ALASKA DALTON HIGHWAY ROAD TRIP | Road to the Arctic Circle, Deadhorse & Prudhoe Bay
Vložit
- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- We drove the legendary Dalton Highway from Fairbanks, Alaska all the way up to the Arctic Ocean and it has been the highlight of our Alaskan van adventure so far. The Dalton Highway is an incredible drive through so much wild, untouched Alaska.
Crossing the Arctic Circle and seeing the Midnight Sun was incredible.
And taking a polar bear swim in the Arctic Ocean crosses an item off our bucket list.
If you would like to do this drive, here’s a PDF booklet to help you start planning:
www.blm.gov/si...
And be sure to check our blog post as well for more on this epic trip:
TimShannonLTD....
❤️ If you like what you see, please support us by subscribing: / @timandshannonltd
And check out our website for more van life info: TimShannonLTD....
(Note: This post contains affiliate links. We may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.)
Here are some of the things that make VanLife easier and more enjoyable for us: www.amazon.com...
Our Electrical System Components:
BattleBorn 100ah Lithium Batteries (x4): amzn.to/4byxQnz
3000 watt inverter: amzn.to/3VTLhsB
Solar Charge Controller: amzn.to/3RPhekf
100 watt Solar Panel: amzn.to/3Wa0EhK
Cerbo GX: amzn.to/4buFBuK
GX Touch 50: amzn.to/4bxr6pS
Lynx Distributor: amzn.to/3xVbsa5
Electrical Distribution Panel: amzn.to/4cK8VhR
Are you a video maker? Say goodbye to poor audio quality and step up your game with the Saramonic Wireless Lavalier Mic Set: amzn.to/3Z0zARK
Also, would you like to have a huge and diverse library of hassle-free, royalty-free music to choose from for your video projects?
Sign up for your very own account at Artlist.io and get 2 free months on your first year’s subscription (that means, 14 months for the price of 12)
Use this link to grab that offer: artlist.io/Tim...
![Deadhorse / Prudhoe Bay, Arctic Alaska. Remote oilfield camp in winter, with lows below -40deg. [4K]](/img/n.gif)
Happy Anniversary! Such a great trip and thanks for the memories. My wife and I flew to Prudhoe Bay and cycled South to Mexico back in 2006. Such a wonderful trip. So awesome to see the Dalton again. Keep on exploring!
Wow - hats off to you on that bike trip - sounds awesome! Super happy to share some memories with you!
Loved that
So good to hear that - thanks for the comment!
great video of the trip! I can't wait to follow in your footsteps!~
Awesome! Have a great time - so glad you liked this video and thanks for the feedback!
Bonito video, gracias por compartir vuestra experiencia. Saludos desde Murcia, España
Un saludo a ti también y me alegra que hayas disfrutado el vídeo. ¡Gracias por el comentario!
Shannon at 16:15 he wanted to give you a kiss lol
Great video. Enjoy the journey....
Lol! Glad you liked this and thanks for the comment!
Thank you for that amazing video!❤
You are so welcome, glad you liked it!
Thanks Tim and Shanon. That was amazing. Vicariously enjoyed seeing both of you having fun, traveling, laughing and loving each other.
Tim you have a soothing voice and good at narrating.
Greetings from ATL GA USA 🇺🇸
8/9/23
Oh that’s so sweet! Thanks for sharing that and we’re really glad you enjoyed this video! ❤️🚐😃
@@TimAndShannonLTD
You welcome.
Hey Guys, could you please do an indepth tour of your Van including all The gear you use and the mechanical modifications you have made on your RV/Van. In the video you briefly touched on the Tires.
That will be highly helpful to us.
Thanks again and may God bless you all in all your adventures.
Cheers.
Hi again @@1malikalik , here is a van tour we did not long before the Dalton Highway road trip. Does this help? czcams.com/video/YbMCfsNONyc/video.html
@@TimAndShannonLTD
Oh cool, thanks for the link.
@@1malikalik You're welcome! Thanks for your support!
thanks for this great video
Our pleasure - Glad you liked it! Thanks for the feedback!
We took our ford conversion van and drove the dalton. It was a wonderful trip. Thanks for the memories!
Happy to share and so glad you enjoyed it - thanks for the comment!!
Happy anniversary! At the final, you made me cry. Lots of blessings for you. Greetings from Lima, South America!
Thank you! Wow, we hope to visit your country sometime! Thank you for the comment!
Awesome 💯 I want to do that drive
We would definitely encourage you to do it. It still remains (2 years later) one of the all time highlights of our van life experience. If we ever go back to Alaska, we'll do the Dalton again for sure.
Very different from the Canadian side lol more like avatar, but cool to see all that industrial civilization out of nowhere
Yeah we might try the Canadian side sometime as well (and do without the tour bus at the north terminus!) Thanks for the comment!
There's still so much ice on June 21st... Deadhorse and Wiseman have been sounding really nice to my ears for a few years...
Let's see if it comes up, it's on my bucket list.
Well we definitely encourage you to go. It was a great trip for us!
Nice
Thanks John!
My wife & I returned from a similar trip: Fairbanks to Deadhorse on August 19 (2022). Overnighted in Coldfoot, drove nice & easy stopping for lunches and sightseeing. Stayed at Deadhorse Camp, spartan, but clean and great food! The toe-dip into the Arctic Ocean (Was going to swim or fully submerge, but logistics did not allow.). We had to "dip and go" so no wet bathing suits going down the road, this was a highlight of our trip and the reason to tackle the Dalton Highway.
I would suggest to anyone to take this trip no matter how long it will take you to save up to see as much as possible. We started in Vancouver with a 7-night cruise through the Inside Passage that took us all the way to Seward. Then on to Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali NP, and then on to Fairbanks. That portion was a 5-day adventure. Then an 11-passenger van (Only 5 people!!!) After our overnight in Fairbanks, it was time to hit the road again and we drove slow and easy looking for wildlife and being very cautious on the road! Trucks will buzz by you at high speeds and remember this is a gravel road all 414 miles of it.
Thank you for that detailed comment, and yes we agree - this was the highlight of our trip as well!
Wow! What a trip of a lifetime and a great video! Just seeing all that wildlife would have made the long drive worthwhile. Thanks for sharing it with us.
And a happy belated anniversary to you two!
Thank you Roxanne! Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank You 😊 for sharing. Happy Anniversary 🌹.
You’re welcome - glad you enjoyed it and thanks! 😀❤️
Really, really, really nice!!
Thank you! Are you going to (or did you already) do the drive?
You're welcome. No, I haven't but I am Alaska bound and the drive will happen soon.
@@karmathephoenix2474 awesome. Have a great drive!
I will, thank you. I will be sure to tell you all about it.
@@karmathephoenix2474 OK! Looking forward to it! 👍
a tip, buy a cheep UV bug zapper light for the inside of the camper/ trailer. After a while the zapper will clear out any mosquitoes that might be flying about.
Good idea - kinda late for us now, but for anyone else seeing this comment, that might make for a more enjoyable trip! Thanks!
@@TimAndShannonLTD
Grew up on Kodiak Island and it gets ugly with mosquitoes in the summer. It's what we did with the camper to get the bugs down to a minimum at night.
@@GeistView Oh man, yeah I can imagine if you live there you NEED something like that!
High Tim and Sharon I'd like to ask your advice I have a chance to go up to Alaska and travel the Dalton Highway I have a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Winnebago with Dooley's it's not four-wheel drive though I'm wondering how your vehicle held up going down the Dalton Highway I'm sure you love the trip but did you have a lot of damage to your van on the inside and outside by the time you got back I'm concerned that the Dalton Highway will destroy my motorhome share your thoughts and what time of the year did you make that trip please and thank you
True. I put one in my garage that’s one 1/2 the day (home is near the river). Clears out mosquito in the garage. It was annoying to workout and work in the car before the bug zapper.
The last 50 miles of the Dalton was paved for the first time 2020 and 2021. With it being brand new pavement, that's why it's the best section of pavement on the Dalton right now.
Ah - mystery solved! Thanks Matt!
Loved your video!!! All my best from Ohio here!!!
Thanks Night! You gotta go do it yourself - what an awesome adventure and memories for a lifetime!
Great video. Enjoyed it very much. I had the honor to drive on the Dalton Highway. So I'm a survivor, lol. Drove from Fairbanks to the Artic Circle. We made the stop after crossing the Yukon River for coffee and walk around the bank of the river and the pipeline. Happy Anniversary and many more.
So glad you enjoyed the video - and the drive! Thanks for the comment and our best to you as well!
Thanks for the PDF!
You’re welcome! Enjoy!😀
Great video. I used to live in Fairbanks and worked in Deadhorse. Always flew to work so never drove the length of the Dalton Hwy. However, I did drive from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle and one day when we had a day off in Prudhoe Bay, we did drive south about 100 miles. Unfortunately the photos I had I downloaded to a device that crashed so I lost them. Love seeing your video to remind me of my time up there.
Oh I’m so glad we could help bring back some good memories for you! Thanks for sharing that with us!
MANY many happy returns of the day.congratulations.wish u long happy married life for ever.
Thank you! 🙏
Awesome video. I bet that was a fun adventure!
Yes it was a highlight of our entire Alaska trip! Such a good time! Thanks for the positive feedback!
Awesome 👏 Video guys 👍✌️🤙💙
Thank you so much 😁 Glad you enjoyed it!
i liked your video very much ...we went there in a motorcycle, and saw the black car crach, i took a pic of it..a Lot of mosquitos...was a fantastic trip, we planned it 3 years ago, and we Made it
congrats for your video
saludos desde Sinaloa México i will folow you
Oh we are so glad you liked it and happy that you made the trip as well. Thanks for following and for the comment!
Thanks! Glad you liked it!😊
This was an amazing video! Such beautiful scenery!!!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting!
Great job you guys!!!
Thanks Buffalo!!
Awesome journey, thank you for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment!
Happy Anniversary!
Thank you so much 😀, it was certainly a memorable one!
Happy Anniversary! By far, one of the most detailed resources I have seen related to traveling the Dalton Highway. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comment!!
Amazing record of an amazing journey!! Wow! Inspiring!
Thanks Ian - it was truly awesome!
Great vid thanks for sharing can’t wait to go
Thanks Tony! Enjoy!
loved your video thank you
So glad to hear this. Thanks Ira!
Awesome video! Have lived here for 30+ years and not managed to do much of the drive yet. Building our van now, so you have helped us add to our "to do" list in our new rig. So glad you have had a great time in our great state, and Happy Anniversary!
Thanks Scott. Glad you liked it and it’s definitely “to-do” list worthy. Enjoy your build!
Formidable, bravo, belle aventure
Thanks Eric - it sure was a fun drive!
What an amazing adventure. Minus the mosquitos. I heard they grow them big.
I even bought the Tru Earth laundry soap you advertised in your video.
Can’t wait for the next destination.
Thank you so much - glad you enjoyed it. Miss you!
They have screened jackets now that work great. Covers head and upper body. Well worth it .
I did this drive, kinda by accident, lol. I was on a five month road trip and drove up to Deadhorse and stayed at the Aurora, uh, hotel? It was different from any “hotel” I’d ever stayed at, lol. I almost felt like I was back in the Army! Outstanding adventure drive, and luckily pre-pandemic. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Was in a brand new Jeep Gladiator pickup.
Yeah, use of the word "hotel" is a bit of a stretch here right? We didn't see inside but we drove past it and it looked rather unique. Thanks for sharing!
I heard about the Dalton Highway 1st through Mav, then Eva zu Beck, and now I'm so happy I finally found YOU two! The wildlife you captured was incredible. Thank you and Happy Trails!!! I look forward to seeing more of your vids!
Glad you enjoyed this and thanks for the comment! Good to have you aboard and we hope you enjoy our other videos as well. Thanks so much!
Great video! Happy late Anniversary 🍾 I got a little teary eyed, so happy y’all made it!
Thank you Debbie!!😀
Stunning video
Thank you James! It certainly was a great experience!
Hope you turned some of those rocks over, near the stream, in the campground looks for nuggets!
Oh man, you're on it! Yeah we almost went panning for gold but the bugs were so bad we decided not to!
What a great adventure and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. Great video guys. I am planning same for this August.
Hi A… We did this trip in June - right over the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. We highly recommend it - have fun and thanks for the comment!
I worked at the Deadhorse Airport for ten years and lived in Alaska for 25 years but have never driven the entire length of the Dalton. Going to do that this August. Much has changed about the Arctic….especially the climate.
Yeah I can imagine. Well enjoy your road trip, it was certainly one of the highlights of Alaska for us!
Happy anniversary to you both! Love the video! Thank you so much for sharing! I’m collecting as much information as I could to make my dream trip happen, hopefully soon!
Awesome! Thank you and enjoy your trip!
Get a bug zapper racquet, works wonders
Yeah we’ve been thinking about getting one of those!
thakn you- this is gorgeous shots, see ya!~ fellow-=))
Thanks-Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video , did you see a lot of people making the same trip or only the ladies you met 😮
Thank you! We saw probably a dozen or so bicyclists total. But always when driving past. We only actually talked to the 2 you see in the video.
The Haul Road
Yep. That one!
The video brought me bac six years ago when we drove the Dalton. For what ever reason the mosquitoes were never a problem. We spent four days . As you said it was the highlight of our Alaska trip! We are returning to Alaska this year. Hope to do the Dempster this time, maybe the Dalton again. Here are our two videos of our Dalton adventure. czcams.com/video/pF2-S34y4AU/video.html czcams.com/video/pF2-S34y4AU/video.html
Thanks for sharing your links. I took a quick glance at one, but no time to watch it now. I added it my "watch later" list and subscribed as well. Looking forward to watching it. Thanks for the comment!
Very lonely road. During the night more quiet and lonely.
Yes, and more wildlife viewing at night as well! 👍
I've asked this question of several youtubers who have made the drive to Deadhorse. Could I make it(in summer, of course) in a 2003 Sable LS wagon, front wheel drive, 8" clearance, with standard passenger tires? So far, the responses are about 50/50: "Yes, as long as you have a couple of full size spare tires, tire repair kit, and a portable compressor." vs "I wouldn't try it." No one responded that it couldn't be done. In some videos, I spotted a few regular passenger cars(nonSUV, Jeep, Van, pickups) in Coldfoot, but not in Deadhorse. That looks like an early model Taurus wagon at 8:30 but with those hubs/rims I think those are all terrain tires. I can see that the road is rocky/washboard, but the LS is a fairly stout vehicle, and mine is in excellent condition (under 80,000 mi.) While my Sable wasn't built for off-roading(e.g. the suspension,) from the videos I've seen, none of the Dalton Highway seems to be genuine off-road terrain. What do you think? Btw, good video and happy anniversary!
I think you could totally do it. Couple of spares is a good idea. We maxed at about 35 - 40 mph for most of the way even with a 50mph speed limit. Just use common sense and take it easy and you’ll be fine. My brother once took his overlanding Toyota 4x4 up a very long rough remote road in Death Valley expecting to find no one there but when he arrived someone was there with a Prius!
Enjoy! It’s an awesome adventure!
@@TimAndShannonLTD Thank you!
people seem to forget that there wasn't always pavement , you can go anywhere you want with any type of vehicle, just adjust your driving to the conditions and you will be ok. do not let the fear of others decide your trip, use your head and common sense and go enjoy your trip.
Tim, I was planning a motorcycle trip up there a week ago but something at work is keeping me from leaving. May I ask what the dates were these taken and when is it too late to go there?
Hi JBG. We did this drive over 9 days or so, June 16 - 25th. I think you should be good into mid September or so. Check out the booklet linked in the description it might have more info on that or places you can contact to get a more accurate estimate on timing.
@@TimAndShannonLTD how was the road conditions from cold foot to Deadhorse and did you notice a lot of motorcycles?
Thanks
Road between Coldfoot and Deadhorse was variable, some paved but mostly gravel. We actually preferred the gravel as it had less frost heave. Last 50 miles to Deadhorse was paved and probably the smoothest, best road in our Alaska experience. Yes we saw a lot of motorcycles. Would be an awesome ride!
@@TimAndShannonLTD thanks for your reply
"Ice Road Trucker" special.
Yep - that's the road!
Dempster in Canada would have been a much better source. It’s more scenic and less truck traffic and you can actually walk up to the Arctic Ocean from your car instead of getting on a bus and going through all that industry.
Yeah we might just do the Dempster someday. But we were in Alaska at the time so Dalton it was and we had a great time. Thanks for the comment though - always good to have more encouragement for another adventure!
Hi Tim & Shannon - Thanks for posting this video of your trip from the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse, Alaska and the Arctic Ocean. It is a trip that I am considering taking in the future for my bucket list. I am curious - what is the music that you posted starting at 10:21 (Sukakpak Mountain) in this video? I have heard this music before and would like to know the title and the artist who composed this musical piece.
I believe that is from Apple iMovie or iLife sound pack. I will double check for you next week when we get back home. (We flew down to Baja for the week).
@@TimAndShannonLTD Thank you!
I want to do this bad.
Here’s hoping you can do it soon!
For mosquitos use “skin so soft “ by Avon .
Thanks for the tip!
Curious if the girls biking the highway had a support vehicle for fuel, etc. Did you stay in Deadhorse after the Arctic Ocean visit?
No support vehicle. Just the two of them and a lot of planning and fearless determination! And yes we stayed 2 nights in Deadhorse - the night before the shuttle to the Arctic Ocean and the night after.
What is the price of diesel at Coldfoot?
We were there in 2008 but only as far as the campground at the Artic Circle. Mosquitos so big they had tail numbers like airplanes
Ha ha! Yeah we saw some big ones. I don’t recall how much diesel was at Coldfoot, but I remember being pleasantly surprised that it was lower than we expected. Maybe $6.xx? At Deadhorse it was $8.63.
Greetings, I may have missed it, but what month of the year was this.?
Hi Mike, no worries - it was mid-June. We were at the Arctic Ocean on June 21st.
@@TimAndShannonLTDthx.
Florida is not the southern most point in the US, you have to go to Hawaii for the southernmost point.
True that. But it is the southernmost point you can drive to. 🙂
*In response to @**7:36**: The southernmost point of the United States is not in Florida, it is in Hawaii.*
True that - I wasn't real clear there was I? I meant the southernmost of the lower 48...
Is the road good enough to take a 40ft toy hauler on if you drove 40mph or less.
I think so. It will get bounced around a bit, but should be OK. Bring a couple of spare tires just in case.
What specific time of the year was this? Could this trip be done in late May and early June?
Oh, you did mention "solstice" which is usually mid-June.
@@timothycsauer1 yes it was June 21st when we arrived at Prudhoe Bay. I think late May into June would be fine.
🖐🖐😊😊🇨🇦🇨🇦
Thanks!
@@TimAndShannonLTD 😊😊😊🖐🖐🖐👍👍👍🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Were you able to return your extra tire?
No, unfortunately they said all sales are final. But we did luck out and find someone with a Sprinter van who needed it so we were able to sell it to them!
How many hours a day did you drive?
We drove only about 3 to 4 hours per day. Just wanted to take it easy and have time to soak it all in.
Is there a gas station at Coldfoot and Deadhorse to fill-up?
Yes, both have gas stations. Be prepared for an expensive fill up, it ain’t cheap!
How did your van hold up
It did just fine. We took it easy and never went over 50mph. (mostly 40-45mph). No problems at all and never even a flat tire.
The mosquitoes are one of many reasons I'd never make this trip the time if year you did. It just looks miserable.
Agreed. However, once we got North past Atigun Pass (the Brooks Range) the mosquitoes were not bad at all.
I wonder how those bikers tolerate the mosquitoes?
That is a good question!! We were wondering the same thing!
Very good question!
Awful road
Yeah not the best road we've driven on, but wow it was a great road trip!
@@TimAndShannonLTD that’s for sure!