Denali and south

This is as close as Mary will ever get to a bear.  Sitting at the Denali visitor's center

Campground just north of Denali NP

Bears at a kill site feasting on a Carribou.  Ranger says kill probably done by wolves and them stolen by the bears.  Wolves will be back to reclaim once bears have feasted.

Weather in the park that day was a mess - mostly rain and cloudly all day.  

road system allowed only buses - was gravel and narrow with plenty of sharp turns

group still had a good time in spite of the weather

Mt McKinley at southern viewpoint - about 50 miles to summit

Me and my girl enjoying the view and the warm sunny weather next day

Stopped in Talkeetna - found good fishing spot on Montanna Creek.  Richard and I each caught a trout.

Lunch in Talkeetna 

Mary and Elle looking for treasure in Montanna Creek

Looks like they found something.  Wouldn't tell us how much.

Down time in Fairbanks

We arrived in Fairbanks on July 2nd with the idea we would take it easy for a few days.  There is lots to see and do:  Riverboat Discovery, Gold Dredge tour, Ice Museum,  Alaska Museum at University of Alaska plus all the big box stores - Home Depot, Walmart, etc.

I purchased fly fishing gear and spent an afternoon honing casting skills.  Plan to take a side trip looking for a good fishing spot to fill the freezer.

Biggest challenge we have now is trying to remember what day it is.  So much to see and do - so little time.

Will move on to Denali NP on Tuesday for 2 days and then on to Anchorage.

Exploring Fairbanks

Riverboat Discovery provided an excellent tour and history of the Chena river running through Fairbanks 

Bush pilot on the Chena - uses pontoons in the summer and skis in the winter.  River ice is about 5 feet thick in winter.

Musher dogs used to pull sleds in winter.  These dogs in training for the Iditarod.

Confluence of the Chena and Tanana rivers.  You can see the clear green waters of the Chena meeting the glacial waters of the Tenana

Chene indian village.  Contraption in the water in used to catch fish.

Alaskan pipeline

Gold dredge

Mary found about $6 in gold.

Pipeline rests on brown steel bracket which sits atop gray support.  Neither of these pieces are attached to the legs but are allowed to move based on weather conditions - hot, cold, earthquakes, etc.  Pipeline will move based on any of these conditions.  

Nice to be back in the USA

While the first part of the ALCAN was challenging, it did not prepare us for the last part which covers Whitehorse, YT to the Alaska border.  Roads repair became the norm.  The stretch from Destruction Bay at Kluame Lake covered about 125 miles.  Speeds averaged about 25 MPH and took us the better part of 5 hours to complete.  Toll on the vehicles wasn't too bad - mostly dust and some small stone chips.  As we crossed into Alaska, roads were paved with shoulders - everyone cheered.  That night we spent hours cleaning up the mess.

Any rumors about limited phone and internet connections proved to be accurate. Were basically without outside contact for about a week.  Most campgrounds were powered with big generators which gave you limited use.  Once into Tok, AK - roughly 90 miles in - all services available.  Also, any basic shopping non existent.  What was available, very expensive.

We are presently in a campground at Eielson AFB about 25 miles east of Fairbanks, thanks to our retired military companions.  Will update provisions, internet, and clean vehicles.  Then on to discovering Alaska.

Whitehorse to Alaska

Campground in Whitehorse, YT

Yukon river at Whitehorse from deck of SS Klondike

SS Klondike on display at Whitehorse

Klondike Rib & Salmon - great restaurant.  Our meals included Bison, Elk & Whitefish - all local dishes 

Alaska border - 4,725 miles from home.  

Port Alcan border crossing

Moose cow at Eielson AFB lake where we stayed for 2 nights

Dawson Creek to Whitehorse, YT

The ALCAN, which officially starts at Dawson Creek is a fairly decent road today.  Speeds typically average 55 to 60 mph or 80 to 100 kph.  There are a few rough patches, which you will see below, and a few sections which can be describd as a "washboard".  After traveling more than 800 miles, our new coach is officially "broken in".  It still performs well but has developed a few rattles.  Biggest challenge now is to try and keep it clean.


Sikanni River Falls about half way down the mountainside

Sikanni Falls from a ledge about 100' above the river

Sikanni river below the falls

The climb back from the river

 

There were buffalo all along the road

Part of a 10 mile stretch of road repair

Teslin, YT

Dawson Creek, BC

Campground at the start of the ALCAN

Town Center entrance to Dawson Creek

Original Milepost "0"