The only road that stretches north from Fairbanks is the Dalton Highway, a primitive road with few services that begins 84 miles north of Fairbanks, crosses the Arctic Circle at mile 115 and ends 414 miles later in Deadhorse, industrial camp for the Prudhoe Bay oil field. Driving the Dalton Highway in winter isn’t for the faint hearted:  In mid-March a four-man History Channel crew filming "Ice Road Truckers" was seriously injured when their pickup crashed into a semi during a blizzard when winds blowing 70 mph and drifting snow made visibility near zero.

But for adventurous travelers, a winter excursion up the Dalton offers a rare opportunity to traverse remote and unpopulated Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands and pass Kanuti, Yukon Flats and Arctic National Wildlife Refuges, as well as Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve.  North of the Arctic Circle and about half way between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay is the lively little outpost of “Coldfoot Camp.” 

In the 1970’s, Coldfoot was a booming oil camp called home by 300 workers.  Now Coldfoot employs 40 year-round workers and provides the only services in the area.  In addition to fuel and mechanic services, a 24-hour café, a hotel, a contract post office, and self-service laundry, the camp hosts travelers heading north from Fairbanks.  From May to September, travelers stopping at Coldfoot also enjoy Alaska’s most northern visitor facility, the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center (AIVC) for information but winter travelers had no such opportunity until recently.

This winter, Kanuti Refuge staff partnered with Coldfoot Camp to put a brochure rack at  Coldfoot Café to offer winter travelers the same publications available at AIVC in summer, including brochures on Kanuti, Yukon Flats and Arctic Refuges, as well as Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve and BLM lands. Other brochures give safe driving tips for the Dalton Highway, Alaska maps, and notes on wildlife viewing. Coldfoot staff estimated 350 tourists would stop at the Café during winter en route to seeing the northern lights as well as others who live or work in the area. 

The brochure rack is the first of its kind for Coldfoot and Kanuti Refuge Ranger Kristin Reakoff, who keeps it stocked, is surprised at its popularity.  “I’ve restocked it at least 8 times-- that’s over a thousand brochures that have gone out this winter alone and we still have a couple months of winter left!”