Hypnotic Highway

I drove 2600 miles to Muncho Lake in British Columbia, near Yukon Territory, with about 1100 miles remaining to Fairbanks.  

The road has been smooth and paved, with snow plows and sand spreaders coming often to keep it open.  They can’t use salt to melt the ice and packed snow because salt is not effective below twenty degrees, and its not been above zero in the last two days.  

These wild goats were easy to photograph, but most of the large beasts—elk, moose, deer—run away too fast.  I saw several dead moose, hit by vehicles, probably in the night.  More big rigs drive this road than cars, and maybe they drive at night.  I don’t.  

It may be easier to see the ancient northern Rocky Mountain geology in winter than in summer.  Snow outlines the layers of metamorphic rock, uplifted long ago and eroded down from Himalaya-size mountains that once stood here.

  

I hope to write more and include more pictures in the days ahead, but internet is slow and often not available.  Cell phone service is almost nonexistent.  

Tetsa River Lodge

Michael Angerman is keeping a map showing all the places where I spend the night on this long drive.  Please view his map at:     Michael's Map  You can pan zoom to see more detail or more area as you choose.