Welcome to the Arctic Getaway

We’re your hosts, Berni and Uta Hicker, longtime residents of Wiseman. We enjoy our life in this remote and beautiful Alaska region, nestled among the rugged Brooks Range mountains. Our cabin is bordered by the Middle Fork of the Koyukuk River and the Wiseman Creek that flows out of the Wiseman Canyon. This is our home; we raised and homeschooled our two children here; we live here year-round.

Our homestead or do-it-yourself lifestyle includes hunting for meat, berry picking, gardening, woodcutting, caring for our sled dogs, and the many varied aspects involved in living a rural lifestyle. There are almost no outside services in Wiseman (once-per-week mail service, marginal landline phone system). Everything from constructing, plumbing, schooling, first aid, bookkeeping, etc., has to be done by ourselves, which can often be trying but often is very satisfying. We always have projects!

We live off-the-grid, which means we create all our own power, utilizing solar, wind, and a fuel-powered generator. Each season brings its own beauty and demands the corresponding chores to sustain life north of the Arctic Circle. We look forward to sharing our home and lifestyle with you.