Alaska

[The Deputy]

Left August 2nd, barely 24 hours after retiring.

Victoria, loaded and pointing north by northwest.



After crossing Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and making my way partially through North Dakota, we turned north at Rugby and headed for the border. Border crossing into Manitoba was painless, just your normal questions.

Manitoba roadside rest areas...bring your own TP.



Women, you're out of luck at the second stop.



Found this spot on, ioverlander.com, which it did have free camping sites...but the facilities offered little as far as conveniences go.

Moved on.



Be warned...rest areas are few and far between or in horrible shape, or ill equiped, on Transcan #16...so take necessary provisions.

Moved through Manitoba and Saskatchewan Provinces pretty smoothly, beautiful farmland and rolling hills.

 

[The Deputy]

First camp site in Saskatchewan, Lessard Lake. Since l was traveling solo, had to make a few concessions with my wife.

1) No rough camping, stay at campgrounds unless no other option.
2) No hiking alone, because of health issues and difficulty with uneven ground.
3) ...can't really remember...at this point in the conversation she'd done lost my attention...it went on for quite a bit though...lol.

Camp site...all by my lonesome...perfect!



Time for some vittles...and coffee.



View.



Home for what would be the next five weeks (was suppose to be nine...but...)





Weather had been absolutely beautiful so far, tad warm...but we dealt with it.

 

[The Deputy]

Played tourist along the way at times. Wembley Dinosaur Museum.







Then saw the largest beaver l've ever seen...and l've seen my fair share...

Beaverlodge, Alberta.



Moved on up the road to a campground in Tupper, Alberta.





Dinner. Yes, l'm not much of a cook, food is just substance to me. Wouldn't even bother eating, and some days l didn't, if it wasn't absolutely necessary.



Tomorrow, Dawsons Creek! Where the real journey begins...the Alcan!

 

[The Deputy]

Arrived in Dawsons Creek, beginning of the famed Alaskan Hwy (Alcan) on day seven of trip.





Rolled northwest of town to Mile 0 Marker Campground. A family of mule deer exited the woods behind me, not sure if it was because of lack of showering...or what...lol.



Breakfast/Dinner.




May be time to do some house cleaning.



Because of very difficult temperatures, we (Victoria and l) stay in DC for three days. Victoria doesn't like the heat and it gets hilly from this point on, only making it worse.

We take in a little sightseeing...

 

[The Deputy]

Museum at Mile 0 Marker Campground, free if you camp there. Great showers and laundry facilities here.

Hard to believe, one week earlier l was saying goodbye to all of the folks at the garage and transportation dept.



Muesum...













Continued...

 

[El-Dracho]

Awesome trip! Thanks for sharing.

 

[The Deputy]

Continued...

 

[The Deputy]

Google the information on the phone and it takes you to an interesting video on the making of the Alcan hwy.



After three days in Dawsons Creek, British Columbia...finally hit the road again.

First moose photo, look close.


The views...

 

[The Deputy]

British Columbia...

 

[The Deputy]

Hey, a car!

There would be stretches of the Alcan where you would drive for hours and not see another vehicle.



Road construction ahead, along Muncho Lake, road had washed away during heavy storms. Not much of a delay, had one lane mostly repaired.



Muncho Lake, it ran along the roadside for several miles.




Muncho Lake.



Liard River.






You could stop ever fifty feet for a photo.

 

[The Deputy]

Plenty of critters/wildlife along the roadside, seems the freshly cut grass brought them out to feast. So, watch your speed and drive carefully.

Black bear.



Bison.




Liard river again, north of Lower Post, BC.



Roadside lunch...peaceful and serene as the only sound was the rushing river.




More Bison.

 

[The Deputy]

In Watsons Lake, BC...they have a mile post collection of items that travelers leave.









Haines Junction, BC. Really liked this little blip on the map village.

 

[The Deputy]

South of Haines Junction.




Dezadeash river(?), in Haines Junction.

 

[The Deputy]

Heading north out of Haines Junction to US border crossing and Tok, Alaska.




Kluane lake, Destruction Bay, BC.

 

[The Deputy]

Camped at Tok, Alaska. Nice little villiage with an bush pilot airport nextdoor to campground.



Spent two days here. Drove the 'Top of the World' the second day. The drive was so-so, mostly pathed until you got to the villiage of Chicken, then gravel. Heavier than normal traffic, hunting season had begun and locals with trailer wanted to get where they were going much faster than me...made for anxious moments, very narrow road. Ended up turning around south of the border at Jake Wade and headed back to Tok. Coming down the steep grade before Chicken, l could see a caravan of seven motorhomes pulling out of the local store...they drove 25 miles an hour for the next 20 miles. Stopped and made lunch, drank a pot of coffee, smoked a cigar...and still caught them again just before reconnecting with the Alcan.

Enjoyed watching planes come and go.



Little afternoon coffee and sandwich.




Heading to Fairbanks.







Hopefully, the Dalton hwy tomorrow.

 

[The Deputy]

Driving the Dalton hwy to arctic circle. Rained hard all night and was still sprinkling when l left Fairbanks.

The valleys were so vast, running on out of sight for as far as the eye could see.







The Dalton is mostly gravel after you move north out of Fairbanks a few miles. Heavy construction in several places. A local that l was talking to at one of the construction stops, where we waited for well over a half hour, said eventually they plan on paving the entire road to Prudhoe Bay. Which is a shame, it's a road that gives you that "true" Alaska feel, rough, muddy and full of potholes...good stuff!




Crossing the Yukon river.



Lunch at the Yukon river. Ran into another Michigander here, that had recently moved to Alaska. Nice couple, they were heading up to Coldfoot. Me, l was just going to go to the arctic circle and turn around, which l did. If you drive the entire road to Prudhoe Bay, the oil field owns the last portion of the road and you have to pay to enter...and see the Arctic ocean. Growing up in Michigan, with lakes all around you...didn't really care if l saw another body of water...they all kind of look the same...lol.




Making my way to arctic circle.



The Dalton was the highlight of the entire trip.

 

[The Deputy]

Got back to Fairbanks and a car wash was in order. Sitting in a parking lot searching for a car wash and looked up to see a Defender 110 parked next to me. Nice couple from VA driving the Dalton the next day. Kind of wish l would have asked them if l could tag along, would have been cool to drive it again with another Defender.



Back window mud art work.



A laundry mat was in order too. Laundry and cooking are two things l have limited knowledge of, sat out in the parking lot here debating whether to go in or not for well over an hour. Had thought about just burning my dirty clothes and buying new, but after a pot of coffee, cigar and watching other males enter and exit, where none of them ran out crying for their mommie...finally got up the nerve to go inside myself. Luckily, a younglady working there could see that l was very unfamiliar (clueless) with the process...so she walked me through it! She earned a mighty nice tip.



Stayed two days in Fairbanks. Saw this beast at parking lot where l spent the first night. Fred Meyers store. They probably spent as much on fuel driving through the parking lot...as l did driving to Alaska.



The second night, stayed, temporarily, at Walmart. But got booted out by security guard at 11pm. They do not allow camping in their lot, like most Walmarts in the lower 48. They had an issue where homeless folks were setting up encampments and using their free electrical hook-ups long term. I'd read this about Fairbanks before leaving, but forgot. We, about sixteen campers, moved over to the Home Depot lot for the rest of the night.

Heading for Denila tomorrow. Going to find this mountain that everyone talks about.

 

[The Deputy]

Break "camp" early, find a 24hr gas station (which folks, you will look long and hard for these in Canada) and grab a couple coffees and roll...to Denila.

Skies were clearing, was an absolutely beautiful day. Especially, one for finding Denila!





Mr. Moose.



Arrive at Denila National Park.



Still no sighting of the mountain. While inside making arrangements for a camp site, the youngman waiting on me said, "Your site is just around the corner behind this building." I replied, "Oh, was hoping for something near the top of the mountain." He gave a quick look to the girl beside him, as if asking for help, to explain to this guy across the counter...that there are no camp sites "on the top of Denila". He politely told me this was not an option. said, "Boy, that's a shame...the views would probably be outstanding."...lol.

My site...started to get overcast and rain. Thought l may not see this mountain after all.





This seemed to be the weather pattern so far, overcast/rain, beautiful/sunny, rain/overcast, sunny/beautiful, repeat.

Time for dinner, want a full belly and too be well rested...



...for the search begins tomorrow for this mountain they call Denila.

 

[The Deputy]

Got an early start, breaking camp and heading up Park road...to Denila area! Rainy and overcast.



Didn't look very promising.



You don't go to far and you come to a bridge that has a guard shack on the other side. Stop, and the park ranger says that only tour buses are allow past this point and l'd have to turn around and park in the lot on the other side of bridge, and there was a sign just the other side telling folks this, which l saw at the last minute. Looked in my mirror at the ten vehicles behind me and said to the younglady..."Has anyone ever thought of making that sign bigger and maybe moving it 'before' the visitors lot?" She laughed and said..."Everyday".

Had a coffee with this fellow...by the sign just before the bridge.



Saw this cute little guy, but kept the bear spray handy in case he attack (joking).



Someone on another site said this sighting is very rare, he has lived in Alaska 30 years and never seen a Pika.

I'd not had coffee yet, so fired up the coleman and brewed a pot, while l people watched.

After watching other folks exit their vehicles in gear straight out of a LL Bean magazine; back packs, rain gear, fancy water bottles, binoculars, etc...figured l was in the right place to see Denila. Grabbed my gas station coffee cup and flannel coat...and let the journey...begin!

Denila?...nope.



Denila?...nope.



Denila?...nope.



Hiked for a bit and notice folks l'd watch leave...were now...on the other side of the river walking back towards lot. Thought, Denila must be close! Well, after a brief hike of about a mile or so...l too...was back at the parking lot. Without a glimpes of Denila. Two park rangers were standing in the parking lot, so l jokingly asked them...where's this mountain that everyone keeps talking about? She says, "Denila?" "Yeah, that's the one." "Oh, that's seventy miles to the south of here." I replied, "Doesn't that make it a little hard to see?" "Yes, from here at the park." Asked her if anyone had ever thought of maybe putting the park a little closer to the mountain...so folks could maybe see it. She laughed. (The tour buses get closer. But because of an availance a few years back, even they don't get as close as they once did)

Did get quite the compliment while in the lot, another park ranger drove up and he was looking at the Defender...and said..."Well, you win the coolest vehicle at the park this year award."

Before leaving, walked around on the other side of the entrance.

Denila?...nope.



Denila?...nope.



Denila?...nope.



Denila?...oh, l give up.



So, Denila has elluded us again today.

 

[The Deputy]

My cousin from Ontario had texted me about a spot in Talkeetna that has a great southern view of Denila...so, with overcast skies and raindrops falling...we motored south.

Coming into Talkeetna, a little float plane business.




Downtown Talkeetna.



Train depot.



Had to get a burger...



And then it happen...the skies cleared and Denila appeared
over the raging Susitna river.



You are about seventy miles south of Denila here.



So, Mt. McKinley was found! Rain returned that afternoon and through the night.