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My first time up was in 2002. Lots of gravel and washboard. Did it again in 2015. Mostly paved. Fast and smooth. Totally different experience. Stayed in Deadhorse for two days with a pilot friend and got to explore a bit. Later that year it flooded/washed out about 30 miles north of the Brooks Range. Fuel in Deadhorse jumped to $10/gallon and rumor has it that storm destroyed a lot of the good parts of the northern stretch of the road. My friend took a new gig recently so my connection to current conditions is gone.
I live up here in AK and we are heading to Coldfoot next week as my sister in law has a bucket list of visiting every national park and that will get her gates of the arctic. I’ll update all per the conditions end of next week when I’m back in civilization.I am heading out from Toronto to Tuk and the Dempster Highway in 3 weeks in a stock LX with KO2s and extra fuel. Will let you know how it goes
It’s paved to just past the brooks range. But again that is Alaska paved which is probably on line with some of the worst roads anywhere in the lower 48. Bumpy and big pot holes but you will only be going 35-45 mph Max on the paved and <35 mph on the gravel/dirt and sometimes 20-25 mph. The brooks range is just over half way from Fairbanks to dead horse. So ~350 miles north of Fairbanks. Where Fairbanks to dead horse is ~500 miles each way. I’ve never been much past the brooks (where i sheep hunt with kids). Keep in mind Its a 14-16 hour drive (drive time not counting stops) from Fairbanks to dead horse each way.
If the wife bails on the trip I will probably head to Tuk from Chicago. Time frame is same. I’ll have to pm you when I know.I am heading out from Toronto to Tuk and the Dempster Highway in 3 weeks in a stock LX with KO2s and extra fuel. Will let you know how it goes
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It’s wide open for the most part. But only pull out in areas that look stable and established, and not to close to water. There aren’t that many 18 wheelers. Sometimes only 1 every few hours. That time of year most likely will be way more tour busses and RVs at least up to the arctic circle sign. That time of year I would bring mosquito nets for sure and if you don’t need them great. Also no joke, weather there could be in the 20’s and snow or 90 and hot and everything in between. I would bring layers and plan on anything. Most likely 40’s-50’s. Also if you are camping get a nice “sleep eye mask” because it won’t get dark ever. It’s an amazing place, like very few places in the world. Just the vast nothingness is awesome.
Fly them on Alaska airlines, The smaller ones can be sketchy...
What @Markuson said. Very little in Dead Horse other than the bus ride and coldfoot camp, it’s the trip that’s amazing. If I were you from fairbanks I’d after you pick them up I’d spend a night at Chena hot springs, just outside fairbanks, really neat place, visit the ice museaum, get in the hot springs. Then next day drive to Cold Foot and spend the night then to dead horse. Then 1 or 2 nights max in Dead Horse and head back to fairbanks. If you have extra time (it would add about a day) When you head out of AK consider driving down past the Denali park entrance then across the Parks highway then to Gokana past st Elias park back up to Tok where you would hit RT 2 then the Alcan out. I would do that loop over looping over the Taylor.
