Note:
This is my final post on our drive from Indiana to Alaska. I will be continuing to post on this blog regarding our time in Alaska and our adventures afterward. If you would like to read about the drive from the beginning, please click here to go to the beginning of the blog, and proceed by clicking "newer post" on the bottom left. You can also use the blog navigation tool on the right.
From Fort Nelson we drove along the Alaska Highway through the Canadian Rockies, west toward Yukon Territory. I have never driven through more beautiful scenery. We drove around frozen lakes, winding mountain roads, and occasionally, around stone sheep and caribou. In one day we saw caribou, stone sheep, wood bison, moose, black bear, and even a fox! We stopped at our one and only planned touring site: Liard Hot Springs. We did not regret it.
We stopped for the night in Teslin Village, despite hopes of making it to Whitehorse, capitol of the Yukon Territory. We had thoughts of attempting to make it to Talkeetna on day seven, but quickly realized that we would be better served by taking two days. Therefore we crossed into the states on day seven, making it to Tok, Alaska before stopping. From Tok, we drove south to Palmer, and finally found ourselves on the Parks Highway, heading north to Talkeetna.
The following images are a jumble of British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Alaska. They are in order at the beginning, but fall out of order at the end.
 |
| A bridge with metal grating. It feels very funny to drive over one, especially when wet or icy. |
 |
| Highest point on the Alaska Highway: 4,250 feet. And the weather was just great, as you can see. There were very few trucks on the road that morning, and that made all the difference in driving down those long steep curves in the snow. |
 |
| All of the snow was on the other side of the mountain. Once we were over Summit Pass, we did not see snow on the road again. |
 | ||
 |
| Beautiful fog |
 |
| We startled a young caribou--it jumped a little like a cat. |
 |
| In Teslin Village. Nice clean rooms. At 8 pm, the grill had been shut off, but the fryer was still on. Fish and chips it is. That was the night I started pining for chilies and fresh vegetables. |
 |
 |
 |
| Looking a little saggy in the back, but the car held up. The road conditions in the Yukon were rougher on the brakes and suspension than the mountain driving. Lots of frost heave, and patches of road in various states of repair. |
 |
| Can't recommend it highly enough, especially for compact cars. |
 |
| You start to fear these signs. We were spoiled by excellent highway conditions in British Columbia. All in all though, I am in awe of the condition in which the Alaska Highway is kept. It is a massive road to maintain. |
 |
| If only it had been open... |
:)
 |
| Hello Spur Road! |
