The first part of the journey includes the Dalton Highway. This road goes from Prudhoe Bay Alaska, and goes to Fairbanks, Alaska. It is one of two roads in North America that cross the Arctic Circle with the other one being in Canada. It is 414 miles long and can be dreadfully cold in the winter. If you want to see where the Alaska Pipeline Started then this is the only road in that you can see it from. Also watch out for television cameras as you might just accidentally wind up on an episode of Ice Road Truckers. I myself have appeared in the background of one episode (my only claim to fame.)One of the interesting places is Coldfoot which boasts the worlds northernmost truck stop. You can stop by and get an interesting T-shirt with the picture of a foot on it. Then there's a wonderful little place called Prospect Creek. It boasts the coldest temperature ever recorded in the United States so I would suggest going during the summer months. When you reach Prudhoe Bay you actually can't go to see the beach without a tour guide because oil companies own most of the land. You can find food and shelter in Deadhorse which is the city right next to Prudhoe bay. That also boasts an interesting T-shirt as well (can you guess what's on it?) So that's the beginning of the long journey that is the Pan-American Highway. Next time we'll start down the path that is the ALCAN Highway which might take a while to complete as I've done it recently and have some good memories of it.
Works Cited
"Coldfoot." Travel Alaska. Travel Alaska, n.d. Web. 20 July 2013. Coldfoot information
The Dalton Highway. Digital image. Bureau of Land Management. Bureau of Land Management, n.d. Web. 20 July 2013. Dalton Highway map
"Danger at 55 Below." Ice Road Truckers. History. H, New York City, New York, 18 July 2010. Television. My television appearance
Molvar, Erik. Scenic Driving Alaska and the Yukon. Guilford, CT: Insiders' Guide, 2005. Print. Driving guide of Alaska
Went on an Alaskan cruse. The best part was Hubbard Glacer.
ReplyDeleteWhat kinds of information would a novice traveller need to make this leg of the trip?
ReplyDeleteI guess I should have addressed this but it depends on what you have when you get there. Most people reach Fairbanks by a cruise line and then a train to Fairbanks. From here you need to rent a car and luckily my friends own a car rental company and they always offer the lowest price. It's called Alaska Auto Rental and they will give you maps and all the car supplies you need. There also are small hotels in the small towns but they get pretty expensive so bring some cash. Also bring a good attitude as the weather might not always be to your liking.
Delete