The Great Alaska Highway - Alan's Observations

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The ALCAN (Alaska Canadian Highway) is a long, laborious, sometimes tedious, sometimes gravel, always exciting adventure. The road bumps, twists and grinds through British Columbia and the Yukon Territory beginning at Mile Marker 01 (Dawson Creek). Along the way unbelievable vistas jump at one from every new bend in the highway. Massive mountains, sharp peaks, flat expanses, pristine untouched forests, beautiful lakes, roaring rivers and wonderful wild animals. Throughout our trip including British Columbia and Alberta, Canada we have seen animals up close, on the road going about their daily survival. We’ve seen black bear and black bear babies, grizzly bears (one actually stood up and looked at the coach in front of us), stone sheep, long hair goats, Dahl sheep, Elk and elk babies, buffalo and their young and caribou. We have fabulous pictures of most of them and our memories for life of these wonderful wild animals.

We’ve driven on great, long stretches of pavement that seem to stretch out for miles into the horizon without the slightest hint of civilization. Through countless huge forests of trees, through or beside a very large forest fire and on the road goes and goes and goes…… Rarely do we see people or towns, sometimes only an abandoned old fuel station or building. Mile after mile until we get to Whitehorse, YT a town of approximately 25,000 brave souls. There we spend a couple of days to recharge our bodies and repair a few chips on windshields.

We have dinner with a local couple who gives us some additional ‘color’ on their vibrant little town and tell us what lies ahead on the great ALCAN. Up to Whitehorse the road has been tolerable, but very poor in places. Short 1-3 mile sections of the road are nothing more than dirt and gravel, with little else and no apparent repair or construction is imminent. West of Whitehorse, Yt, they tell us the road is mostly good, but with longer stretches of very poor road, perhaps as much as 75 miles of it yet to come.

For several days we average 43-45 mph and not much more. For one extra tedious section around the great Destruction Bay, Yt, the road is not much better than it was 50 years ago I suspect. However; in this area there is major construction around the entire 50 mile long lake to massively improve that section. However it has been going on for years and I suspect several more years will pass until they complete it.

Finally we reach the Alaska border just east of Tok (pronounced Toke), Alaska. We are back home in a manner of speaking and from a road perspective not a moment too soon. All of Alaska lies in front of us and the entire group is very excited to be here. The adventure begins in Valdez.

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Photos

Gorgeous Mountains
Lots of curves, and sometimes no shoulder or guardrail

Rest Area Pullout
Lots of places to take a break and enjoy the scenery

Old Alaska Highway
Current highway on left - old highway on right

Isolated Communities
Long stretches of highway, then a small village appears

Treacherous Curve
Construction, curves, and no guardrails

Looking Down, Down, Down
Don't drive off the road here