The Alaska Highway

It was not at all what we expected! It is an incredible drive with beautiful views, nice curves, bridges, steep 6%+ grade hills, wildlife, and interesting trees and flowers. In many spots it looks like the back roads at home with a lot less civilization. While Jim had done it in 1998 on his 3 month Alaskan Adventure, it rained for most of that trip. We have had spots of showers, but mostly sun and patchy clouds so we could see and enjoy the views. The road itself is so interesting- it was built in record speed in the 1940's and starts in Dawson's Creek. It was part of the war effort to get supplies to Alaska and Russia. We wondered why it started half way into Canada and found out that it's because there was already a road that far. Beyond that point there were a series of airfields that could be used, but no road. They built it extremely curvy so it could not be a easily bombed by the Japanese (this was right after Pearl Harbor). Since the 1950's they have been straightening the road to make it easier to travel. In some places that means it is very straight, but in other spots there is no option but to go around the mountains and lakes and over the passes.

Sadly- there are many places along the road that feel like the old Route 66. In its heyday there were road houses periodically where you could get gas, a snack (lots of them made fresh baked treats), and camp or possibly rent a room. Many of those are abandoned. As the owners get older no one wants to take them over and as vehicles get more efficient they need less gas stops. More than half of the ones we passed are no longer in business!

The road conditions are a whole other conversation. It is an overwhelming task to maintain. The girls have learned first hand what "frost heaves" are and how they make for a roller coaster of a trip. The Alaskan part of the road is in much better shape than the part in Yukon, but neither are what we are used to for a highway. There are so many spots of damage that they place orange flags by the side of the road to warn drivers about the frost heaves and gravel stretches. As a result, the road is constantly under construction. It's not unusual to be stopped for 15+ minutes while waiting for a pilot car or our turn in the one way traffic. These are perfect opportunities to grab a snack and enjoy the view. Driving it in the Expedition has been fun, though slow at times. (You don't really get anywhere fast on the Alaska highway- you make good time only to get to a super rough spot or a construction delay.) We can't imagine doing it in a huge camper or towing something. It would be a roller coaster for sure!