COAST-X 2026: A 2,000-Mile Snowmachine Traverse Connecting Communities, Coastal Change, and Knowledge from Bethel to Utqiagvik

Speakers: Benjamin Jones (Research Associate Professor) and Phillip Wilson (Research Professional) with the Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks

About the Webinar: COAST-X (Collaborative Observations of the Arctic Shorezone: A Traverse for Knowledge Exchange) 2026 was a 1,986-mile snowmachine traverse along Alaska’s western and northern coasts, linking more than a dozen communities from the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta to Utqiaġvik.

In this webinar, Benjamin and Phillip will share reflections and observations from the 19-day Spring 2026 traverse, which brought together field observations, community engagement, and lived experience on the land and sea ice. Traveling over snow, sea ice, frozen lakes and rivers, and tundra, they discussed coastal erosion, permafrost thaw, sea ice conditions, and changing travel routes with tribal councils, corporation board members, educators, students, and community members along the way. Through these conversations, they learned directly from residents about local priorities and pressing environmental change issues. This presentation will be informal and story-driven, featuring photos, field experiences, and discussion of how COAST-X contributes to building stronger connections between UAF research, communities, and coastal resilience efforts across Alaska.

COAST-X was designed not as a single field campaign, but as a mobile platform for knowledge exchange—connecting places facing similar coastal challenges and creating space for dialogue among researchers, residents, and decision-makers. We will highlight key insights from the traverse, including:

• Observations and stories documenting rapidly changing Arctic coastal systems
• Community perspectives on erosion, permafrost thaw, and infrastructure impacts
• Lessons learned from self-sufficient, long-distance winter travel and field logistics

Speaker Bios:

Benjamin Jones is a Research Associate Professor at the Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks. A geographer by training, his work focuses on Arctic coastal systems, permafrost, and environmental change. He has over 25 years of experience working across Alaska’s Arctic and sub-Arctic, collaborating closely with coastal communities to document change and its implications for travel, safety, and infrastructure. Ben has led more than 30 snowmachine-based field expeditions and logged more than 20,000 miles of Arctic tundra travel, with a field approach grounded in Indigenous knowledge, careful observation, and long-term relationships

Phillip Wilson is a Research Professional at the Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks. He holds an undergraduate degree in geology from UAF. His work spans Arctic field science, engineering, and applied research, with a focus on permafrost, snow and ice processes, coastal environments, and cold-regions infrastructure. Raised in Alaska, Phillip brings extensive experience in remote field logistics, environmental data collection, and instrumentation.