Not knowing this thread on Alaska was coming up, I a few weeks ago described some of the things we went through before we got on base, including going through the Good Friday Earthquake in March of '64, as well as in the past. Won't repeat all of them here, since most of the regulars have heard them more than once..:))
That includes a week of camping (Special Services foldout tent camper rented for $2 a day) the summer of '65, going north on the Steese Highway (snow flurries on August 13th) to above the Arctic Circle.
We then went back to the base to replenish things, and south to Mt. McKinley.
It was truly primitive then, and we were free to drive the Denali Highway all the way to 126 Mile (within 10 miles of it) before turning back to set up camp at the 88 Mile overlook.
Here is a description I found of the highway:
"Denali Highway
I have looked at this road on the map for years, but I never had time when I have been in Alaska to do it. I love the off the beaten path roads, the roads that don't go directly anywhere, the roads whose time and utility have mostly passed, the Blue Highway's that William Least Heat Moon talks about in his book of the same name. It did not disappoint.
Elevation
I was a little concerned because it was early evening and I had about 2 hours of light left. The first 20 miles are paved, so I made good time as the road wound up to the high alpine tundra to the south of the Alaskan Range mountains. The land was tundra with some willow brush, but mostly open. It was pocked with little lakes and the colors of red and brown dominated the vegetation. The road gains eleveation up to over 4200 feet and is above 2600 feet for most of its length. I was keeping a close eye on the snow cover and road elevation, to make sure I could make it across on two wheels. Luckily the snow level was quite a bit higher in this area.
Into the gravel
At mile 20, the pavement ends and it becomes a fairly rough gravel road. There was some hardpacked dirt where I could drive 40-45 miles an hour but a lot of the road was pock marked with pot holes - thousands and thousands of them. I would be driving 45 mph and then hit a row of pot holes that would loosen my teeth. In areas, especially on some of the hills, the gravel was very large, and it was a little disconcerting, but luckily, these areas were limited, and it eventually returned to the pot holes. I had to slow down to 5-10 mph in places, but other areas, I could speed up to 30 or 40. The area was spectacular as the road curved along the hills like a wet spagheti noodle. The Alaska Range of white capped mountains was visible to the north."
This is similar to my experience, although those "first 20 miles" were that week just being torn up TO pave! The pot holes and terribly rough gravel road were not by any means an exaggeration.
[just like the Alaska Highway in the summer of '66 when we drove out.)
In 1965, there were absolutely NO conveniences - hotels, gas stations, stores - no advertising - just pristine wilderness.
Bit of a handicap with the vast open spaces with only scattered low brush, when Mom had to well - answer the call of nature.
Complicating Factor was it was the day before Moose Season began, with parties of hunters cruising up and down the highway looking for an ideal spot to get one.
My boys were then 10 and 11 (daughter 3) and were stationed to WATCH THE ROAD and shout if they saw a vehicle coming, while I took advantage of a slight depression..:))
You absolutely knew "Who hath made these things" looking at the utter VASTNESS stretching across areas below you!
