Cow caribou on highway Arctic
Wildlife
What Can I See? Viewing Tips
Boreal Owl Photos by Scott &
Heidi Schoppenhorst
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Boreal Owl Photo by Scott
Schoppenhorst
Photos
Scott, Heidi, &i Chris Schoppenhorst
The Dalton Highway is the only road reaching north of the Yukon
River into some of Alaska's most remote wilderness. Those who make the journey
have an opportunity to view not only spectacular scenery, but also a variety of
truly wild animals in their natural habitat. Since there is such a huge
wilderness stretching either side of the Dalton, you may not always see animals
right by the road. Here are a few tips of where & what to look for on your
trip up the Dalton if wildlife viewing is of interest…
Photo by Scott & Heidi Schoppenhorst
(Left to Right) Two moose in pond near Dalton, part of the
Central Arctic Caribou herd near Dalton (N.Slope), Dall sheep near Atigun Pass, Wolf
north of Atigun Pass, herd of Musk Ox on the North
Slope.
What Can I See?
Since the Dalton Highway traverses over 400 miles, across 3
major ecosystems (Boreal Forest, Arctic Mountains, and high Arctic tundra), it
is possible to see quite a variety of animals along the road:
Moose, bears (both black & grizzly), Dall
sheep, caribou, musk oxen, wolves, red fox (3 color phases), arctic fox, lynx,
wolverine, as well as smaller game such as marmots, arctic ground squirrels,
snowshoe hares, weasels, martin, beaver, & muskrats. Polar bears are
generally not viewed from the Dalton, as they live along the arctic coast &
very seldom does one venture near the Dalton.
There is also an enormous variety of migratory birds that travel
from around the world each spring to nest in the awesome habitat found in the
boreal forest & arctic tundra wetlands. Migratory birds start showing up in
the arctic beginning in April, and many remain for most of the summer, and can
be seen until late July.
A few of the more exotic sightings - (mostly from north of the
Continental Divide) - are King & Spectacled Eiders, Blue Throat, Oldsquaw,
Yellow Billed Loon, Peregrine Falcon, and the furthest traveler; the Arctic
Tern, to name a few. Golden Eagles remain all year, as well as (of course)
ptarmigan, snowy owls, boreal owls, chick-a-dees,
gray jays, and ravens - Pine Grossbeaks &
Crossbills locally in/near Wiseman.
Photos by Heidi
Schoppenhorst
(Left
to Right) 2 White fronted & Snow
geese, Golden Eagle, White Fronted geese, Tundra Swan, flying White Fronted
geese with pipeline.
Photos by Heidi & Chris Schoppenhorst 2006
(Left to Right) Gray wolf viewed
in Dietrich River valley, caribou feed on North Slope tundra in early spring,
Common Loon in Lake (off the Dalton),
Spruce grouse near Wiseman, cow moose in pond near Wiseman
(August).
Viewing Tips: Habitat Time of Day Seasons
Different seasons, terrain, and available feed create changing
habits for wildlife along the Dalton, so there are a variety of aspects to
consider while searching for wildlife from your vehicle:
~ Changing Habitat:
The majority of
wildlife sightings are from within the Brooks Range, and north of the
Continental Divide, or what's known of as the North Slope. The reason for this
is the terrain.
You are in hilly,
but open forested areas as you leave Fairbanks traveling north; moose are most
commonly seen in this type of terrain, possibly black bears, and some of the
fur bearing animals such as lynx, fox, and wolves.
After you cross the Yukon River the terrain is still forested but
more open, and at one point you will cross some high open alpine tundra (Finger
Mountain area); here it is possible to see both black & grizzly bears,
caribou (this is a very small herd of caribou, seen usually only in spring
& fall on their migration through the area), moose, and a variety of
furbearers are also possible sightings if you spend some time & keep your
eyes open in this area. The terrain becomes forested again after crossing the
Arctic Circle, and most wildlife is seen only if close to the road.
It is not until you reach Coldfoot, which is entering the Middle
Fork of the Koyukuk River Valley and the foothills of the Brooks Mountain Range,
that wildlife sightings become more common. The valley acts somewhat as a
funnel for game, and sightings are more frequent the further north you travel
in the valley. Black bears are more commonly seen in the lower part of the
valley, but grizzlies, wolves, moose, caribou (in winter), sheep (on
mountains), wolves, fox, lynx, wolverine and other furbearers, Golden Eagles as
well as a variety of other birds & raptors are all possibilities.
The most wildlife sightings come from the North Slope - once you
cross the Continental Divide there are no more trees, only small shrubs &
willows. Rolling tundra hills stretch to the wetland of the flat coastal plain,
which reaches to the Arctic Ocean. There
is not much to block your view if any animals are within sight!
Dall Sheep are common to see in Atigun
Pass & in the mountains to the north of there, grizzlies, musk oxen, wolves
& caribou are all resident on the slope, as well as moose, although not as
many. All 3 species of red fox can be seen on the N. Slope, and nearer the
coast, arctic fox. Arctic ground squirrels & Marmots are quite common. This
is where you will also see the greatest variety of migratory birds, as they
travel to this desert wetland to nest from around the world.
~ Time of Day:
During the summer
the most likely times to view animals are during the very early morning, and
late evening hours. Since there is 24 hours of day/sunlight here during most of
the summer (generally from May through mid-August) it may be hard for many to
tell when it is day or night! - But not animals - Anytime between 8PM through
8AM are generally the best hours to catch critters out & about, and the
early morning (midnight through 5AM) is generally the coolest time of the day,
when animals are likely to come out to feed & roam. This is also the time
when you will find the least amount of traffic on the road, which also effects
what you will see.
During winter
months, when it is mostly dark in the far north, you are more likely to see
animal tracks in the snow off the road or crossing. During the short daylight
hours you can sometimes view tracks from a distance, and follow them with
binoculars to spot game.
~ Seasons:
Wildlife have
different habits & territories during different seasons, and the best times
of year to see animals it seems are during the change of seasons - May / early
June, and August / Sept.
Spring:
Generally early
June (1st week, or even last week of May) is the time of year most of the
ungulates are calving. Cow moose are commonly viewed near the road with
young calves possibly at any point along the Dalton, or near marshy areas. Dall sheep ewes often come down even onto the Dalton in Atigun Pass with their new lambs in the spring. This is a
good area to view sheep (primarily ewes) year round as there are natural
mineral licks in the area. Caribou cows have generally made it to the far
northern slope, near the Arctic Ocean, by early June when they have their
calves. Musk Ox also calve in the spring, and there is a small herd (approx.
40) generally living near the Dalton north of Slope Mountain (North Slope).
Since there are many predators that hunt these young, it is also possible to
see more wolves & bears near the highway during the spring. Grizzlies can
often be seen near gravel areas digging for roots, near rivers etc, before
things really green up. Migratory waterfowl can be seen in almost every puddle along
the road as they make their journey north, and thousands of birds can be seen
in the wetlands of the Coastal Plain closer to Deadhorse in the early spring.
Caribou migrating north in early April, viewed near Atigun Pass.(left) Grizzly cubs feeding on berries in late fall. (right)
photos Heidi
Schoppenhorst
Summer:
Through the
summer it may be a little harder to spot game in forested area as trees leaf
out. Cow moose with calves generally frequent marshy areas, where they can eat
fresh roots, and other aquatic vegetation, and are commonly seen from the road.
Bull moose tend to head for the higher terrain where it's cooler, and are
usually not sighted often throughout the summer months. Grizzlies feed on
whatever they can find, but tend to stay in higher terrain as well, where they
often will spend hours digging up ground squirrels to eat - glass the ridges,
and you may spot one. Dall sheep live in the mountains,
and are most commonly seen near Atigun Pass, or in
the mountains to the north of there; this area has natural mineral licks, and
is a good feeding area for sheep. Black bears do not travel much past the
central Brooks Range, and are more commonly sighted near the Yukon River, and
in the area south of Coldfoot. Small game, and their predators are possible to
see the length of the Highway.
Fall:
Blueberries start to ripen usually by mid July, and other
berries follow shortly after. Bears feeding on these berries can often be seen
in the low slopes of mountains within the Brooks Range, and other areas along
the highway. Leaves begin to drop usually the first part of September, making
all animals more visible; this is also the time of year bull moose begin their
rut, and come off the mountains to search for cows. Caribou on the North Slope
travel in small bunches, working their way south, and either east or west,
starting regular migration to wintering grounds. Late September may offer a
chance to see several thousand caribou migrating together, which can be very
impressive. This is the best time of year for photography in my opinion. Wolves
that may have been denning in an area while their
pups were young will also now be on the move hunting together, as well as fox,
and other furbearers. Migratory birds move south for better weather &
habitat.
Winter:
Caribou can be viewed on the North Slope year round, and moose
most of the length of the Highway. You have to watch out for moose on the roads
in winter, as they sometimes prefer to travel the road rather wade through deep
snow off the road! Most common critters to view during winter months are moose,
caribou, and a variety of furbearers, such as wolves, fox, and possible a lynx
or wolverine. Large flocks of Ptarmigan also can be sighted on the North Slope
during winter months. Bears generally den up for the winter in early to mid
October, and do not reappear until April or May.
Good luck wildlife watching on your trip up the Dalton Highway!
Photos
by Scott, Chris, Heidi Schoppenhorst
(Left
to Right) Cow & calf moose in swamp north of Wiseman, Cross fox north of
Wiseman, Pipeline on North Slope, pack of wolves North Slope, Dall ram in snow, wolf.
Links to more info
Last revised: December 2018
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