Enthusiast I
I recently went on my first Expedition as an Overlander and my first trip somewhat worthy of the title Overland Expedition here in Alaska. I'm currently based out of Fairbanks, Alaska for my job and I have been trying to get out and explore the amazing territory and gorgeous views that this state has to offer. I have been to the Denali National Park before, a gorgoues park with so much to explore and see of which I've only scratched the surface, but I felt the need for adventure and new territory. I turned to the internet to find my next spot that fit with in my time frame avaible with the off days of my work. During my research I found that as kind as most people who call themselves Alaskan or are natively Alaskan are they are very private about where they enjoy going on their outdoor trips. Not much is posted online, they keep all the hidden away places some what secret, until you get a couple of drinks into them. Through bars and friends I had my interest peaked more and more by Alaska Highway 8, better known as the Denali Highway North of highway 1.
Denali Highway joins Highway 4, which goes between Valdez and Delta Junction, to Highway 2 which stretches from Anchorage to Fairbanks. It is a gravel road full of opportunity and adventure, just the place for an overlanding expedition to see what I can and mark more for future expeditions. Looking at the area and the highway online once again there is little to go on, lots of references to thing in the area but no specific locations or spots. Using a good old fashion atlas and aerial photography of the area I was able to locate more than a few hunting trails, 4x4 trails, old mine roads and current mine roads. With a lot more info to go on now I decided that this would be the start to a great adventure that could lead to more in the future.
In talking to more experienced locals I was able to determine that late may would be a good time to go, with the spring thaw in full swing and a planned 4 day released from my adulting responsibilities. From what I was told there would be abundant trails and options for me to explore at this time, the major limiting factor would be my rig. I currently have a 05 Tacoma TRD off-road with minimal overlanding equipment, mods, and a shovel with wood for recovery. the major concern was getting into terrain that I would not be able to get out of. I had a CB radio to have some sort of distance communication but cell phones are not an option in the area. still with the limitations there was room for fun.
The plan was finally set, a 3/4 day trip down from Fairbanks to Paxson, the start of the Denali Highway, across the highway to Cantwell then up to Denali National Park. The first day would be used to head down to the Highway and check out a couple trails I had heard of and camp along the highway. the second day would be used to explore down the highway, fish and explored more off the highway with camping at Denali or along the highway. the 3rd and 4th days would be spent at Denali National Park exploring and possibly attempting the infamous Stampede trail. If you are not familiar with the Stampede trail, it is a old mining road that was popularized by the people who want to get out to the bus Christopher McCandles died at which was depicted by the popular movie and book Into the Wild. A plan with lots of room and flex for wandering and enjoying what was possible, I had also added 2 passengers to roster to enjoy the sights with me.
First day of the trip was full of adventure. made it all the way down to Paxson easily enough taking in gorgeous views of the Alaska mountians and the Tanana valley. Once on the south side of the Alaska range, in Paxson we hit the start of the really adventure, the Denali highway. there is no sign to mark the beginning of the highway just a mile marker to the town on the other side, Cantwell. We also hit our first realization about the trip and the information that I had gathered, there is no gas as I was led to believe in Paxson. The nearest fuel that we knew of was back up in Delta Junction, or down in glennallen. this definitely put a damper on the adventure we could take off the main highway and feel safe about having the fuel to get back to the highway and then get to Cantwell to fill up. We decided that we would continue on the highway just no side adventures sadly only taking notes. I filled up the tank with the extra 4 I had in my rotopax and we started our journey.
The conditions of the area around the highway at the start were nothing like they were described to me, the snow was still everywhere. It was gorgoues and beautiful as described but at the higher elevation the spring melt had not taken complete hold. The snow was deep and pretty much packed slush. The diameter and width of my tires were going to be a limiting factor trying to deviate off the highway at all, thankfully the main road was clear but full of pot holes and divets because seasonal maintence had not been preformed yet. Throughout the rest of the run on the gravel my suspension was tested thoroughly. Travelling at a good speed down the path became a something akin to a washboard. There were spots I thought I may have caused permanent damage to the rig but alas made it through whole minus an mount bracket for my trailer harness.
The Denali highway provides gorgeous views of the south side of the Alaskan Range. Passing by hunting camps and seasonal lodges as well, the area is host to many opportunities and activities. When the hunting season for the larger game in the area open it becomes a popular destination. Some of these camps and lodges also provide a service when open that when journeying in the area is nesecary, fuel. We stopped at a a charming well kept Lodge on the Maclaren River which is fed by the Maclaren Glacier all with in view of this lodge. We fueled up at the lodge at price with a premium due to the remoteness of the station, the adventuring had been saved. We spotted a 4x4 hunting trail just a couple of miles back on the road and decided we would go attempt it even with the snow.
We reached the trail head, and measured up out first obstical, the snow. A smaller amount, the worry wasn't clearance it was getting stuck in the stuck packed slush. the conversation was short with my passengers, I just pushed right in through with zero issue. next came a water crossing my first in this vehicle and zero sense of the depth and the bigger issue if it was a pond with a glacial silt bottom which just let's your tires sink right to the bottom. Hugging the tight side we pushed through and continues past what would become our campsite for the night. Farther up the trail we encountered more snow this time a top muskag and dead grass. We handled the terrain with relative ease and pushed up the trail. We came up to a more rutted out portion of the trail from the prior season with a small run off coming down the right side. I planted my left side on the more solid left side and my right on the rocks near the run off. As I started to push forward everything held solid till about a 1/2 of the way through when my right side slid into the the run off and down into the nasty glacial silt under. The Passanger side sank deep into run the off up to the lower seal of the door. My buddy in the seat started to get tense and uncomfortable with the angle of the truck and his inability to get out his door, this would truamatize him for tye rest of the trip. We settled at a pretty extreme angle but had some good buffer room til I believes we would fully tip, but it definitely was not comfortable.
We had seen other vehicles in the area capable of pulling off a recovery if nesecary but we decided on a self recovery, if you can't get yourself out of a situation you have no business putting your self in one. We spent a good hour to hour and a half digging out the driver side to level the truck out some and gain more traction. Finally we gained enough traction to get the truck to move forward and get the left side up on a stable rock, we were out. at this point it was noted the trail ahead could be in the same condition with the glacial silt and snow covering it.
The day was drawing to a close and we were hungry, eager to set up camp. The decision was made to spin around and set up at a spot we passed right next to the pond we went through.We set up camp as we arrived and proceeded to cook good food and pull the beer out. A good day w4apped up with good friends and great experince gained, along with majestic veiws you could get no where else but the land of the Midnight Sun.
If you guys are interested I would be happy to share the next two days of the journey if there is interest. I can also just go over my experince at the stampede trail as well. Thank you for reading though. no real order to the pics sorry all from first day though.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using OB Talk mobile app
Denali Highway joins Highway 4, which goes between Valdez and Delta Junction, to Highway 2 which stretches from Anchorage to Fairbanks. It is a gravel road full of opportunity and adventure, just the place for an overlanding expedition to see what I can and mark more for future expeditions. Looking at the area and the highway online once again there is little to go on, lots of references to thing in the area but no specific locations or spots. Using a good old fashion atlas and aerial photography of the area I was able to locate more than a few hunting trails, 4x4 trails, old mine roads and current mine roads. With a lot more info to go on now I decided that this would be the start to a great adventure that could lead to more in the future.
In talking to more experienced locals I was able to determine that late may would be a good time to go, with the spring thaw in full swing and a planned 4 day released from my adulting responsibilities. From what I was told there would be abundant trails and options for me to explore at this time, the major limiting factor would be my rig. I currently have a 05 Tacoma TRD off-road with minimal overlanding equipment, mods, and a shovel with wood for recovery. the major concern was getting into terrain that I would not be able to get out of. I had a CB radio to have some sort of distance communication but cell phones are not an option in the area. still with the limitations there was room for fun.
The plan was finally set, a 3/4 day trip down from Fairbanks to Paxson, the start of the Denali Highway, across the highway to Cantwell then up to Denali National Park. The first day would be used to head down to the Highway and check out a couple trails I had heard of and camp along the highway. the second day would be used to explore down the highway, fish and explored more off the highway with camping at Denali or along the highway. the 3rd and 4th days would be spent at Denali National Park exploring and possibly attempting the infamous Stampede trail. If you are not familiar with the Stampede trail, it is a old mining road that was popularized by the people who want to get out to the bus Christopher McCandles died at which was depicted by the popular movie and book Into the Wild. A plan with lots of room and flex for wandering and enjoying what was possible, I had also added 2 passengers to roster to enjoy the sights with me.
First day of the trip was full of adventure. made it all the way down to Paxson easily enough taking in gorgeous views of the Alaska mountians and the Tanana valley. Once on the south side of the Alaska range, in Paxson we hit the start of the really adventure, the Denali highway. there is no sign to mark the beginning of the highway just a mile marker to the town on the other side, Cantwell. We also hit our first realization about the trip and the information that I had gathered, there is no gas as I was led to believe in Paxson. The nearest fuel that we knew of was back up in Delta Junction, or down in glennallen. this definitely put a damper on the adventure we could take off the main highway and feel safe about having the fuel to get back to the highway and then get to Cantwell to fill up. We decided that we would continue on the highway just no side adventures sadly only taking notes. I filled up the tank with the extra 4 I had in my rotopax and we started our journey.
The conditions of the area around the highway at the start were nothing like they were described to me, the snow was still everywhere. It was gorgoues and beautiful as described but at the higher elevation the spring melt had not taken complete hold. The snow was deep and pretty much packed slush. The diameter and width of my tires were going to be a limiting factor trying to deviate off the highway at all, thankfully the main road was clear but full of pot holes and divets because seasonal maintence had not been preformed yet. Throughout the rest of the run on the gravel my suspension was tested thoroughly. Travelling at a good speed down the path became a something akin to a washboard. There were spots I thought I may have caused permanent damage to the rig but alas made it through whole minus an mount bracket for my trailer harness.
The Denali highway provides gorgeous views of the south side of the Alaskan Range. Passing by hunting camps and seasonal lodges as well, the area is host to many opportunities and activities. When the hunting season for the larger game in the area open it becomes a popular destination. Some of these camps and lodges also provide a service when open that when journeying in the area is nesecary, fuel. We stopped at a a charming well kept Lodge on the Maclaren River which is fed by the Maclaren Glacier all with in view of this lodge. We fueled up at the lodge at price with a premium due to the remoteness of the station, the adventuring had been saved. We spotted a 4x4 hunting trail just a couple of miles back on the road and decided we would go attempt it even with the snow.
We reached the trail head, and measured up out first obstical, the snow. A smaller amount, the worry wasn't clearance it was getting stuck in the stuck packed slush. the conversation was short with my passengers, I just pushed right in through with zero issue. next came a water crossing my first in this vehicle and zero sense of the depth and the bigger issue if it was a pond with a glacial silt bottom which just let's your tires sink right to the bottom. Hugging the tight side we pushed through and continues past what would become our campsite for the night. Farther up the trail we encountered more snow this time a top muskag and dead grass. We handled the terrain with relative ease and pushed up the trail. We came up to a more rutted out portion of the trail from the prior season with a small run off coming down the right side. I planted my left side on the more solid left side and my right on the rocks near the run off. As I started to push forward everything held solid till about a 1/2 of the way through when my right side slid into the the run off and down into the nasty glacial silt under. The Passanger side sank deep into run the off up to the lower seal of the door. My buddy in the seat started to get tense and uncomfortable with the angle of the truck and his inability to get out his door, this would truamatize him for tye rest of the trip. We settled at a pretty extreme angle but had some good buffer room til I believes we would fully tip, but it definitely was not comfortable.
We had seen other vehicles in the area capable of pulling off a recovery if nesecary but we decided on a self recovery, if you can't get yourself out of a situation you have no business putting your self in one. We spent a good hour to hour and a half digging out the driver side to level the truck out some and gain more traction. Finally we gained enough traction to get the truck to move forward and get the left side up on a stable rock, we were out. at this point it was noted the trail ahead could be in the same condition with the glacial silt and snow covering it.
The day was drawing to a close and we were hungry, eager to set up camp. The decision was made to spin around and set up at a spot we passed right next to the pond we went through.We set up camp as we arrived and proceeded to cook good food and pull the beer out. A good day w4apped up with good friends and great experince gained, along with majestic veiws you could get no where else but the land of the Midnight Sun.
If you guys are interested I would be happy to share the next two days of the journey if there is interest. I can also just go over my experince at the stampede trail as well. Thank you for reading though. no real order to the pics sorry all from first day though.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using OB Talk mobile app
