Winter on the Alaska Hwy
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:27 pm
While you folks are sweltering in the summer temps, we are on a slightly different track in this part of the world.
My wife has taken a 4 month internship in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, as part of her Masters degree, so on December 28 we left south Vancouver Island and I drove her the (approx) 2600 km's up to Whitehorse. December 30 (day 3) found us leaving Ft Nelson in -23C and blowing snow for the ~1000km final leg to Whitehorse. Quite a few critters encountered on the way up, especially between Muncho Lake and Watson Lake. Hel had never seen a bison before but now she understands why I didn't want to drive that section at night- these "northern speed bumps" like to congregate on the hwy. A mature bull bison will run 1000 kg or better. On Jan 6th I reluctantly abandoned her in the far north and flew home to look after things down south- fortunately flights aren't too hideously expensive so I will be heading back there when I can.
About half the trip was on the "Alaska Highway", which starts in northern BC and goes (oddly enough) to Alaska. The weather didn't get really ugly until a few hundred km's before we got joined the hwy.
A few pics from the trip:
RC
My wife has taken a 4 month internship in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, as part of her Masters degree, so on December 28 we left south Vancouver Island and I drove her the (approx) 2600 km's up to Whitehorse. December 30 (day 3) found us leaving Ft Nelson in -23C and blowing snow for the ~1000km final leg to Whitehorse. Quite a few critters encountered on the way up, especially between Muncho Lake and Watson Lake. Hel had never seen a bison before but now she understands why I didn't want to drive that section at night- these "northern speed bumps" like to congregate on the hwy. A mature bull bison will run 1000 kg or better. On Jan 6th I reluctantly abandoned her in the far north and flew home to look after things down south- fortunately flights aren't too hideously expensive so I will be heading back there when I can.
About half the trip was on the "Alaska Highway", which starts in northern BC and goes (oddly enough) to Alaska. The weather didn't get really ugly until a few hundred km's before we got joined the hwy.
A few pics from the trip:
RC