Where is Alaska's Badlands? The Badlands is a place that doesn’t have spiraled peaks that stretch to the heavens for the eyes to rest on, nor does it have endless miles of beautiful green and blue bergs of sea ice that glisten in the low February sun. Instead, it’s a place where the land and sky are joined as one fluid white. Except for a few stunted willows alongside frozen ponds and creeks, it’s difficult to see where the horizon begins. One might call it a wasteland, the badlands, or land that God forgot. However, the essence of its allure is not in its eye appeal because its beauty cannot be seen. The beauty is hidden in the deafening silence that stirs the soul and the vast expanse that stretches hundreds of miles in every direction, giving us an incredible sense of freedom. But whoa to those who travel there! The fierce winds tearing the tundra apart have no mercy for human flesh. No words in our vocabulary describe the brutality of its coldness. I’m telling you, it’s beyond human comprehension. Nonetheless, when the flurry of snow and clouds clear from the crystalline stars and peace settles once again onto the living, and the malamutes lift their muzzles with a tranquil song, it’s a glimpse of heaven. The Badlands is the most brutal and coldest region in Arctic Alaska. It’s an untraveled territory plagued with blizzards that can last 72 hours, unprecedented low wind-chill temperatures, and extremely rough and rocky terrain. I have appropriately named this region “Alaska’s badlands.” However, it’s not an unknown region regarding its brutal cold environment. Throughout history, this area has been a “taboo” to travel in during winter. According to the late 18th-century explorer Lieutenant Stoney, this remote and desolate region was considered too dangerous to travel in during winter, even by the local natives. Throughout history, no one explored this region in winter. Only in spring, summer, and fall has anyone traveled to these regions by dog team. The USGS, which does extensive climate research in Arctic Alaska, calls this region the “black data hole” because very little is known about it. "The faraway and arduous journeys are necessary challenges to cleanse our souls. It reminds us that our strengths, skills, and talents cannot and will not save us because our souls are in the hands and mercy of God." -Joe G. Henderson. This book is an inspirational journal by Joe during his 53-day dogsled expedition in the Badlands. The book also includes stories of his experiences from nearly four decades of Arctic exploration by a dog team.