Allakaket, population roughly 200, is an isolated Indian village along the famed Koyukuk river (read Shadows on the Koyukuk, an Alaskan Native's Life by Sidney Huntington). The surrounding area is relatively flat, and is extremely cold in winter, often remaining below minus 40 degrees F for weeks on end. There are no roads in or out, and, except on the river (boats in summer, snow machines in the frozen winter), most visitors and goods must be flown in. The planes land on average four times per day, and always greeted by a group of regulars curious about what and who the cargo may be. For the most part dwellings are log cabins, outside of which dog teams can sometimes be seen tied (each dog to a dog-house, on a short chain to conserve energy for the runs). The only accommodation available to visitors is in the public school (K-12), and must be arranged in advance. Evenings spent talking with the teachers, many of whom are very unusual characters in themselves, can shed light on otherwise unseen aspects of village life, and if you are lucky, a nearby village's High School basketball team will have been flown in for a championship game.