Alaska Trip : July 1-23, 2017

Part 1 - San Diego to Barrow

July 1: San Diego CA to Redmond OR

The trip started with a routine flight to the Bend/Redmond area I've made often.

Everything packed but the kitchen sink

Ready for departure

Wapama Falls, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

July 2: Redmond OR to Prince George BC

As with last year, I did the border crossing at Kelowna and was cleared by Canadian customs on the phone. From there, it was unexplored (for me) territory. Approaching Prince George, a good thunderstorm was passing through, but I was able to fly around the cell.

Wapato Point, Lake Chelan, WA	US-Canada border at Oroville WA	Figures. The GPS still worked, but I was down to one radio.	Final approach, Kelowna
Thunderstorm enroute to Prince George	cIMG_01964.JPG

July 3: Prince George BC to Whitehorse YT via the Trench Route

There's no fuel and only a few unpaved landing strips on the 342nm between Mackenzie and Watson Lake. What started as a nice partly cloudy day became showery and gloomy on the way north. I started wondering whether I'd get past the pass north of Fort Ware, but made it through with about a 1000' ceiling. The sun was out on the other side and the lakes looked beautiful!

Williston Lake	Fort Graham	Tsay Keh	Ed Bird Lake
Fort Ware	Hmm... but I can see light...	Kechika River beyond the pass	cIMG_02101.JPG
Scoop Lake	Birches Lake	Final approach, Watson Lake	CARS station at Watson Lake
Following the Alaska Highway	Teslin	Teslin Lake	cIMG_02243.JPG

July 3-4: Whitehorse, YT

I planned to stay in Whitehorse for a day, which was just as well, as there were low ceilings and showers the entire day.

Common Merganser (?)	pIMG_2272.JPG	Miles Canyon Footbridge	cIMG_2297.JPG
Miles Canyon	Chipmunk	Common Raven	Aspen leaf miner
cIMG_2361.JPG	Lesser Yellowlegs (?)	Common Goldeneye	Hooded Merganser
American Wigeon	American Robin	Least Sandpiper	pIMG_2455.JPG
cIMG_2461.JPG	cIMG_2464.JPG	pIMG_2467.JPG	cIMG_2473.JPG
cIMG_2477.JPG	Fireweed	cIMG_2484.JPG

July 5: Whitehorse YT to Fairbanks AK

The day started with Whitehorse under a 1500' ceiling, with improving weather along the route. The US Port of Entry is at Northway Airport. Apart from a Flight Service Station, there's no fuel or other services there.
Alaska's Flight Service Stations are still run by the FAA and you can walk in to get in-person briefings.

Following the Alaska Highway again	A peek at the St. Elias Mountains	Kluane Lake	US-Canada Border, Alcan, AK
Northway, AK	Customs stop at Northway	Flight Service Station, complete with pink flamingos	Tetlin Junction
Tok	Near Delta Junction	Final approach, Fairbanks	The Fairbanks FSS is right across the street from the GA ramp.

July 6: Fairbanks to Barrow

It was a nice morning in Fairbanks and I was tempted to go explore Denali. However, that would have added 2 hours to a 4 hour flight to Barrow, so I decided to pass. Weather was nice out to Deadhorse / Prudhoe Bay, but I got a rainy welcome to Barrow.

It's Fairbanks Airport, but the GA side is separate.	Denali in the distance	Segment of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline near Livengood Camp	The Brooks Range
cIMG_2529.JPG	Chandalar Shelf airstrip along the Dalton Highway	Atigun Pass	Just beyond Atigun Pass
Galbraith Lake	The North Slope along the Sagavanirktok River	Trans-Alaska Pipeline near Deadhorse	Franklin Bluffs
cIMG_2603.JPG	VOR and oil rigs at Deadhorse	The mosquitos were plentiful	The Beaufort Sea / Arctic Ocean
Colville River	Sea ice in Harrison Bay	Avak Creek - tundra polygons are visible	On downwind
Final approach, Barrow	Barrow, 2636nm from my starting point