Epic Drives: Top of the World Highway

When I’m not on CarThrottle mercilessly roasting the rides of my fellow CTzens, working my fingers to the bone or studying fruitlessly in order to pass my classes for the semester, you can find me exploring the globe for the most epic road trips to go on my “bucket list”. I’m going to try something a little different: I would like to share some of what I’ve found to be the most spectacular roads and destinations that I have found, not only for petrolheads and driving enthusiasts, but for adventure seekers and world travellers as well. This is what I like to think of as a “pilot”, and if any of you are interested, I would certainly love to do a few more of these. For now, here’s a brief snapshot of the Top of the World highway, which runs from the northern Yukon Territory into the eastern region of Alaska.

Before the Drive: A Piece of Living History

The Top of the World Highway begins, at its most eastern point, in the historic Dawson City, Yukon. Dawson City was the centre of the famous Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. At its peak, Dawson City had a population of over 40,000 people, but by the time the Gold Rush ended, the population plummeted. Today, there only about 1,300 residents, but Dawson City has become one of the Yukon’s premiere tourist destinations, and no trip along the Top of the World Highway would be complete without spending some time there.

The Highway

From Dawson City, a ferry runs across the Yukon River to the starting point of the highway, at the settlement of West Dawson. This is the last trace of civilization that you will encounter on the 79-mile (127 kilometre) trek across vast mountain ranges and lush taiga. It won’t take long for you to see why it’s called the Top of the World Highway—not only is it one of the northernmost highways in the world, but it runs high in the hills, making you feel as if you were literally on top of the world. The road itself has some paved areas but is mostly gravel on the Canadian side. The road snakes and undulates like a typical mountain road through the taiga, and there are relatively few straight spots to be had. It’s a decently challenging road to drive, and the gravel sections are comparable to a rally stage. The area is extremely remote, and there are no permanent settlements along the highway. A seldom-used branch road spurs off the highway to the abandoned mining town of Clinton Creek, about 50 km to the north. From there, the oldest known settlement in the Yukon Territory, Forty Mile, is accessible, although this old trading post along the Yukon River is uninhabited. A Canada/U.S. border station at Little Gold Creek was opened in the 1970s, allowing travellers to cross over into the United States and access the Taylor Highway near the town of Chicken. From there, the Taylor Highway leads to the Alaska Highway, the main route to the major cities of Fairbanks and Anchorage.

What You Need to Know Before You Go

While spectacular, the Top of the World Highway is not for the faint-of-heart. Once you leave Dawson City, there are no services on the Canadian side of the border. Fuel is available in Chicken, but most modern conveniences are very few and far between in this part of the world. Because the road is at such a high elevation, the ceiling is much closer to the road, which can create visibility problems. Rainy conditions often create washboard surfaces on the gravel parts of the highway and can significantly reduce traction. The Little Gold border station is closed in mid-September, and the road itself is closed in the winter. Due to a lack of cell service, if you crash or experience trouble on the road, you’re pretty much on your own until somebody else sees you. And you’d better hope they come quick—the lack of shelter high up in the mountains makes dying of exposure a very real threat. It’s a good idea to have a fairly tough vehicle, but driving the highway with a normal car is certainly possible provided you watch out for the larger ruts on the road. It’s #HellaFlush’s worst nightmare. In short, if you want to drive this road, you’d better be prepared. You might be invincible on the Interstate, but you won’t be here.

A Humbling, Grounding Experience

For the sight-seers, adventurers and rally drivers at heart, however, the rewards are certainly worth the risks. The Top of the World Highway has some of the most unique scenery you will ever find, and is one of the most unique roads on this planet. It’s certainly one of the most awe-inspiring drives in the area, which is a profound statement considering that this area is a Mecca for nitty-gritty mountain driving enthusiasts. If you’ve ever driven through a pass in the Rocky Mountains, or any other mountain rage, you’ll only get a taste of what I am talking about. There is no other road that I can think of that is as isolated, intimidating, or as underappreciated as this one. You’d better not be afraid to learn things about yourself that you didn’t dream of before. It might not be as popular as the Pacific Coast Highway, or as great of a technical challenge as the Transfagarasan Highway, but neither of these roads is as humbling, nor as organic. For me, the Top of the World Highway ranks among my personal favourite activities to do while on a once-in-a-lifetime excursion to one of the world’s last frontiers.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g28923-d107594-Reviews-Top_of_the_World_Highway-Alaska.html

http://www.yukoninfo.com/region/top-of-the-world-highway/