The border crossing closing only closes the Canadian side of the TOW to non-Canadians and visa versa on the US side. Mining in the 60 Mile Disrict, the Canadian side, has become more active in the last 10 years or so. The Canadian miners will be using the road until the ferry stops running because of ice running on the Yukon River. Not many mines working in the 40 Mile District, the Alaska side of the border. In the winter, snow machines driving the TOW can clear customs with some government agent in Dawson or Tok from what I understand, with a phone call ahead.
On the US side the road from Tok, Tetlin Junction, up to Eagle is open to US citizens as late as they can drive the road. Road maintenance stops in the fall, if it ever started, but this is not the land of heavy snow falls, but is the land of super cold in the winter.
The people that live on the west side of the Yukon river will be stuck till the river ice freezes thick enough to support driving on it. There has been talk for years of bridging the Yukon at Dawson, but the cost would be high for the few that would actually use it to drive the TOW in the winter. The residents of Dawson look toward Whitehorse to meet their needs, not toward Alaska, such as shopping, fuel supplies, etc.
The Border Patrol stations on the TOW are under the supervision of the stations at Beaver Creek for Canada and Port Alcan for the US. Both sides jointly decide when to close the stations on the TOW, since they share the same building complex.
The road is normally at it's best in the fall prior to the rains starting in late September that continue until the turn to snow around the first or second week of October most years in that part of the north county.
joe b.
Stuart Florida
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
2016 Fleetwood Flair 31 B Class A w/bunks
www.picturetrail.com/jbpacooper
Alaska-Colorado and other Trips posted
"Without challenge, adventure is impossible".
