Alaska 2016

[DrDaveMA]

DO NOT MISS Stewart/Hyder in late July or August. The NFS bear viewing station at Salmon Creek in Hyder is worth the entire trip. That is where I took this photo. Notice all 4 paws are n the air, that salmon is in trouble!

[Gladie]

Lloyd in S.C.

Has anyone suggested you get The Alaskan Tour Saver Book? It is a " buy one, get one free" ( not half price, but free!) coupon book. It is mainly activities. The cost is $100 but SO worth it. Coupons are listed alphabetically by town and what activities are available there. We did a day cruise (Valdez), museums (Seward), wildlife refuge (Portage) Alyeska tram, flight glacier landing Denali, etc. spent a total of $900 instead of $1800 last summer. We were on the road for 105 days from New England. FYI, on the cruise out of Valdez we sat with a couple from a major cruise line, doing an excursion. They paid $405, our cost with coupon $125. Just make sure you purchase the book for the year you are traveling cuz they do expire.
If you are going to Banff and Jasper, highly recommend, and you want to splurge on great steak dinner and nice atmosphere, I recommend The Saltlik in Banff. Ate there on the way to Alaska and return! Was the best restaurant on our trip.

[Lloyd in S.C.]

Hi Gladie!

It has been mentioned,,,, but I now have it on my list. Will do!

Thanks, L.

[S Bradley]

If your interested in our expenses to travel to Alaska we tallied the cost of our trip home from Rhode Island, to Anchorage.
I will break it into two sections U.S cost, and Canada.

RV is a Navion IQ 24V we average 15.8 mpg running mostly at 65 in the US and 60 from FT. St. John. Hopefully I didn't miss any fuel stops.

Rhode Island to Sweetgrass Mt. - Diesel $432 U.S.
S. Dakota State parks - about $25 a night $150. It is actually a little more because they charge a $2 dollar fee for phone reservations and $7 non resident fee; make all your reservation at the same time and these become one time fees. One night in the Bad lands four nights in S. Dakota Custer State park. One night Palisades State Park. Boondocked or rest stops for over nights while driving across country. Pennsylvania rest stops are great no one bothered us at all. If your in Ohio on I80 they have special areas for you to stay at their service center, they do charge at some for the electric if they have it.
We spent some time in Indiana running around Amish country stayed in a Pilot, way out in the back.

Sweetgrass Mt. to Anchorage - Diesel $554 U.S.
In Canada we use currency rather than credit cards, mostly due to a problem a few years ago.
Provincial parks - Alberta is $16, Yukon is $12 Canadian.
Private RV parks - are anywhere from $25 to $45 I did find one full hookup for $40.
Stayed in Flying Js in Alberta, they do have some parks but not anywhere near where we were when we would stop for the night.
We only stayed one night in a park at Liard Hot Springs $16 including access to the Springs, no showers so you need to bring your own. Most of the Provincial parks were still closed so we Boondocked the rest of the trip. Information centers can't seem to tell you if any of the parks are open or closed, Liard and PINE LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK were both open.

Diesel - $432 + $554= $986
overnights - $166

Food and play time not included but then we mostly hike, shoot photos, and eat simple.

[Superslif]

Yes, the Ohio Turnpike rest / service areas have large parking lots. Was planning my trip from Ohio to Banff our first reservation (Tunnel Mtn.) which I'm allowing 4-5 days to cover the 2300 miles. I had thought if the rest areas were like the huge ones like on the Ohio pike we would hit some of those on I-80 or I-90. But doing Google searches, there all tiny, from parking for 8 trucks to no more than 30. So it would mean boondocking next to a idling diesel truck. So I mapped out some WalMart's ( Wally-Docking) every 400 or so miles. And one Cabela's in SD.

Was going to stop at the state park in the Badlands, but it got such bad reviews and $$$, I think were just going to drive thru the Badlands and get back on I-90.

I have one of two private campgrounds picked out near Bozeman MT. to dump the tanks, fill water that the reviews were not too bad and didn't charge an arm & leg for an over night stop-over (Bear Canyon Campground or Sunrise Campground). The only other thing I'm looking into is a Arctic Fox dealer. They don't really have any east of the Mississippi.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by Superslif

Was going to stop at the state park in the Badlands, but it got such bad reviews and $$$, I think were just going to drive thru the Badlands and get back on I-90.

There is no 'state' park at the Badlands but if you're referring to the national park and you get into the area in the afternoon and are ready to stop, I'd recommend the campground. You will not believe the star at night - not an inch of free space up there. You would take Exit 131 coming from the east.

I don't know of the bad reviews you read but to us, it was a very pleasant stop. You don't need electric at this time of year and there are plenty of non-electric sites. Do you have a Senior Pass for the national parks? If you're 62+ you can purchase one there and get 1/2 off on camp fees. The Pass never expires and you can use it for free entrance at any national park, national monument, national forests, Corp of Engineer and camping is 1/2 price.

If you just want to do a drive through you'd start at Exit 131 and it ends to the west at Exit 110 (at Wall Drugs).

[Superslif]

The one I was referring to was called Cedar Pass Campground This one is run by a concessionaire (Forever Resorts) for the national park which I didn't think would except the the Federal Access Pass. I called and they would give $10 off per night if your a holder of the Federal Access pass. Our of the 11 Google reviews it only averaged 3 out of 5 stars. The common complaints were (pay) cold showers, over priced and un-level sites. (pay) to dump too.

I think if time is available we'll do a drive thru, at least spend a hour or two going thru the park.

[S Bradley]

Originally Posted by Superslif

The one I was referring to was called Cedar Pass Campground This one is run by a concessionaire (Forever Resorts) for the national park which I didn't think would except the the Federal Access Pass. I called and they would give $10 off per night if your a holder of the Federal Access pass. Our of the 11 Google reviews it only averaged 3 out of 5 stars. The common complaints were (pay) cold showers, over priced and un-level sites. (pay) to dump too.

I think if time is available we'll do a drive thru, at least spend a hour or two going thru the park.

We stayed in the Cedar campground but we didn't use in any of the services cost very reasonable $13, showers are Luke warm, sites are close together but not bad. It is a place to sleep.

We have only stayed in one Walmart, after it closed it was quiet enough. Rest stops are certainly as quiet we just pick the entry end. The reason we choose the entry is because when the trucks leave they run thru the gears getting up to highway speed. We try to avoid the refer units, but when that doesn't work we use ear plugs.

I prefer newer Flying J or Pilots just as far out back as possible. Some have free dumping, it just a place to sleep between destinations.

[Superslif]

If I can get 6 hours of "shut eye" I'm good to go. I was just surprised at how small the Rest areas are on I-80 & I-90 West of Chicago. I guess were just spoiled in Ohio & PA.

Question...Along the Alcan at any of the "pull offs" is there anything to worry about while your sleeping people looking for "opportunities" by swipe stuff out of one's truck bed?

We'll have 3 bikes (which will be locked) 2 inflatable kayaks inside a zippered bag, a large cargo box (18" x 24" x 36") with a 5 gallon gas and can maybe some tools...or firewood.

[sirpurrcival]

Originally Posted by Superslif

If I can get 6 hours of "shut eye" I'm good to go. I was just surprised at how small the Rest areas are on I-80 & I-90 West of Chicago. I guess were just spoiled in Ohio & PA.

Question...Along the Alcan at any of the "pull offs" is there anything to worry about while your sleeping people looking for "opportunities" by swipe stuff out of one's truck bed?

We'll have 3 bikes (which will be locked) 2 inflatable kayaks inside a zippered bag, a large cargo box (18" x 24" x 36") with a 5 gallon gas and can maybe some tools...or firewood.

It's been a few years but unless things have changed drastically, then the answer is less than most places. Many of these pull outs are literally in the middle of nowhere. No habitations for 100 miles either way. At night, nothing is moving out there except for maybe the occasional passing car or truck. Can it happen, sure. But I felt safer up there than I do in most urban areas. If there is a risk, it is probably far greater that is comes from others like yourselves, travelers from other parts who bring their light fingered ways with them.

[Ramets]

If boondocking out in the boonies, I'd suggest that you peek outside before stepping out in the morning. We had a good sized black bear sniffing around outside Destruction Bay one morning. I just gave a quick blast of the air horn and he took off.

[jpharley]

On our way north, we stopped at a pull off in BC at around 2:30 and stayed until about 9:30 the next day. No one even stopped while we were there. It was our first time trying anything like that and we felt safe.

[S Bradley]

Originally Posted by Superslif

If I can get 6 hours of "shut eye" I'm good to go. I was just surprised at how small the Rest areas are on I-80 & I-90 West of Chicago. I guess were just spoiled in Ohio & PA.

Question...Along the Alcan at any of the "pull offs" is there anything to worry about while your sleeping people looking for "opportunities" by swipe stuff out of one's truck bed?

We'll have 3 bikes (which will be locked) 2 inflatable kayaks inside a zippered bag, a large cargo box (18" x 24" x 36") with a 5 gallon gas and can maybe some tools...or firewood.

Pretty safe up North, as suggested the likely hood of someone using a five finger discount might take place in the larger cities or some other traveler but not likely on the road.

LEAVE the FIRE WOOD HOME, Canada, Alaska and probably most other states prohibit bring it across the boarder for good reason it spreads disease.
In the Yukon they stock the Provisional camp grounds with split wood, in Alaska just pick up out in the woods just don't cut live trees.

When traveling up North Yukon or Alaska we camp just about any place that isn't posted, no trespassing or no camping. If you pull into a gravel pit or a larger clearing don't be suprised to wake up to an over night neighborhood, people tend to find safety in numbers. Read the signs at rest stops some will specify a time limit but then we have never been asked to leave. I think it is reasonable to overnight as long as you don't take up residency.

[Superslif]

LEAVE the FIRE WOOD HOME, Canada, Alaska and probably most other states prohibit bring it across the boarder for good reason it spreads disease.
In the Yukon they stock the Provisional camp grounds with split wood, in Alaska just pick up out in the woods just don't cut live trees.

I understand. Once I get into Alaska I can keep some dry kindling twigs in the cargo box to start a fire. As long as you have "dry" kindling your are set to go.

Pretty safe up North, as suggested the likely hood of someone using a five finger discount might take place in the larger cities or some other traveler but not likely on the road.

Good to hear... We live in a suburb of a big city, and you "dare not" leave your bike or ladder out because of the "5 Finger Zombies" wondering around at night.