One year long-long ago I shot 67 porcupines. They were everywhere. I was living up on the Windy Creek off the Denali Haul Road, and they would come through in waves, like a migration, all heading in the same direction.
I know the Denali Hwy, and I know the Haul Road, but where is the Denali Haul Road?
The reason that road was built was to haul equipment into and out of that mining district. Originally it was a "Skid-trail". in 1956'ish a road was started generally along the existing trail. It reached and crossed the Susitna River (from Cantwell) late summer of 1958. Denny Thompson and Tex Greathouse started building the Susitna Lodge two years before the road reached the lodge. So it was the Denali skid-trail and then the Denali Haul Road and then The Denali Road, and now The Denali Highway.
My wild guess is the name changes likely had to do with the fact that Roads and Highways are "Funded" differently and with different funding priorities. I actually think I have some maps on which it is called Denali "Winter" Road.
Also remember the Parks Highway was not pushed through to Fairbanks till about 1972'ish.
