Top of the World Highway Extension

The Top of the World Highway Extension picks up where the famous Yukon Highway 9 ends, continuing 85 kilometers deeper into the Klondike goldfields along deteriorating mining roads that most tourists never see. Past the Boundary checkpoint, the maintained pavement gives way to rough gravel that climbs through alpine tundra to nearly 5,000 feet elevation. You’ll pass the remnants of hydraulic mining operations from the 1930s — massive steel pipes and rusted equipment scattered across hillsides stripped bare by high-pressure water cannons.

This extension demands more than the main highway’s moderate clearance requirements. Loose shale, steep grades up to 15%, and washouts from spring snowmelt make 4WD essential. The road deteriorates significantly after King Solomon Dome, where only the most committed continue to the old Fortymile mining district. June through September only — winter closures last eight months. No services beyond Chicken, Alaska (if you detour south), and cell service disappears completely after Mile 15. What you earn is authentic Klondike wilderness, undisturbed wildlife, and bragging rights among Yukon veterans who know most people turn back at the border.