The Start of the Alaska Season: An Annual Van Migration

AAI guide and photographer Alasdair Turner and our Alaska logistics coordinator Mik Metzler completed the long Alaska Highway drive with food and equipment to supply this season’s Alaska Range trips.  Although it is a long drive it is an amazingly beautiful one and they both enjoyed it. It was done in four days, and they even had a little time to sightsee on the way.  Below are some photos of the drive.  More of Alasdair ‘s photos can be found on his website www.alasdairturner.com

An American Bison seen at the side of the road.

It was a cold morning.

The first moose we saw.  It was sleeping I think.

Caribou attempting to end up like the moose above.

One of the many stretches of very pretty road on the drive.

Taking a break.

Another one of the roadside attractions. 

Gas stations are often closed at night, and are spread a long way apart.  Always stop to top up the tank. 

The Toad River Lodge.  Apparently home of the “world famous” hat collection.

The hat collection.  So impressive we spent almost a minute looking at it.  

The Laird Hot Springs.  Don’t miss this!  It is amazing.

A cold rainy walk to the the springs, but very worth it. 

It did this a lot the first two days of our drive.  

Im hungry!  Hmmmm, this place looks nice.  

Never drive past a cafe that lets you sign the building.  

Alaska or bust.

British Columbia is a big place.  Finally made it to the Yukon.  

The hat collection was great.  Almost as great as the signpost forrest. 

Crossing the still frozen Yukon River. 

I don’t really know where this was, but Mik mistook the frozen surface for a beach.  

Alaska somewhere. 

Finally in Talkeetna and unloading the tents.  Do we have enough?

Time to go flying with our friends at K2.

Denali in the distance. 

The east face of Denali.

Mount Huntington.

We should turn the plane now!

An army chinook at the Talkeetna airport helping the rangers install camp.  

–Alasdair Turner, AAI Instructor and Guide