Top Of The World Hwy

6/5/14 - 6/6/14
Driving "The Top Of The World"
Dawson City to Chicken to Tok and then on to Fairbanks


This was the day that everyone dreads, to do, or not do........The Top Of The World Hwy.  We planned on "doing it" so  "we did it"

First we had to get on the ferry to cross the Yukon River.

Only two rigs, a 3 axle fifth wheel next to us.

The right side of trailer

Still crossing.  The ferry floats down river and then powers over to that wide spot of sand.

Three cars on the other side waiting to be loaded on the ferry

Almost there

The crew was thoughtful, they put several boards down on the sand so we wouldn't scrape.  They also had to put a metal plate out so our hitch wouldn't scrape.

Good-bye ferry






It seems like a lot of pictures but this was a new experience for us.

Not a lot to say except

 we couldn't have asked for better weather while driving on a

 gravel road all day. 

 Praise the Lord.

This part of the road

was in excellent shape

as they had already run

the grader over all the

pot holes.

There were times that we pulled over and stopped when cars passed us or there was oncoming traffic.

Yea.......we finally made it.

We had the normal questions at the border except this time we were asked if we had any pets......and.......did we have proof of Rabies vaccination.

In all the years we have been crossing, and there have been many since about 1992, we have never been asked if we had a dog and did we have proof of the Rabies.  Good thing I always carry a current copy.  What would they do if I didn't have the proof?

After crossing the boarder we had 13 miles of large, sharp hunks of gravel to drive on at 10  - 18 miles an hour.  This is almost the worst road we have ever driven on for 13 miles.
They were completely re-doing the road bed, I am standing on dirt pull out and the truck/trailer is on the rough road.

Back on the smoother rough road.  

We were going to spend the night but we decided to have lunch and go on to Tok.

Inside the Saloon/Liquor Store

Chicken Facts

I hope you can read it.

Chicken does not have a sewer system or power except for generators and water is brought in.

Good Bye Chicken

Tanana River is the second largest river in Alaska, it's very shallow and has  many islands.  The Tanana floods very easily in the spring run off.

Picture of old bridge and new bridge.

 We spent the night in Tok behind the Shell fuel station, as did several others.  We had dinner at Fast Eddy's, across the Hwy, which was excellent and they told us about a local Bluegrass band that was playing.  Wow, we were in for a real treat.  This group is going to play every evening at 7:30 pm during the summer, just about 50 yards to the left of Fast Eddy's.  This is a must see, they are really good.

Don't remember his name, 18 yrs old and will be joining his 19 yr old sister in the fall at a college in Pensacola, FL.

The next pictures are driving from Tok to Fairbanks

I was glad to see this as they were very instrumental in the building of the Alaskan Hwy.

 Crossing the Tanana River, you can see how wide and shallow it is.

A stop at North Pole, Christmas all year long

I almost forgot, no damage traveling Top Of The World Hwy.  We were lucky, I have heard some real war stories about the road.  As I said before we took our time and pulled over and stopped when traffic wanted to pass us or coming toward us.

So that's it for now, we are in Fairbanks.

Nancy