I lived in Bettles , Ak and Wiseman, Ak for years and could write a book about the experiences and adventures of living up there and driving the Haul road and running dog teams and I will post more later but for now Happy Trails till we meet again .
The author is just writing about the road that he never left. If he would have taken the side road 14 miles North of Coldfoot into Wiseman Village and explored around there, maybe stayed at one of the lodges there for half the cost of Coldfoot, he would have experienced a very unique nice place. To bad he missed it. It would have been a much different story. I live there and the road is just to get you there, there's another world of life, activity and people away out in the forests, river valleys and creeks. There's hunters and guides wiping out the remaining big game animals, and trappers taking the wolves, wolverines and other fur bearers animals jides. Mostly there's gold miners trying to stay in the black ballancing that fine line between expences and gold production. The age old strugle of searching and fighting the boulders, muck and clay and frozen ground with modern heavy equipment. Explosives or sometimes steam from a boiler are used during the winter as miners chase paystreaks under ground in what is called driftmining. Trying to wrest the rare precious metal out of mother natures firm grasp and hoping for a good cleanup from the paydump while the water flows freely 4 or 5 month of the year and not frozen. There's alot more adventure than just the road up there, that's only the begining.
3
While I loved this report, I hope the author will appreciate the good that comes from the Alaskan pipeline. I'm a chemical engineer, and I do not find that industrial facilities are ugly when you consider the tremendous benefits they bestow. This pipeline was so critical in lessening our democracy's vulnerability to the Middle East, and is a diminishingly small intrusion on the Alaska wilderness.
7
Too bad the author did not take advantage of the BLM campsites at Marion Creek and Galbraith Lake where he could have seen the beauty of the land adjacent to the Dalton Highway. I camped at both sites in July. There is terrific hiking near both. Neither campsite have showers, but it was warm enough to swim at the streams within walking distance.
2
No mention of the bridge over the Yukon?
2
It is kind of rare to find a genuinely funny travel article but I was greatly amused by this well written one. It caught all the utter madness of living there and thoroughly convinced me to never attempt the trip.
9
This is one of those anti-travel stories that evokes the reaction, thank goodness I will never have to go there.
2
I'm Surprised a RAV 4 could make the trip, outfitted or not.
2
Nice picture of No Name Creek in the Times. We had an experiment there from 1980 to 2011. To learn more go to Journal of Ecology volume 100, page 841.
The Trans Labrador, mentioned by jimble, may be as challenging. Its entire length in Labrador and Quebec is 1200 miles, about half paved. You can borrow a satellite phone from the Mounties which allows you to contact them if you run into trouble. Flat tires and brake trouble are almost inevitable, but the Labradorians are most helpful. The driver must plan carefully on where to stop for gasoline. It's not a pipeline but power lines from Churchill Falls dam that one sees. A couple of quite good museums along the way. Much the same adventure as the Dalton and the Alaska Highway used to be.
2
Great description of the places and people of Arctic Alaska and the Yukon & North Slope Boroughs. I disagree with one characterization: Deadhorse looking like Stalin's Gulag. Having personally been to Gulags in the former Soviet Union, and industrial facilities built by Gulag prisoners, liking those to Deadhorse is overstating the case.
2
Having worked in AK for a while, and traveled around there -- I can say that the State has much prettier areas.
Do a travelogue on those, huh? (Say, on the Kenai Peninsula, towards the Homer Spit-Seward areas, etc. Incredibly beautiful, with lots of "character.")
Do a travelogue on those, huh? (Say, on the Kenai Peninsula, towards the Homer Spit-Seward areas, etc. Incredibly beautiful, with lots of "character.")
2
I had my own Dalton experience this past summer. For me, the road has held a fascintation ever since I first heard about it, 40 years ago. It is an absolutely unique wonderful experience. You are truly beyond the reach of civilization. It's good to know that there are still places like this in existence.
1
I've lived in Fairbanks for the better part of 15 years, having escaped the rat-race of Washington DC at a time when the tech market had undergone an incredible downturn.
I routinely (twice a year or more) drive to mile 237---that's 312 miles north of Fairbanks--- to go Caribou hunting. Having lived here for many years, I've been up the road in all seasons, in various vehicles ranging from a rented RV with my (aging) parents, to a Unimog, to my Tacoma, to Kenworths hauling supplies.
Last week, I took some friends from the east coast to Deadhorse, as part of their "Prudhoe, AK to Portland, ME" tour. It's winter already here in Alaska, a fact that we were reminded of several times as we crossed wind-swept, road-erasing, white-land-on-white-sky miles and miles.
I very much enjoyed watching their reactions to their environment as it changed from the reasonably familiar setting of Fairbanks to Coldfoot, to the lonely downward trip to Deadhorse.
In answering their questions, watching them revel in things I've become so used to that I don't see them, I began to realize how complacent I'd become in driving the road. Up and back in 34 hours, stopping for 12 hours at the Deadhorse Camp, and each time we came by Coldfoot.
All in all, I'm glad we did the trip. No flats, no broken windsheilds, nothing really interesting. But on the Haul Road, that's a good thing.
I routinely (twice a year or more) drive to mile 237---that's 312 miles north of Fairbanks--- to go Caribou hunting. Having lived here for many years, I've been up the road in all seasons, in various vehicles ranging from a rented RV with my (aging) parents, to a Unimog, to my Tacoma, to Kenworths hauling supplies.
Last week, I took some friends from the east coast to Deadhorse, as part of their "Prudhoe, AK to Portland, ME" tour. It's winter already here in Alaska, a fact that we were reminded of several times as we crossed wind-swept, road-erasing, white-land-on-white-sky miles and miles.
I very much enjoyed watching their reactions to their environment as it changed from the reasonably familiar setting of Fairbanks to Coldfoot, to the lonely downward trip to Deadhorse.
In answering their questions, watching them revel in things I've become so used to that I don't see them, I began to realize how complacent I'd become in driving the road. Up and back in 34 hours, stopping for 12 hours at the Deadhorse Camp, and each time we came by Coldfoot.
All in all, I'm glad we did the trip. No flats, no broken windsheilds, nothing really interesting. But on the Haul Road, that's a good thing.
7
I drove the Dalton and the Dempster in 2009. These are the only two roads which allow one to drive North of the Arctic Circle in North America. Both roads are doable with a little planning and more than a little caution. The highlight of my trip was seeing a wolverine and the vast caribou herd north of the Brooks Range. The most frightening event was Atigun Pass. It was a foggy morning with heavy rain. I got to within a half mile of the top of the pass when I lost traction in the mud. I had no choice but to back down the pass at least a two miles to a spot where I could turn around and go to the bottom of the hill where I could regather myself and make another run to the top.
The Dempster is a lesser challenge but in late August and early September, when the vegetation is changing colors, it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
Both roads are great adventures and highlights of my life's travels.
The Dempster is a lesser challenge but in late August and early September, when the vegetation is changing colors, it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
Both roads are great adventures and highlights of my life's travels.
3
Alaska has a unique blend of epic grandeur and silent humility - especially when you're on the road alone. I never drove this road, but my memories of the ALCAN are deeply engrained. My favorite pastime in my many years in Alaska was driving in winter solace, save the companionship of specially chosen music of atmospheric nature. The Cure's "Disintegration" was always first on the list.
2
I read this article because it was linked to me by my Dad, who knew that I had made this same trip in the summer of 1991 with a friend in a rented Chevy pickup. The article was okay as far as it went (albeit with a bit of an "East Coast Snob" attitude), but his experience certainly did not match ours. We had no problem with trucks, and found you can avoid a cracked windshield by simply stopping every time a truck passed going in the opposite direction.
Deadhorse was hardly the horror he described, it's simply a working facility that's not there to cater to the tourists. Our main regret was that Deadhorse is, quite literally, the end of the road, at least for "Civilians", so our desire to see the actual Arctic Ocean was for naught. But much of the rest of the scenery was breathtaking, especially through the Brooks Range itself and the surrounding foothills. It didn't remind me of Tolkien, but rather gave the impression that someone had rolled the calender back to about 10,000 BC, to the point where you wouldn't have been surprised to see a herd of woolly mammoths ambling across the tundra.
As for Coldfoot, the best line about that place came from a "Car & Driver" article written the following year about a comparison drive their staff had made on the same road in the dead of winter. Naturally, they stopped in Coldfoot, where the restaurant's owner said "We had a dog once. Something ate it". Priceless!
Deadhorse was hardly the horror he described, it's simply a working facility that's not there to cater to the tourists. Our main regret was that Deadhorse is, quite literally, the end of the road, at least for "Civilians", so our desire to see the actual Arctic Ocean was for naught. But much of the rest of the scenery was breathtaking, especially through the Brooks Range itself and the surrounding foothills. It didn't remind me of Tolkien, but rather gave the impression that someone had rolled the calender back to about 10,000 BC, to the point where you wouldn't have been surprised to see a herd of woolly mammoths ambling across the tundra.
As for Coldfoot, the best line about that place came from a "Car & Driver" article written the following year about a comparison drive their staff had made on the same road in the dead of winter. Naturally, they stopped in Coldfoot, where the restaurant's owner said "We had a dog once. Something ate it". Priceless!
5
The longest stretch of unserviced highway in North America is actually the 250 miles between Port Hope Simpson and Goose Bay on the Trans-Labrador Highway. I should know, I drove it in August. Sounds like the Dalton is more challenging, though.
1
I've always wanted to drive the haul road. I'd hate to get all the way to Deadhorse, though, without taking a dip in the Arctic Ocean. I know that you're not allowed to drive all the way to the coast on your own, but I've heard tell of some kind of all-terrain bus tour type deal where they'll drive you over the tundra around Prudhoe Bay Station and out to the beach. Does anyone know whether or not such a service actually exists?
2
Yes, there is a shuttle. I did it last year. Just look up Arctic Ocean Shuttle by Deadhorse Camp. It's definitely worth it if you are up in Deadhorse already. Make sure to make a reservation. Good luck!
1
If you want to dip in the Arctic you can do it at Barrow, with daily jet service from both Anchorage and Fairbanks.
4
I drove the Dalton last year at solstice. It was one of the best trips I have ever been on. The scenery is beautiful and the big rig drivers were really nice and helpfull. We spent two weeks tent camping, hiking and had no problems except the few days of taking the tent up/down in the mud and rain. It is desolate, but that is what makes it so nice. The author of the article is absolutely right about Deadhorse. What a horrible place. We camped 20 miles away and watched a heard of muskox wander across the Sag river. I hope to do the trip again this coming sumer, but in a camper no more tents. Tenting is hard at 70.
16
Wonderful story! I have probably been on that other loneliest road--rt 50, in Nevada. In 1957, we had stopped at Pyramid Lake on our way from Menlo Park to Cambridge, MA. I was 4. As my father used to tell the story, he began to notice that there were no cars on the road, and after two hours of this, and getting increasingly spooked, he turned around. Although I do remember Pyramid Lake, and I remember the Studebaker getting an air bubble in the tire, probably in Colorado, and I remember my father telling me, as we approached the Holland Tunnel, that we were going to go into an under water tunnel, and my worries, and then my amazement when we sped dry through that marvel, I don't remember the four hour detour.
2
I've driven the Dalton twice - both times in the summer when the sun never sets. I love it up there in the wilds above the arctic circle. One thing though, grab a beer at Coldfoot, but don't stay there. I'm sad the author didn't stop in Wiseman at the Arctic Getaway B&B. It's run by a family that lives there year round and has probably the only original structure on the highway - a gold rush dance hall from 1910. The cabins are cozy, the breakfast hearty and the family welcoming and happy to talk about what life is like living in such a remote paradise.
17
Interesting article for sure but you, "Googled the words “loneliest road in America.”"? Who does that?
7
That's how you use google.
I've done it too. Not so weird or uncommon.
We drove that "highway" about 5 years ago. Stayed at Coldfoot Camp where the "good" dining area was reserved for truckers. Yes, accommodations a little downscale but worth it to hear wolves howling at midnight.
An excellent interagency visitor center near Coldfoot. Wiseman was worth a brief stop. Lots of mud and gravel flying all the way. Atigun Pass interesting with crosses marking where truckers had met their end going off the slope. Greeted by several Dall sheep and babies at the summit. Saw a collared moose go under the pipeline. If we couldn't find a restroom, we did find huge culverts to have a private bathroom break. Only one flat tire! I think I'd do it again.
An excellent interagency visitor center near Coldfoot. Wiseman was worth a brief stop. Lots of mud and gravel flying all the way. Atigun Pass interesting with crosses marking where truckers had met their end going off the slope. Greeted by several Dall sheep and babies at the summit. Saw a collared moose go under the pipeline. If we couldn't find a restroom, we did find huge culverts to have a private bathroom break. Only one flat tire! I think I'd do it again.
7
Yes, great article! I drove this with my father a couple of summers ago, and it was both terrifying and fantastic. Terrifying, because the road is indeed the worst thing I've ever driven. But the scenery was fantastic!
For future travels, I'd suggest less time in the depressing parts and more time looking at all the great parts! There is a National Park Service location at the Yukon River, filled with useful and interesting information. (And a nice path to hike to the river, that in August gives you wild blueberries to pick and eat!) At Coldfoot, instead of staying in the dubious-looking "lodge" go just a little farther to Marion Creek Campground - it's wonderful! And there is another great National Park Service location nearby, with exhibits and lots of great information. (Thanks, NPS!)
Deadhorse does indeed look exactly as the author describes so evocatively. But a few miles south of it is another fantastic campground at Galbraith Lake. Camp near a beautiful creek, hike in the mountains - no running water provided, but the scenery more than makes up for it!! The tundra, with a total lack of trees, looks really different than almost everywhere else you will ever see; so getting out and walking around in it is fantastic!
Really enjoyed this article for the opportunity to reminisce about a fun adventure.
For future travels, I'd suggest less time in the depressing parts and more time looking at all the great parts! There is a National Park Service location at the Yukon River, filled with useful and interesting information. (And a nice path to hike to the river, that in August gives you wild blueberries to pick and eat!) At Coldfoot, instead of staying in the dubious-looking "lodge" go just a little farther to Marion Creek Campground - it's wonderful! And there is another great National Park Service location nearby, with exhibits and lots of great information. (Thanks, NPS!)
Deadhorse does indeed look exactly as the author describes so evocatively. But a few miles south of it is another fantastic campground at Galbraith Lake. Camp near a beautiful creek, hike in the mountains - no running water provided, but the scenery more than makes up for it!! The tundra, with a total lack of trees, looks really different than almost everywhere else you will ever see; so getting out and walking around in it is fantastic!
Really enjoyed this article for the opportunity to reminisce about a fun adventure.
9
I loved my stay at Galbraith Lake. It has got to be the most special place I have ever set foot. I tried removing my boot and dipping my feet in the creek, don't try it, too cold.
Mark's Better or Sometimes Blusterous Half
Nice article, though the safety of the car would not be considered the big adventure communion with nature as on foot, by bike or a horse carriage. Proud to say, as a single woman, a bit naive and passionate, I have done many lonely roads way back in the 80s, 90s and even few, as a married woman, but on my own, in 2000s.
Try some roads in South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming in winter at night. The howling wind, coyotes in the distance, the rocking car...and the possibility that your fuel gauge needle could be wrong or stuck, are scary. And your cell phone will not work, there are no gas stations or rest stops for miles and you are told that if you plan to sleep in your car you will not wake up due to cold or grizzly bears that can break through a window. I did it all this as a woman. And as a woman you have to worry when you hit rest stops with a lot of burly lonely men who follow you, want to talk to you...and some. I was always nurturing, joked with the guys and even traveled a short while with a trucker who turned out to be a nice, but thuggish looking, pussy cat. Alaska I did not go to. But if I do, past my 20s and 30s, I probably do it with people, in a nicely built sturdy reliable comfortable RV and spend three hours in Deadhorse and return...like you. Thanks for the lovely photos. Enjoyed the article. Question: Married, Middle Class or Working Class, in Brooklyn, New York city...how do you manage the claustrophobia?
Nice article, though the safety of the car would not be considered the big adventure communion with nature as on foot, by bike or a horse carriage. Proud to say, as a single woman, a bit naive and passionate, I have done many lonely roads way back in the 80s, 90s and even few, as a married woman, but on my own, in 2000s.
Try some roads in South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming in winter at night. The howling wind, coyotes in the distance, the rocking car...and the possibility that your fuel gauge needle could be wrong or stuck, are scary. And your cell phone will not work, there are no gas stations or rest stops for miles and you are told that if you plan to sleep in your car you will not wake up due to cold or grizzly bears that can break through a window. I did it all this as a woman. And as a woman you have to worry when you hit rest stops with a lot of burly lonely men who follow you, want to talk to you...and some. I was always nurturing, joked with the guys and even traveled a short while with a trucker who turned out to be a nice, but thuggish looking, pussy cat. Alaska I did not go to. But if I do, past my 20s and 30s, I probably do it with people, in a nicely built sturdy reliable comfortable RV and spend three hours in Deadhorse and return...like you. Thanks for the lovely photos. Enjoyed the article. Question: Married, Middle Class or Working Class, in Brooklyn, New York city...how do you manage the claustrophobia?
15
AP story next year 'round this time: Federal and Alaskan officials and the oil industry, in a rare state of unity, are pushing to close all public access to the Dalton highway following a summer with record numbers of fatalities and accidents. Officials from all three camps point their fingers in one direction. "One of those big newspapers ran a story last year that glossed over a lot of stuff, made it seem like a grand adventure. The road is there to keep services to and for the oil industry running smoothly, period." Interference with smooth operation seemed to be the greatest concern. "The fatalities aren't such an inconvenience as long as the road is still clear, but some of the rookie riggers might feel a compulsion to assist survivors, and that slows things down as we saw this past season. The problem compounds exponentially when others come searching for parties unheard from. Probably these knuckleheads should've just gone to climb Everest and left their corpses where there are no polar bear disposal teams; others can plainly see them and take either a valuable lesson and/or more pictures."
6
Ben Huff's pictures are excellent! He's been taking 4x5 format pictures of the Dalton Highway for years. Wish the author would have mentioned him a bit. Great article... Great writing.
7
In June of 2014 right after we retired from our teaching job of 43 years in southeast Florida, we decided to hit the road in our '03 VW Eurovan Weekender with pop top and comfortable bed.
We drove across the southern tier of states to California and then up the coast to Anacortis, WA where we took ferries up the Inside Passage to Juneau. Another ferry from there to Skagway, looking for Sargent Preston but not finding him, nor his dog. From there we headed for the Alaskan Highwayon our way to Ankorage then on up to Fairbanks with the Arctic Citcle as our goal. Too bad the author didn't mention more about the denizens at Yukon Camp, like the folks across the road in the NPS office who'll regale you with all sorts of wonderful stories or the mother and son who have this little leanto where they sell various hand made things. They live further to the east in the bush in a house the family built a few years back and travel to Yukon Camp via the Yukon Ruver in a canoe in the summers and snowmobile in the winter, fascinating people and quite friendly, as are most of the folks we met there. The drive to the Arctic Circle was interesting and I found most of the semi drivers to be courteous. Many on coming trucks and cars slowed down and moved over which made a difficult trip a little more comfortable. Several windshield cracks, a tread separation and broken tail pipe later we turned around after sleeping on the Arctic Circle and headed for home.
We drove across the southern tier of states to California and then up the coast to Anacortis, WA where we took ferries up the Inside Passage to Juneau. Another ferry from there to Skagway, looking for Sargent Preston but not finding him, nor his dog. From there we headed for the Alaskan Highwayon our way to Ankorage then on up to Fairbanks with the Arctic Citcle as our goal. Too bad the author didn't mention more about the denizens at Yukon Camp, like the folks across the road in the NPS office who'll regale you with all sorts of wonderful stories or the mother and son who have this little leanto where they sell various hand made things. They live further to the east in the bush in a house the family built a few years back and travel to Yukon Camp via the Yukon Ruver in a canoe in the summers and snowmobile in the winter, fascinating people and quite friendly, as are most of the folks we met there. The drive to the Arctic Circle was interesting and I found most of the semi drivers to be courteous. Many on coming trucks and cars slowed down and moved over which made a difficult trip a little more comfortable. Several windshield cracks, a tread separation and broken tail pipe later we turned around after sleeping on the Arctic Circle and headed for home.
2
My high school pal and I stayed a few nights in Coldfoot to see some aurora (flying up from Fairbanks rather than dealing with The Road). One of the highlights of our trip was a daytime ride with one of the truckers as he headed north. I highly recommend everyone experience this kind of isolation at least once in his/her life. What a trip!
3
Reminds me of the AlCan Hwy of the 70s. I just with the author would keep his anti oil agenda out of the article. The road would not be there except for the pipeline, hence no article to help make his career in the NYT. Irony, isn't it.
4
Neat little article about the perils of the Haul Road. I have been in Alaska for 15 years and am now teaching in a village on the North Slope, not far from the Haul Road (relatively speaking) and it is a goal of mine to drive the Haul Road one day. It is certainly article like this that give us all the inspiration we need. Between "Ice Road Truckers" and "Into the Wild" an existentialist can find some solace from the modern world, this article gives one glimpses of what that could be like.
Mark Biberg
Atqasuk, AK
Mark Biberg
Atqasuk, AK
4
I drove the Dalton, 2 years ago in an RV with a friend. It is, in summer, a beautiful drive through some spectacular scenery. We went as far as the summit of Atigun Pass due to heavy fog.. You can stop and stand on the Arctic Circle on the way to Coldfoot. My 24' RV did just fine- no dents, broken windshield or flat tires due to road conditions (I did get one from a defective tire and the folks at Yukon Crossing were super, helping with getting the spare on the dual axle). It did get very, very dirty but two power washes later it was fine. I guess it's a matter of perspective, but we met road crews with friendly folks along the way, very helpful Forest Service folks in Coldfoot as well as Yukon Crossing, camped in a well- maintained campground there and generally had a memorable experience I would repeat. Yes, it's a lonely road and, as a woman, I Had a companion, but I would recommend the drive to anyone who was willing ro spend the time. Deadhorse, if you go that far, is not pretty - but it was not designed for tourists. It serves the people who put the oil for making gasoline in your cars and heating oil in your homes and plastics for everything you use and does it very well. As for the pipeline. how else would you move that oil? It is a marvel, snaking across the landscape, engineered to function and withstand huge changes in elevation and weather and whatever else Mother Nature can throw at it.
5
This brought back memories.
A few things, when I went there, it was in September, 70-75F day and at night it was about 32. In the middle of nowhere, there was a patch of 20 miles of perfect black top road, smooth as silk, and we could even stop near some moose who did not hear us coming. You cannot go past Galbraith Lake without an invitation, the area is under US Military control. The Northern Lights look like a color curtain from Coldfoot, but at this lake, it's like looking at the same curtain from below. The beginning of the road is wet, and the mud cakes to your car, creating a shield for the paint; when you wash it off later, there are no chip marks from the pebbles. Roller Coaster might be 9 degree incline, but it sure looks like 45 degrees! Wear your seat belt on the back seats, you will get thrown all over and bump your head if you don't. The dead tree at Last Spruce rest area is the last tree you will see, so bring your own firewood. The low plants in the arctic are no good for firewood. It might look desolate, but Caribou groups appear from no where and leave quite a mess at your camp. And the grizzlies follow them too. That 'mountain' is really a HUGE rock.
And the sight of unlimited tundra, with its myriad colors, and water flowing through it, is a sight i will take with me for as long as I live.
A few things, when I went there, it was in September, 70-75F day and at night it was about 32. In the middle of nowhere, there was a patch of 20 miles of perfect black top road, smooth as silk, and we could even stop near some moose who did not hear us coming. You cannot go past Galbraith Lake without an invitation, the area is under US Military control. The Northern Lights look like a color curtain from Coldfoot, but at this lake, it's like looking at the same curtain from below. The beginning of the road is wet, and the mud cakes to your car, creating a shield for the paint; when you wash it off later, there are no chip marks from the pebbles. Roller Coaster might be 9 degree incline, but it sure looks like 45 degrees! Wear your seat belt on the back seats, you will get thrown all over and bump your head if you don't. The dead tree at Last Spruce rest area is the last tree you will see, so bring your own firewood. The low plants in the arctic are no good for firewood. It might look desolate, but Caribou groups appear from no where and leave quite a mess at your camp. And the grizzlies follow them too. That 'mountain' is really a HUGE rock.
And the sight of unlimited tundra, with its myriad colors, and water flowing through it, is a sight i will take with me for as long as I live.
6
My wife and I drove this road in the summer of 2009. It was a great experience.
Crossing the Arctic Circle, the Brooks Range and the coastal plain, camping near Coldfoot and then spending a night in a "hotel" in Deadhorse, dining with oil field workers. Cariboo, musk ox, snowy owls. Other tourists from just about anywhere. Lots of stunning, lonely scenery, with the pipeline snaking through it all the way, like some sort of Christo installation. With the occasional semi barreling along in the other direction. And the only way to go beyond Deadhorse, a bus ride though the oil fields and out to the Arctic Ocean, where we dipped our feet and looked out across the placid waters toward the top of the world.
Alaska has a very limited road system and we tried to drive as much of it as we could. There is a lot of territory north of Fairbanks and the Dalton is the only road through it. Perhaps it would be best if this human intrusion in a sprawling wilderness didn't exist, but it does and I highly recommend taking advantage of it. We saw people in Jeeps, vans, cars, RVs and on motorcycles and bicycles. And some wrecked vehicles. If you don't want to drive it there are tour busses, believe it or not.
Go, if for no other reason than simply because you can. It's the antithesis of cruise ship Alaska.
Crossing the Arctic Circle, the Brooks Range and the coastal plain, camping near Coldfoot and then spending a night in a "hotel" in Deadhorse, dining with oil field workers. Cariboo, musk ox, snowy owls. Other tourists from just about anywhere. Lots of stunning, lonely scenery, with the pipeline snaking through it all the way, like some sort of Christo installation. With the occasional semi barreling along in the other direction. And the only way to go beyond Deadhorse, a bus ride though the oil fields and out to the Arctic Ocean, where we dipped our feet and looked out across the placid waters toward the top of the world.
Alaska has a very limited road system and we tried to drive as much of it as we could. There is a lot of territory north of Fairbanks and the Dalton is the only road through it. Perhaps it would be best if this human intrusion in a sprawling wilderness didn't exist, but it does and I highly recommend taking advantage of it. We saw people in Jeeps, vans, cars, RVs and on motorcycles and bicycles. And some wrecked vehicles. If you don't want to drive it there are tour busses, believe it or not.
Go, if for no other reason than simply because you can. It's the antithesis of cruise ship Alaska.
4
Because the Haul Road is unpaved, it seems an easier ride than some of the remote paved roads which suffer from frost heaves and feel like driving on a roller coaster. One good reason to drive the Dalton, at least part way? To get north of the Arctic Circle!
2
I can only say that when you come off the north side of Atigun Pass on a clear day in August (they do happen) and see the land unfolding and stepping down to the coastal plain before you it is one of the most beautiful sights I have been privileged to see in my life. Yes, the road can be a mess, the rock that is used to patch it is very sharp and hard on tires (take more than one spare) but the beauty, the vastness, the great emptiness is good for one's soul. I hope to see it one more time.
7
Awesome, awesome, awesome piece! This is why I subscribe to the NYT.
4
And now on to other forms of navel-gazing...
Too bad he didn't stop his car, get out and do some hiking and other looking around. Can't believe he didn't see the visitor's center in Coldfoot - its great and gives a really good overview of the area. Very much an armchair traveler even though he was in a moving vehicle. And, the road is far from lonely with all the trucks going up and down it. And, in July it is full of mosquitoes.
3
Yup-every time a NYT reporter heads past the Poconos the world turns rough,possibly dangerous, and filled with colorful locals.When they return to civilization,they quickly write an essay on their 6 day "adventure into the unknown".
14
I had wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail until I read " A Walk in the Woods." And I had considered driving on the Dalton Highway until I read this article. Thanks.
3
Don't let other's experiences define a place or journey for you...do it yourself!
1
It was more exciting bicycling it and being chased by a wolf.
7
We drove it in July '09, 2 days up, 1 back, in an '01 Tundra, regular cab, long box, V6, 2WD - nothing broken, no flat tires, not run off the road. It's challenging but the highway to hell, it is not! We booked rooms at Yukon Crossing & Dead Horse, and a tour of Prudhoe Bay, and left Fairbanks packing subs, a few groceries, a full tank of gas and two spare tires. Yukon Crossing's generator was out and we went to 'The Hot Spot' at Five Mile. The girls took our money without registration ($100), gave us a choice of 2 rooms & pointed to the 'honor system, self serve' eatery. The trailer complex was old but clean. On day 2, we crossed the Brooks range and saw 6 muskox about 50 miles south of Dead Horse. They let us approach to about 100 yards. The tour of Prudhoe Bay was a complete wash, with fog so thick we couldn't see a hundred feet. We got to the beach, dipped our fingers in the Beaufort Sea, skipped a few stones on the water, and headed back. We stopped for lunch in Wiseman and made it to a very smoky Fairbanks in late evening. We could have stayed in our small camper at both places and paid $20 for a plug in for heat & light, and $4/ea. for a shower. Tourists are more tolerated than welcomed, but we were treated fairly everywhere. The construction areas had pilot cars, and we were politely asked to get off the road once to let an oversized load go by. The scenery is spectacular, and it is extremely remote and isolated, but no worse than the Dempster to Inuvik.
7
I spent this past summer living and working in Coldfoot, at the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center, and I take tremendous issue with the author's statement that there is no good reason to drive the Dalton. While it is not an easy road or an easy place to live, the Dalton is the most reasonable way for visitors to see the arctic, a region that is constantly in the news, under threat, is storied and is ever changing. If you enjoy outdoor activities and are looking to be challenged uniquely, the Brooks Range offers unlimited opportunity for hiking, backpacking, rafting, etc., in TRUE wilderness encompassing a vastness you will find nowhere in the lower 48. If you are a birder, there exists the opportunity to see species that visit nowhere else on the entire continent.
Had the author crossed the highway from the Coldfoot truck stop and visited the AIVC, he could have met Heidi or Bob, year-round residents of Wiseman with incredible insight into the region; he also could have used a truly immaculate restroom, and learned all about the highway and surrounding wilderness from the exhibits.
The Dalton does not boast the jaw-dropping beauty of SE Alaska. Its brand is a little more quiet and contemplative, and needs to be taken in slowly. It's not for everyone. But if you are adequately prepared (including the right mind set), the Dalton is totally worth the experience. Except Deadhorse. Unless you really want to see muskox or coastal birds, that place is the worst.
Had the author crossed the highway from the Coldfoot truck stop and visited the AIVC, he could have met Heidi or Bob, year-round residents of Wiseman with incredible insight into the region; he also could have used a truly immaculate restroom, and learned all about the highway and surrounding wilderness from the exhibits.
The Dalton does not boast the jaw-dropping beauty of SE Alaska. Its brand is a little more quiet and contemplative, and needs to be taken in slowly. It's not for everyone. But if you are adequately prepared (including the right mind set), the Dalton is totally worth the experience. Except Deadhorse. Unless you really want to see muskox or coastal birds, that place is the worst.
10
Great article. I get wanderlust when I read something like this. Time for a solitary trip.
17
For those who wish to see the road from the comfort of home, the Google street view car has been there.
16
Exceptionally well penned and well photographed. Not quite a Jack London experience, but times have changed.
16
I was hoping that Mr. Feuer was going to make it all the way to Point Barrow, but presumably that would have required a much longer article. Suffice it to say, if he enjoyed the solace and fascination of the Dalton Highway, I did, too, via his wonderful write-up.
11
Deadhorse is the end of the public road, so you can't go any further. You can't even walk to the shore of the Arctic Ocean, since there is no public access.
http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/recreation/dalton_hwy/dalton_faq.html
http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/recreation/dalton_hwy/dalton_faq.html
1
" .. Seasons 3 and 4 of “Ice Road Truckers” on the History Channel were filmed along the Dalton .."
The "writing" appears to have been done in August, with many helpful details. The photos appear from summer .. and winter. The TV visuals (following) seen by millions displayed icy mountain passes.
https://www.google.com/search?q=ice+road+truckers+dalton&ie=utf-8&am...
The "writing" appears to have been done in August, with many helpful details. The photos appear from summer .. and winter. The TV visuals (following) seen by millions displayed icy mountain passes.
https://www.google.com/search?q=ice+road+truckers+dalton&ie=utf-8&am...
1
There is no road to Barrow.
I had to laugh at your description of Deadhorse as the name suits the town as I have been, as well as experienced some of the haul road. Alaskans shake their heads in amusement at the tourists from "the Lower 48" who drive or fly to Deadhorse expecting to see the postcard "picture perfect" Alaska.
The Deadhorse "town" general store has a photo of a polar bear looking through its window where the local saying is "if a polar bear sees you, you're lunch". Arctic foxes (most which carry the rabies virus) roam the tundra while I have heard stories that the local "hotels" (more like trailers) in Deadhorse can be used as holding pens for transporting prisoners.
Vehicles have shattered windshields from gravel kicking up from the haul roads and I hope you wore goggles for protection. Also, if traveling the Dalton Highway, only carry cash.
Deadhorse or the Dalton Highway is not for the faint at heart. Native Alaskans have a nickname for those of us in the Lower 48 looking for this kind of adventure. It translates to 'bear bait".
The Deadhorse "town" general store has a photo of a polar bear looking through its window where the local saying is "if a polar bear sees you, you're lunch". Arctic foxes (most which carry the rabies virus) roam the tundra while I have heard stories that the local "hotels" (more like trailers) in Deadhorse can be used as holding pens for transporting prisoners.
Vehicles have shattered windshields from gravel kicking up from the haul roads and I hope you wore goggles for protection. Also, if traveling the Dalton Highway, only carry cash.
Deadhorse or the Dalton Highway is not for the faint at heart. Native Alaskans have a nickname for those of us in the Lower 48 looking for this kind of adventure. It translates to 'bear bait".
27
Ride this road on a motorcycle for some real fun!
10
Rode it twice from Florida on a scooter - not that challenging.
http://modernvespa.com/forum/topic67463?highlight=alaska
http://modernvespa.com/forum/topic67463?highlight=alaska
2
Well, it does not seem that bad except for one irksome thing: The fact that this is largely a gravel road---windshield getting blasted by rocks from big trucks passing could really sour an otherwise unique adventure.
"Adventure without risk is just Disneyland"
"Adventure without risk is just Disneyland"
7
Fantastic story! Alaska seems to be a collector for all our Into-The-Wild type human yearnings.
9
And I always wanted to go...have to rethink that urge.
13
An interesting article that makes me nostalgic. Many many years ago (1979) as a recent college grad working a summer job in Fairbanks, I'd driven as far north as the public could drive in those days - just across the Yukon River bridge. I spent the night in a pup tent at a campground just south of the bridge, and marveled the next morning at the number of mosquitoes that had crawled under the rain fly and were just waiting for me to open the screen door to attack me.
One quibble I have with the article is about the apparent lack of radio reception along the road. I agree that there would likely not be any FM signals, but did the author try the AM dial? There were multiple strong AM stations in Fairbanks that regularly broadcast messages from people in town to their friends or relatives out in "the Bush". I remember that one religious station in nearby North Pole stated that their AM signal could reach northern Russia and even Scandinavia at night.
One quibble I have with the article is about the apparent lack of radio reception along the road. I agree that there would likely not be any FM signals, but did the author try the AM dial? There were multiple strong AM stations in Fairbanks that regularly broadcast messages from people in town to their friends or relatives out in "the Bush". I remember that one religious station in nearby North Pole stated that their AM signal could reach northern Russia and even Scandinavia at night.
22
Interestingly different experiences listening to the radio. During my one trip there, maybe 20 years ago, there were two kinds of radio stations that I heard: talk radio and country & western music. Neither of which can I listen to for very long. So I'd listen to country & western music for maybe 10 minutes until I couldn't take any more, switch to talk radio for maybe 5 minutes until I couldn't take any more, and then turn the radio off. But after an hour or two I'd start feeling sensory deprivation and would switch the radio on to see what I could find -- and repeat the procedure.
I did gain a measure of respect for country & western; listening on that trip I finally realized it's like blues for white people.
I did gain a measure of respect for country & western; listening on that trip I finally realized it's like blues for white people.
4
Nostalgia for me too Art. I drove the road about as far as you did, but in April 1969. Not that many months after the dozen Caterpillar D-9 bulldozers had carved the road (loose term then) out of the ice. At Livengood I drove past all the "do not enter" and "private road" signs to get on the ice road. One problem, major problem, with the ice road was that the bulldozers followed the terrain, that is, it sloped the wrong way in turns. Within a half mile I did a 360º spin out. THEN I decided I needed to put chains on my tires and keep it in 4WD. I had a 1968 Toyota Land Cruiser with California plates on it (importance in a moment). We came up behind about 10 tractor trailer rigs that were in a caravan heading north. After a few dozen miles they stopped as they periodically did, to check their tire chains and to be sure all was buckled down as it should be, it was not a smooth road. So the first time they stopped, my friend and I inched our ways past them, clearing the blade of a bulldozer on the back of one of the rigs by inches. They waved us by each one to make our safe passage. Once in front of the caravan we stopped and got out to chat. One big burly fellow with a cigar falling from his lips uttered "What are you boys doing up here in that little pisser?" (CA lic. plates). We explained our hubris in wanting to get to the Yukon River to relieve ourselves on the 6' pack ice. Later in the day, mission accomplished, we turned around. Two weeks later the road melted.
2