The Brooks Range stretches through the northern arctic Alaska. They're not particuarly large, all no more than 9000 feet -- but they do form the continental divide between the arctic ocean and the pacific. At around 175 miles up the Dalton, this was as far north as i went up this day before i turned back so i could get the sunset pics at the Arctic Circle Wayside. The mountains and spruce were more my scene after 100 miles of tundra. The cold winds of Finger Mtn and Gobbler's Knob were not here, blocked by the mountains im sure. . .
Grayling Lake at Milepost 150 of the Dalton Highway, originally carved out by a glacier way back in the day. . .
. . .the obligitory “Here's where you're at” sign. It speaks of how the lake has been used for 3000 years by Native Americans. . .
. . .the brige over the South Fork of the Koyukuk River, with the pipeline heading over the hill and the Jack White Range. . .
. . .another shot of the elevated pipeline through the spruce. . .
. . .the sombering warning signs in Coldfoot at MP 175. Originally a mining camp, Coldfoot was named by miners who got “coldfeet” and left before winter set in. this is the last place to get gas or food until reaching Deadhorse on the Arctic Ocean. I was losing my light, so i turned around here and headed back to Fairbanks. . .
. . .the Dalton Highway curving through the Brooks Range looking south before dusk. With the mountains and the northern lattitude, it starts to get dark here way before sunset. . .
. . .back at the South Fork of the Koyukuk River, looking at the pipeline and Dalton Highway. . .
. . .the slight orange glow of sunset off of the Jack White Range just south of the Brooks. . .
. . .sunset shadows against the mountain peaks. . .
. . .back at Gobbler's Knob, a dusk view of the Brooks Range. . .
. . .as i lost the light, some random shots of the water reflecting in behind the brush and the clouds overhead.
