Alaska, Part 1: The Dalton Highway (Fairbanks to Deadhorse and back)
I just got back from Deadhorse, Alaska. It's a town built on the Arctic Ocean for the oil companies looking to drill in that area. The town is entirely utilitarian: no frills, few luxuries, and lots of men in Carharts. The attention the oil companies pay to the environment is phenomenal, as well.
It's also the farthest north settlement in the US. As such, it was a mite chilly (about 50 degrees) on the first day of August.
Along the trip, we saw a few moose, a couple caribou, hella ravens, hella ground squirrels, a couple bears, some wild sheep, and a wolf. Also, the scenery is absolutely gorgeous. Observing the rock formations on this trip is like watching a slice of prehistory unfold; you can see examples of most stages of Alaska's geologic past without using a shovel. Or ever leaving the roadway.
I have some pictures, but they just won't do it all justice. (I hope the wolf shots turn out!)
It's also the farthest north settlement in the US. As such, it was a mite chilly (about 50 degrees) on the first day of August.
Along the trip, we saw a few moose, a couple caribou, hella ravens, hella ground squirrels, a couple bears, some wild sheep, and a wolf. Also, the scenery is absolutely gorgeous. Observing the rock formations on this trip is like watching a slice of prehistory unfold; you can see examples of most stages of Alaska's geologic past without using a shovel. Or ever leaving the roadway.
I have some pictures, but they just won't do it all justice. (I hope the wolf shots turn out!)