Trio recreates Alaska Highway journey after more than a half century
Published 7:30 am Thursday, June 18, 2026
Three North Eugene High School classmates from the Class of 1969 are retracing the epic Alaska Highway road trip that changed their lives forever.
Fresh out of high school, Gregory Theim, Ty Pierce, and Gary Gleaves set out on an adventure in 1969 that would shape the rest of their lives.
With youthful optimism and a desire to see Alaska, they crammed into a red Chevrolet van and drove the legendary Alaska Highway from Eugene to Anchorage in search of summer jobs and new experiences.
The young men secured summer employment and worked at a salmon cannery in Port Graham. They returned the following two summers as well, using their Alaska earnings to help work their way through college.
The experience that began as a summer road trip became a life-changing chapter and a lifelong friendship that has endured almost six decades.
And now, 57 years later, the three friends are once again climbing back into a red GMC van and heading north.
On June 14, the trio departed Eugene and began the nearly 2,800-mile journey through British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska, and are scheduled to reach their destination of Anchorage on June 21, the Summer Solstice.
Theim says that the arrival date carries a special meaning.
“June 21, 2026, marks the 57th anniversary of our arrival in Anchorage in 1969, when Gary celebrated his 18th birthday on the day we rolled into town,” Theim said. “This year, Gary will celebrate his 75th birthday on the very same date and in the very same city.”
Their original Chevy van was painted with the words “The Last Frontier — Anchorage, Alaska,” and the friends have recreated the spirit on that van for the anniversary trip. They are making the 2026 version of the journey in a 2007 red GMC Savana which carries similar graphics and commemorative markings honoring the original adventure.
As the three friends head north toward Alaska one more time, they hope their story serves as a reminder that some friendships, some adventures, and some dreams are worth revisiting, no matter how many years have passed.
“Fifty-seven years ago, we headed north looking for summer jobs and adventure,” Theim recalled. “This time, we’re heading north for the memories, the friendship, and one more chance to experience the Alaska Highway together.”
