We got to Deadhorse well after 9 o’clock. These days in the van were waaaay too long. Our accommodations were to be in those created in sea container like structures. Fortunately, there was room in the ‘main camp’ where the restrooms were! Otherwise, it was a walk from one building to the other. Guess that doesn’t sound like a big deal for campers, but some of us are spoiled!
At both Coldfoot and Deadhorse, we had to either remove our shoes or cover them with disposable booties provided to help keep the mud tracking down.
First sight out the window
We boarded a bus tour to the oil fields and the Arctic Ocean.
2nd floor, 3rd from left was our room
Some of the sights and absolutely no technical information!
Oil rigs
LeRoy with his fingers in the Arctic Ocean/Prudhoe Bay
Our guide/driver
Movable living quarters…see the tires? When they have to move them, they move very slowly and sometimes with workers asleep inside.
Mike had a giant mosquito
I have avoided small planes all my life….until now.
We had to drop off a worker at Coldfoot….on the left is the hotel where we spent the first night and the restaurant is across the parking lot.
First was a stop in Wiseman to hear Jack tell of life here. There were a lot of old mining cabins still being used as homes, including Jack’s and his mother’s. I had used mosquito repellant, but still was not prepared to be outside for the better part of 2 hours. He was one interesting man in his mid-50’s.
Moose and caribou hooves - and notice the bug zapper in his hand.
Wild iris
Jack in the red shirt behind his cabin at garden area. He mentioned he needs to repair his solar panel frames that didn't make it through the winter.
The get away bedroom he built for his now grown children
A former home, but his mother turned it into a chapel and holds Sunday services here.
His mother’s home
The mercantile
Beginning of Atigun Pass
The other side
Sheep
Where the sheep were on the far side of the road, but we had just stopped for lunch so we didn't get close.
Castle Mountain
Muskox #1
Nothingness
We finally started seeing caribou here and there so we stopped every time for photos and it was getting later and later. The restaurant was holding dinner for us. As we neared Deadhorse, they started showing up in larger numbers.
Caribou – we have learned that reindeer are just caribou that are herded.
I have a lot of caribou photos, but this one is my favorite.
Picture doesn’t do these cliffs justice
2nd muskox
Snowy owl - through a window and cropped.
Oil rigs
A difficult corner coming up....
Another moose
Look behind it for the beaver in the water that eventually chased the moose out of the water!
Grayling Lake at 6:30 p.m.
Our river float trip, just the 2 of us and the guide, began about 8:40 p.m.
Trees do not have much of a root system
Our motel for the night – tho this was taken the next morning. The room had 2 twin beds and we were expecting a bathroom down the hall. What a pleasant surprise at 10:30 p.m. to discover we had our own bath!
This is the restaurant and bar. Buffet dinner was $20 and I heard the food wasn’t the greatest. We had the salad bar which included drink and dessert for $14. The salad was very good, but we were in a rush for the float trip so only made one trip.
