980 July 9, 2023 Prudhoe Bay

Last night we had rain, then we had wind and rain, then we had wind and then finally, it was quiet.  We slept well.  When we woke up this morning, it seemed as if the river was louder.  It had risen 5 feet overnight.  Fortunately, we were on a nice bank, 20 feet above the water. 

The mosquitoes were crazy again, so Tim got the fire going in an effort to stave them off.

There were itty bitty patches of blue sky as the clouds began to lift.

We saw the sun and we were supremely grateful!

We could see glimpses of the Brooks Range that we hadn’t been able to see at all yesterday.

We were on our way before 6am; up the Icy Cut.

Dan Creek was gushing.

Happy Valley Camp appeared to be deserted so early on this Sunday morning.

Arctic squirrels were scurrying about.

We spotted something in the Tundra far away and on closer inspection, it was a rusted 55-gallon drum.  We have been continuously scanning for wolves and grizzlies and caribou and musk oxen.  These are all animals commonly seen on this highway…but nothing!

We stopped at an exhibit and we learned that birds come here for the summer from China, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, and Africa. 

Arctic dwarf fireweed.

Sagwon Bluffs.

As we appreciate these expansive views, we realize that we are only seeing a tiny snippet of this vast wilderness.

We saw the half moon in the morning sky.

We stopped at Last Chance Waystation.  The Arctic Tundra looked amazing in the play of sun and shadows.

Pump Station #2.

We were now on the last stretch of the Dalton Highway.  It seemed almost otherworldly.  There was no other traffic.  It was so quiet.  The remoteness and the solitude were pervasive.  This is the only road in to Deadhorse and the only road out.

About 10 miles from Prudhoe Bay, we saw antlers.  There was a group of caribou in the field on the roadside.

Franklin Bluffs.

There was ice on the river.

We saw a great dark hump in the grasses near the river.  It was a musk ox.  This was exciting to see.  We had been hoping to see musk ox here!  This was the highlight of Tim’s day!

We saw geese.

We saw pacific loons.

We saw a pair of sandhill cranes.

After 499 miles of looking…the wildlife was all near the town.

We could see the oilfields in the distance.

We saw more caribou.

We arrived at Deadhorse Camp at 9:30am.  The hotel manager was surprised by our early arrival but was nice enough to make an exception and allowed us to check-in.

We took a trip into town to fuel up the Jeep.  We spotted a grizzly bear walking through the industrial site.  He was apparently born here and is 2-3 years old.  When mother grizzlies become pregnant, they leave their older offspring on their own.  This guy has been wandering around the complex.  He hasn’t bothered anyone but he is also not welcome here.  Something will happen to cause a showdown if he doesn’t go on his own.  Unfortunately, he is habituated to humans and people food.

At 3pm, we checked in for our Arctic Ocean Shuttle Tour.  Jack was our tour guide.  He told us a lot about oil production and the pipeline.  We also learned about the wildlife and the environment here in Prudhoe Bay.  We stopped at a security checkpoint where we were met by an escort.  We went to the beach.  Many people in the group chose to dive right into the ocean.  I put my feet in while Tim watched.  The water was so cold but it made me feel alive in a way that is hard to explain.  I am glad we came!

Caribou in the hotel parking lot.

We ate dinner at the Aurora Restaurant.  There was a prime rib and fried shrimp buffet this evening.  The food was good!  We ate with all of the pipeline workers who were coming off of their shift.  It takes a mighty army to get the oil from the earth and down to Valdez.

We met a couple, Debbie and Dennis, who have traveled from Georgia in their Jeep and rooftop tent.  They were on the tour today and then they joined us for dinner.  Once again, it was fun to share the evening with people who are out exploring like we are.

Look where we are…it feels unbelievable to us!

Our adventure is not over yet.  We are only halfway!  Tomorrow, we begin our journey south to Fairbanks.  We will see what tomorrow brings!