Getting to Barrow, Alaska overland
I would like to drive to Barrow, Alaska. Mainly because it is the northernmost inhabited place still on the north American continent.
However, I understand there are no regular roads going to the place. Although the normal way of getting there is by either airplane (in winter) or ship (in summer), I've read some info that says it should be possible to get there by four-wheel drive, but none go into any detail.
So, the big question is: Can one drive to Barrow with a 4x4?
Best Answer
Unfortunately, according to Wikitravel's entry:
With the exception of an annual summer barge service, Barrow is a fly-in-only city. The airport, Wiley-Post Will Rogers Memorial Airport, is located directly south of the city.
So looks like the ship you mention in summer is the only non-air way of getting in. Unless you go extreme 4WD, like the Top Gear episode where they drive to the North Pole...
From RoadTripAmerica.com:
Barrow, BTW, is well over 200 miles from Deadhorse and the end of the Dalton Highway. I don't see how you could possibly expect to get there via any wheeled vehicle, frankly.
Certainly many other results in a google search tell you how it's impossible.
However, 8 days before the Wright Brothers flew, the NY Times said it'd be a million years before anyone did it...
Pictures about "Getting to Barrow, Alaska overland"
Is it possible to drive to Barrow?
Point Barrow is roughly 12 miles north of Utqia\u0121vik proper. We can't stress this enough: do not attempt to drive all the way to Point Barrow. Once the road ends, driving conditions become extremely hazardous.Is there a road to Barrow Alaska?
You would still have to fly from Prudhoe Bay to Barrow since there is no road. Regarding the drive on the Dalton Hwy (aka Haul Road) photojournalist Susan Stevenson has a couple of comprehensive blogs covering trips she's made from Fairbanks north on the Dalton.How do you get to Point Barrow Alaska?
The roads in the town are unpaved - they don't need to be paved because of the permafrost. There are also no roads connecting the town with the rest of Alaska. To reach the town one must fly to the Wiley Post - Will Rogers Memorial Airport (there are flights from Anchorage and Fairbanks).How do I get to Utqiagvik?
The only way to travel to Utqiagvik is by plane, although there is an annual summer barge service to send and receive large heavy items such as vehicles, building supplies, and heavy equipment.Driving my Truck Camper to Canada \u0026 Alaska WITH A SHOT GUN - 6 Border Crossings
More answers regarding getting to Barrow, Alaska overland
Answer 2
Yes you can drive between Barrow and Prudhoe Bay with proper permits. See below. 11/16/2015 www.adn.com
Arnie Arey and his specially outfitted truck, pictured here with other vehicles, haul newly purchased trucks and other cargo by sled, hundreds of miles along the snow and ice between Prudhoe Bay and Barrow, providing a winter link to the state's road system.
Once, around New Year’s, he hit soft sea ice along the coast and gunned his truck onto the beach.
“The ice broke behind me,” he said.
He said he’s getting ready to renew his permits and should be hauling cargo next month. He’s already got some work lined up, including with an oil field service company that wants him to haul freight to a remote site.
His business pays well enough that he takes his summers off, leaving time for hunting and camping with his kids.
“I love it. I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” he said.
Source URL: http://www.adn.com/article/20151115/these-real-ice-road-truckers-drive-across-sea-ice-and-tundra-alaskas-north-slope Links:
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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