Umiat, Alaska

Umiat is an unincorporated community in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. It is located 140 miles southwest of Deadhorse in the Arctic Circle. The town is not accessible by road or rail. In 1944, the Naval Oil Reserve was set up and it later became an air force base, which is now closed. It is known as one of the coldest places in the US.

References

* [http://www.prudhoebay.com/communities_Umiat.htm Umiat, Alaska 99790]
* [http://www.colville-watershed.org/stations/umiat/umiat.shtml Current Weather and Webcam of Umiat]

Umiat has since become a center in the summer for research by the BLM and USGS, vital to the study of Global Climate change. Research also goes on in the impact that developement has on the Artic tundra. As the NPRA is managed by BLM, they watch very closely to the impact that the ice roads and Ice drilling pads have on the various plantlife in the area.

Umiat has no permanent residents and is in actuality a camp and fuel stop for aircraft operating in the area. The camp is run by a locally owned company that provides oilfield services in many different spots. Their crew consists in the summer of approximately 10 people who work on a two weeks on two weeks off schedule. At any given time, there are between 20 to 30 people lodged and fed there and have had as many as five helicopter working there. These aircraft and the people that work there begin showing up in the Middle of May and continue until the middle of September. All there have access to internet and all news and entertainment by satellite.

Accomodations are "ATCO" units that are permanently placed and the cafeteria style kitchen is also in one of these units. Although Umiat is only accessible by air or by river, it plays an important role in today's world by being a base for research.