Atigun Pass (/ˈætɪɡən/ AT-i-gən[1]), elevation 4,739 feet (1,444 m), is a high mountain pass across the Brooks Range in Alaska, located at the head of the Dietrich River.[2][3] It is where the Dalton Highway crosses the Continental Divide (at mile marker 244), and is the highest pass in Alaska that is maintained throughout the year.[2][4] Atigun is the only pass in the Brooks Range that is crossed by a road.[citation needed] The pass has been responsible for taking many drivers off the road and is also home to avalanches during the winter.
| Atigun Pass | |
|---|---|
 Composite 240-degree view of Atigun Pass | |
| Elevation | approx. 4700 ft. (1,444 m) |
| Traversed by | Dalton Highway |
| Location | North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States |
| Range | Brooks Range |
| Coordinates | 68°07′46″N 149°28′33″W / 68.12944°N 149.47583°W |
Atigun is known among bush pilots for the difficulty of crossing the pass with small planes; Anaktuvuk Pass is favored as the safer flying route.[citation needed]
The pass is often shown on the third and fourth seasons of the History Channel reality series Ice Road Truckers, which focuses on the challenges of driving on the Dalton Highway.
Climate
edit
Although the latitude of Atigun Pass is very high, the climate type of the place is still close to the alpine climate (Köppen: ETH). In addition, the precipitation in this place is about 5 times that of places such as Utqiagvik and Umiat.
| Climate data for Atigun Pass (2006–2020 normals, extremes 2006–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 42 (6) |
35 (2) |
35 (2) |
47 (8) |
62 (17) |
67 (19) |
69 (21) |
64 (18) |
52 (11) |
44 (7) |
42 (6) |
42 (6) |
69 (21) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 25.6 (−3.6) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
24.5 (−4.2) |
36.1 (2.3) |
54.6 (12.6) |
60.9 (16.1) |
63.3 (17.4) |
55.5 (13.1) |
44.9 (7.2) |
32.1 (0.1) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
25.0 (−3.9) |
64.4 (18.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 2.1 (−16.6) |
5.7 (−14.6) |
7.5 (−13.6) |
20.4 (−6.4) |
37.5 (3.1) |
49.2 (9.6) |
51.4 (10.8) |
44.2 (6.8) |
33.6 (0.9) |
18.9 (−7.3) |
7.7 (−13.5) |
5.6 (−14.7) |
23.7 (−4.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | −4.3 (−20.2) |
−0.9 (−18.3) |
0.6 (−17.4) |
13.8 (−10.1) |
31.0 (−0.6) |
43.3 (6.3) |
46.4 (8.0) |
39.8 (4.3) |
28.5 (−1.9) |
14.8 (−9.6) |
2.2 (−16.6) |
−0.8 (−18.2) |
17.9 (−7.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −10.6 (−23.7) |
−7.5 (−21.9) |
−6.3 (−21.3) |
7.3 (−13.7) |
24.6 (−4.1) |
37.3 (2.9) |
41.5 (5.3) |
35.3 (1.8) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
10.7 (−11.8) |
−3.3 (−19.6) |
−7.1 (−21.7) |
12.2 (−11.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −36.7 (−38.2) |
−33.4 (−36.3) |
−27.9 (−33.3) |
−13.7 (−25.4) |
3.1 (−16.1) |
25.0 (−3.9) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
11.4 (−11.4) |
−6.1 (−21.2) |
−22.2 (−30.1) |
−28.7 (−33.7) |
−40.4 (−40.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −46 (−43) |
−44 (−42) |
−47 (−44) |
−44 (−42) |
−16 (−27) |
16 (−9) |
23 (−5) |
14 (−10) |
0 (−18) |
−14 (−26) |
−40 (−40) |
−42 (−41) |
−47 (−44) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.79 (20) |
0.94 (24) |
0.70 (18) |
0.98 (25) |
1.55 (39) |
2.95 (75) |
4.20 (107) |
4.35 (110) |
2.69 (68) |
1.30 (33) |
0.82 (21) |
0.82 (21) |
22.09 (561) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) | 4.7 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 7.1 | 8.5 | 12.6 | 15.0 | 15.5 | 13.4 | 9.6 | 6.2 | 5.2 | 109.4 |
| Source 1: NOAA[5] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS2 (mean maxima/minima 2006–2020)[6] | |||||||||||||
References
edit- ^ Atigun Pass, after an avalanche.
- ^ a b "Gold Rush Days and Endless Nights at Alaska's Coldfoot Visitor Center". Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original on 2010-06-20.
- ^ "Atigun Pass." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2010. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
- ^ "Dalton Highway Maps". blm.gov. Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original on 2016-03-01.
- ^ "NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on July 23, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
68°07′46″N 149°28′33″W / 68.12944°N 149.47583°W
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