by the Bering Sea and can change quickly. During our Photo Tour in June, temperatures are usually in the forties and fifties.
| Nome Weather Data | June | July |
| Average daily high | 53° F | 58° F |
| Average daily low | 39° F | 45° F |
| Record high | 81° F | 86° F |
| Record low | 23° F | 31° F |
| Average rainfall | 1.12 in. | 2.17 in. |
| Average rain days | 9 days | 13 days |
How do I get there?
Nome is serviced by several daily Alaska Airlines jet flights from Anchorage.
What's included in this Photo Tour?
We'll have seven full days for photography. You are responsible for your air fare to Nome. Once you arrive, we'll pick you up at the airport and take you to our hotel. The Photo Tour fee includes 8 nights of lodging (double occupancy; upgrade to private room for a fee), all ground transport while in Nome, and breakfasts and lunches. You pay for your dinner and any alcoholic beverages, and we generally go as a group to area restaurants. You are also entitled to a portfolio review during the trip, as well as a review of your images after the trip. We may also have group slide shows during the trip using a digital projector.
How bad are the mosquitoes?
During our tour period the mosquitoes vary from thick to non-existent. It is primarily a function of the temperature and the wind and can change during a single day. Cool temperatures and breezy conditions will keep the mosquitoes dormant. When it warms up, their numbers increase. It's easy to deal with the mosquitoes by wearing long sleeves and applying some repellent containing DEET. Occasionally I will wear a face net (camouflage netting used by hunters) with a cut out for my eyeglasses. My favorite trick for warmer weather is to bring a box of disposable latex surgical gloves—the insects can't bite through them, but they have great dexterity for handling the camera.
How strenuous is this trip?
Our typical photo locations are along the network of roads that wind through the tundra and mountains around Nome.
Some photo locations are very close to the vehicle; at other times we may hike up to a half mile from the road; this is always optional, but may be necessary to reach certain subjects. The vehicle is always available if you want to take a break.
Do I need waders?
I recommend bringing hip waders. They are helpful when traversing wet areas and for kneeling down on wet ground. Because the mountains rise up from the coast, the area is not flat, and so many areas are well-drained, and ordinary hiking boots are fine. (Churchill, Manitoba, by comparison, is a very flat and boggy area. Hip waders—aka "Churchill tennis shoes"—are a necessity most of the time there.)
Does it ever get dark?
We're in Nome near the Summer Solstice, and just south of the Arctic Circle. Sunset is around 2:00 a.m., and sunrise is around 4:30 a.m. Between these times the sun is barely below the horizon and the sky is still very bright.
What is the light like during the day?
In the Arctic, the sun rises just east of north, then makes a big counterclockwise circle around the entire horizon, finally setting again just west of north, near where it rose. It never gets very high in the sky. If it's clear, the light can be good for much of the day. As you get near sunset, the sun moves more from right to left along the horizon than it goes down, so this sweet light can last a very long time. If it's not clear, we hope for cloudy bright skies, which can be particularly good for contrasty subjects. On flat overcast days, using a flash with a Flash Extender is very helpful.
What are our photo days like?
In practice the light before sunset is usually better than the light after sunrise, which is often clouded or foggy. On clear days the light gets really good in the evening and stays that way for hours; we may photograph as late as midnight. Depending on how far we are from town, the drive back can be up to hour or more. During clear periods it's very hard to be up for both sunset and the following sunrise, so we usually sleep through sunrise (which is often cloudy or foggy anyway). There's still good shooting in the morning. After a mid-day break, we go out again for late afternoon and evening shooting.
What is the hotel like?
We stay at the Aurora Inn, which was built a few years ago and is the newest hotel in town. The rooms are very comfortable and clean, and include phones and cable TV.
What type of vehicle do we use?
We typically get a 15 passenger van for a maximum of 6 participants, so there's plenty of room for gear.
What are the meals like?
Nome has a variety of restaurants, including Chinese, Italian, pizza, Subway, and a couple diners. While this is not a trip for gourmet eating, the food is quite good and there's no shortage.
We sometimes take meals with us in the vehicle so we can be at good shooting locations at the best times.
What mammals do we encounter?
The area surrounding Nome has a large population of muskoxen and reindeer. We sometimes encounter these animals near the road and will stop to photograph them. There are many moose, but they're usually away from the road and shy; we may get some distant shots. There are grizzly bears, but because they're hunted they're very wary of man and vehicles and will generally flee before we even see them; as a result we've never photographed bears on this trip. Polar bears are very rare at this time of year.
