It's a common mistake, even here in the US. Nearly everyone has heard of Anchorage, but fewer people are familiar with Juneau. Similarly, people often mistake New York City as the capital of New York (actually Albany), Chicago as the capital of Illinois (actually Springfield), Philadelphia/ Pittsburgh as the capital of Pennsylvania (actually Harrisburg), Seattle as the capital of Washington (actually Olympia), and Los Angeles/ San Diego/ San Francisco as the capital of California (actually Sacramento).
I worked at Deadhorse for almost 10 years in the 70's and 80's my family and I lived in Anchorage. I remember having to change some outside lights for safety reasons and the chill factor was about -130 this day, we tried to avoid working outside when the chill got to -100. One of the cool parts of the job was when I had to drive on the sea ice to get to the drilling islands, basically no noise except for the sound of the engine.
While living in Alaska sometime around 1980 plus or minus a few years the people voted to move the capitol to Wasilla but the governor refused to do it
Hi again, I was one of the airline employees that was pleased to make your acquaintance. I’m truly sorry things didn’t work out so well on your trip with weather and equipment problems, hopefully someday you can try again.come on back we’ll be here for ya.
One of my friends was on one of the first oil field exploration crews that traveled on the winter ice floes. He drove a Bulldozer across the ice, pulling the seismic trailers and the sleeping quarters. Their group had one polar bear attack that injured a worker. He said it was the adventure of a lifetime and he would love to go back and visit some day. In summertime.
As a 37 year Prudhoe Bay oilfield worker....yes, still working there, and most of my career is in production. You look like you never left the area around the airport, and therefore, really saw nothing but stacked out rigs, and service camps. The real oilfield is much nicer looking, and way more interesting. You were in the place old rigs go to die. Basically storage pads and camps to service the field.
@@Roger-do1dy a lot of people start there with zero experience, including me. But most people are not willing to do what it takes. Starting wage isnt the issue, its being in a camp for 6 to 8 weeks at a time, or until the job is done. Extreme working conditions, and a lot of people end up realizing its not for them. Many guys cant be away from their wives that long, and are not willing to make a commitment to provide for their families.. And that gets worse each year with each younger gen.
Its like working in Antarctica! Such a beautiful but cold place. But the flat landscape with no trees and extreme cold wow this is a perfect place for people to do Antarctic training you would be so prepared
Looks good on your resume your going to submit to PAI get job lol. Visit New Zealand and the go to bottom of earth dream job I love to do for couple seasons myself.
I’ve been looking at that contract for a couple years now and am gearing up for a “training mission” to deadhorse for a 9 month contract up there that I’m hoping will prep me for a possible future Antarctic venture. I’ve been an industrial oil and gas electrician for 20 years.
@@timothylux410you don't need to train to go to antarctica, you get all of that before you depart Christchurch NZ and when you arrive at Mcmurdo base. You must be in good health, there is limited medical there and flights on and off are random with weather. You will work everyday except Sunday and the food is great, you'll be sharing a room and a communal toilet shower. Some of the people are very strange, coming from me and I'm a weirdo!! But, it is an experience not many get, don't regret not doing it, plus there is a contract completion bonus, many can't finish a season and leave, some flip out and have to be removed due to mental stress of where they are. It's no joke, you are almost as difficult to get to as going to the moon, it is REMOTE as F!! You have to be built different than most in order to make it down there.
Back in 2002, I did put in 8 months in Alaska including 3 trips to Prudhoe Bay. On March 23, 2002, I went through the coldest temperature I have ever experienced.....-49 deg F in Prudhoe Bay, AK. I also went to Girdwood, Seaward, Valdez and Homer. About every 3 weeks, I would fly home to Texas. Thoroughly enjoyed the AK work assignment working for BP.
I discovered Deadhorse while looking up light pollution for nighttime photography (I’m in Buffalo, NY). I got curious and zoomed out, wanting to see just how much brighter the larger cities of Chicago, Philly, NYC etc looked… then zoomed out more and discovered that something at the top of Alaska was the largest and brightest in North America. It’s the oil fields and Deadhorse. Literally dwarfs major cities at night. I’m astounded. Been binge watching videos ever since.
Great video. I was there in Oct 2022 and again in Feb 2023. Oct we saw the Northern Lights (on my bucket list). Feb it was -30F with -60F wind chill. The wind cut hard. Nothing to stop it. Wish I had more time up there to explore more. We were pretty much tied to the Brooks Camp and the Aurora mess hall. Everyone was great. The General Store was fantastic. Yes, I mailed myself a postcard!
@@AlexHibbertOriginals - Food is actually very good. No way anyone leaves still being hungry. Lots of choices, great service, and everyone was very friendly.
Yea it was a cold February up here. Im a little over two years working up here, year round as a welder. That “dis used well head” you mentioned in the video is actually called a drilling rig, partner! Visitors are pretty welcome here, folks are happy to chat with you in the mess halls. Please do us a favor though, if you go for a walk, wear a high vis vest. NOBODY wants to run you over. Swing on by the camp and say hello anytime, hand!
Walking is kinda unusual there. Any time I've walked anywhere in Deadhorse I always have multiple folks stop and offer me a ride, and kinda shake their head when I tell them I'm walking by choice.
Thank you for sharing this. I have lived in Dutch Harbor (Unalaska), Alaska my entire life, but we're so far south that it never even drops below -12C (10F), and I wanted to see a real Arctic Winter. Before returning back to Dutch Harbor while I was off the island, I booked a mileage ticket up to Prudhoe Bay in early January. I walked around the town from Brooks Camp to the Aurora and back, and visited the store. I didn't get to explore any facilities though. During the day it was -39C (-38F) with a windchill of -48C (-55C), but later it was -38C with stronger winds so it was -55C (-67F) with the windchill. I loved it so much, but I saw more of Deadhorse in this video than I did when I visited :)
@Ginater we're surrounded by ocean, which keeps the town warm in the winter and cool in the summer. One time I saw it 86F, but it gets above 80 maybe once every 3 years. It's very mild on both ends here.
Its great to see you in Alaska. I have a feeling Allen and yourself have more fans up here then you think. I have spent many years on the North Slope just sad you showed up when I was off. Its a hard place to live but beautiful at the same time.
My dad was one of the originals he began up there in 1964-65 before dead horse was there . He was a legend in the oilfields not in a good way necessarily.
@@CAMSLAYER13 he was there for the the first north slope well the pipeline all of it he had a illegal casino and strip clubs in Anchorage. Not much to tell on here
I worked up there from 1980 till 2013 except for a few years at a pump station. My first year was on a seismic crew, then well logging and lastly communications.
Awesome. One of my great regrets is not being able to accompany a couple of friends to Alaska, many years ago, trekking and camping from Anchorage to Nome for three months!!
"Ironically, the oil cannot be refined on site" It used to be, to a degree. There used to be a small single product refinery called a "topping plant" which produced Diesel fuel for local use. When Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel was mandated, the plant could not produce that product, and couldn't be economically upgraded to do so. So now, all diesel fuel used on the slope is trucked up from (I think) Valdez.
You get a sense given the combination of cold and wind whether you need a full face covering. I like to keep as clear a face as possible, depending on the conditions. Larger hoods can catch the wind and be difficult to control - so I like the handful of designs I use on different trips - and combination of fur/no fur etc.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Full face is only if your going to be staying outside for quite some time. I've worked up here for years never wore a face covering until Covid happened. ha.. I take that back a few years (during covid mind you) I did wear one cause the windchill got down to -129 F
I'm planning on driving there In July 2023 from New Jersey visiting many places on the way. I assume the weather is much better in the summer. I want to visit the northernmost point of the US accessible by car.
@@DinDooIt Yes I did. I started in July and returned in September. Drove for almost 18K miles and visited many places including Alaska, Arctic Ocean and Western and North Western Canada.
@@DinDooIt I have a playlist of a small portion of videos I uploaded so far. I will add a lot more when I feel motivated again. ruclips.net/p/PLqLjsgvQZ4gjZLcEn_TLi391dwQ8ZaA4I&si=jPwAmldNHIpHFUOu
I’ve always been dumbfounded by human ingenuity in these areas. I mean how do they get concrete up there? The interior of that hangar looks like anything you’d find stateside.
Do you mean how do they transport the concrete? Or how do they make things out of it? The Cement, like pretty much everything else is trucked up from Anchorage and Fairbanks on the Dalton Highway. To make concrete they mine gravel locally, and make mix concrete out of it with the cement. The temperature is (mostly) above freezing for 3-4 months a year. And in a pinch, concrete can be poured when the air temperature is below freezing. It just takes more work.
Great video, came here after the History channel Dalton highway doc, felt like an extension of it. One suggestion though, slow down the pace a bit. I sometimes didn't have enough time to absorb an interesting note or shot before the next and I'd have to rewind & pause. Not necessarily bad, but 10 minutes vs 8 would've been perfect.
I get why you would only show dead of winter but you really need to show how beautiful it is in the summer! Lower 48 folks think all of Alaska is like the inside of a freezer year round!
@lisasurliewildadventures Not really. Even on the shortest day, there is light. The sun doesn't rise, but it's close enough to the horizon that there is ample twilight. It's not direct sunlight, but it is plenty light to see and do things without artificial illumination. It doesn't last for long, though, a few hours then it goes back to dark. "Daylight" is defined as when the sun is above the horizon. There's a period of about 2-1/2 month when the sun is continuously above the horizon. There's an even longer period when it never really gets dark, as there there is fairly bright twilight all night long. To put it differently, in most of August even at midnight, you could walk around outside and wouldn't need a flashlight to keep from tripping over things.
Miss that place I did 2wks on 2wks off worked for Veco Alaska back then 2006 welder helper stayed at dead horse then end up staying at Melanie point would love to go back work out there
It's cold in Deadhorse, which is the reason for the dead horse.😀 Free information here: the Sag R.'s full name is Sagavanirktok River = sag-vah-NICK-tuke (rhymes with ‘Luke’)
3:08 That's not a wellhead. A Wellhead is the part of a well above ground. It may be just a pipe sticking above ground, for a well that's not in production. That is a drill rig, it's not sitting on a well, it's just there for storage. Drill rigs are movable. Drill rigs of this type can be jacked up on gigantic wheels and moved around (one of the wheels is visible in the video)
I have several t-shirts from Deadhorse but they're getting old, so I wouldn't send back any new extra large ones you sent me :) I am small but I love the shirts to be swimmy
How long does it take the mechanics to start the Diesel Trucks that have been sitting outside for days and weeks at a time? They need to warm the fuel and oils up first to even attempt to crank the engine.
Did they build their own power plant onsite to power the camp or do they run huge Generator Stations like MGM Energy does when they are performing exploration drilling during winter months in the Arctic Circle? Great video and documentary appreciate the work you have done 👍👍.
Most run their power systems/heating directly off local natural gas, but liquid fuels need to be piped south, refined, and road-hauled back. Not sure about how the static camps cooperate with each other for energy.
Spent 10 years from 1983 to 1993. Everyone watches in aw of driving on the Arctic offshore waters, way before the TV show Ice Road Truckers. The show was fake compared to to what it was really. Scientists from California every winter to measure the thickness of the ice. I was a supervisor and led 6 semi trucks on ice to artificial islands. In spring my crew partner and I caught a tug boat to retrieve equipment. Before the Deadhorse General store was called Childs general store. Everything you’d ever need plus the post office was there. During days doing shop work my buddy and I slipped to get a soda and flirt with girls. In February 1984 I caught helicopter to the CIDS platform, the first American offshore. Got me a CIDS coffee cup. The cook grab while you can. The CIDS platform was made in Japan and it took 5 ships to bring the platform to the Beaufort Sea. I still have the coffee cup which I used a Sharpie to note the day and years. I don’t drink out that cup. The Deadhorse trading post carried North Slope arctic clothes, boots, tools and also had a section for sex toys, porno videos and movie videos. Native art, I have walrus tusk craving, a whale breaching, a native customary kayak, an exact copy of a real kayak. The skin on the kayak was made walrus belly stretched over a wooden frame. I have a doll of an Eskimo mother holding a baby. The woman who made them has art work at the Smithsonian museum. Things were different back then, no security check of suitcases. I has Nalgene containers to pour Crown Royal whiskey. Never got caught. And every once in a while prostitution was available from women bought a one way ticket to Deadhorse. They made bank in 4 or 5 bought a ticket back to Anchorage. Ratio of women to men, 2000 plus men and 200 women. Some worked in the oilfields while most were what was known as bullcook. They didn’t but wash our bedding, clean our rooms and kept the bathroom pristine. It’s been almost 40 years since I left. I made tons of money decided to go to college and got Master degree in Social work. I work as a therapist for male juveniles who committed felonies and/or gang members. I worked with teenage mother and had the child with them. Also teen girls who were pregnant. I worked at Corcoran State Prison on the highest level with riots gang against gang. I enjoyed working with the inmates. The prison guards are borderline criminals. I made good money but hated the guards. I had group therapy with the Crips and bloods. They told me if anything went down while was on the level 4, they had my back. Guards if not the guard job they’d be flipping burger or cleaning toilets. The reason I mention that I worked some best working Prudhoe Bay. Deadhorse is where all independent contractors camps were and Alaskan Airlines airport. Prudhoe Bay was about 8 to 10 miles away. There were security guard at Prudhoe Bay were alerted to possible terrorist activity in Prudhoe Bay and the pipeline all the way to Valdez Alaska. 1991, I think when Valdez caused the biggest oil spill. Love and miss Alaska.
Yes, there are at least 2 trucking companies which serve Deadhorse, Carlile and Lynden Either could probably ship a motorcycle back to Fairbanks or Anchorage. There tends to be more empty trucks going back south.
Goggles are a love/hate thing for many who work outside in the cold. They often have condensation/icing issues, no matter what trickery you attempt. I try and avoid them unless I absolutely can't tolerate the wind/driven snow.
certified insane--they put you to work and if you can't handle it your gone--2/3rds don't last 2 weeks--my son started in the worst job and in 3 years a big boss making 200k plus expenses,a new pick up every year--but he was out of army sgt spec forces after 6 years at age 24,tough dude
I worked there from September of ‘83 to October of ‘84 for ASWS on Flow station #1.I really don’t know what he’s referring to, however, if you stayed masked in -40 degrees temps and where bearded, the moisture from your breath would freeze instantly on your mask and beard. By the time we would come inside, there would be a 1-2” thick block of ice surrounding your nose and mouth. You couldn’t pull it off because your face was literally frozen to it. You’d just have to wait for it to melt from the warm inside air…lol. It could take 5-10 minutes.
I bought a hat, and to be perfectly honest I cannot keep the ladies off me. It’s beginning to interfere with my work and schooling and it’s just too much. Please be aware before buying the merch!
That well head isn't abandoned! That's the heroin store. Or pharmaceutical swap meet? If you circle around back on the left side, there's a surprising amount of heat for an abandoned building
I know yall may not like this question... but please understand that its necessary that i ask this. I apologize but i really need to ask. Are there any black people that work there? If so...can any recall if they spoke on how they felt being their?
yeah there are a few,most don't last long,same with the young guys--no bad racial talk is tolerated because you never know who is going to save your life!!-black oil field dudes come up from down south who worked on rigs there,after winter comes they say f this!! too cold...
1st off Anchorage is NOT the Capital dude!! second off Prudhoe Bay is one thing and where I worked for 5 years in the Bering Sea @ Minus 95 is another thing!! Your North Slope be over taken soon by the hugest oil find YET! More Than what the Pipeline has sent to this day!! just watch the next year or 2 hahaha! Also to Note the only way in and out is WHAT??? NOPE again dude sorry, try Helicopter, Hover Craft, Boat and Barges, Ice Road Trucks and Snow Cats etc!
Given that 95% of workers come by plane (only truckers or DoT staff don't), and that everyone there is a visitor since there's no permanent or native population in that specific location, that's leaves few to not be 'worst'. I suspect many can spell Deadhorse too.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals You’re so in love with yourself you can’t even tell when you are being mocked. I know you are a lowlife screaming liberal because you fell for the spelling trap. That is a quaint little thingee I developed to smoke out slimy liberal spelling NAZIS . You are not better than RVers.
Dam what would we do without brits who go places, read pamphlets, get what their reading wrong but keep talking and talking and talking and talking and talking and................................................................................................................................ing
In dead horse, no doubt you two stood out because you could walk straight. Not too common up there. Food and accommodations are pricey, but a few bottles of vodka can be worth over $1,000 should you choose to barter.
Total horseshit. You will almost *never* encounter a visibly intoxicated individual in Deadhorse. It is not tolerated for even a moment. I'm not going to say that it never happens, or that there's no alcohol there , but it would be rarer than encountering a drunk in any other place in the US. The reason is that the jobs on the slope pay quite well, and most have the benefit of having every 2 weeks off. The oil companies, and by extension, their contractors, have a zero tolerance policy for alcohol. Drinking will cause you to be terminated immediately, so those who do drink alcohol, do it very discretely, or they do not keep their jobs for long.
@@ryant3600 Deadhorse is not a dry town. Deadhorse is not even a town. Deadhorse is just a group of buildings. There is no law which prohibits alcohol. You could, if you wanted, fly to Deadhorse on an airline with a bottle of whiskey in your checked luggage and it would violate no laws. However, virtually every business in Deadhorse is there because they are contractors to the oil companies, and the oil companies prohibit alcohol, and require their contractors to all prohibit alcohol in their facilities. So, pretty much anyplace you work, or any place viable for lodging has a *policy* of no alcohol. Bit as a legal matter, Deadhorse is neither dry, nor a town.
@@andrewalexander9492 You just said in two paragraphs what I said in one sentence. Thanks for that. Cause you just made my case. I never said anything about laws, and when I say town I don't mean like an official "incorporated" town. I just mean the town of Deadhorse, I've been up here working for many years, decades and we've always referred to Deadhorse as town.. But it is dry. Brooks does not sell alcohol, and it is prohibited. So yes it's ok.. a dry community.. better? And yes, I suppose if you fly up on the commercial Alaska flight you can bring a bottle of alcohol in your checked bag, if your a tourist and have no work business up here. If you come up on the charter bags get checked for drugs, alcohol and weapons if found you get a trip back home and an invitation to never come back.
@@ryant3600 Meh, A place where there are no laws against alcohol, is not dry. Those companies who are not beholden to the oil companies are not under any obligation to have similar policies. There are a few, .ave you been around long enough to recall Cape Smythe Air? They had a hangar there on the field, with employee residences. They don't do any work for oil companies, so weren't under the oil companies thumb. Their employees had drinks after work, perfectly legally. If, hypothetically, a trooper responded to that place for some reason while they were sitting around with beers, nobody would be in trouble, the beers would not be confiscated, because, unlike a dry place, the beers were perfectly legal. I'm sure if we through about it, we could come up with a few other employers in a similar situation.
Thank you to those who pointed out that Anchorage, whilst the largest city in Alaska, isn't in fact the capital.
It's a common mistake, even here in the US. Nearly everyone has heard of Anchorage, but fewer people are familiar with Juneau. Similarly, people often mistake New York City as the capital of New York (actually Albany), Chicago as the capital of Illinois (actually Springfield), Philadelphia/ Pittsburgh as the capital of Pennsylvania (actually Harrisburg), Seattle as the capital of Washington (actually Olympia), and Los Angeles/ San Diego/ San Francisco as the capital of California (actually Sacramento).
Anchorage isn’t the Capitol of Alaska.
Juneau Is the capital not anchorage
Anchorage is just the biggest city
Capitals are often intentionally chosen to be smaller cities in America. A capital city being the largest is very much the exception, not the rule.
I worked at Deadhorse for almost 10 years in the 70's and 80's my family and I lived in Anchorage. I remember having to change some outside lights for safety reasons and the chill factor was about -130 this day, we tried to avoid working outside when the chill got to -100. One of the cool parts of the job was when I had to drive on the sea ice to get to the drilling islands, basically no noise except for the sound of the engine.
☝️awesome. Very interesting
I can't imagine, I mean I guess I can. I work the oil feild in ND but -100?! That's crazy!
Dude I start Monday 😅
I felt what -73 degree with a wind chill -132 with 100 mile a hour wind. When the windchill and wind cause all unnecessary activities hauled.
@@FukkUr1500How's it going? And what kind of work?
Well done, it was a pleasure meeting you both in camp and look forward to more videos of the trip
Thank you Mike! A pleasure indeed.
@@AlexHibbertOriginalsWere there polar bears up there?
While living in Alaska sometime around 1980 plus or minus a few years the people voted to move the capitol to Wasilla but the governor refused to do it
Hi again, I was one of the airline employees that was pleased to make your acquaintance. I’m truly sorry things didn’t work out so well on your trip with weather and equipment problems, hopefully someday you can try again.come on back we’ll be here for ya.
Thanks Mike. Much appreciated - my best to the team up there!
One of my friends was on one of the first oil field exploration crews that traveled on the winter ice floes. He drove a Bulldozer across the ice, pulling the seismic trailers and the sleeping quarters. Their group had one polar bear attack that injured a worker. He said it was the adventure of a lifetime and he would love to go back and visit some day. In summertime.
As a 37 year Prudhoe Bay oilfield worker....yes, still working there, and most of my career is in production. You look like you never left the area around the airport, and therefore, really saw nothing but stacked out rigs, and service camps. The real oilfield is much nicer looking, and way more interesting. You were in the place old rigs go to die. Basically storage pads and camps to service the field.
39 year with cdl. , what would be the best job for me over there ?
@@ogulubora fueler! You could get a job up there driving pretty sure. Try Lynden Cargo 👍🏾
Anyway I can get a job their with no experience?
David any great paying jobs in Prudhoe with no experience, thanks
@@Roger-do1dy a lot of people start there with zero experience, including me. But most people are not willing to do what it takes. Starting wage isnt the issue, its being in a camp for 6 to 8 weeks at a time, or until the job is done. Extreme working conditions, and a lot of people end up realizing its not for them. Many guys cant be away from their wives that long, and are not willing to make a commitment to provide for their families.. And that gets worse each year with each younger gen.
Its like working in Antarctica! Such a beautiful but cold place. But the flat landscape with no trees and extreme cold wow this is a perfect place for people to do Antarctic training you would be so prepared
Looks good on your resume your going to submit to PAI get job lol. Visit New Zealand and the go to bottom of earth dream job I love to do for couple seasons myself.
Yes get on that contract and spend a season in Antarctica. It was awesome!
I’ve been looking at that contract for a couple years now and am gearing up for a “training mission” to deadhorse for a 9 month contract up there that I’m hoping will prep me for a possible future Antarctic venture. I’ve been an industrial oil and gas electrician for 20 years.
@@timothylux410you don't need to train to go to antarctica, you get all of that before you depart Christchurch NZ and when you arrive at Mcmurdo base. You must be in good health, there is limited medical there and flights on and off are random with weather. You will work everyday except Sunday and the food is great, you'll be sharing a room and a communal toilet shower. Some of the people are very strange, coming from me and I'm a weirdo!! But, it is an experience not many get, don't regret not doing it, plus there is a contract completion bonus, many can't finish a season and leave, some flip out and have to be removed due to mental stress of where they are. It's no joke, you are almost as difficult to get to as going to the moon, it is REMOTE as F!! You have to be built different than most in order to make it down there.
I'm similar, but different. And you don't need training to work in Antarctica.
Back in 2002, I did put in 8 months in Alaska including 3 trips to Prudhoe Bay. On March 23, 2002, I went through the coldest temperature I have ever experienced.....-49 deg F in Prudhoe Bay, AK. I also went to Girdwood, Seaward, Valdez and Homer. About every 3 weeks, I would fly home to Texas. Thoroughly enjoyed the AK work assignment working for BP.
Coldest ever for me was -64 F while attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks, in the winter of 80-81
@@davidi8675My dad was in the university as a professor for economics in the 90s. Hope you saw him
I discovered Deadhorse while looking up light pollution for nighttime photography (I’m in Buffalo, NY). I got curious and zoomed out, wanting to see just how much brighter the larger cities of Chicago, Philly, NYC etc looked… then zoomed out more and discovered that something at the top of Alaska was the largest and brightest in North America. It’s the oil fields and Deadhorse. Literally dwarfs major cities at night. I’m astounded. Been binge watching videos ever since.
Another Buffalonian checking it out! ☃️
4:24 That horse was flown to Deadhorse to ride down the pipeline. I was on that cargo flight.
Great video. I was there in Oct 2022 and again in Feb 2023. Oct we saw the Northern Lights (on my bucket list). Feb it was -30F with -60F wind chill. The wind cut hard. Nothing to stop it. Wish I had more time up there to explore more. We were pretty much tied to the Brooks Camp and the Aurora mess hall. Everyone was great. The General Store was fantastic. Yes, I mailed myself a postcard!
I was there again this Feb. Must have eaten in the same hall at Aurora.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals - Food is actually very good. No way anyone leaves still being hungry. Lots of choices, great service, and everyone was very friendly.
Yea it was a cold February up here. Im a little over two years working up here, year round as a welder. That “dis used well head” you mentioned in the video is actually called a drilling rig, partner!
Visitors are pretty welcome here, folks are happy to chat with you in the mess halls. Please do us a favor though, if you go for a walk, wear a high vis vest. NOBODY wants to run you over. Swing on by the camp and say hello anytime, hand!
Walking is kinda unusual there. Any time I've walked anywhere in Deadhorse I always have multiple folks stop and offer me a ride, and kinda shake their head when I tell them I'm walking by choice.
How do I get on with an outfit out there? I'm a diesel mechanic trying to move into the Alaskan oil field.
Thank you for sharing this. I have lived in Dutch Harbor (Unalaska), Alaska my entire life, but we're so far south that it never even drops below -12C (10F), and I wanted to see a real Arctic Winter. Before returning back to Dutch Harbor while I was off the island, I booked a mileage ticket up to Prudhoe Bay in early January. I walked around the town from Brooks Camp to the Aurora and back, and visited the store. I didn't get to explore any facilities though. During the day it was -39C (-38F) with a windchill of -48C (-55C), but later it was -38C with stronger winds so it was -55C (-67F) with the windchill. I loved it so much, but I saw more of Deadhorse in this video than I did when I visited :)
@Ginater we're surrounded by ocean, which keeps the town warm in the winter and cool in the summer. One time I saw it 86F, but it gets above 80 maybe once every 3 years. It's very mild on both ends here.
"It's cold in Deadhorse."
I love it. 🙂
Awesome video. I had no idea that this place even existed. Looks fun to visit for a few days or so.
Cheers
Its great to see you in Alaska. I have a feeling Allen and yourself have more fans up here then you think. I have spent many years on the North Slope just sad you showed up when I was off. Its a hard place to live but beautiful at the same time.
Cheers! Delighted to know word of Alan spreads yet further.
My dad was one of the originals he began up there in 1964-65 before dead horse was there . He was a legend in the oilfields not in a good way necessarily.
Come on, you gotta tell the story now lol
@@CAMSLAYER13 he was there for the the first north slope well the pipeline all of it he had a illegal casino and strip clubs in Anchorage. Not much to tell on here
I worked up there from 1980 till 2013 except for a few years at a pump station. My first year was on a seismic crew, then well logging and lastly communications.
Awesome. One of my great regrets is not being able to accompany a couple of friends to Alaska, many years ago, trekking and camping from Anchorage to Nome for three months!!
This is absolutely incredible.
The state capital of Alaska is Juneau, in Southeastern AK, not Anchorage.
Well I never. Bigger isn't always better.
I’m 19 and going In January to work I’m excited!! I’ll be baking the roads so the oilfield guys can travel
What a great experience! Have a wonderful time.
"Ironically, the oil cannot be refined on site" It used to be, to a degree. There used to be a small single product refinery called a "topping plant" which produced Diesel fuel for local use. When Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel was mandated, the plant could not produce that product, and couldn't be economically upgraded to do so. So now, all diesel fuel used on the slope is trucked up from (I think) Valdez.
Interesting! Thanks.
From the comments looks like you made new friends and fans , facinating place and a graet video .
Wow, what a cosy place :) Can't wait to learn more ^^
Wow that looks awesome.
I worked in a nearby camp for 4 years. We ate nothing but bacon, eggs, steak, shrimp, corn, cheese, butter, hambugarm, cheese, butter, hotdog
The food in all the camps (we've tried) is ace.
Full face covering is an absolute necessity? your hood should be larger, blocks the wind alot
great footage of the Slope
You get a sense given the combination of cold and wind whether you need a full face covering. I like to keep as clear a face as possible, depending on the conditions. Larger hoods can catch the wind and be difficult to control - so I like the handful of designs I use on different trips - and combination of fur/no fur etc.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Full face is only if your going to be staying outside for quite some time. I've worked up here for years never wore a face covering until Covid happened. ha.. I take that back a few years (during covid mind you) I did wear one cause the windchill got down to -129 F
That, sir, was an awesome video.
Well. We won't achieve RUclips domination with average videos.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals 😂😂😂
I just shot a goose banded in dead horse...and I’m 4300 miles away....had to see where he came from...amazing!
So where do u live that's 4300 miles away?
@@chairlesnicol672 the speck I shot was in prairie co. Arkansas, around Hazen, Ar
And was 21 years old, bandedin deadhorse, ak
@@chairlesnicol672 guy named Dennis k marks at USFWS banded it. Info further said it was hatched in 2004 or earlier
I'm planning on driving there In July 2023 from New Jersey visiting many places on the way. I assume the weather is much better in the summer. I want to visit the northernmost point of the US accessible by car.
Bring sweaters and a coat. Summer time can still be below freezing and it still snows year round.
Did you make it?
@@DinDooIt Yes I did. I started in July and returned in September. Drove for almost 18K miles and visited many places including Alaska, Arctic Ocean and Western and North Western Canada.
@@loveaviation Nice! I'm at the end of my life span and will be doing this trip soon, I hope.
@@DinDooIt I have a playlist of a small portion of videos I uploaded so far. I will add a lot more when I feel motivated again. ruclips.net/p/PLqLjsgvQZ4gjZLcEn_TLi391dwQ8ZaA4I&si=jPwAmldNHIpHFUOu
I’ve always been dumbfounded by human ingenuity in these areas. I mean how do they get concrete up there? The interior of that hangar looks like anything you’d find stateside.
it does get into the 70's and 80s during the summer months and most work is done indoors.
Do you mean how do they transport the concrete? Or how do they make things out of it? The Cement, like pretty much everything else is trucked up from Anchorage and Fairbanks on the Dalton Highway. To make concrete they mine gravel locally, and make mix concrete out of it with the cement. The temperature is (mostly) above freezing for 3-4 months a year. And in a pinch, concrete can be poured when the air temperature is below freezing. It just takes more work.
Very interesting video! 👍👍
Great video, came here after the History channel Dalton highway doc, felt like an extension of it.
One suggestion though, slow down the pace a bit. I sometimes didn't have enough time to absorb an interesting note or shot before the next and I'd have to rewind & pause.
Not necessarily bad, but 10 minutes vs 8 would've been perfect.
I get why you would only show dead of winter but you really need to show how beautiful it is in the summer! Lower 48 folks think all of Alaska is like the inside of a freezer year round!
I don't like bugs and flies, and can't ski on the slope in summer, sadly!
@@AlexHibbertOriginals realistically you cant in the winter other than CC, and what fun is that?
@lisasurliewildadventures Not really. Even on the shortest day, there is light. The sun doesn't rise, but it's close enough to the horizon that there is ample twilight. It's not direct sunlight, but it is plenty light to see and do things without artificial illumination. It doesn't last for long, though, a few hours then it goes back to dark. "Daylight" is defined as when the sun is above the horizon. There's a period of about 2-1/2 month when the sun is continuously above the horizon. There's an even longer period when it never really gets dark, as there there is fairly bright twilight all night long. To put it differently, in most of August even at midnight, you could walk around outside and wouldn't need a flashlight to keep from tripping over things.
Miss that place I did 2wks on 2wks off worked for Veco Alaska back then 2006 welder helper stayed at dead horse then end up staying at Melanie point would love to go back work out there
MIlne Point.
I miss this state good ole 907
Damn that place is cold. I bet people were freaking out about you walking. Your like been to colder places, this is warm.
Ha, this was actually my record lowest temp I've skied in, but only just.
It's cold in Deadhorse, which is the reason for the dead horse.😀
Free information here: the Sag R.'s full name is Sagavanirktok River = sag-vah-NICK-tuke (rhymes with ‘Luke’)
Spent a few weeks up there Dec 2022 , Tri-State oil Tools
3:08 That's not a wellhead. A Wellhead is the part of a well above ground. It may be just a pipe sticking above ground, for a well that's not in production. That is a drill rig, it's not sitting on a well, it's just there for storage. Drill rigs are movable. Drill rigs of this type can be jacked up on gigantic wheels and moved around (one of the wheels is visible in the video)
Yes, I've been schooled on this. Consider me schooled!
Coldest I seen in Deadhorse was -72 Farenheit.
The record there appears to be -62 deg F. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadhorse,_Alaska
Wind chill maybe. Ive been up there for 38 years on a regular schedule, and its never come close to that for ambient temp.
Thanks for this, very informative.
Wonderfully interesting
Well, thank you
It's crazy how this place and Hawaii are apart of the same country
Anchorage isn’t the state capital, great video tho
Excellent
I have several t-shirts from Deadhorse but they're getting old, so I wouldn't send back any new extra large ones you sent me :) I am small but I love the shirts to be swimmy
Did you see Shoestring up there on your travels?
Hop-e you know that there is more oil there than any place on earth
My old man built it and was a senior exective with Bechtal, there no old wellnheads
looking forward to the follow up video.
Can I have a short rest first?! :)
@@AlexHibbertOriginals You're the one posting on a weekend my dude. You're supposed to be resting now :p
The RUclips gods inform me it's when you lot are all surfing the Tube. And rest days for the self-employed? I wish! :)
How long does it take the mechanics to start the Diesel Trucks that have been sitting outside for days and weeks at a time? They need to warm the fuel and oils up first to even attempt to crank the engine.
Most trucks plug in to rows of sump heaters. If you don't have a plug in, and get too cold, there's a local heater truck that can help.
Did they build their own power plant onsite to power the camp or do they run huge Generator Stations like MGM Energy does when they are performing exploration drilling during winter months in the Arctic Circle? Great video and documentary appreciate the work you have done 👍👍.
Most run their power systems/heating directly off local natural gas, but liquid fuels need to be piped south, refined, and road-hauled back. Not sure about how the static camps cooperate with each other for energy.
what a name for a place to live or even reside in - Deadhorse
How does one go about finding an oil field job there I wonder?
The extremes we pursue for oil
Yeah, isn't it amazing and awesome? True innovation, not like a bunch of liberal whiners marching in the streets but real life stuff.
Reminds me of McMurdo
It’s like the parallel version of Rust map from cod
How the fuck did my ancestors live up there
Also, the inop drill rig you called a well isn’t. It’s a drill Derrick that’s transported to the site and put into operation. You need to prep better.
With any due respect, my prep was for the ski trip - I was merely driven past the oil installations!
Spent 10 years from 1983 to 1993. Everyone watches in aw of driving on the Arctic offshore waters, way before the TV show Ice Road Truckers. The show was fake compared to to what it was really. Scientists from California every winter to measure the thickness of the ice. I was a supervisor and led 6 semi trucks on ice to artificial islands. In spring my crew partner and I caught a tug boat to retrieve equipment. Before the Deadhorse General store was called Childs general store. Everything you’d ever need plus the post office was there. During days doing shop work my buddy and I slipped to get a soda and flirt with girls. In February 1984 I caught helicopter to the CIDS platform, the first American offshore. Got me a CIDS coffee cup. The cook grab while you can. The CIDS platform was made in Japan and it took 5 ships to bring the platform to the Beaufort Sea. I still have the coffee cup which I used a Sharpie to note the day and years. I don’t drink out that cup. The Deadhorse trading post carried North Slope arctic clothes, boots, tools and also had a section for sex toys, porno videos and movie videos. Native art, I have walrus tusk craving, a whale breaching, a native customary kayak, an exact copy of a real kayak. The skin on the kayak was made walrus belly stretched over a wooden frame. I have a doll of an Eskimo mother holding a baby. The woman who made them has art work at the Smithsonian museum. Things were different back then, no security check of suitcases. I has Nalgene containers to pour Crown Royal whiskey. Never got caught. And every once in a while prostitution was available from women bought a one way ticket to Deadhorse. They made bank in 4 or 5 bought a ticket back to Anchorage. Ratio of women to men, 2000 plus men and 200 women. Some worked in the oilfields while most were what was known as bullcook. They didn’t but wash our bedding, clean our rooms and kept the bathroom pristine. It’s been almost 40 years since I left. I made tons of money decided to go to college and got Master degree in Social work. I work as a therapist for male juveniles who committed felonies and/or gang members. I worked with teenage mother and had the child with them. Also teen girls who were pregnant. I worked at Corcoran State Prison on the highest level with riots gang against gang. I enjoyed working with the inmates. The prison guards are borderline criminals. I made good money but hated the guards. I had group therapy with the Crips and bloods. They told me if anything went down while was on the level 4, they had my back. Guards if not the guard job they’d be flipping burger or cleaning toilets. The reason I mention that I worked some best working Prudhoe Bay. Deadhorse is where all independent contractors camps were and Alaskan Airlines airport. Prudhoe Bay was about 8 to 10 miles away. There were security guard at Prudhoe Bay were alerted to possible terrorist activity in Prudhoe Bay and the pipeline all the way to Valdez Alaska. 1991, I think when Valdez caused the biggest oil spill. Love and miss Alaska.
I have worked up in Prudhoe Bay for nearly 30 years. No sane person would skimming the area…
Skimming does sound perilous
@@AlexHibbertOriginals lmao… skiing…… although I did do a polar plunge in the Beaufiort Sea when I worked on Northstar Island!!
We probably crossed paths. Deadhorse Airport 1987-97.
@@Patrick_Ross I am still up here!
Could a motorbike be shipped out, back to home?
There's a freight terminal, yes
Yes, there are at least 2 trucking companies which serve Deadhorse, Carlile and Lynden Either could probably ship a motorcycle back to Fairbanks or Anchorage. There tends to be more empty trucks going back south.
Where you can leave your ice cream outside.
@5:20 So, no goggles or protective glasses of any kind is what you're saying? Look forward to that explanation.
Goggles are a love/hate thing for many who work outside in the cold. They often have condensation/icing issues, no matter what trickery you attempt. I try and avoid them unless I absolutely can't tolerate the wind/driven snow.
what certifications do i need to be a roustabout
certified insane--they put you to work and if you can't handle it your gone--2/3rds don't last 2 weeks--my son started in the worst job and in 3 years a big boss making 200k plus expenses,a new pick up every year--but he was out of army sgt spec forces after 6 years at age 24,tough dude
The state capital of Alaska is Juneau.
Well I never. Bigger isn't always better.
Man how do i get job there? :D
What is the name of that vehicle at 6:26?
They call them 'vibrators' - they detect oil deep under the tundra.
WAIT. Why did he say you can't cover your face in the cold for a few days or you will die??? Can someone explain??
I worked there from September of ‘83 to October of ‘84 for ASWS on Flow station #1.I really don’t know what he’s referring to, however, if you stayed masked in -40 degrees temps and where bearded, the moisture from your breath would freeze instantly on your mask and beard. By the time we would come inside, there would be a 1-2” thick block of ice surrounding your nose and mouth. You couldn’t pull it off because your face was literally frozen to it. You’d just have to wait for it to melt from the warm inside air…lol. It could take 5-10 minutes.
I bought a hat, and to be perfectly honest I cannot keep the ladies off me. It’s beginning to interfere with my work and schooling and it’s just too much. Please be aware before buying the merch!
Wilbur the marketing man. Just had a glut of hat sales 😁
That well head isn't abandoned! That's the heroin store. Or pharmaceutical swap meet? If you circle around back on the left side, there's a surprising amount of heat for an abandoned building
Jackwagon!
Abandoned and untouched buildings even a airport terminal... Ever thought about URBEX?
I'd be tempted to take a look inside
same, imagine the building being untouched since 1960 or 1980,
Where is my icecremre ?
"PANAMA RELOCATI ON TOURS!! WITH JACKIE!!🙋 😊 👍❤️👈"
Well that was strange.
Arctic fox live there
I saw a crow there.
hold on... What's this about a 'grim demise' if the face is covered ????
It channels damp exhaled air into clothing, which will either wet or ice up base layers and insulation.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals I spent many an day outside in PB, never saw anything like that.
Thank you for calling Anchorage the capital
hahaha
A you tuber who doesn't know Alaska but thinks he does!!
I know yall may not like this question... but please understand that its necessary that i ask this. I apologize but i really need to ask.
Are there any black people that work there? If so...can any recall if they spoke on how they felt being their?
yeah there are a few,most don't last long,same with the young guys--no bad racial talk is tolerated because you never know who is going to save your life!!-black oil field dudes come up from down south who worked on rigs there,after winter comes they say f this!! too cold...
@mtsky-tc6uw ok... i wanna work there. I assume anchorage is incomparable. I want to work as an inspector but anyway to get my feet in.
FJB
1st off Anchorage is NOT the Capital dude!! second off Prudhoe Bay is one thing and where I worked for 5 years in the Bering Sea @ Minus 95 is another thing!! Your North Slope be over taken soon by the hugest oil find YET! More Than what the Pipeline has sent to this day!! just watch the next year or 2 hahaha! Also to Note the only way in and out is WHAT??? NOPE again dude sorry, try Helicopter, Hover Craft, Boat and Barges, Ice Road Trucks and Snow Cats etc!
I generally take advice from people with a basic grasp of grammar. It does not get to minus 95 on the Bering Sea.
Happy New Year.
At 1:14 Couldn't James do without his sex doll for a few days? 😆
dislikes disabled why?
I don't think such a disabling is possible.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals on my screen both likes and dislikes are disabled when on the rest of your videos only dislikes are disabled (youtube default)
I'm not sure why. All my videos have both likes and dislikes recorded my end.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals
Of course the channel can see likes and dislikes. You turned them off so other people can't see it for some reason.
yeah, I dont see any global warming/climate change.
Oh lord, please don’t say that
The worst of all of the visitors to Dead-horse come in those airplane thingees.
Given that 95% of workers come by plane (only truckers or DoT staff don't), and that everyone there is a visitor since there's no permanent or native population in that specific location, that's leaves few to not be 'worst'.
I suspect many can spell Deadhorse too.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals You’re so in love with yourself you can’t even tell when you are being mocked. I know you are a lowlife screaming liberal because you fell for the spelling trap. That is a quaint little thingee I developed to smoke out slimy liberal spelling NAZIS . You are not better than RVers.
What a strange man. Good luck.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals I agree, you are strange.
Pay range out there
😢😢😢
Dam what would we do without brits who go places, read pamphlets, get what their reading wrong but keep talking and talking and talking and talking and talking and................................................................................................................................ing
*Damn. *Brits. *they're.
In dead horse, no doubt you two stood out because you could walk straight. Not too common up there. Food and accommodations are pricey, but a few bottles of vodka can be worth over $1,000 should you choose to barter.
Deadhorse is a dry town alcohol is prohibited.
Total horseshit. You will almost *never* encounter a visibly intoxicated individual in Deadhorse. It is not tolerated for even a moment. I'm not going to say that it never happens, or that there's no alcohol there , but it would be rarer than encountering a drunk in any other place in the US. The reason is that the jobs on the slope pay quite well, and most have the benefit of having every 2 weeks off. The oil companies, and by extension, their contractors, have a zero tolerance policy for alcohol. Drinking will cause you to be terminated immediately, so those who do drink alcohol, do it very discretely, or they do not keep their jobs for long.
@@ryant3600 Deadhorse is not a dry town. Deadhorse is not even a town. Deadhorse is just a group of buildings. There is no law which prohibits alcohol. You could, if you wanted, fly to Deadhorse on an airline with a bottle of whiskey in your checked luggage and it would violate no laws. However, virtually every business in Deadhorse is there because they are contractors to the oil companies, and the oil companies prohibit alcohol, and require their contractors to all prohibit alcohol in their facilities. So, pretty much anyplace you work, or any place viable for lodging has a *policy* of no alcohol. Bit as a legal matter, Deadhorse is neither dry, nor a town.
@@andrewalexander9492 You just said in two paragraphs what I said in one sentence. Thanks for that. Cause you just made my case. I never said anything about laws, and when I say town I don't mean like an official "incorporated" town. I just mean the town of Deadhorse, I've been up here working for many years, decades and we've always referred to Deadhorse as town.. But it is dry. Brooks does not sell alcohol, and it is prohibited. So yes it's ok.. a dry community.. better? And yes, I suppose if you fly up on the commercial Alaska flight you can bring a bottle of alcohol in your checked bag, if your a tourist and have no work business up here. If you come up on the charter bags get checked for drugs, alcohol and weapons if found you get a trip back home and an invitation to never come back.
@@ryant3600 Meh, A place where there are no laws against alcohol, is not dry. Those companies who are not beholden to the oil companies are not under any obligation to have similar policies. There are a few, .ave you been around long enough to recall Cape Smythe Air? They had a hangar there on the field, with employee residences. They don't do any work for oil companies, so weren't under the oil companies thumb. Their employees had drinks after work, perfectly legally. If, hypothetically, a trooper responded to that place for some reason while they were sitting around with beers, nobody would be in trouble, the beers would not be confiscated, because, unlike a dry place, the beers were perfectly legal. I'm sure if we through about it, we could come up with a few other employers in a similar situation.
Lots of misleading information throughout your video on this region.
Wait in Europe you pay 100% more than Deadhorse? Last time I was up there diesel was almost 8$ per gallon, that's 2 euros per liter.
Correct. Even bonkers US prices are cheap to us. That said, many of our cars do 50-70mpg.