28th May

Tea and cornflakes for breakfast; the clag had cleared and we found ourselves overlooking Toolik lake and field station. Murray left at 11.45 and I drove to the 1st bridge over the Atigun River where I stopped to boil water.

Had just got the stove going when a hunter in a pick-up called Jerry arrived, saying that there was a musk ox close, but despite using his binoculars we couldn’t find it. We did get good views of Dall sheep high on the hill. He’s a bow hunter after grizzlies and we stood and chatted until Murray arrived. A short break, and then 19 miles further on, beginning the ascent.

Stopped at a lay-by at 1187m for coffee and lunch. This was the beginning of the real climb to the top of the pass. So Murray stopped for a bowl of noodles and some honey on a bagel, then he was off to start the climb. I stopped at ½ way up for the photo opportunity, and just after that we met the Swiss guy Wilf, whom we had met just South of Livengood on 25th May. Stopped for a chat… he’s been doing 130km a day on the Dalton and should make Deadhorse tomorrow night.

Eventually we reached the top for more photos and medals (Murray doing the whole climb in 2nd gear). Then I drove down the valley to a large lay-by with Karzis, bear-proof bins (hooray, I can get rid of the stinking chicken carcase) and right next to a fast flowing river for water.

The change in weather is very obvious – here the willows are 10’ tall and we can see the first spruce about 300 yards to the south of us. So here we sit, drinking wine in the sun, on a tundra evening and eat our pasta and meat sauce while the river tumbles past and the 1st sluggish mosquito lands on my arm – killed the bugger. Hope to be on the road for 9am so we can be at Coldfoot (about 63 miles south) early enough to enjoy their $15 all you can eat buffet

Murray & Jerry the bear hunter

Trucker's Memorial - bottom of Atigun Pass

Most Northerly spruce