Anyone going to Prudhoe/Coldfoot this summer?

[fundayz]

Anyone else doing this trip? We are going July. If you have done this trip do you have any suggestions/tips for us? Happy travels!

[PennyAgain]

I've been to Prudhoe on business, not as a tourist. Frankly although it is an usual place to see, I don't get the attraction for tourists. You aren't allowed to wander around on your own. The accommodations are minimal, but the food is very good.

 

It is a flat area with no scenery.

 

If seeing an oil production field turns you on.......

[LaurieCM]

on the tour they have the ability to take you to the shore. There is a 2 and a half hour tour the morning we leave. I think the point of going to Prudhoe Bay is seeing the tundra on the way there and saying you dipped your toe into the Arctic Ocean. My husband was willing to go to Alaska but he wanted to "go all the way". None of the tours associated with cruiselines go to Barrow ( my parents went there independently), so Prudhoe Bay IS "all the way". This cruisetour goes from Anchorage to Denali to Fairbanks to Coldfoot to Prudhoe Bay (Deadhorse) and flies back to Anchorage, followed by a cruise through the fjords and glacier bay and to Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and getting off at Vancouver. We should see quite a variety of sights and have interesting experiences. We can hardly wait until August!! Laurie

[greatam]

I am going again in a couple weeks. I am flying again to ANWR (plans include camping out one night-THAT should be interesting). They have horizontal drilled within 1000 yards of ANWR. They have also built a new pumping station. And I think I will drive one of the BP vans back to Anchorage.

 

Sure glad I treated my ex employee well. He has made a lot of interesting experiences available to myself and my current employees.

 

Trying to arrange a plane to visit the calving ground of the Porcupine Caribou and Central Arctic caribou herds. The herds are getting sooo big that they are actually killing themselves off, due to lack of forage. And the babies have a 50% mortality rate-mosquitoes kill more baby caribou than anything else. Should be interesting seeing all the babies if we can get a plane.

 

Doing this trip with a small company or on your own is far better than the cruise tour. I have seen the people come off the Princess buses.

 

Some (especially the women) look like they were shell shocked. This is NOT a trip for someone who wants luxury. The accommodations are less than Motel 6-13" BW TV, shower, twin beds and no carpet. But don't miss the Ranger presentation in Coldfoot. It is really good-IF everyone leaves their walkie talkies/cell phones out of the building. The building is relatively small. Two summers ago, some VERY rude people kept talking to their family who were outside hiking. The Ranger finally kicked them out, but not after we missed/had interruptions for almost 1/2 the program. Thank goodness, I had heard it before. But my employees hadn't. It was really disgusting. Enjoy!!!

[PennyAgain]

greatam, your experiences are very special and are nothing like what a tourist would do or see. I've seen the look on those tourist's faces as well. My accommodation up there is a bed in a shared bedroom with the bathroom down the hall a fair distance. It is clean and features plastic paneling on the walls. Motel 6 is a compliment!

 

Also it is dry. That is no booze allowed. Very dry!

[greatam]

greatam, your experiences are very special and are nothing like what a tourist would do or see. I've seen the look on those tourist's faces as well. My accommodation up there is a bed in a shared bedroom with the bathroom down the hall a fair distance. It is clean and features plastic paneling on the walls. Motel 6 is a compliment!

 

Also it is dry. That is no booze allowed. Very dry!

 

These experiences are available to anyone. Sure, it takes some planning-finding private planes is sometimes difficult and can be expensive, but perseverance is a virtue. But the opportunities are available for everyone on an independent tour. Just not available on a cruise tour.

 

The only thing I need help from my ex employee is getting into the oil fields for an extended tour at Prudhoe. I have already been told that I cannot access the Eastern side of the pipeline from BP property. IF I want to see the new pumping station, I will have to fly into ANWR and walk back into BP property (it is my understanding there is no fence) .

 

It is sooo stupid-all that oil, sitting within 1000 feet of BP property. And average diesel prices just topped $4.60, almost $2.00 more than a year ago. California diesel prices are almost $5.00 per gallon. When you buy 10,000 gallons per week, it hurts A LOT. When will people realize that we are killing our economy and our way of life because of the environmentalists??? Pretty darn stupid-first, we put our food (corn) into our fuel tanks, now we can't drill any place or build any refineries. Will we ever wise up???

 

The booze thing is soooooo true. If you want a drink (even beer or wine), take your own. There is NO booze in Prudhoe or Coldfoot. And be thoroughly prepared for the price of snacks-last year a can of spray cheese and crackers was $18.76 at the little store in Prudhoe. NOT cheap.

[PennyAgain]

Greatam, the only things I've ever bought at that little store were t-shirts. My meal plan is an 'all you can eat' deal. I don't need more. I do make friends with the cooks. They get a lot of grief because people get bored with the food even though the quality is extremely high. (cost of bringing in food is so high, might as well bring in the best.)

 

It must be like what a lunar base will be like in future.

 

I am glad that you get to have your outings and adventures. Some times I feel as if I have been everywhere and seen little.

 

What can I say about oil prices? I can easily remember when we were THRILLED to sell at $14 a brl! I'm old, but not ancient!

[FarmGal65]

We are going to Prudhoe Bay in August. We will be flying up and taking the bus back. My husband and I want to see as much as possible of the different parts of Alaska as we can on this trip. It sounds like this sidetrip will be really different from the rest of our trip. We are really interested in the oil industry as it is in the news so much.

 

I would like to hear more about Prudhoe Bay and Coldfoot. I will be sure to pack some snacks as Prudhoe Bay's cheese and crackers sound out of my price range. Thanks.

[curiousl8y]

. When will people realize that we are killing our economy and our way of life because of the environmentalists???

 

Maybe our "consume consume consume at all costs" way of life deserves to be killed. :eek:

 

Linda

[PennyAgain]

We are going to Prudhoe Bay in August. We will be flying up and taking the bus back. My husband and I want to see as much as possible of the different parts of Alaska as we can on this trip. It sounds like this sidetrip will be really different from the rest of our trip. We are really interested in the oil industry as it is in the news so much.

 

I would like to hear more about Prudhoe Bay and Coldfoot. I will be sure to pack some snacks as Prudhoe Bay's cheese and crackers sound out of my price range. Thanks.

 

You should come up with all sorts of photos, articles and even some journals by people who've spent time at Prudhoe. Yes, it is very, very different from the rest of Alaska.

 

It is very flat. If you are allowed to go for a walk, whatever sense of direction you normally have at home won't work at all. The horizon is often shrowded in mist and dust clouds. Even though it is a working series of oil fields, it is extremely quiet.

 

Lunar!

 

Yes, do take snacks with you. If you have the option of buying a meal plan, it is a good deal compared to buying item by item. Depending on where you are staying your table mates will likely be workers. The dining rooms are set up with a hot food line, but also areas with cereals and other breakfast items as people work all shifts. Some people are glad to talk to someone new and others have that 1,000 mile stare.

 

Your bus ride will be long and somewhat lonely as you will be in one of the most empty places on earth.

 

Take very good care of your skin (don't let it dry out) and be sure to drink plenty of water. It is a very arid place.

 

You will be some of the very few people who ever get to see Prudhoe Bay. It is not for everyone.

 

I haven't had much luck taking photos up there and am always disappointed with the results. Good luck to you!

[greatam]

Maybe our "consume consume consume at all costs" way of life deserves to be killed. :eek:

 

Linda

 

I sure don't understand this comment. FOOD, like chicken, beef and pork, DAIRY and PRODUCE now cost an arm and a leg. What does that have to do with consume, consume, consume??? I really would like to have a meal at least twice a day-and since I am in the transportation business, I not only see the costs increase in my own grocery shopping, but I see it increase tremendously for each and every American. What about retired people on SS???? Their COLA is lagging FAR behind the increase in food.

 

 

MEAT-the corn is now in our fuel tanks (and chuckle, chuckle-the farm bill this year has more subsidies for grain farmers than ever before-at a time of all time high crop prices)

 

DAIRY-again, the same corn used to feed diary cattle is again in fuel tanks. And the subsidies increase.

 

PRODUCE-the cost of diesel is almost double last year. So to get fresh produce in large quantities to large population centers, you truck it from the growing areas-California, Arizona, Florida and Texas to the Midwest/Northeast primarily. Freight rates last year this time for melons from Arizona to NYC-$3900. Freight rate last Saturday from Harquahala Valley Arizona to Hunt's Point Market, NYC-$5700. Fuel cost last year-less than $1300.00. This year-almost $2800. As you can see, my freight rate didn't double, but my fuel price sure did. And that doesn't count the increases in tolls, road taxes, tires, etc. And the increased cost of transportation is passed on the the average consumer.

 

So please explain your consume, consume, consume statement. I think most people like to eat at least one decent meal with meat, dairy and veggies a day (apologies to vegans). Get rid of some of the environmental regulations (like NO drilling in ANWR, NO new refineries, NO nuke power plants and using our food for fuel) and SOME of the problems of today will disappear fairly quickly.

[FarmGal65]

You should come up with all sorts of photos, articles and even some journals by people who've spent time at Prudhoe. Yes, it is very, very different from the rest of Alaska.

 

It is very flat. If you are allowed to go for a walk, whatever sense of direction you normally have at home won't work at all. The horizon is often shrowded in mist and dust clouds. Even though it is a working series of oil fields, it is extremely quiet.

 

Lunar!

 

Yes, do take snacks with you. If you have the option of buying a meal plan, it is a good deal compared to buying item by item. Depending on where you are staying your table mates will likely be workers. The dining rooms are set up with a hot food line, but also areas with cereals and other breakfast items as people work all shifts. Some people are glad to talk to someone new and others have that 1,000 mile stare.

 

Your bus ride will be long and somewhat lonely as you will be in one of the most empty places on earth.

 

Take very good care of your skin (don't let it dry out) and be sure to drink plenty of water. It is a very arid place.

 

You will be some of the very few people who ever get to see Prudhoe Bay. It is not for everyone.

 

I haven't had much luck taking photos up there and am always disappointed with the results. Good luck to you!

 

 

PennyAgain,

 

Thanks for the information. I don't know anything about a meal plan. Do you get them before you leave or after you get there?

[PennyAgain]

I don't know what your tour includes. I would find out as much as possible before going up there.

 

They won't let you go hungry, but you need to know what your options are.

 

If you are using a travel agent, put him/her to work on finding out. If you booked through a cruise line, call them. If you booked an independent tour call them!

 

I hope you have a wonderful time up there on the North Slope.

[LML]

I rode my bicycle up to Prudhoe Bay a number of years ago, starting in Valdez. The scenery along the way is very beautiful and there was lots of wildlife also.

[PennyAgain]

LML, WOW! One fantastic accomplishment! Congratulations!