Alaska: The Last Frontier, But Not the Last Stop

After leaving the Homer area, we assessed our Alaska “to do” list, and the only thing left on it was the ferry cruise on the Alaska Marine Highway down to Bellingham, Washington.  Everything else we’d wanted to do and see in Alaska had been accomplished.  We still had three weeks before our cruise date, and we were trying to think of where to kill time without spending a ton of money.  The weather forecast for the coming week was rain pretty much everywhere in the state, which meant we would continue to be cold and wet, or part with a small fortune in order to be warm and dry.  Neither choice was satisfactory, so we went with option C – leave Alaska and begin the second half of our adventure.  The decision was fitting, since we’d been pretty much flying by the seat of our pants for most of the trip so far, in spite of the fact that Ken spent hours upon hours meticulously planning this trip for months in advance.  It was with both a tiny hint of sadness and the feeling of great anticipation and excitement that we left Alaska behind and set course for the unknown adventures that still lay ahead.  One thing we knew for sure was in our future was hot, dry air somewhere in the lower 48, and we were getting a little anxious to find it.  We practically drooled at the sight of every RV we saw since Glacier National Park, enviously aware that those folks were not at the mercy of the weather.  We stayed one last night in Anchorage in order to shower and re-stock our supplies, called and cancelled our cruise reservation, and got started toward Canada.

The Dalton Highway Adventure: Days 1-2: Fairbanks to Coldfoot to Galbraith Lake

Starting in Fairbanks, Alaska, the ride up the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay is 498 miles one way.  From Livengood, the actual beginning of the Dalton, approximately 25% of the road is paved, and in the summer, the rest is gravel, dirt or mud depending on the weather.  It is strongly recommended to bring two spare tires, and to carry extra gas for the 239 mile stretch between Coldfoot and Deadhorse where there are no gas stations.  Although not recommended, many people travel the road on motorcycles and bicycles.  The feeling of accomplishment after such a feat must be incredible.  I know it felt pretty awesome for us doing it in the Jeep!  The road is challenging and beautiful, and the best way to avoid catastrophe and enjoy the journey is to first do your homework and don’t approach it casually.  Once you’re traveling, just take your time.  For more detailed information about the Dalton Highway, traveling on it and considerations to take before embarking on this journey, take a look at this page on the Bureau of Land Management website, where you will find a very thorough downloadable PDF guide.

Our first day on the Dalton was grey and wet most of the time, but still provided some interesting scenery.  The road parallels the Alaska Pipeline for a good portion of the distance, and there are numerous access points for pipeline maintenance along the way.

Scenic Flagstaff, Family Time, and Altitude Woes

Let me start with a couple of pictures I forgot to include in my last post.  We saw tons of these oil wells driving through both Texas and New Mexico.

Lake Talquin State Park (FL), Caprock Canyons State Park (TX)

Our trip to Alaska is well under way!  We spent the first night in Lake Talquin State Forest in the Florida panhandle.  It was kind of a strange place, seemingly an unlikely location for a campground.  It’s out in the country of course, but in order to get to it you drive through an area reminiscent of a ghetto in the city.  We dubbed it “Wilderness Ghetto.”  On the up side, we were the only ones there.