Pinguk River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pinguk River |
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Location of the mouth of the Pinguk River in Alaska
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| Native name | Pinauk River |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Region | Northwestern Alaska |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Seward Peninsula of western Alaska Brooks Mountain, Alaska, United States 65°51′07″N 167°09′23″W / 65.85194°N 167.15639°W |
| River mouth | Arctic Ocean Arctic Ocean, Alaska, United States |
The Pinguk River is a waterway in Alaska, a state in the United States. People also call it Pinauk, which means "hill" in the Iñupiaq language. This river flows for about 34 miles (55 km) in a northwesterly direction. It eventually empties into the Arctic Ocean near the Arctic Lagoon. This spot is about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Cape Prince of Wales.
River's Journey
The Pinguk River travels about 34 miles (55 km) in a winding, zigzag path. Before it reaches the sea, about 10 miles (16 km) upstream, the river splits into two main branches. The western branch is known as the York River, and the eastern branch is called the McKillop River.
The York River
The York River starts high up on the eastern side of Brooks Mountain. This mountain is the tallest point in the York Mountains. The river flows northeast through a valley that is about 200 to 300 feet (61 to 91 meters) wide.
The ground in this valley is made of a type of rock called slate. You can see this rock in some parts of the river. The riverbed is covered with small stones and pebbles made of slate and limestone. These stones come from older rock layers in the area.
The McKillop River
The McKillop River begins in the limestone hills. These hills are an eastern part of the York Mountains. The ground in this river valley is mostly made of limestone rock.
Minerals in the River
The York River, which is a part of the Pinguk River, has some interesting minerals. In the upper parts of the river, especially near the mountains, there are deposits of tin.
Scientists believe the tin was originally found in granite rock formations in the hills. The riverbed has many pebbles, boulders, and pieces of granite. This suggests that the tin was once mixed with the granite. However, no gold has been found in this river valley.
