Colorado to Alaska trip

[mike Knee]

Hey everyone,

We are planning a trip next June to Alaska from Colorado.

I would like to go the BC and then on up and back another route.

Can anyone give us a route that is outstanding?

Thanks

Mike

[Winterbagoal]

Let your Garmin be your guide.
Not knowing your starting point, set a course for Fairbanks, and when you hit Alberta, divert a bit further west to Banff and Jasper/Lake Louise which follow the mountains north more closely.
Arrive in Tok, do your thing exploring Alaska, decide when to come home.
On the return leg when you hit just before Watson Lake, YT, take 37 south (Dease Lake/Cassiar Hwy) and return through central BC.
Side trips along the way are up to you, and how much time you have to divert, and whether your vehicle(s) will be able to handle the roads. Road conditions up there can vary quite a bit in quality.

[mike Knee]

Thanks

We plan on BC on the way up and Banff on the way back.


We are in No. ColoraDO

[Winterbagoal]

Besides air and ferries, those are the 2 really main routes up there, and they are certainly interchangeable.
Have fun and hope you have enough time to do it all, because it is really something once you get going.
Enjoy.

[604eholston]

Second the recommendation by Winterbagoal, up the Alaska highway and back the Cassier. Might even come back down thru Vancouver Island to Victoria. Then ferry back over to Vancouver or Olympic Peninsula.

[mike Knee]

Much appreciated

[dix39]

I think you have somewhat of an advantage because of the size of your vehicle. We made the trip several years ago with a TC that was 23' overall. We went north on the ferry from Prince Rupert, BC and, after seeing and doing what we wanted to in AK, planned to come back through the parks in BC exiting at Glacier. Unfortunately the return trip didn't happen as planned, but it was still a wonderful trip.

We planned the ferry trip months in advance, stopping one day, spending the next, and leaving the following day in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Sitka, Juneau, and exiting at Skagway. Looking back, I would have scheduled at least another day at Juneau and a day trip to Glacier Bay. The difficulty in changing the schedule, if even possible, is that it will affect all the remaining scheduled stops. If you should plan to do this, get everything you would like to do on the original schedule. Our trip was several years ago and the ferry trip was about $1600.00 then, but it was worth every penny. That, or flying, are the only way to see most of these places. The cost was based on per foot of vehicle length if over 22' (?).

We planed the rest of the trip around things we wanted to see or do, which would probably be different for others. I think your shorter RV will allow you to go/stay places that a larger one would not be able to. We had planned around 2 months for the trip, but without the BC parks return it was shortened to about 1.5.

If you are going by yourself, and it sounds like you are, and you would feel better with some kind of protection it is possible to take a shotgun through BC with prior approval. There have been several threads here covering that subject. I didn't know about this until we were already there, but our trip was uneventful in that respect.

We had no broken glass or damage of any sort, and there was no problem getting fuel. There was some planning required for fuel stops, of course. Just have everything in good condition before leaving home.

Have a wonderful trip.

Steve

[Jon_C]

Thanks for the great info, looking forward to our trip there in a couple years.

[604eholston]

When we did the trip all by land, our friends who elected the ferry ( Seattle to Ketchikan) got awakened twice in the middle of the night to move their coach so trucks or other RV's could be loaded or off loaded. In addition one or two of their sight seeing stops were for a few hours in the middle of the night.

[mike Knee]

Thanks for the input.

The ferry seems quite pricey.

Since you did the land route, anything that is a must see? Maybe off the beaten path?

Thanks again

[Dennis4809]

First is to purchase a Mile Post travel guide. A must have for both planning and driving.

Take a sign to the sign forest in Watson Lake.
Top of the World Hwy or if not, park in Tok and day trip to Chicken.
Day trip to China Hot Springs.
Univ of AK museum in Fbks.
Ride the bus to the end of the Hwy in Denali.
Musk Ox farm in Palmer
Birdhouse bar in Anchorage. Call the Ptarmigan!
Museum in the old federal building in Anchorage. Watch the movies.
Glacier tour out of Whittier.
Watch the fishing boats launch or recover at Deep Creek.
Watch for Beluga Whales on Turnigan Arm.
Salty Dog Saloon in Homer.

And a hundred other thing!
Plan your time then add a couple weeks.

[dix39]

A few of the "somewhat out of the way" places we visited were the Kennecott Copper Mine, Valdez, Talkeetna where Don Sheldon lived and flew from, gold panning at Chicken, Dawson, YT. Those are a few you cold research if they sound promising. There were others in addition to the parks and better known attractions.

I agree that the ferry is pricey, but for us it would probably be a one time trip so we worked in as much as possible. Air/water is the only way to get there. I'm glad we did.

Steve

[mike Knee]

Thanks for all the great input and places to see

Mike

[GrannyMML]

Buy a Milepost and when you get around Anchorage make sure you move into the turnouts if more than three cars are following you. This will help my 90 year old mother with her road rage. Have fun.