Tag Archives: camping

The Dalton Highway in September

Last fall we took a camping/hunting trip up the Dalton.  We were lucky to get tons of beautiful weather.  Only a little rain.  Summer is almost here!

This old bridge had a few holes in it...
This old bridge had a few holes in it…
It's unbelievable how long this partially burnt/cured wood burned in the camp fire!
It’s unbelievable how long this partially burnt/cured wood burned in the camp fire!
Judy found some orange lichen.
Judy found some orange lichen.
There are tons of awesome trails along the pipeline.
There are tons of awesome trails along the pipeline.
Those are people over there!
Those are people over there!
Red-tipped lichen.
Red-tipped lichen.
Checking out rocks.
Checking out rocks.
That's the Dalton way over there.
That’s the Dalton way over there.
Zoomed in.
Zoomed in.
Weathered rocks.
Weathered rocks.
We heard a gun shot while we were here so someone must have gotten a moose.
We heard a gun shot while we were here so someone must have gotten a moose.
Cool old abandoned car.
Cool old abandoned car.
Owl pellet....?
Owl pellet….?
Gray Jay
Gray Jay
Bird of prey nest on pipeline machinery.
Bird of prey nest on pipeline machinery.
Jack's creative square fire.
Jack’s creative square fire.

Northern lights & Davidson Ditch

Here are more photos of our late summer camping trip up the Steese Highway.  Chilly, but hardly a cloud in the sky…

You’ll see Davidson Ditch, a water pipe built in 1920s, that runs 90 miles along the Steese Highway.  It used to bring  about 180,000 gallons of water per day to the gold dredges in Fox, Alaska from the Chatanika River.

(Click on the first one and scroll to the right.)

Sitting around our campfire, the northern lights decided to give us a show.
Jack, lovin’ life.
An ember from the fire timed itself perfect for our long shutter speed.
The Steese Highway, one of the less populated camping destinations.
There are several nice roadside memorials on Alaskan highways, but we both agree this is the best one we’ve seen.
It’s only late August, but that means fall up here, about 60 miles north of Fairbanks.
Even farther north at Twelvemile Summit Wayside (about 80 mile Steese).
Probably the best time to drive the Steese Highway, late summer.
State camp, Montana Creek Station (road maintenance station).
Lots of mining on the Steese Highway.
And lots of burnt forest.
Davidson Ditch snakes its way to Fox, Alaska (about 8 miles north of Fairbanks).
Davidson Ditch is practically in this house’s back yard.
Chatanika Lodge, a most important place to visit if you come to Alaska. Tons of interesting stuff in there. About 40 mile Steese Highway.
This is directly across from Chatanika Lodge, a very old mining site with a gold dredge (on the right) that used to float.