Shungnak, AK

Shungnak is a small Iñupiat village of under 300 people set along the Kobuk River in northwest Alaska. With no road access to the outside world, getting in and out depends on small bush planes and summer river barges. Daily life centers around subsistence hunting and fishing, along with local jobs at the K-12 school, community health clinic, and village store. It is a quiet, close-knit river community surrounded by rugged hills known for jade deposits, where traditional culture and scenic solitude go hand in hand.