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Pre-cruise tour to Coldfoot and Prudhoe Bay

JAVERZ

By JAVERZ,
in Alaska

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JAVERZ

JAVERZ

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I am considering a three day pre-cruise tour from Fairbanks to Coldfoot and Prudhoe Bay by motorcoach and return by plane (Arctic Ocean Adventure). I am interested in learning about things like accodmodations, weather, length of trip, special things to see, etc. If you've been there/done that, I'd enjoy reading about your experiences so I can make a decision. I will be traveling at the end of May 2008 but want to make a decision soon so I can book our air travel on mileage. Thanks! :)

Nevadagal aka Judy V.

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Budget Queen

Budget Queen

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Accomdations are reformed worker camps for the pipeline. The bus ride is LONG. It's about 10 hours Fairbanks to Coldfoot with stops. Be certainly you are fully aware of what this involves. I have only been as far north on the Haul Road as Wiseman, so can't comment further. Wildlife is rare and you will be following MILES AND MILES of burnt trees in various states of reforrest.

 

Be sure they are running in May??? Will still be winter/spring like still in Prudhoe Bay??

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jrw

jrw

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Accomdations are reformed worker camps for the pipeline. The bus ride is LONG. It's about 10 hours Fairbanks to Coldfoot with stops. Be certainly you are fully aware of what this involves. I have only been as far north on the Haul Road as Wiseman, so can't comment further. Wildlife is rare and you will be following MILES AND MILES of burnt trees in various states of reforrest.

 

Be sure they are running in May??? Will still be winter/spring like still in Prudhoe Bay??

 

Yes, you can do this in May. Yes, it will be like winter in Prudhoe Bay. BUT! Prudhoe Bay is tundra, a polar desert...they do not record much precipitation at all, so no worries about snow accumulation at Prudhoe Bay. The little they have just blows around and sticks around due to the very cold temps, even in "summer". The Arctic Ocean will likely still be frozen -- it was when we were there. As for trees, it will be mostly spruce along the way...and there is a marker for the northernmost spruce, after which you will see no more trees of any type (due to permafrost). As for wildlife, we saw moose, musk ox, LOTS of bears, many Dall sheep, caribou...and at Prudhoe, there was a polar bear foraging in a dumpster nearby the lodging (I missed it, was very early AM).

 

I did this as part of a Princess cruisetour. Was pre-cruise end of May 1999. The lodging in Coldfoot & Prudhoe Bay are very basic, but clean & comfortable. The rooms are in what are basically trailers. The rooms are small but have private bath in each. Just for some perspective, while I am not a "girly" girl, I am NOT the type to camp -- and I found the lodging to be just fine. You will be traveling in a deserted area, with the exception of the very small population in Coldfoot and the workers plus few other tourists in Prudhoe Bay. On the way to Coldfoot, you will likely stop at the "Hot Spot". On the way to Prudhoe Bay, you will likely stop at the weather station -- no people here, just weather monitoring equipment.

 

I personally found the trip to be awesome. But, I am much more into mountains than beaches. I am also in the oil industry, 17 yrs now...so I had a lot of interest and a lot of understanding of the pipeline and the operations at Prudhoe Bay. I can see how some people would be thoroughly bored...but how others would be completely overwhelmed with excitement.

 

Crossing the Brooks Range was simply amazing. Seeing the landscape of the pipeline route and fathoming how it was accomplished (and in such a short period of time) is mind-boggling. This portion of the ride is not for the faint-hearted...it can be treacherous, especially if you encounter blizzard conditions in the higher elevations. It is not a wide road and it twists & turns through the mountains, so adverse weather complicates matters.

 

I found this site about the Dalton Highway trip, you might enjoy it:

http://www.alaskaroads.com/photos-Dalton-Hwy.htm

 

This is getting long, but please ask any other Q's you may have. There was a nice article in the Philadelphia Inquirer (local paper for me) about 6-8 wks ago. It was written by a guy who did this trip and I found myself reminiscing. I mailed my mom's copy to another CC member who is also planning this trek. She really enjoyed it. If you would like a copy (I still have mine and could photocopy), please let me know. You might be able to see it online (not sure), but would have to subscribe as it's past 7 days.

 

-- Renée

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Momj47

Momj47

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My daughter, son-in-law and I did this cruisetour in June 2005, and we loved it. There was some snow in the mountains, but the sky was blue, the weather was cold and windy, and the Arctic Ocean was freezing. It was everything we hoped it would be. It was definitely the highlight of our trip. We highly recommend it.

 

It's not a place you'll probably ever get to any other way. I'm not much for shopping and touristy things, I'd rather have a trip like this any day. The bus ride was fascinating, the driver/guide was so knowledgeable and kept us entertained and well informed during the entire two days on the bus. There wasn't a dull moment. The flight back, especially circling Mount McKinley, was a great experience. Alaska looks quite different from the air.

 

It will certainly be colder in May, though with global warming, who knows what you'll find next year! Enjoy your trip.

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jrw

jrw

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Here's a link to the article from the Philadelphia newspaper about their trip up the Dalton Highway.

 

Momj47 -- I guess the Inquirer does not make you subscribe (paid) to view travel articles. Any other articles I look up after 7 days always require paid subscription! I run into that issue frequently. I am glad this article is accessible "free".

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S&G

S&G

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We did this trip in late May/early June of 2007. It was the most incredible trip and was the highlight of my 2-week vacation, even surpassing the week on the cruise ship. We did it through Princess (which I would recommend). The trip between Fairbanks and Prudhoe is long, but is well worth it. The scenery is amazing the further north you go, and there is plenty of wildlife to see -- more than you'll see on any other point in your trip. Just driving to Coldfoot in not enough. To appreciate the Dalton Highway, I think you need to go all the way to Prudhoe.

 

The weather varied. When we reached the Arctic Circle it was warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt. By the time we reached Prudhoe it was snowing. Be prepared for everything.

 

Accommodations were basic, but comfortable (twin beds, thin walls, basic amenities). We preferred the Prudhoe lodging at the Arctic Caribou Inn, rather than the Coldfood lodging, but both serve their purpose. After a day on the bus and seeing some amazing sights, you'll be too exhausted to care. The food in Prudhoe was much better, however.

 

I would suggest it be done before your cruise since it is tiring and you certainly won't be pampered. Overall, I would highly recommend this trip. It's actually one that I would do again (and probably will).

 

Enjoy!

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ex-Driver/Guide

ex-Driver/Guide

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Hi Judy,

I spent my past 3 summers as a Driver/Guide on that destination. It contains what I consider to be the most beautiful areas of my state! That said, this trip is not for everyone...

You have an early morning departure & A LOT of road time. However, the road time is less structured & more conducive to wildlife viewing as it is on a dirt highway in the middle of nowhere. The hills are steep (with FANTASTIC views, better once you get past the Yukon Rvr), the road can be rough & dusty. The accommodations are VERY spartan (think summer camp) & your Driver/Guide is the only Cruise Line employee you will see. So yes, if they get a flat, they fix it while you wait. The upsides are just as convincing however. You don't get the cattle feel as there are 20 to 40 of you & 1 driver. They do have a basic schedule to keep (at least if you want to get fed), but the also have the freedom to stop somewhere just because it is pretty & a lady in the back wants a picture! This trip does involve more group compromise, but you get to know your other riders better than you normally would. You can be skunked with weather & animals, but it is NOT common. Bears, moose caribou, musk ox, foxes, hawks, swans, these are all in abundance once you leave civilization & the pavement. The people at the stops are nice, the food is good & the views? Wow. It is an altogether foreign place. Coldfoot isn't a town so much as a few buildings (there BLM/Ak Forestry Natural History Museum ISN'T to be missed! Prudhoe isn't a town, but a work camp. Neither place has luxury (yes I am repeating, but this was a big sticking point)

So if you have a sense of adventure, don't require coddling & are willing to put up with some mud for gorgeous views... This trip is for you & if its not, no worries, the rest of the state is JUST as gorgeous & maybe the Copper River Lodge (princess) may be more your speed. (it has a little dirt, but only about 2/3rd of the ride.)

Enjoy!

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JAVERZ

JAVERZ

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Thanks again for all the helpful information. Any recommendations for tour companies to travel with? We've already planned a pre-cruise tour with Princess to Fairbanks, Denali, Copper River & Kenai. This particular tour doesn't include Coldfoot and Prudhoe Bay so I was thinking of booking a pre-pre-cruise tour there. I guess I just want to see as much as I can but I'm not sure if it would be biting off too much.

Nevadagal :)

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itsanita Great Review Rare

itsanita

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We have one free day in Fairbanks. We have found several places that will rent a "Dalton Highway" vehicle, so since there are 4 of us, we thought we would try this on our own. Reading all the above information, I doubt we could get farther that Coldfoot before we would have to turn back.

 

It was mentioned that going to Coldfoot is just not far enough, but if it was as far as we could go, would it still be worth spending our last day in Fairbanks doing this trip?

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greatam

greatam

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We have one free day in Fairbanks. We have found several places that will rent a "Dalton Highway" vehicle, so since there are 4 of us, we thought we would try this on our own. Reading all the above information, I doubt we could get farther that Coldfoot before we would have to turn back.

 

It was mentioned that going to Coldfoot is just not far enough, but if it was as far as we could go, would it still be worth spending our last day in Fairbanks doing this trip?

 

First off, I want to know what "several" companies will rent. I only know of two and one you must have "commercial insurance" with all the extras. I have done the drive twice and quite a few of my employees (logisitics-trucking company) have done it. One of my ex employees now works for BP as their logistics planner in Prudhoe.

 

PLEASE DO NOT try this on your own if you only have one day. And do not try it on your own unless you are VERY mechanical and are prepared to spend a day/even night in the car with food, water and toilet paper. Blankets are also a good thing.

 

The extra spare tires they give you on the "Haul Road" cars are essential (and you better be able to change a tire on DIRT-not as easy as it sounds). But so is a tool box to fix things like fan belts, alternators, etc. etc. etc. which they don't give you. If you or hubby cannot fix/replace a fan belt on the side of the road in the lower 48, then don't even think of a "drive yourself" trip to Coldfoot or beyond anytime and especially NOT in ONE day. There are only two towing services and they are 200+ miles apart. So if you break down, you will wait AT LEAST 8 hours before you get help. And it could be much longer, depending how busy the tow trucks are.

 

For one day, try one of the Northern Alaska fly/drive trips. http://www.northernalaska.com/

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jrw

jrw

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First off, I want to know what "several" companies will rent. I only know of two and one you must have "commercial insurance" with all the extras. I have done the drive twice and quite a few of my employees (logisitics-trucking company) have done it. One of my ex employees now works for BP as their logistics planner in Prudhoe.

 

PLEASE DO NOT try this on your own if you only have one day. And do not try it on your own unless you are VERY mechanical and are prepared to spend a day/even night in the car with food, water and toilet paper. Blankets are also a good thing.

 

The extra spare tires they give you on the "Haul Road" cars are essential (and you better be able to change a tire on DIRT-not as easy as it sounds). But so is a tool box to fix things like fan belts, alternators, etc. etc. etc. which they don't give you. If you or hubby cannot fix/replace a fan belt on the side of the road in the lower 48, then don't even think of a "drive yourself" trip to Coldfoot or beyond anytime and especially NOT in ONE day. There are only two towing services and they are 200+ miles apart. So if you break down, you will wait AT LEAST 8 hours before you get help. And it could be much longer, depending how busy the tow trucks are.

 

For one day, try one of the Northern Alaska fly/drive trips. http://www.northernalaska.com/

 

I could not agree more!!! This is not a drive for 99.9% of the population to make on their own. Is it beautiful? Of course. Is it dangerous? Potentially...especially if you have any kind of vehicle trouble. The odds may be good that things would go just fine, but the off-chance is not a wise risk, especially when time-constrained.

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greatam

greatam

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Or take the riverboat - I thought it was going to be really touristy, but our whole family, including those who live in Alaska, enjoyed it. Nancy

 

Where's this riverboat??? How do I book it??? Another adventure to Prudhoe???

 

Info, PLEASE.

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greatam

greatam

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This is a pretty good review of a cruise tour with pictures. I just happened upon it when I was looking for info on the riverboat Nancyquilts posted. You can see the accommodations. Please don't expect much. The hotels are truly the old construction camps, which were abused and worn out in 1974. The hotels have twin beds, showers, black and white TV's-below Motel 6 really. But they are clean, very clean.

 

And the food in Deadhorse (Prudhoe) is REALLY good food. Pricey if you are not expecting it-$18-20pp for breakfast and $25-35 for dinner-all buffet style. And you will really pay for snacks at the store in Prudhoe. A can of spread cheese and a box of crackers-$16.00 summer 2006. Even I was shocked at that one, but the price of trucking has gone up!!!! And if you want anything to drink (booze) you will have to take your own. There is no alcohol served or sold in Prudhoe (BP company rules) and I'm not really sure if you are supposed to even take your own. But I have and didn't end up in jail.

 

http://lewbar.tripod.com/2001/cruisetour/prudhoe.htm

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