Caribou, Trans Alaska Pipeline, Arctic Alaska #3372

I moved to Alaska in the summer of 1974, just months before the official start of construction of the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline. I considered myself an environmentalist and not at all a fan of the pipeline. Fast forward to the past 10 years and I have made an annual pilgrimage up the Dalton Highway some 414 miles long, stretching from Livengood (84 miles north of Fairbanks) to Deadhorse and the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay to photograph the aurora borealis. The mostly gravel highway was built to support construction of the pipeline and parallels the line — drivers can see the pipeline for long stretches. Despite my opinion, I marvel on how well the pipeline has worked and what an amazing engineering feat it is. When I was in the Brooks Range looking for scenic images, I could not stop myself from shooting this amazing moment of caribou and pipeline co-existing. Like it or not, the pipeline is now part of the of Alaska’s lore, mythology and history. This image is featured in the 2025 Alaska Calendar, now available at markkelley.com and in your Juneau stores. Thank you for visiting and for the gift of your time, enjoy! Camera Nikon D850, Lens 24-70mm, Digital Capture, ©Mark Kelley