Day 7: 09/16/2025

Start time:10:03

End time: 1:23

Starting Mileage:88290

Ending Mileage: 88358

Low Temp:38

High Temp:55

Total driven: 68 miles drive time 3hrs 20 min

Blog Entry:

Happy Birthday Lesa! Last night while sitting around talking we decided that we all needed a rest\play\chore day with all the driving we have been doing. So stay up a little late, wake up late and take our time leaving.  Before we left this morning a flock of snow geese flew over us, singing on their way south. We left AC camp at 10:03 that is a very late start time for us. We stopped at Marion Campground 1:23 which is a very early stop, so mission accomplished. One year I don't remember which we were still tent camping at Marion camp and Lesa was cooking the eggs and the top of the eggs froze while in the skillet. Not going to have that problem this time. 

In between the start and stop we had the Dempster challenge us but I would say a more normal challenge than yesterday's mess. Took a few shots of the tundra and pipeline, stopped at Coldfoot for gas and take out at the restaurant. Grilled cheese w\fries and triple deck club w\onion rings.  Ate while we setup camp, took the Sammies for a walk and let them run around camp off lead since the only ones here right now is a camp of moose hunters down the way. I put the drone into the sky for a while going over 2.5 miles away at two different mountains.  Had to stop both times as I got closer to the mountains because I was being warned of air space.  Imagine as I got closer and higher up on the mountains I got into air space. Early evening and sure enough a helicopter went right by the mountain where the drone was.

Lesa got some amazing northern light action on the GoPro last night. At some point hopefully we will get some internet action to post them and maybe some drone footage. Campfire tonight if this amazing blue sky day turns into a clear night. We did see that as we go further north and get over Atigun pass we are going to run into snow on the upper part of the Dalton.  How much and how far we will get yet to be seen.  Hopefully as it gets colder and snowier the wildlife will begin to show themselves.

One of the pics you can see how thick the moss is, the other is pump house #5. The one of Granger sitting is him being told to wait as Lesa and Moxee are coming down the road, such a good boy. Lots of reindeer moss and shrooms, around camp.  I can't explain how peaceful and quiet it is this afternoon as I sit here typing this up.  Great day to sit in the sun above the AC and listen to a camp robber (Gray Jay) or squirrel only sound off every now and then. Right now at this moment is why we do this, I'm sure there will be more!