Timing of fall colors in the Arctic? (Fairbanks, Kenai: estimates, horse)

[heathen]

Anyone who's been here for at least a year knows that spring and fall in Alaska are short. Anyone who's been here two years (and has been paying attention) knows that, fortunately, fall comes at very different times as one travels north-south and at decreasing elevations. It's my favorite season, so I tend to do a lot of driving to spend three day weekends in peak-fall locations from late August through early October, and I think I've about got it down for most of the state.

The one region up here where I haven't experienced fall yet is the arctic tundra (Dalton Hwy and the Dempster Hwy in the Yukon). Has anyone been up either of these highways and experienced peak colors? My guess is Aug. 15-20th for the Dalton (Atigun Pass) and Aug. 25-30th for the Dempster (Tombstone and Richardson Mountains).

For anyone who's curious, here's my schedule for the rest of the state:
Denali National Park: Aug. 25th-Sept. 5th.
Denali Highway and Wrangell St. Elias high country: Sept. 1st - Sept. 10th
Chugach and Talkeetna Mtn. high country: Sept. 5th - Sept. 15th.
Tanana Valley lowlands, Copper Basin, and Kenai high country: Sept. 10th - Sept. 20th
Mat-Su Valleys, Western Kenai, and coastal high country: Sept. 15th - Sept. 25th
Coastal Valleys and Homer: Sept. 20th - early October (seems to go slower there).

That's all rough estimates of course, any year is different, but I've found it surprizingly accurate (within a week at the very most) since the weather is changing so quickly at that time of year.

Any tweaks or other ideas are welcome!

[Candle]

I drove up to Deadhorse last September (around the 5th I think), and the fall colors were perfect from a little outside Fairbanks all the way up to Atigun Pass. On the Arctic side it was hard to tell since it was foggy and raining/snowing most of the time...hence no direct sunlight. I'd say the last week of August is prime time in the Arctic on the Dalton.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by heathen

The one region up here where I haven't experienced fall yet is the arctic tundra (Dalton Hwy and the Dempster Hwy in the Yukon). Has anyone been up either of these highways and experienced peak colors? My guess is Aug. 15-20th for the Dalton (Atigun Pass) and Aug. 25-30th for the Dempster (Tombstone and Richardson Mountains).!

Taken the week of Aug 24. Probably would have been even better 1 week earlier up in the actual pass itself.

//www.city-data.com/forum/alask...l#post10580529

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

Taken the week of Aug 24. Probably would have been even better 1 week earlier up in the actual pass itself.

//www.city-data.com/forum/alask...l#post10580529

Those are stunning Moose! Did you enter them in that contest? The interplay of the light with the colors is really amazing! Now I want to go up there.

[Moose Whisperer]

Yes, I really got lucky on that trip up considering how many weeks of dense smoke there were up there last summer. I remember one trip in late July where normally one can see vast fields of fireweed in full bloom (in areas between the Yukon and pump station 5), only to be driving through miles and miles of smoke!