Dalton Highway And Above The Artic Circle

Friday: (08/12) A nice clear sky morning. Lou had prepared pancakes earlier which we warmed for breakfast with sausage. We wanted to get on the road early. Today we took the Jeep up above the Arctic Circle. It was another long drive day, over 400 miles but now we can claim we have traveled above the Arctic Circle. Nice views along the way and good weather all day. The road was excellent. Even though it's called a "haul road" the Dalton
Highway was in great shape and we were able to go 55 mph most of the time. In fact, if we had the time we could have easily taken the motorhome up. We turned around at Gobbler View Point about 30 miles above the circle. That gave us a view of the Brooks mountains. If the road further North remained the same we could easily have driven all the way to the Deadhorse by the Arctic Ocean. That certainly would not have been a day trip. Maybe on our next visit. For lunch we had quesadillas by the Yukon River crossing. Dinner was sandwiches on the drive back.


The Alaska pipeline.

More views of the pipeline.


The Dalton Highway was a really nice road considering where it's located.


We saw this trappers sign warning of his traps. You do need to be careful up here.


A cafe and gift shop at Yukon Crossing. All the buildings are rather primitive.


Colorful tundra.


Colorful foxtails.


View of Brooks Mountains over Pump Station #5 from the Dalton Highway.


Here we are at a gravel pile overlook above the Dalton Highway and at the Arctic Circle sign.