Haul Road Stories

[Bear Heart]

Please share your Haul Road stories.  Include tips, mishaps,  and if I had to do it again advise.   If you already told your story please leave a link on this thread.

Thinking about stuffing five guys from my local club in a van for a trip in the next couple years.

[jrchambers]

better have the van well prepared.

[moebow]

It's been a few years since I was up there.  Then, it was ALL gravel and the trucks travel VERY fast and didn't give ANYONE a chance.  If you see the dust, find a place to pull over and hide as the flying gravel will make short work of your windshield.

A couple spare tires are also in order. Along with SEVERAL 5 gal. full gas containers.  Last chance for gas was Cold Foot, then, so leave there "full up." Fill the cans in Fairbanks and top off the van in Cold Foot.

Beautiful drive but you must go prepared!!!!  It is not for the faint hearted.

The "Sag" river parallels the road on the east side so you loose a lot of the 5 mile corridor on that side of the road unless you have a row boat or canoe (no motors).  Strong current and too deep to wade.  Good fishing though. Arctic char run about that time, Greyling good too.

If the herd is there hunting is good but LOTS of other hunters will be there too.  If the herd isn't there, you'll have little to no chance. Walking much is VERY challenging in the tundra from "cabbage heads" to just wet everywhere.

There also used to be a "fly in" service available in "Happy Valley" -- don't know if it still operates or not.

Don't get me wrong, a very worthwhile trip, just go with good preparation and a BIG spirit of adventure.

Arne

[Jim Wright]

I have one from August 1977 while working on the pipeline in the Brooks Range. One day driving down the Haul Road from Atigun Pass I spotted 5 big bull Caribou crossing the road ahead and 2 of them were huge! I carefully slipped out of the truck from the driver's seat and let my buddy drive off. I crept along after them staying low, often on all fours for six or 700 yards and managed to take the seven pictures left on the roll of film in my camera. I was never able to get any closer than 45-50 yards and they appeared to be aware of my presence the entire time. After the last picture I stood up and stretched my legs. I looked at them and they looked back at me. After a bit they put their antlers back and trotted by me single file at less than 20 yards, each of them giving me a look that seemed to say: so you're the dumb-ass that's been crawling along behind us!

[Bear Heart]

The van was just figurative.  It will probably be a large truck.

[Keith Zimmerman]

A lot can change in a couple years.  Just like customers coming in to the dealership and thinking of doing something in a couple few years.

[Bear Heart]

Well, 2016 is my Alberta moose hunt. Hunting hard for deer and elk close to home this year. So I am looking at 2015 or 2017.

[akdd]

Here is a link to the Alaska outdoors forum Haul Road thread.
 http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/129893-2013-Haul-Road-Report

[Bear Heart]

Thanks.  Good info thread.

[LKH]

Until the last 2 years I'd gone up every year since 1996.  Friends still go but the hunting has been in a steady decline and the last few have frankly been lousy.

Not sure why but it may simple be pressure.  We live pretty well w/wall tent, army cots to sleep on, wood stove, ice for drinks.  

It's more of a fun camping trip now.  Used to have lots of stalks but that's not the case now.