Roadtrippin’ 2024: Driving the Dalton Highway
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU) - Pictures and video can only do so much when it comes to seeing the beauty of Alaska’s back country. For some, the reality of the rolling hills, sheer cliffs and snow capped mountains don’t set in until they can be seen with our very eyes. These views and more are all part of the many sights that can be seen traversing along the Dalton Highway.
Constructed in the 1970s as an access road alongside the Alyeska Pipeline, the road has served as an artery from north of Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, and in the years since its completion, the memories some have are as clear as they were when realized.
“A lot of the old timers or even trucker’s kids, their kids are on here and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh I’ve heard stories,’ or ‘I was a little kid riding with my dad,’ you know back in the pipeline days,” said Kristen Thureson, a roadside flagger for construction along the route.
The 414-mile-long highway is the only road allowing travel to and from the Arctic Circle. It’s not a journey for the faint of heart.
“Don’t think ‘Oh we got three hours, let’s go to the Arctic Circle because we have to be back in Anchorage to catch our plane,” Thureson said. “Uh-uh, It doesn’t work that way.”
On a road where some fuel pumps could be hundreds of miles apart, even a simple flat tire could prove hazardous. It’s recommended that travelers on the route are prepared with at least two spare tires and an emergency kit. Drivers are also reminded to be prepared to stop along the way for construction or the many trucks going to and from.
Once the necessities such as an emergency food and first aid kit are loaded, drivers can relax a little more and take in the views. The route features plenty, with a beautiful shot of the Yukon River ready for a photo gallery.
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