United States, Alaska – Expedition to the Arctic Ocean on the Dalton Highway

Expedition on the Dalton Highway, 666 kilometers of rough track, crossing the Arctic Circle, and a dip in the Arctic Ocean. But most importantly, the northernmost point of the Pan-American Highway. At this point, the journey comes full circle, doesn't it? We're taking you one last time to the farthest north of the American continent.

Sunday, August 11^th, 2024

On the Canadian side, there's the Dempster Highway. Remember? 800 kilometers of rough track through the Yukon, then the Northwest Territories, all the way to the small village of Tuktoyaktuk, on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. We traveled the Dempster Highway in July 2022, during our first trip to the Far North. The Arctic Circle, the midnight sun, a vast and hostile wilderness like we had never seen before, and a road that seemed endless. Our expedition on the Dempster remains an unforgettable memory, at a time when we had just begun our journey and had so much yet to discover. And even though we didn't really see the ocean due to bad weather, the Dempster is still one of the most powerful moments of our journey through the Americas.

Two years and one month later, we are rich with endless adventures, extraordinary experiences, and precious memories after traveling the American continent from North to South. Four months ago, we reached Ushuaia and the southernmost point in the world accessible by road. We swam at the gateway to the Antarctic Ocean! Today, we want to complete the journey. To dive into the Arctic Ocean, drive to the northernmost point of the Pan-American Highway, even farther north than Tuktoyaktuk. And for that, we're heading onto the Dalton Highway, the U.S. equivalent of the Dempster. 800 kilometers of wild, poorly maintained, isolated track, cut off from the rest of the world, with no network or emergency services, crossing the boreal forest, mountains, and tundra, all the way to the ultimate goal: the Arctic Ocean.

Ce dimanche, en fin d’après-midi, nous sommes prêts à affronter la Dalton Highway. Nous avons de l’eau, de la nourriture et surtout de l’essence, dont 40 litres supplémentaires sur le toit. Déjà, à la dernière station-service avant le début de la piste, on a un aperçu de ce qui nous attend ces prochains jours : d’énormes trucks américains ! Imposants, bruyants, recouverts de poussière. On redoute ces énormes camions, fléaux de tous les voyageurs, qui roulent à vive allure et menacent à chaque croisement d’exploser les pare-brise. Ils sont nombreux à parcourir la Dalton Highway, car ils alimentent en essence et en matériaux le champ pétrolifère de Prudhoe Bay, posé au bord de l’océan.

From Fairbanks, reaching the starting point of the Dalton Highway at Livengood is a journey before the journey! Indeed, construction stretches along the road for miles. We travel in convoy, matching the pace of the lead vehicle. It’s not until 7 PM that we finally reach the start of the Dalton. The road turns into a muddy, narrow track winding through the forest. The shoulders are soft and steep, the road slippery, and oncoming trucks force us to carefully edge to the side. The stress rises, and the first few kilometers are driven in a somewhat tense atmosphere.

Then, gradually, we relax and start to enjoy the scenery. Since it's late, the wildlife is active, and we spot a black bear and a large porcupine, very busy eating berries.

À cause des travaux, on galère à trouver un endroit où passer la nuit. Tous les bivouacs potentiels sont encombrés d’équipements de chantier. On roule finalement 100 kilomètres jusqu’à un camping gratuit. On s’installe au milieu d’autres voyageurs… et des moustiques ! Il y en a des dizaines autour de nous, mais heureusement, ils ne sont pas très vifs, probablement ramollis par la fin de l’été qui approche et le froid qui s’installe. Au menu de ce soir : pan con tomate, tartare de saumon et frites maison ! 😋

Monday, August 12^th

Il a plu sans discontinuer toute la nuit. Au matin, le soleil est de retour pour nous réchauffer et nous sécher tandis que l’on cuisine un copieux petit-déjeuner. On prend le temps, et ce n’est qu’à 11 heures que l’on prend enfin la route.

We backtrack a few kilometers to return to the viewpoint over the Yukon River, which we crossed in the rain last night. It’s also an opportunity to get a closer look at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which will accompany us throughout our journey on the Dalton Highway. It is indeed the reason for this road’s existence! Since it began operation in 1977, it has transported oil from the Prudhoe Bay oil fields on the Arctic Ocean to Valdez, a port in southern Alaska! It spans the entire state, covering 1,288 kilometers! Despite the abundance of oil in the region, the reality at the pump is quite different: $7.49 per gallon (€1.78 per liter), making it the most expensive gas of the entire trip!

Then, it's time to go for real! The Arctic Ocean is still a long way off.

In the afternoon, we cross the Arctic Circle for the second time in our lives!

The Dalton Highway continues to take us deeper into the Far North, through stunning landscapes. The boreal forest accompanies us, as does the seemingly endless pipeline stretching out on the horizon. We also encounter some wildlife. Moose are easily spotted when they come to feed in the lakes, as are black bears wandering through the plains.

But a disheartening discovery awaits us. As we calmly observe a black bear wandering on a hillside from the road, we spot a man, just a few meters away, crouched behind some bushes. At first, we think he’s a daring and somewhat disrespectful photographer. But upon closer inspection with binoculars, we realize he's not a photographer at all—he’s a hunter. He holds a crossbow in one hand and is stealthily moving from bush to bush to approach the bear. We’re chilled with horror! Quickly, we leave. We can’t bear to witness such a sight. Shaken, we continue down the road after this grim episode. Unfortunately, it won't be the last. The hunting season is clearly open, and we’re likely to encounter many more hunters on the Dalton.

In the late afternoon, the landscapes become more mountainous. We’re approaching the Brooks Range, a vast mountain range that marks the boundary between the boreal forest to the south and the tundra to the north. Threatening clouds gather around the peaks. So, we decide to stop here and find a camp by the river.

We find the perfect spot by the river, far enough from the road to be peaceful, with a stunning view in front of us.

While walking along the riverbed, we spot huge wolf tracks, followed by bear tracks! We spend the evening hoping to see these magnificent creatures pass by, but the only visitor we get is a lovely rabbit. Too bad!

Tuesday, August 13^th

Again, it’s not until 11 AM that we hit the road, after a hearty breakfast in the rain. We set off towards the Brooks Mountains. And at the base of the mountains, we’re greeted by... construction! We wait 30 minutes for the lead vehicle, then follow behind it. Unfortunately, we don’t see much of the mountains, as we cross Atigun Pass under the clouds.

And on the other side of the mountains… we’re greeted by the tundra. It stretches from the Brooks Range all the way to the Arctic Ocean! Here, we spot our first caribou… being pursued by a few hunters. We also see our first muskox wandering along the road. Its dense, warm fur allows it to survive the polar winter. It was reintroduced to Alaska after being near extinction in the 20th century due to hunting.

Nous sommes à nouveau arrêtés par des travaux. Encore une fois, on patiente 30 minutes jusqu’à l’arrivée de la voiture pilote, puis on parcourt les 20 kilomètres suivants en convoi, dans la poussière des camions qui nous précèdent. Décidemment, il y a beaucoup de travaux sur la Dalton ! Toute cette activité humaine rend l’expérience moins sauvage que ce que l’on pensait. Sans parler de l’omniprésence des chasseurs autour de nous. On n’ose même plus s’arrêter pour observer la faune de peur d’attirer l’attention de ces hommes en tenue camouflage qui roulent au pas, jumelles à la main.

Fifty kilometers before the end of the road, the sandy track suddenly turns into a paved road worthy of the finest highways in the United States. Now, that was unexpected!

On enchaine donc les derniers kilomètres très rapidement. À 10 kilomètres de Deadhorse, nous nous arrêtons au bord de la rivière pour passer la nuit. Par chance, le vent est tombé. On est cependant cernés par les énormes moustiques alaskiens, qui heureusement sont assez amorphes à cette période de l’année !

Wednesday, August 14^th

After 10 kilometers on a beautiful paved road, we’ve arrived. We enter Deadhorse, a village at the end of the world that marks the end of the Dalton Highway. Our arrival in Deadhorse also signifies our reaching the northernmost point of the Pan-American Highway, the same route we followed to its southernmost point across 16 countries and over 100,000 kilometers!

Mais l’aventure n’est pas finie. L’océan Arctique est à portée de main, mais pourtant inaccessible. En effet, son accès n’est pas public. Oui, oui, tu as bien lu. Pour accéder à l’océan Arctique, il faut passer par Prudhoe Bay : un immense champ pétrolifère appartenant à des acteurs privés. L’accès vers l’océan est donc restreint et très encadré. Pour s’y rendre, nous devons prendre un bus touristique, qui coûte 90 $ par personne. Il y en a deux par jour. On monte dans le bus de 8 heures, qui traverse Deadhorse, puis on fait une halte de 15 minutes à l’entrée de Prudhoe Bay, pendant laquelle tous les visiteurs et leurs passeports sont enregistrés. On entre ensuite dans l’enceinte du champ pétrolifère de Prudhoe Bay.

Even though production is down (300,000 barrels of oil per day vs. 2,000,000 barrels per day at its peak), the Prudhoe Bay oil field remains the largest oil deposit in the country. When it was developed in 1968, it required a massive investment, including the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which transports oil 1,300 kilometers to the port of Valdez. The place is immense. 2,000 people work at Prudhoe Bay in the summer and up to 3,000 in the winter! Workers do three-week shifts and are transported by air. We are impressed by all the facilities, the hustle and bustle, and the sheer number of people in such a seemingly isolated location. Seeing what humans are capable of achieving to extract black gold, even in the most hostile and remote places on the planet, is both fascinating and terrifying.

Mais nous ne sommes pas là pour nous apitoyer sur la capacité de l’Homme à détruire son environnement. Le bus nous dépose devant une belle plage de sable, de galets et de bois flotté. Face à nous, l’océan Arctique s’étend à perte de vue. C’est la deuxième fois que nous y venons, mais l’émotion est toujours au rendez-vous.

Jack, the guide, warns us not to stray from the designated swimming area: outside this zone, debris makes the place hazardous. That said, he strips off, jumps into the water, and takes a few strokes. We also have every intention of swimming. Two years ago, it was far too cold to swim. But today, there’s no excuse: it’s 14°C, with no wind or rain. We’re determined to plunge into the Arctic Ocean, four months after swimming at the edge of the Antarctic Ocean. Not thinking too much about it, or we might reconsider, we strip down and dive, almost without hesitation, into the chilly Arctic waters: 7°C! 🥶

After this refreshing swim, the bus takes us back to Deadhorse. Deadhorse isn’t really a village per se. Its sole purpose is to support the activities of Prudhoe Bay by providing logistics and accommodation for workers in the form of prefab buildings. We find a convenience store, where we buy a sticker to commemorate our visit to the Arctic. We’re amazed by the organization and logistics behind the oil field’s operation… which doesn’t prevent Nature from asserting its fundamental rights over this space encroached upon by humans.

At the gas station, we find ourselves stuck behind a massive convoy. A whole station is being relocated with gigantic trucks. Only in Prudhoe Bay 😅

Thursday, August 15^th to Saturday, August 17^th

Now that we’ve reached the northernmost point of our route and swum in the Arctic Ocean… we have to drive back to Fairbanks! 😆 That means 800 kilometers of track through the tundra…

And the mountains…

And the boreal forest…

And the trucks and dust… One of them even gives us two big cracks on the windshield 😤.

And the construction and mud…

After three days on the road, we finally arrive in Fairbanks, covered in mud and grime. Thus ends our adventure in the Far North of Alaska on the Dalton Highway. In conclusion, we can say that the Far North continues to fascinate us with its vast tundra, its immensity, incredible landscapes, hostile nature, and wild animals. We are happy and proud to add a new experience to our grand journey: swimming in the Arctic Ocean! And, as always for the past two years, every great adventure ends with a carwash!

As for which of the two legendary routes to the Arctic Ocean we preferred, there's no contest: our hearts remain with the Dempster Highway. The Dalton is far less wild, and in our view, that's what gives these extreme roads their charm. The proliferation of construction, the repeated presence of convoys, workers, and all their equipment along the road. The paved sections, while pleasant to drive on, sometimes feel more like traveling on a country road than embarking on an expedition to the Far North. The numerous Wi-Fi hotspots along the route that keep you connected even at the end of the world. The high number of trucks. The omnipresence of hunters at this time of year, which somewhat dampened our desire to admire wildlife. And especially the grand finale at Prudhoe Bay, where industrialization, exploitation of nature, and environmental destruction reign supreme in a place where wild nature should have its full place. And of course, the fact that free access to the Arctic Ocean is impossible, with the exorbitant cost of $90 per person! How could we not prefer our trip to Tuktoyaktuk on the Canadian side, a peaceful fishing village?

May 15, 2022, we leave Montreal. July 11, 2022, we reach the Arctic Ocean via the Dempster Highway in Tuktoyaktuk, Canada. April 2, 2024, we arrive in Ushuaia and swim in the Antarctic Ocean. August 14, 2024, we reach the Arctic Ocean via the Dalton Highway in Prudhoe Bay, United States. After that, I think we’re ready to head home 😊. But before that, we’re off for a much more relaxing experience than an Arctic expedition: a soak in… hot springs! That should be easier to get into 😂