The Alaska Highway part 2 of... probably 2
We're presently in Tok, Alaska after a rough 290 miles from Haines Junction on the Alaska Highway. The nasty AH that travelers hear about from the time they start planning their trip reared it's ugly head today. This section is built across tundra and permafrost that develops huge ruts and frost heaves every year. They say there's two seasons on this section, winter and construction.
This is a pic of the old and the new highway with the new one cut into the mountain face along Kluane Lake and the old one snaking it's way around the mountain about half way up. We hiked part of the old road to Soldiers Summit where the northern and southern sections of the AH met and the road was opened for business. I wouldn't want to drive my "Off Road 4WD" truck over that road!
After the nice section around Kluane Lake we started to hit some of the "redone" gravel sections. This was not bad compared to the next 80 miles of rutted roller coaster. I felt like I was in a small boat in a hurricane. Top speed, about 50 kph (oops, 30 mph).
...and then... the dreaded, red light... in the middle of nowhere.
We waited 10-15 minutes for the pilot car to lead 10 of us through the 13 km construction zone. They were laying down a subsurface material of crushed rock and gravel and then wetting it to keep down dust. This just created, yes, mud! Mud that ended up covering everything. Every business in Tok has an RV wash that must make a
fortune!
If you look closely, above the pilot car, you'll see a motorhome broken down in the middle of the construction zone. The nearest help is at least 80 miles away. Yikes!
80 miles later, Alaska, USA!
Finally, the bridge into Tok, AK
I had to edit this post to add a pic of this message on a hill on the AH.
Mom, this is for you!
We made it through mud covered but with none of the damage other travelers have experienced.
I put this up before posts of some of the places we visited along the Alaska Highway but we'll catch up eventually.
That's all for now but, stay tuned, there's more to come!
Yikes! When I was hiking the CANOL Trail from Norman Wells, NW Territories, we learned a lot about permafrost etc. In town during summer, one would regularly hear the sound of a telephone pole just tumbling over. Glad you got through it relatively unscathed. Hope your teeth are still intact.
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