Just finished 18 days, two ferries, and 2600 miles from Juneau to the Arctic Ocean. Long trip, no break downs, and nice to be back in the truck camper again.
We moved to SE Alaska two years ago, first living on an island with about 23 miles of roads, and now in Juneau, where we have about 40 miles of roads more or less. To use our camper on the road system entails a $500 ferry ride, so we don't really use our truck camper much anymore. We bought a big boat that we camp out of now, but we sure miss our truck camper days. This trip filled a big void in that regard. Just driving anywhere more than ten miles is a novelty, when you live in a place with very few roads that all dead end in the ocean.
Our "truck camper", the boat. Our "road system" in SE Alaska is endless, but it's all water. So we spend A LOT of money on fuel, zipping around here and there, visiting forest service cabins on the ocean.
Past time in Alaska, catching lots of salmon and halibut.
Day 1: Ferry to Skagway and drive to Whitehorse, Yukon.
330 am wakeup for a 7 hour ferry ride to Skagway up Lynn Canal.
We live in a rainforest.
With lots of glaciated peaks.
We spend almost every day on our boat, we didn't see this from the ferry, but I thought I'd throw it in here.
Arriving in Skagway, while it is inundated with cruise ships.
On a road longer than 40 miles!!!!
Made it to Whitehorse, Yukon. This time of year it gets dark at 1100 or so and light at around 0300 or so. It only got worse on this trip. Makes it hard to sleep.
Day 2-18 later....
We moved to SE Alaska two years ago, first living on an island with about 23 miles of roads, and now in Juneau, where we have about 40 miles of roads more or less. To use our camper on the road system entails a $500 ferry ride, so we don't really use our truck camper much anymore. We bought a big boat that we camp out of now, but we sure miss our truck camper days. This trip filled a big void in that regard. Just driving anywhere more than ten miles is a novelty, when you live in a place with very few roads that all dead end in the ocean.
Our "truck camper", the boat. Our "road system" in SE Alaska is endless, but it's all water. So we spend A LOT of money on fuel, zipping around here and there, visiting forest service cabins on the ocean.
Past time in Alaska, catching lots of salmon and halibut.
Day 1: Ferry to Skagway and drive to Whitehorse, Yukon.
330 am wakeup for a 7 hour ferry ride to Skagway up Lynn Canal.
We live in a rainforest.
With lots of glaciated peaks.
We spend almost every day on our boat, we didn't see this from the ferry, but I thought I'd throw it in here.
Arriving in Skagway, while it is inundated with cruise ships.
On a road longer than 40 miles!!!!
Made it to Whitehorse, Yukon. This time of year it gets dark at 1100 or so and light at around 0300 or so. It only got worse on this trip. Makes it hard to sleep.
Day 2-18 later....
Day 9: 60 mile to Marion Creek
Passing through the Brooks Range again.
So easy a Goldwing can do it.
South side of Brooks and Atigun Pass.
Lots of euro vehicles
Passing through the Brooks Range again.
So easy a Goldwing can do it.
South side of Brooks and Atigun Pass.
Lots of euro vehicles
Made it to Deadhorse and the uber land of industrialism. Paid the $60 or so bucks to go to the Arctic Ocean because you can't get there without security clearance.
Only rv dump in deadhorse. This didn't end well.
Cold arctic ocean swim.
Camp at 60 mile on the return home.
The reality...don't expect your shiny truck to look nice. It won't. I like my old beater for this reason.
Only rv dump in deadhorse. This didn't end well.
Cold arctic ocean swim.
Camp at 60 mile on the return home.
The reality...don't expect your shiny truck to look nice. It won't. I like my old beater for this reason.
On to caribou and muskox territory as we finish the final 240 miles to Deadhorse.
Campsite at Galbraith
Hiked up that peak in Books Range and found old fur and bones in what I presume is a bear den in the side of the mountain. pics below.
Galbraith Lake
Campsite at Galbraith
Hiked up that peak in Books Range and found old fur and bones in what I presume is a bear den in the side of the mountain. pics below.
Galbraith Lake
North of the Arctic Circle the roads improved greatly. A nice long stretch of pavement followed by smooth dirt that we could drive 40-50mph on. A nice change. Scenery improved and became amazing near the Brooks Range. Minimal bugs, or should I say, tolerable bugs.
The nice stretch of road near the Brooks Range and Dietrich River
Hike up a peak in the Brooks Range
North side of Atigun Pass, the highest pass in AK at 4,000 something. Stunning place.
Slow, spongey, tundra slog to Galbraith Lake to fish, not catch.
The nice stretch of road near the Brooks Range and Dietrich River
Hike up a peak in the Brooks Range
North side of Atigun Pass, the highest pass in AK at 4,000 something. Stunning place.
Slow, spongey, tundra slog to Galbraith Lake to fish, not catch.
Day 5: Yukon River to Marion Creek.
Coldfoot is the halfway to Deadhorse, and they ran out of diesel. We had enough to get the final 240 to Deadhorse, but with a small margin of error, so we opted to short day it at Marion Creek. This campsite is a must stop. Nice river, nice sites, couple miles from awesome burgers at Coldfoot. Coldfoot has $4/load laundry, which we did on the way back. Cell service as well potable water, propane, and big cookies.
The pipeline, our constant companion.
Dietrich River and foothills of Brooks range.
Tough guy trucker with a Chihuahua.
View from Marion creek campsite.
Had to.
Getting is arctic circle certificate.
Coldfoot is the halfway to Deadhorse, and they ran out of diesel. We had enough to get the final 240 to Deadhorse, but with a small margin of error, so we opted to short day it at Marion Creek. This campsite is a must stop. Nice river, nice sites, couple miles from awesome burgers at Coldfoot. Coldfoot has $4/load laundry, which we did on the way back. Cell service as well potable water, propane, and big cookies.
The pipeline, our constant companion.
Dietrich River and foothills of Brooks range.
Tough guy trucker with a Chihuahua.
View from Marion creek campsite.
Had to.
Getting is arctic circle certificate.
Day 4: Fairbanks to Arctic Circle
Finally getting near what we came to see. The pavement in AK/Yukon is generally crappy, but the dirt on the haul road is typically smooth and fast (45-50mph).
Pipeline on left
Yukon river jet boats
Finger rock
Lots of fishing along many rivers for grayling.
414 to go
Fast dirt
Yukon River camp has the most expensive gas on the haul road. Skip it. It's 240 to Coldfoot, and another 240 to Deadhorse. We just got gas once in Coldfoot.
When you drive 420 out, then 420 back, you see the same campers over and over again. Like this one.
Lots of steep hills and grades.
One mile south of Arctic Circle at a random little spot down by Fish Creek in the middle of a trap line.
Finally getting near what we came to see. The pavement in AK/Yukon is generally crappy, but the dirt on the haul road is typically smooth and fast (45-50mph).
Pipeline on left
Yukon river jet boats
Finger rock
Lots of fishing along many rivers for grayling.
414 to go
Fast dirt
Yukon River camp has the most expensive gas on the haul road. Skip it. It's 240 to Coldfoot, and another 240 to Deadhorse. We just got gas once in Coldfoot.
When you drive 420 out, then 420 back, you see the same campers over and over again. Like this one.
Lots of steep hills and grades.
One mile south of Arctic Circle at a random little spot down by Fish Creek in the middle of a trap line.
Day 3
Tok to Fairbanks: Boring driving mostly, but roads improved.
Tok River.
Tok River campsite.
Another giant glacial river.
Tok to Fairbanks: Boring driving mostly, but roads improved.
Tok River.
Tok River campsite.
Another giant glacial river.
