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AdventurouSpirits
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Countries We Have Visited
  • Planning Resources
    • Vehicle Choices
    • Route Planning and Navigation
    • Keep Healthy & Fit
    • Budgets and Finances
    • Our Best Travel Tips
  • Presentations
  • Video
  • Contact

Alaska 2010

September 10, 2017 Leave a comment Written by Janet Wilson

After a long and scenic drive through the northern Yukon we finally made it to the Alaska border. This was an exciting moment for us since Alaska was always on out bucket list.

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We stand on guard for thee

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We were warned about the weather.

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Weather forecast

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Lying on the outskirts of Fairbanks is the borough of The North Pole. It is a where Christmas happens all year round. Janet decided that this Polar Bear was a friendly one.

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Santa's Workshop at the North Pole

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Fairbanks is a picturesque city which boasts some unusual architecture.

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Impressive arch

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Even direct to Rio is a helluva long way.

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Fairbanks to Rio direct.

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The museum in Fairbanks is incredible.

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Museum of the North in Fairbanks

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Alaska was a great deal for the USA.

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History on display

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Aren’t these incredible?

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Beautiful Inuit stone sculptures

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We needed some repairs made to our vehicle, an accommodating roadside crew was happy to help out. Living way up north in an hostile land teaches everyone the value of lending a hand.

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Helpful roadside crew

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Alaska’s economy is dependent on the oil exported from the North Slope via the Alaskan pipeline. Having worked in the oil industry I had heard much about this engineering marvel and was excited about seeing it first hand. Unlike other pipelines this one is not buried since it is carrying hot oil which would severely damage the permafrost. Therefore it is raised about 8 feet off the ground and has heat dispersing vanes to cool the oil as it travels.

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Alaska Pipeline

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The last time we crossed the Arctic Circle together was in Norway in 1974.

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Another Milestone

The road to Prudhoe Bay and the Alaska Pipeline stretch on into the distant horizon.

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The Arctic goes on for ever.

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The Dalton Highway was built in 1974 specifically to support the pipeline it was only opened to the public in 1981. It is considered one of the toughest roads in the world to drive and it is recommended that you include ‘survival gear’ in you travel kit.

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The Dalton Highway follows the Alaska Pipeline

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The impressive Brooks Range is passable via  Atigun Pass, a  remote and scenic road which requires your full attention.

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We approach the Brooks Range

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Our camper is now initiated with Dalton Highway grit , a great honour!

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The effect of the Dalton Highway.

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After two long days since leaving Fairbanks we make it to Deadhorse, the most northerly drivable hamlet on the North American continent

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Prudhoe Bay

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Camping facilities are sparse but adequate in the far north

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Campsite at the Caribou Lodge

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Exiting the lodge there is a reminder to be always vigilant.

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Not to be taken lightly

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If you want to see the oil operations you have to take a tour, which is very informative.  I highly recommend it.

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Pumping oil wells

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Local wildlife wander unconcerned among the oil facilities.

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Caribou wander among the oil installations

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The tour terminated at the Arctic Ocean. This is where our Alaska to Argentina journey really begins. We pick up a pebble from the beach which we will leave in Ushuaia Argentina, our destination some 60000kms of travel ahead.

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On the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Finally

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There is 24 hour daylight this far north.

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24hr daylight

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This Moose knows that we intend it no harm.

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Completely unconcerned with our presence.

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The Dalton Highway

We head south for Anchorage, on route we stop at the Denali Nature Reserve to see Mt. Denali. However North America’s highest peak is hidden behind the clouds which apparently is quite common. We do see some of the famous Alaskan recluses en route and how they live.

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Cool

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In the vicinity of Anchorage we manage to see some of Alaska’s iconic wildlife.

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Moose calmly observing the scenery.

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Alaska, hedgehog has fur rather than quills

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Big Boy

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A bison doing what bison do.

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Anchorage has a beautiful setting and long summer days.  We spend three days in this city with new found friends, who we met while travelling along the Dalton Highway.

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Anchorage

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Next stop is The port of Valdez, which lies on the shores of Prince William Sound , stunningly  beautiful, now infamous due to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. We drive over the Thompson Pass to reach the city of Valdez. Where we meet a fellow overlander (Shaun travelling on a motorbike) who we get to know by travelling together for a few days.

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Alaskan glaciers

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Thompson Pass

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The best part of travelling is meeting fellow travellers

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The best way to explore Prince William Sound is by taking a boat tour.

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Setting out to explore Prince William Sound.

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Seagulls drift behind, hoping for scraps.

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Our destination is the Mears Glacier. On the way we get to see the abundant sea-life in Prince William Sound. It is an incredible nutrient rich life-giving natural eco-system.

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Well fed and happy sea lions

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A passing whale greets us.

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You just gotta love these guys..sea otters.

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Seals catching a ride on an iceberg.

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Increasing density of ice floes indicate that we are approaching the calving Mears glacier.

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Stunning.

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The amazing Mears Glacier

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Embracing our inner tourist.

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Even the salmon fisherman are having a bumper year.

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Prince William Sound provides a good living for the hardworking fisherman.

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The port of Valdez is also the export terminal for Alaskan crude coming from Prudhoe Bay via the Alaska pipeline. I took the opportunity of visiting Prince William Sound  to try to understand in depth, what went wrong when the Exxon Valdez spilled its load of crude into this pristine inlet. It’s a sad tale of carelessness, bureaucracy, finger pointing, avoiding blame and denial. Hopefully it will never happen again.

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Alaskan crude has been a fixture here for a long time.

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Stunning Prince William Sound

Before leaving Alaska we headed for Skagway which  became world famous during the Klondike gold rush. It is now a popular cruise destination and tourists of every shape, size and ethnicity overwhelm this tiny village each summer. To reach Skagway we had to catch a ferry from the port of  Haines where we lucky enough to see a grizzly and her cubs close up but at a safe distance.

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Lucky encounter

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We watched them for hours.

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Alaskan adventure

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The Haines-Skagway ferry.

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Historic and tourist focussed Skagway

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Local brew

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Alaska is as beautiful, no maybe even more beautiful than the postcards. A definite must.

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Beyond words.

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Uncategorised
Botswana
Alaska to Argentina; the beginning.

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