More Dalton Highway
The Dalton Highway slices through the Brooks Range and provides a window of opprotunity to sportsmen, tourists (including Alaskans who haven't been there) and photo buffs.
Since the development of oil exploration and building of the trans-Alaska pipeline environmental groups have been screaming about the detrimental effects of such development on caribou populations. However, Caribou continue to thrive even right around the coastal drilling sights. In fact, the animals ALWAYS have the right of way on the road, no matter how long it takes them to get out of the way!!
Once out of the Brooks range, the Dalton heads north on the Coastal Plain. This area is rich in oil and has an extensive fossil record, including large dinosaurs that are known to have thrived in much warmer climates than exist on the slope today!
Along with caribou, foxes are a common sight on the slope. Here an Arctic fox in its brown summer coat rests by the road. In winter the Arctic fox is all white.
At journey's end. The Dalton's goal all along was access to the drilling operations. Here some of my family poses with some equipment.
To gather more information on the Dalton Highway, consult the outstanding BLM web site. Please get several opinions of your driving and vehicle capabilities before driving this road. To the truck traffic on the road, time is money...you are a liability. Don't make it your last adventure!
More Alaska Photos
