Mile 0 Beckons

It was at Whitehorse that we re-joined the Alaska Highway. We had now completed miles 985 to 1279 (Haines Junction to Tok) on the way up and had undertaken miles 1422 from the official finish to 1279 back at Tok. We were now picking it up at mile 895 and heading back to mile 0. For those good at maths then you will have worked out that 100 miles is missing and that is from Whitehorse to Haines Junction which was the only bit we were not going to do. Instead we feel we added extra on but going to the unofficial finish (or rather starting there at Fairbanks which is mile 1483. Anyway, which ever way it is we have driven from mile 1422 at the finish sign back down to the start sign at mile 0.

Lots of the road is very scenic, especially at the top end and travels through lots of different types of country with high mountains and open prairie. 

Great spot for the night

Looks Cold

Even The Canadian Authorities had signs out for our epic trip

Don't Look Behind

Our stops were at mile 777 at Teslin, a motel with a RV site next door. It was ok but never the prettiest place. It was training when we stopped so chose one with a restaurant. The next day was a much better days drive with more lakes and sunshine. This time we stopped at Muncho Lake, mile 436 and pitched up on as camp with no services but it was beautiful. Lots of trees and forests, big mountains and beside the lake. We much preferred these when we could but sometimes had to stop where we could get electricity to charge the various batteries. Just before the lake we came across 2 herds of bison beside the roadway, which was interesting to say the least as they have right of way whoever is coming.

Roadway Hazards

After Muncho Lake it was on through Fort Nelson and onto our final stop on the Alaska Highway with a night at mile 140 and a place called Pink Mountain. Sounds idyllic but sadly it was just a truckers stop with 3 campsites, each attached to a separate Motel and all full of truckers plus oil and gas engineers from the local industry. This was the worst place we felt we had stayed at but it was only a night and we had our own bedroom with us so it was OK,

The next morning we were pleased that this part of the trip was almost over, the road seemed to be getting worse with heavy traffic and the scenery no where near as majestic but open prairie. With one diversion of the main highway onto an original section for a few miles to visit and drive one of the few original 1942 wooden trestle bridges crossing a river valley that still exist and the only one that can be still driven across. 

Original Bridge from 1940

After a short stop it was onto Dawson Creek for the obligatory photos at the start markers (finish for us) of the Alaska Highway.

We Made It

Milepost 0

 We had certainly made it quicker than we thought partly through not stopping so often as we had seen very little in the way of wildlife as we drove down. We were lucky to see the bison but even luckier for me to catch out of the corner of my eye, as we were heading south at 60 mph, a Timber Wolf in the grass. I just hit the brakes making sure nothing was behind me and spun round in the road to drive back. It was still there and really nervous when we stopped so we had to drive down the road and wait. Sure enough it crossed the road and I managed to get a few pictures. This was the only animal of a large group of mammals I had not seen that I wanted to.

Timber Wolf, very shy

Still Wary

At Dawson Junction we decided that instead of going back via Edmonton, which was what we planned, we would take a fast run (well as fast as we could) over the mountains and back to Jasper for a few days as we didn’t get to see a lot when we came through a month ago. This was done with another great stop in the forest by a river at a place called Grande Cache. We stayed out of the town again with no services at all for a really peaceful night around a fire and no one else around.

Now in Jasper, a resort town in the Canadian Rockies, with high mountains and lots of walks and wildlife. So far we have driven over 5000 miles on the trip and are looking to spending a couple of days walking in the mountains and searching out a few of Jasper’s restaurants before heading of down the Icefield Parkway again to Banff then the short run back to Calgary on Tuesday Morning.