Utqiagvik is pronounced UUT-Kee-AH-vik.
To begin with, the Inupiat have lived around Utqiagvik since around 500 AD. Indigenous Inuit people inhabited the Arctic regions of Alaska and Canada.
Located on a peninsula that sticks out into the Beaufort Sea, the town’s motto is “The Northernmost American City.”
To put this in perspective, Utqiagvik is about 1300 miles south of the North Pole. It’s also approximately 720 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska.
Since there are no roads leading to the town, you can only fly there. The flight will take you nearly two hours from Anchorage.
But the town is more than that. It’s also among the oldest permanent settlements in the United States. In 2025 it’s estimated that 4,550 live there, making Utqiagvik the largest village on the Arctic Slope.
What does Utqiavik mean?
It means, “Place for gathering wild roots.”
So, you are likely wondering how to pronounce the name of the town. And here is the answer. (UUT-Kee-AH-vik).
The town was named Barrow, Alaska. It was named after Sir John Barrow of the British Admiralty. But as things go, in 2016, the town council opted to use a more appropriate name that honors their Inupiat heritage.
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And when you do, your friends and family will be so happy, they will send you on an all-expenses-paid trip to Tahiti… well, it could happen.
What About the Weather?
Because of the location, it’s plenty cold and dry.
Winter temperatures average about -19 below zero; however, the wind blows hard, and the windchill factor is significant.
Summers are short, with July bringing a nice balmy high of 47 degrees.
Land of the Midnight Sun
You may have heard that Alaska is also referred to as the “Land of the Midnight Sun.”
In Utqiagvik, summer brings 84 days of continuous daylight, from approximately May 10th to August 2nd. So you can bet that the kids never hear their parents say, “Come back in the house when it starts getting dark.”
In the wintertime, the good town folks see no sun from November to January, with strong winds making things frigid.
Homes on Stilts
In Utqiagvik, homes are built on stilts.
The reason has to do with the cold climate. The ground is deep permafrost (ground that remains frozen). If the homes were built on the ground, the permafrost could thaw. If it did, the ground would become unstable and release the dangerous radon gas.
To keep all that from happening, homes are built on stilts so cold winds can circulate and keep the permafrost frozen.
Top of the World
In case you are wondering, yes, Utqiagvik is a popular destination for tourists in Alaska.
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You gotta love the “Land of the Midnight Sun.” And if you live, or have lived, in Alaska, you remember those long summer days.
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Mike and Mary
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