June 30, 2008

On the road in Alaska

Roger Norum joins his dad to recreate the road trip across America's most northern state that he had made with his own father 50 years ago

Road trip across Alaska — Caravan double-parked along the Alcan Highway at midnight Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Snowy ridges of Denali National Park Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — The Yukon River wends its way across Western Canada into Alaska, finally emptying out in the Bering Strait Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — The Brooks Range seen from an eight-passenger Cessna aircraft Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Crosscheck: Approaching landing just outside of Deadhorse, AK Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Have petrol, will travel: Northern Alaska's desolate permafrost road Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Standing at the southern edge of the Arctic Ocean with dad Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Some of the crudest oil in the world flows through the Alaska Pipeline. Currently, 700,000 barrels are pumped each day at a rate of 5.4 miles per hour, taking just over five days to complete the journey from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. Because of the permafrost, 420 miles of the pipeline must run above ground Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Alaska contains 13% of the world's glaciers. Over the past century, the state's glaciers have lost approximately 500 cubic miles of ice to meltwater. Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Boreal forest occupies 44% of the Alaskan interior Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Crossing the Arctic Circle with dad Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Summer solstice, 1am at the Canada–US border Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Sunday Cross: Canada–US border post Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Alaskan Bill Miller and son Trey use a DIY suction machine powered by a lawnmower engine to pan for gold in a creek near Boundary, AK. Here, Trey finds a 1/2 ounce piece of gold. Their gross (and net) profit each summer averages about $30,000. Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Moose crossing, southern Alaska Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Alaska vanity plate in Canada's Yukon Photograph: Roger Norum

Road trip across Alaska — Native American Iñupiaq ritual masks Photograph: Roger Norum

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