Story & Photos by Dan Davidson
Seventy of the original 77 vehicles engaged in the Military Vehicle Preservation Association’s 2012 Alaska Highway Convoy began to arrive in Dawson City early on August 13, the ninth day of their trek since leaving Dawson Creek on August 4. Some had arrived two days before, having elected not to take the two-night trip up the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Circle.
Those who made that trek spent one night at Eagle Plains, and then went north to have their photos taken at the Arctic Circle before heading south to overnight at Tombstone Campground. That left them with one of the shortest drives of their planned 26 day journey, a mere 88 miles, in order to get to Dawson.
To make a super camper, simply fasten a small fifth wheel to a five ton army truck, as did this member of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association, seen here during their 2012 Alaska Highway Convoy
Dawson was to be a day of rest for everyone in the convoy, which originally included 190 participants, including 46 women and 51 military veterans. During the day on Tuesday, most of the members of the convoy crossed the Yukon River on the George Black ferry at various times during the day in order to avoid having a horrible lineup on Wednesday.
Many of them spent the night at the YTG campground. Everyone assembled at a gravel pit just up the road before continuing on to their next destination, Chicken, Alaska.
The purpose of the convoy is to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the building of the Alaska Highway. The convoy will drive to Fairbanks by way of Anchorage before heading back down the Alaska Highway through Beaver Creek and on to Whitehorse, where they are scheduled to arrive on August 24 and spend a day on the 25 before heading south again.