Day 3, 4: Fairbanks to Dalton Highway to Fairbanks

Our plan for Day 3 was to leave DNP and drive up north to Fairbanks (about a 4 hr drive). The ultimate plan was to drive on Dalton Highway, but since the highway is mostly dirt and gravel road, only a handful of rental car companies allow you to take their cars up there for fear of  windshield chips and flat tyres. Hence we needed to pick up another car, a 4WD from Fairbanks. We started out from DNP early, had breakfast and reached Fairbanks at about noon. They have a great visitor center with helpful volunteers  and we highly recommend stopping by there.We picked and packed  up our new and bigger car and hit the road! 

The trans-Alaska pipeline carries oil 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay (North) on the Arctic Ocean to the pipeline terminus at Port Valdez. The Dalton Highway was largely built to facilitate this transport and do to icy road conditions is almost always in poor condition. Just outside Fairbanks (Milepost F 8.4 on the Steese Highway), there is a  Viewpoint, and a Pipeline Visitor Center. Past this point, you will only see the pipeline parallel to the Dalton Highway. So stop here and take pictures!

Milepost F 8.4, Steese Hwy

Hilltop: The last trucker stop

After about 60 miles driving N on Steese Hwy, we finally reached Dalton Highway...If you ever watched Ice Road Truckers, you will probably understand why we both said a silent prayer under our breaths before entering the highway. It is a lonely stretch of deserted road, with only 2 gas stations along 600 miles and no services until other than Coldfoot, ~175 miles north  into the Dalton Hwy!

A truckee, unpaved road, some paved road and

a brave biker!

The dirt road ahead!

Our aim was to go to Arctic Circle, and camp at Coldfoot for the night, and take pictures along the way :).

There are a few things of interest to see along the road. The first thing you will see is the Alaska pipeline which runs almost parallel to the highway. It is above ground where ever the permafrost would interfere with it underground. On the right is the Dalton Highway within first 60 or so miles and adjacent Alaska Pipeline. 

Mile 98, The Finger Mountain Valley: Finger Mountain is called so because it points to Fairbanks in the south and was used as a  guide to early travelers. Winds were very strong in this area. 

Finger Mountain Valley, MP98

Mile 115, The Arctic Circle: Dalton Hwy is the one of the 2 roads in N America that crosses Arctic Circle.  Take a picture in front of the big board and prove that you made it till here!! 


Mile 150, The Grayling Lake: Carved out of glaciers, stop to take a pic.


Mile 175, The Coldfoot Camp: 

Bar at Coldfoot. Pic was taken at 12AM!!

This is the only real stop on Dalton Hwy. There is a bar, a hotel, and a campsite to crash for the night. This was originally a mining camp (old name, Slate Creek). Around 1900 it got its present name when the prospectors going up to the Koyukuk River  got "cold feet" and turn around! We camped here that night.


Day 2 on Dalton...

We left early on the next day and had  plans to drive further up N of the Dalton. Interesting, about 15 miles beyond Coldfoot, the road is very well laid out. 

Right (top), Post office (no longer in use), has sunk in 2 ft 

below ground. Bottom: Parts that might get recycled one day!

Mile 188, Wiseman: An old historical town with only 13 residents, this is a quaint little mining town founded by prospectors who abandoned Coldfoot after finding gold in a nearby creek. The 13 residents lead a very interesting life, subsistent on hunting and gardening, makes for a great stop on your trip. They are really self-sufficient, as they also make their own electricity, and build their machines from recycled parts. The residents are very friendly and happy to have visitors. There is also a B&B (believe it or not), and they can get up to 20 visitors during a busy season. Quotes from residents:

"I used to be a vegetarian, then met my husband and settled in Wiseman. Sometimes when I don't feel like eating meat, I supplement my protein needs with pulses and lentils that I order from amazon.com!"

"When I get bored in winters (so much snow that everything is in a standstill), I just snowboard or ski with my little brother!"

" I am originally from Utah, came to Anchorage, AK to study, met my now husband, dropped out of school, and came to settle down here!"

"Once a week, when the mail man comes with mail, we all get together to welcome him with food and drinks and make an evening out of it!"

What a unique and happy little town! Be sure to visit Wiseman if you drive all the way up to Coldfoot.

Initially we had planned to turn back from Wiseman, but the beautiful landscapes motivated us to move on further N!

Mile 203, Sukakpak Mountain

Sukakpak Mountain Panaroma

Northernmost Spruce

We saw a beautiful view of the Sukakpak Mountain (unique because it glows in the afternoon sun and rises like a wall) Stop here to take in a view or a picture.
Mile 235, The Northernmost Spruce: As you drive along further N, we noticed fewer trees due to the extreme cold weather. Here lies the furthest north spruce tree on the highway, killed by a vandal in 2004 (~ 273 years old)!!

Mile 237-240: Chandalar Shelf/Pass

Chandalar Shelf, Mile 237+

You will start to notice there are no trees beyond this point. The landscape was absolutely breathtaking, so scenic and...untouched! 
Mile 244, Atigun Pass: The first major incline beyond this point is the Atigun pass, the highest pass in Alaska and spans across the Brooks Range. You can get stunning views of the Brooks Range and of the trucks ascending and descending the pass. Around Mile 244 there is a little pull out zone where you can stop by to take photos. 

Two truckers driving towards each other over the Atigun Pass,

At this point we decided (quite hesitantly) to return...The only bonus to the driving up 245 miles on the Dalton is that you get to enjoy the beauty and the peace all over again! It was all so worth it!

Us, with a "been there, done that" smile :)

We drove back 300 or so miles (250 on Dalton + 60 or so on Steese Hwy) to our abode in Fairbanks...finally after 3 days of camping we will be rewarded with sound sleep on a real bed...zzz...

Day 2: DNP, Of Belly rubs and hikes...

Healy, here we come!

Our day 2 started pretty slow...the jet lag from the time difference, the long flight, and the walks from the previous day had begun to kick in and we were quite sedated even at 9 am...It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for some hikes. We were told about the sled dog kennel tour that lasts approximately an hour and half  and is free. Shuttle buses take you to these kennels. 

Initially I was a bit hesitant, as I wasn't sure how well these dogs were treated...after I visited (and I am glad I did), I learnt these dogs love what they do, they get groomed and belly-rubbed every single day, and lay out in the sun sleeping or welcoming visitors...These are the only sled dogs in the United States that help protect a national park and the wildlife...mostly in winters when vehicles cannot reach into deep parts of the woods. So this was really a summer break for them! If you are an animal lover, you will enjoy this tour where you get to interact with these dogs, and let me tell you, they love belly-rubs!

Next we decided to start our hike. There are so many hikes and trails to chose from, we chose the Mt Healy Overlook. Reasons: 1. Great views from half-way point. 2. Even better views from the top. 3.The secret…you get to see Mt. Denali from the top of Mt Healy! Catch: It’s a strenuous hike (1,700 ft high, 25 % grade, 4.5 miles /7.3 km round trip, takes 3-4 hr). 

One of the breathtaking views from the top of Mt Healy

Go well prepared, wear the right shoes, take plenty of water and fruits, dress in layers (it’s very chilly and windy at the summit) and pack food so you can enjoy your victory lunch at the top! 

In the evening, we were back at the camp, sleepy as anything. and mentally recharged for the next day...Dalton Highway, here we come!

Day 1: Denali National Park

Moose on the loose

We started early on the 30th morning, as we had a scheduled shuttle bus ride at 7:30 am. The park only has paved roads for the first 15 miles after which the only way to navigate is hike/trek or buses. Pack fruits, water, cereal bars, sandwiches/easy to eat food, sunscreen, mosquito repellent and dress in layers. There are no food stores at any of the rest stops, only special toilets, called Sweet Smelling Toilets (SSTs), so please take some wipes or tiolet paper along too!

There are various kinds of buses you can take to explore the park. We chose the shuttle bus only because it offered the flexibility to actually hop on and off any time. 

During the summer months, the buses only run till mile 53, Toklat river. Our driver was very entertaining and would stop at the sight of any wildlife. We saw moose, moose and more moose! Oh and we also saw caribou and  dall sheep which seemed to love posing for the camera as they disappear behind the mountain edges. During the bus ride, if you are lucky (statistically only 15% people fall into this group) you can see Mount McKinley (Denali, the High one, named by natives), the highest mountain peak in the US. 

We could barely see it at first but I'll let you in on a secret about how to get a better view of Denali...read on! By midday we had reached the Toklat river stop, and decided to get off the bus and stretch out a bit. We strolled along the river and had our lunch, took in the fresh air, some pictures and then decided to get on the bus heading back. We hooped off at Polychrome Overlook, Mile 46, named such becuase of the multi colored bluffs. It was so pretty, but started getting slightly chillier.

So we started walking/hiking, Rahul more because he wanted to see bears up close and take pictures...(I was secretly praying 'NO!'). Looks like my prayers were answered, and after about an hr or so of walking, we got the bus back to the visitor center.

Just as we were getting registered for our camping, and getting all set to set up our camp, it started pouring outside...and by pouring I am serious..It didn't seem like we would be able to camp successfully, esp since I remembered we were so busy before we left that we didn't get a chance to seal the seams of the camp with sealant..so we will be cold and wet at the same time!

Almost as suddenly as the rain stated, it stopped and sweet sunshine smiled upon us as we hurriedly put up our tent. We started a camp fire, and settled down with some hot soup, tired but very content with the day. 

Alaska-The Grand Plan

Visiting Alaska was always a dream...it just seemed like the perfect place to go to, had a touristy zing to it. We kept thinking about planning the visit, until about a month ago in April 2011 when we seriously decided to go. Rahul had made up his mind and as we sat at Barnes and Noble, sifting through pages of National Geographic, awestruck at the beautiful landscape and wildlife, we saw our dream materializing right in front of us. Before we knew it, we had booked our tickets through American Airlines and Alaska Air (RDU -> Chicago -> Anchorage). From there on it was an interesting 12 day, 1800 mile road trip...Read on!!

View Larger Map

Rahul had planned the trip so well that in spite of reaching Anchorage 7 hours later than we had previously anticipated (thanks to the fog in Chicago), we were fine. Our baggage had also decided to take a path of its own, and we did not have our camping gear for Day 1 Camping at Denali. After reaching Anchorage at 8pm (instead of 1pm)  we realized that in summer, 1pm looks exactly like 8pm in Alaska...bright sunlight welcomed us and made our 5 hour drive to Denali National Park much easier. We checked in at a cabin close to the park for the night, and retired for the day, hoping for a smoother tomorrow.

Sugar Loaf Mountain

Tip: Visit Sugar Loaf late in the evening (after 5 pm) to beat any crowds at the cable car lines and stay till its dark to see beautiful lit views of the city, favelas and Copacabana beach!


I think this was a day when we took a train, a ferry, bus, taxi, and a cable car...did we miss anything ;). We took the metro in the morning to Centro (orange line), from here, after a 15min walk we took a ferry from Praca XV. It was a R$ 2.80 ticket per person, and fun 15 min ride to Niteroi, that looked like a really old part of Rio. 

We took a train again from the Centro station (orange line) to Botafogo (I think, can't remember exactly). Got off, took a bus, then a taxi to the 'base station'  at Urca. Cable car tickets were R$ 44 pp, and the lines weren't too bad. Cable car ride was brief and fun. The half way point to sugarloaf gives really views of the city too...but we headed up soon after taking a few good shots. The top is just AMAZING! You get views of the Guanabara Bay, Niteroi, the bridge connecting to it, SDU airport, Copacabana and of course Christ Redeemer! 

We were also lucky (barely) to catch the first few minutes of city lights from the top of the mountain. The last cable car leaves at 8pm so unlike us, if you are lucky and it doesn't rain like crazy, you will be able to capture beautiful pictures of the Bay and the city from the top.

Spellbound and almost soaking wet in the rain we ran to the cable car. There were only few others who had waited till the dark.  We took in one last bit of the city and started our descent. What a day, what a trip. We'll always remember it by the extremely friendly people, beautiful beaches, rich culture and the colorful favelas - Adios Rio, We loved every single day here...you are truly the City of God!

  

Corcovado- Christ Redeemer

We had a late start that morning (as usual :)) and planned to do a little souvenir shopping at the Hippy Fair at Ipanema...Rahul, our wallet and I had a great time there...what fun bargaining for local handmade goods in a combination of Engliguese and universal sign language! This is where we learnt the numbers 15 (quinze), 20( vinte), 10 (dez), 30 (trinta), and that the locals are so keen to interact that they really don't mind if you don't want to buy their handicrafts! 

We took bus # 583 from Ipanema to Cosmo Velho station (30 minute ride), which was the last stop. We had read that there is a massive 4 hour queue to get into the cog train that takes you through the scenic routes of the Tijuca National Forest where Corcovado is located. But being a weekday and all, we overlooked this 'fact' and to our disappointment reached at 3 pm to find tickets being sold for the 7pm  ride :(  Hence we decided to skip the scenic route and took the short-cut ride in a van, which got us to the top in about 30-40 mins. 

Tip: Listen to all the people that told you to go early and beat the crowds (are you reading this Rahul, Kamala and Piyush ;))! 

The first glimpse of the status is simply breathtaking...the mere size of it is overwhelming and 'divine'. There are 220 steps that lead to Christo's feet-the stairway to heaven! Once you are here, Christo blesses you...with the best 360 degree pan views of the entire city! So get your binoculars and camera out, set up your tripod and click away! We must have spent about 3 hours here enjoying the cool breeze and views...Christo watches over all of Rio, and people turn to Christo from any where in Rio! What an amazing concept! 

We finally gave up waiting for it to get darker for some night shots.  The last van pick up was at 7:45pm so we only barely missed the lights of Rio from top. 

This was a trip truly worth every cent (R$ 38), and I highly recommend it...(chose a clear day if you can help it).

Favela Tour

Zezinho's affair with Rocinha

At first I was mentally conflicted about going to a favela...a term used for a 'rural' area where there are shanty houses, closely packed together. I am not heartless by any means but the very idea of going to see underprivileged people as a tourist did not seem right. What would they get out of my visit? Is this even morally correct? Have I not seen enough 'favelas' (or worse) in India? With all these questions in my head, but keeping an open mind, I set out to visit Rocinha- the biggest favela in Rio de Janeiro housing quarter of a million people. Rahul had booked us with Zezinho, who was a cheerful, chirpy guy, completely covered in tattoos,  and will make you feel instantly at ease. He picked us up from our hotel and accompanied us on the van ride to the top of Rocinha.

The best part was that he belonged to Rocinha...which did not make us very 'touristy' at all. Rather than feeling like an outsider, who was here to watch and click pictures of poor people in shanty homes, I felt like I was visiting a friend, who was taking me to visit his friends! We started from the top and headed downhill...Zezinho told us the history of how the favelas came about, how the city's garbage, water and electricity were managed, and how it was being kept under check by the drug lords... we even saw some 'look out' points and 'hot spots' (drug purchase zones!).  

As we maneuvered our way through the narrow alleyways, we couldn't miss the colorful graffiti on the walls, the cheerful kids and adults who will stop by and say 'Oi'. I instantly felt like I was part of the community...

Zezinho showed Rahul some really good spots to take pictures; the highlight of the tour was his friend's 'penthouse'...what else would you call a roof apartment that has this view (below)?

 

Notice the high rises in the picture above? They are a true illustration of the gap (or the lack of it!) between the rich and the poor...We must have spent about an hr or so here just taking pictures and admiring the greenery and architecture, watching kids flying kites from their roof tops, and just taking in every bit of Rocinha...We continued further down, visited Zezinho's house, and then from there proceeded along to see some local schools, a day care, radio station, a catholic church, couple of real estate offices, housing complexes recently built by the government, and Zezinho's favorite restaurant where we had some coffee. Finally we concluded our tour outside the sports centre.

We also saw the beautiful archway entry into Rocinha, with a Welcome sign. Rocinha just recently went on the map! Zezinho had passed on his love for his community to us. We left Rocinha a bit sad, as the 6h had gone by too fast, but feeling deeply connected to a neglected group of people, who didn't even speak our  language but welcomed us with open hearts, smiles on their face and 'Oi' on their lips. Here ends the story of Zezinho's continuing affair with Rocinha...

I cannot recommend Zezinho more to you! If you take his tour, please tell him " Rahul and Padma said Oi!"