(2018 Alaska Ep 23)
We are on the final leg of our journey to Alaska – it has taken us nine weeks and close to 8000 miles!
Anyone making the drive from points south or east to Alaska will likely drive some or all of the Alaska (Alcan) Highway. From Dawson Creek, British Columbia it extends nearly 1500 miles to Fairbanks, Alaska. The Alaska Highway is renowned as one of the most scenic drives in the world, and although we are not even halfway finished with the drive, it certainly rates up there with the Blue Ridge Parkway in the eastern US.
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the capture of several Aleutian Islands in early 1942, the highway was deemed a military necessity as a supply road to defend North America against the Japanese. The construction of the highway began officially on March 8, 1942 and it was completed eight months later on October 25, 1942. It’s been said the engineering accomplishment building the highway is second to that of building the Panama Canal!
Today’s highway bears little resemblance to the original, with the exception of the incredible scenery. It is a scenic route that is completely paved and open year round.
We began on June 14 from Dawson Creek (RabbiTRAILS Alaska Map, pt #29). The first day took us 285 miles north though gentle mountains and valleys to Fort Nelson (map pt #30). To the west we caught view of majestic mountain ranges that we would soon pass through.
Critter Count Day 1 (Dawson Creek to Fort Nelson)
We’re keeping tabs on the animals we see during our drive. The first day started slowly:
- white tailed deer – 2
Take the LONG Road... 