1422 miles!
We drove the whole length of the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek to Delta Junction! The military built the road in about 9 months and we meandered on it for 9 days! Delta Junction is the official end of the Alaska Highway; but, the unofficial end is Anchorage…….so, off we went!
North Pole, Alaska
Welcome to North Pole, Alaska! Santa doesn’t live here, but this Fairbanks-neighboring town does celebrate Christmas all year round. And, speaking of the North Pole, we decided to plant our feet onto the tundra of the Arctic Circle. After all, if we were going to spend so much time and effort in getting to Alaska, we might as well go all the way to the Arctic!
So, we hopped on a small plane piloted by a young, energetic bush pilot and headed north…….far north. 63 miles north of the Arctic Circle to a remote village of 11 people – Wiseman, Alaska.
There we met a life-long resident (and the town spokesperson) and learned about the rigors of their daily life. From 60 degree summers to -60 degree winters, these 11 folks live a self-subsistence existence without electricity or running water. Nearly all of their food is grown, hunted or fished. Oh……did I mention the mosquitoes? Swarming clouds of them……
Wiseman, Alaska – 63 miles above the Arctic Circle
Some supplies can be acquired nearby in Coldfoot which is a truck stop. Truck stop? Yep, THE last truck stop in the middle of nowhere to service the semi trucks heading 240 miles up the Dalton Hwy to Deadhorse (Purdhoe Bay on the North Slope). The reality show “Ice Road Truckers” is filmed on this road. After walking around and seeing the trucks barrel in and out, we boarded our plane and our skilled, confident bush pilot navigated us through several thunderstorms back to Fairbanks.
Enjoy the ride back to Fairbanks!
Fairbanks, Alaska
With Fairbanks being the second largest populated city in Alaska, it feels like being back in the lower 48 (as they say!). And with it comes with all the trappings – smooth highways, fast food restaurants, big box stores, suburbs, strip centers, and the like. After exploring the wonderful Museum of the North at the University of Alaska we set our sights on something a little different – reindeer!
Not only did we learn about reindeer, how they differ from caribou and what it takes to breed and raise them, we were able to get up close and personal.
Reindeer Stampede
Denali National Park and Preserve – the Jewel of Alaska
Denali’s 20,310′ peak is North America’s tallest mountain and is home to a wide variety of landscapes from dense, low-lying boreal forests to frozen alpine tundra and pristine, snowy mountain peaks. Since the park is situated between Fairbanks and Anchorage we headed south from Fairbanks with high hopes of being able to see the elusive peak. Denali’s shear size, height and location actually generates its own weather patterns which change often and quickly. As such, less than 30% of all visitors actually get to see its glorious peaks!
Unfortunately, after 1 1/2 days, we still had not seen Denali’s snow-white peaks due to the dense haze and cloud cover caused by nearby wildfires. If you don’t want to hike into the wilderness (there are very few marked hiking trails) then the only way to experience its vastness and hopefully spot wildlife (moose, caribou, wolves, dall sheep and grizzlies) is by park bus as there is only 1 road into this 6.2 million acre designated wilderness area.
Denali National Park has a wonderful visitor center complex with informative movies, displays, education programs and is the starting point from which to board a bus into the wilderness. During our visit, they featured a movie which highlighted how the park is maintained in the winter via rangers and sled dogs. Snow machines, snow mobiles and the like are not used in order to preserve the natural wilderness and ecosystems. So, all patrolling and maintenance is done by the rangers and their sled dogs. These Alaskan Malamute dogs are specially-bred power houses. And unlike the dog sled racers who love speed, these dogs love to pull heavy loads. So, they are perfect for the job. Naturally, we needed to see these guys up close and personal:
Summer Sled Dog Training
Virtually every outdoor adventure can be experienced at Denali National Park; including white water rafting! So, one brisk morning (48 degrees), we ventured into the rafts to tame the nearby Nenana River. Since this glacier fed river is about 37 degrees, we donned dry suits over our multilayered bodies. What an incredible morning wake-up call!!!
It was time to say good-bye to Denali and head-off to Anchorage. We packed up the camper and headed down George Parks Hwy 3 which runs parallel to the mountain range. A beautiful, sunny, blue-skied morning greeted us and it wasn’t long before Denali revealed her majesty! So, we became members of the 30% club and made numerous stops along the way to take in the grander, beauty and tranquility!
Completing the Alaska Highway, flying into the Arctic Circle, exploring the vastness of Denali National Park, navigating chilling white water, dogs, reindeers, museums and the majesty of Denali’s peaks…….the Meandering Continues…..