Day 10: 09/19/2025

Start time:9:07

End time: 3:45

Starting Mileage:88747

Ending Mileage:88916

Low Temp: 10

High Temp:60

Total driven: 169 miles drive time 6 hrs. 38 min

Blog Entry:

We awoke to a cold one for sure outside was 10 degrees, inside the camper was 33. Turned on the heat and in about 20 minutes it was a balmy 50 degrees inside. Our bedding is our 0 degree bags and they keep us warm. Even last night I was still using mine as a blanket instead of crawling inside the cocoon, Lesa was cacooning, lol. Obviously everything was hard cased in frost, even putting things under the picnic table didn't spare it last night. So the first thing we did when we got to the Arctic Circle camp was set things up to dry (things: two crates, two camp chairs, tripod that had the GoPro on it and the stairs) out to dry in the sunshine.

On the way out of camp there were easily over 300 caribou on the hills and next to the road out of camp, I got some great pics! We spent an easy 40 minutes with them.  Granger was so funny doing his normal whining because he knows if he barks he will make the animals run. Well at one point he couldn’t contain himself anymore and he started barking. Caribou just look over at us like what the hell, your disturbing my breakfast. Moxee was sooooooo good, no whining or barking just excited to see the large strange looking deer. Finally some were on her side of the road and I rolled down the window about 8 inches so she could see them better. She put her paws up on the arm rest and her little nose was going 100 mph and she was so excited. Finally her little head went out the window more than it needed to so up with the window.  I don't think she could have gotten out but that would have been tragic if she did.

Atigun pass was a breeze also since all the mud was frozen and we didn't have a semi barreling down on us from behind. The road today was pretty darn good considering it was dry and sunny, on the way in it was a muddy mess. Took a picture of one of about 6 vehicles we have seen on the trip so far that have had unfortunate accidents. These roads are no joke for sure and you really need to be alert while driving them. 

Stopped at Coldfoot for ham\cheese and BLT sandwiches, gas and of course peanut butter and chocolate chip homemade cookies. As I mentioned we stopped at the Arctic Circle camp and for the first time I took the time to take the drone up to look at the landscape, so different from the AC on the Dempster. First off there are trees here at the AC and nothing but tundra on the Dempster. First time ever that a raptor which looked like a hawk tried to attack the drone. Pretty cool you can see it coming in to attack the drone.  I also put the drone up at the Chandalar shelf for the first time, since for once the winds allowed it. Tomorrow if all goes well we will be off the Dalton and staying in a cabin so that we can get showers, do laundry, fill the water tank, fill the propane tank and any other chores we need to do like download all these blog posts finally since we will have internet service. Looks like it is going to be another GoPro night. Note it was the first part of the night and then the rain moved in.

Pups got to run in the woods behind camp tonight they had a blast. Decided not to have a fire tonight since it was so warm at 43 degrees and watched a wonderful sunset through the Aspen trees, watched and listened to the Gray Jay's flying around camp. Talked about the rest of the trip and lightly planning it out and where we might be in the next couple days.  What a temperature change today 10 degrees this morning and 60 degrees when we pulled into camp.