Alcan Highway to Dawson Creek

Alcan Highway to Dawson Creek   August 30^th and 31^st

We are completing our Yukon journey now and moving rather quickly down the Alcan Highway through the last bits of the Yukon in to British Columbia to Dawson Creek. The road brought us through the Northern Rocky Mountains which gave us great views of rugged peaks and a reinforced appreciation for the pioneers who trudged through these mountains without the conveniences we have today.

Dawson Creek is the beginning of the Alcan Highway going north for most folks traveling to Alaska. For us it was the end of that highway as we approached our journey from the coast instead of inland.

The Alcan is short for the Alaska Canadian highway. It was built during WWII in 1942 as a route to transport troops and material through Canada into Alaska as it was thought the Japanese were going to invade the Aleutian Islands. It is 1500 miles long and was built through untamed wilderness in only 8 months. It was built through the worst conditions of 90 degrees above zero in summer down to minus 70 degrees in the winter and is considered an engineering feat even today.

 It winds through British Columbia, the Yukon Territory and continues to the Yukon Highway from Watson Lake north.  Mostly it’s a paved road but is under repair in many places during the summertime. It does bring you through some spectacular scenery.

Bison Along the Road

Roadside Rest at Summit Lake

Highway Views