Denali Hwy 8
After doing the usual roads & sights multiple times I think that this year really will be our last trip to Alaska. Said that three times before. There are few roads, paved or maintained gravel, whi...
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AKsilvereagle wrote:
Paxson Lodge (east end junction of Denali highway) over the years was hit and miss for fuel availability -
Open and maybe fuel available -
Open and maybe NO fuel available
Closed up for business
Reopened for business and maybe fuel available
Reopened for business but no fuel available
Closed for business again, etc, etc....
The Denali Highway is truly scenic in every aspect as I have also taken on both directions of travel, and in my opinion it is a bit more scenic and enjoyable while viewing the trip enroute from east to west direction as you deal with the more rugged half side first and have more downhill and less ascend in the westbound direction from MacLaren Summit - the only minus grade from east to west direction of travel here would be if one were to commute during the time of 900pm and later, as the sun will be staring right at you for 2 to 3 hours until it lowers toward the horizon....
The Denali Highway route also has the least amount of general traffic and hardly any commercial traffic at all out of all the Alaskan "major highway" routes too, even less traffic busy than the Dalton and Taylor Highway remote routes as you get the least "I'm Joe blow and I'm in a hurry" type of drivers from behind to deal with.
This posted message is from YOUR - 2023 Nenana Ice Classic Winner !!!!
Paxson Lodge was closed (and appeared to be decaying) in 2018, the last time I made the trip from that end. I think it's done, but the summary quoted is spot on at least from 1974 - 2010 when I went through the area much more frequently.
When I was driving across the Denali more frequently (granted, always in a pickup), I made a point to fill up at either Cantwell or Paxson and to fill the 20 gallons of gas cans in the back. In many parts of Alaska, the gentle ribbing us older guys get for always having spare gas and running of the top 1/2 of the tank is justified. On the Denali? Not so much....As noted, once you hit Paxson, you might have gas either on the highway or in Cantwell: Going the other way? Add 80 miles to the 135 highway miles before being at all certain of fuel.
Definitely agree on the scenic status of the Denali and agree that (barring a late evening drive), it is somehow more enjoyable East to West.
...and the Denali has a way of karma-cizing the Joe Blow's who must pass you and blow your doors off.
Congrats on the Nenana win. That's fantastic.
