Seeking Alaska Information

[rk911]

Originally Posted by dix39

A lot of good information from twogypsies. We had several (3 or 4) hundred dollars in Canadian money before starting the trip. We washed clothes at a laundromat in BC. I asked the girl who was taking care of the place how much it cost. She said two "Loonies". I said, what's a Loonie? After she explained that it was a coin with a Loon on the back, I asked her for some Loonies in exchange for Canadian dollars. Interesting.

We didn't have reservations anyplace except the ferry, including Denali, and that was not a problem for us. It would probably be better to have them though, just to be on the safe side. We did drive all the way to the campground at Denali before finding out that we were supposed to have picked up the permit to stay there about an hour or so back down the road. After driving back we just stayed there in the parking lot and bought a bus ticket the next day to see the park. The bus picked us up there. We never did stay in the campground.

I'm not sure why your wife doesn't like boats, but my wife is very prone to sea-sickness and the ferry rides from Prince Rupert to Skagway were no problem for her, she had a ball. It would be pretty expensive for your rig though. We had a 11.5' TC and the ferry trip for it was about $1500.00, but it was worth it. There are a number of places there that can only be reached by boat or plane, including Juneau and Glacier Bay.

I'm not fond of groups so we did the trip by ourselves. We poured over maps and books for months to decide what we would like to see and do, and I think it was worth it. We didn't plan any stops, but I bought a book with a listing of campgrounds that we used a few times. I don't remember the name of it. We didn't have any problem finding places to stay overnight throughout the whole trip. Our trip was planned to cover June and July, but for some reason they had the June weather in May and the May weather in June that year, so much of June was wet. Days are long and nights are short. There were no extreme temperatures, but I would bring heavy clothing as well as light and some sort of rain gear. There are mosquitoes, but I've seen worse in MN.

Some of the highlights of our trip in addition to the Inland Passage visits were; The Kennecott Copper Mine (amazing story), Valdez (pipeline terminus), Anchorage, Homer and the Kenai Peninsula (overnighted along Cook Inlet), Seward ( beginning of the Iditarod), Talkeetna (home of one of my aviation hero's, Don Sheldon. We stayed there 2 or 3 days), Denali (2 or 3 days and the Mtn was out, lots of animals), North Pole, Fairbanks, Chicken (gold panning 2 or 3 days), Dawson City, YT (2 or 3 days, history), Whitehorse, Hyder (to see bears catch salmon, but the salmon were late so we missed the action), then back to Vancouver for a look and down I-5 to Phoenix, OR (home).

We originally planned to come back through Banff, Kootenay, and Waterton Glacier BCNPs then come into the US at Glacier NP then home, but my wife's anxiety got the best of her and she started having chest pains so we cut the visit short and got back to a doctor as quickly as possible. After a number of tests they found nothing wrong, but in my mind it was something that needed to be taken care of as soon as possible. Perhaps we'll get to those parks another day.

It is truly a beautiful place, I think you will love it whether you go with a group or alone. I know we did.

Best of luck.

Steve

hi, steve..

my wife gets seasick very easily. we were once on the ferry from maine to yarmouth, ns...a very smooth ride or so I thought. we weren't out more than 10-min when she got very, very sick. what ferries will I be needing to use?

rich

[rk911]

Originally Posted by BRex45

There is another thread, fairly recent, already on this subject in the Camping,Travel section. And another one from earlier in the titled something like Alaska 2017? Might want to read those first as those two threads, with lots of pages, might answer your questions.

Good luck

thanks, Rex. i'll take a look.

[rk911]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Plan to cross the border from the lower 48 not any earlier than May 20-30. Most things will still be closed down any earlier and ice will be on the lakes - not as pretty.

This is not a hardship trip like it was 30 years ago or more. It's a very easy trip to do on your own. The tours don't go to any places that you can't do on your own. In fact, you can do more smaller things on your own because you're not in a big group. You definitely don't need a lot of advance reservations for anything except for Denali Nat'l Park.

We did make reservations for the July 4 weekend and for Denali but only a couple weeks prior when we could better judge when we'd be there. We made 5 nights in Teklanika campground - the farthest you can take your RV. As it was, we got into the area a little early so we boondocked nearby at a beautiful spot and drove into the park early morning. We easily secured an additional 5 nights without a reservation in Denali's front campground, Riley Creek, for our 40' motorhome. Our days were completely full with the 10 nights in Denali - lots to do in both areas. We saw 'the' mountain 7 of 10 days and every one of the big animals living there - more than once.

Get a copy of a tour's itinerary and make note of what they will do and you can then do the same on your own. There are limited roads to travel so everyone is going to the same places. In fact, you'll meet up with some of the same people as you travel.

Get the Milepost for excellent history and maps. We kept it open on our lap the whole trip and read to whomever was driving at the time. (We took turns each day driving so the other could experience the scenery.)

Get Mike and Terri Church's book 'Alaskan Camping' which includes Canada and the Yukon. It's the only reference you'll need for RV parks, public parks and great, easy boondocking areas.

As you get closer to takeoff get the 'TourSaver 2/1 Coupon Book'. One glacier tour will pay for the book and you'll want to do at least one.

You'll encounter some road construction just like you do in the lower 48 but they may be longer. Otherwise the main roads are paved.

Drive on the top 1/2 of your tank and don't try to wait for a better price. Stations are too far apart.

Don't rush through Canada and the Yukon. Some places are more beautiful than Alaska. If staying in the Provincial Parks have some Canadian money available for the drop-in pay box.

We crossed at Sumas, Washington a very easy spot and spent the first night in Hope, British Columbia at Wild Rose RV. It was a short drive. We then stocked up on meats and veggies and went to the bank for some money exchanged in various denominations. We got $300 because we love public campgrounds. We had about $20 left toward the end and spent it on a meal.

Discover or American Express are not widely accepted. Also, try to get a credit card that has no foreign exchange cost.

If you need to have any mail sent, don't have it sent to Canada. Pick a town in Alaska that you will be going through and have it sent c/o General Delivery. We got ours in 5 days time. Your XM and Dish probably won't work the farther north you go. Bring some books!


Don't rush back - stay through August if you can. It's a beautiful, less-crowded time to be there. Things start closing down in Sept.

thanks for the extensive advice. I've got the Milepost, the Mike & Terry Book and another on the Alaska Highway on order. as for time...we have lots. don't have any sort of deadline on when we must be back home in Chicago. on on not crossing into Canada much before memorial day. what about heading back? in general how long can we linger in north of the border before weather starts to be an issue?

[rk911]

Originally Posted by 36PFT

We chose the caravan route. We have only had our motorhome for 3 years with limited trips because we weren't retired. Our life style has been very hectic as we have owned our own business for the past 30 years and have had little time to vacation. Our feeling is that a caravan will force us to slow down and see the sights. The other reason was we do not have to worry about campgrounds in more popular locations. Our tour has all of the day trips planned and paid in advance. For us the tour is a great investment in a trip of a life time. We are going on the 2017 Holiday Rambler tour.

which caravan company did you use?

[rk911]

Originally Posted by Ron_H

...Have you planned your route yet? I would suggest going north on the Alcan to Whitehorse then north to Dawson City. From there take the Top of the World Highway to Chicken, Alaska and join up with the Alcan again near Tok, AK. Coming back, turn south on the Cassiar Hwy, just before Watson Lake, Yukon and stop-off in Hyder Alaska to see the bears feeding on Salmon.

not yet. thanks for the suggestion.

Originally Posted by Ron_H

...I hope she is comfortable with a 15 minute ferry ride as the Dawson City ferry is a must do experience.

as long as she can see the shore and can be outside she might be ok.

Originally Posted by Ron_H

...It is a great trip that everyone should try to do at least once. It should also be noted that, other than during our time in Denali, the majority of our wildlife sightings were in Canada on the Cassiar Hwy and in the Yukon and northern BC.

Enjoy!!

thanks, Ron. appreciate the advice.

[rk911]

Originally Posted by Terry Jay

Verizon will work in Alaska and parts of Canada. Last I looked they had a $2/day plan for voice in Canada, not much on data, and everything works fine in Alaska. WiFi is usually available in commercial campgrounds. Sirius will work until about Tok going north, and sooner going south. I call them from Tok and just suspend service until we are ready to leave. Dish is a function of your antenna, most will not go low enough so you will lose service around Ft Nelson. You can check with Advanced Satellite in Junction City OR to see what works and won't. Our Alaska Dish is about 4' across and looks like it is aimed at the ground about 400 yards out, but we get all the stations.

Coming from the Cactus League, consider I-15 or 93 north. I like 93, especially north of Missoula. It will put you right into Banff and Lake Louise, and it continues north as the Icefields Parkway to Jasper. If you go east out of Jasper to Hinton, take 40 north to Grand Prairie, then on to Dawson Creek and the Alaska Hwy. It is also the right time of year to hit Death Valley, easy access from 95 north of Las Vegas.

What is this planning you talk about? Just turn the key in the ignition and go. It worked fine on my first trip in 1969 and all the trips since then, and we have spent the summer on the Kenai for the last 11 years.

Watch the weather in Canada in May. Some years everything is open by May 1 and some years they are still digging out on May 24. We usually go in early May but have encountered snow about half the time. The worst place will likely be the Steamboat and Summit Lake and Muncho Lake area between Ft Nelson and the Liard Hot Springs. If there is no traffic coming at you, expect a snow delay ahead. The road department is good at clearing the road and applying grit as needed, but it can take a while for them to get there. That leads to a party in the road as you all wait.

Fuel is available, you know the range on your coach, so use the Milepost to determine the distances. Fuel at Ft St John, Ft Nelson, Contact Creek Lodge, Teslin, Whitehorse (but it may be spendy), Otter Creek Falls, either Beaver Creek or Border City if you need it, then Tok. All mentioned have both gas and diesel.

Your schedule calls for 5 to 8 weeks between AZ and AK. That is a lot of time. Bear in mind the mountain west will still have a lot of snow, Glacier NP often does not fully open until July.

When traveling, do not leave any hoses out and connected overnight. They get very stiff and are miserable to handle. We run strictly off the water we carry and top off every day or two in the evening when we arrive. Staying for a few days, no problem. Expect overnight temps in the 40's.

Main Page - Yukon Sights by Sue Thomas is a photo and story site by Sue Thomas, who lives near Whitehorse.

The good part of traveling in May in the North is getting to see the mountains and lakes and rivers with ice and snow, and then seeing those places again in September as they go into fall colors.

Enjoy the trip. It is like traveling on State and county roads for thousands of miles.

thanks, Terry. we've had other advice not to be north of the US/Canadian border much before memorial day due to the vagaries of weather. also not to linger too much once we're north of the border as that gives us extra time in AK. we can always linger as much as we want on the way back south. comments on that?

[rk911]

Originally Posted by Superslif

You can also go on YouTube and see video of travelers going north. I actually bumped into two of them while up there. You can also go to campgrounmdviews.com where there are pictures of campgrounds. Myself I posted about 15 reviews for Alaska campgrounds. They don't cover Canada.

I keep forgetting about YouTube as a research and planning tool. thanks for the reminder.

[rk911]

Originally Posted by 1ciderdog

Lots of good advice in those messages. We've driven there three times. We carried a small propane heater and were able to place it under picnic tables when we were outside. Kept us warm at picnic tables but it does need to be smallish. Take a couple of winter coats - even though it is summer nights can be cold. We dry camped along side the highways without problem but did learn the real beautiful spot right next to a lake was not good unless you really like mosquitoes.

nope, not a fan... thanks to you and to everyone else who has replied so far. it's truly appreciated.

Merry Christmas to you all!

[Terry Jay]

Originally Posted by rk911

thanks, Terry. we've had other advice not to be north of the US/Canadian border much before memorial day due to the vagaries of weather. also not to linger too much once we're north of the border as that gives us extra time in AK. we can always linger as much as we want on the way back south. comments on that?

Some years April is good for travel, some years not until June. Call ahead. Call the KOA in Hinton, AB; Toad River Lodge in BC; Yukon Motel in Teslin, YK; and Sourdough Campground in Tok, AK and ask each if they are open and when they expect to open. Figure it will take you around 5 days to get from AZ to around Hinton no matter your route. You want to follow the frost line as it moves north, and if they are open you are good to go. They may not have water to every site, but they are clear enough of snow to be functioning. The wildlife viewing along the road has been much better in our experience the earlier you go, weather permitting. Also have a look at WeatherBELL Analytics and Joe Bastardi's two videos, the daily update and the Saturday summary, both free at this time. They cover weather for about 15 days out, sometimes more. It is US centric but usually has maps that cover the US and Canada.

There is a lot to see in Canada, so I would not be in a hurry, especially since it will look quite different with the remnants of winter lingering in the mountains but not on the road. We make it in an easy 8 days, or 12 days from AZ, but we have been at it for a lot of years, so figure more like 3 weeks for the trip north. We run about 250 miles a day, except a 500 mile day from Teslin to Tok and a 450 mile day from Tok to the Kenai.

If you return on the Cassiar, you will see everything between Tok and Watson Lake twice, once from each direction.

You can tour Alaska clockwise or counter clockwise. In Tok check the Valdez weather forecast. If it looks decent, consider going there first. The Spring weather along the coast tends to be nicer and more clear up until mid to late June, then the drizzle season kicks in. If fishing is your thing, the salmon runs are a late June into September event. Fire season starts in May and begins to peter out in July. The smoke in the air can be bad and may influence where you want to go, and it is usually but not always worse north of the Alaska Range.

Bonine or Dramamine are great antidotes to seasickness. Take some the night before, and when arising and when boarding and as needed. My wife suffers as well, and I do to a lesser extent, and they have allowed me to go halibut fishing on the open ocean.

Enjoy the trip.

[lakewoodpaul]

We made the trip 3 times. The 1rst was with a caravan, Winnebago, and the 2nd and 3rd times on our own. While we enjoyed the caravan and learned from it, I have to say we did more and saw more on our own. If we wanted to spend more time in a particular place we could.That allowed us to do more.We also spent less $ on our own as we had a lot of meals on our own and dry camped a lot. The Yukon and Canada have beautiful provincial parks that cost 10 bucks and we took advantage of a lot of them.The only reservations we made were at Denali and we spent a week there. 5 days at teklinika and 2 days at Riley campground. Im not knocking the caravans you are pampered and well fed, but we preferred the trips we did on our own. I can say we definitely saw and did more on our own.

[diva51]

Check out the tours thru your motorhome club...I think yours is Winnebago. They may sponsor a tour that is less expensive than the professional tours. We chose the Holiday Rambler tour because we have an Ambassador motor home. We checked out the program and it is for 53 days once you reach Dawson, and since it will be 2 weeks to that point and 2 weeks home that is a significant amount of time.

[dix39]

I don't know if you got the information you wanted about ferries, but the one at Dawson City is the only way to cross the Yukon River. It is very short, another poster said 15 minutes. As well as I remember that would probably include the trip plus waiting time on either side to load and unload.

The ferry trip I mentioned that we took from Prince Rupert, BC to Skagway, AK would be an option if you wanted to see the parts of AK along the Inland Passage accessible only by water or plane. There are no roads going to them. Only a small part that trip is exposed to open water with the remainder being more like a long lake, the Inland Passage. We stopped at Ketchikan, Wrangell, Sitka, Juneau, and left the ferry at Skagway, all located in extreme Southern AK. It would be expensive as it is charged by per foot of the total vehicle length. We did it in a 11.4' TC which was 23' long and cost about $1500.00 several years ago. For us it was worth it because we were able to see places we had read about for years. Probably not for everyone though.

My only exposure to the North Atlantic was on an aircraft carrier going to Nova Scotia many years ago. Although not noticeable on the carrier, my feeling is that the open Atlantic would be considerably rougher than the AK Inland Passage.

Have a wonderful trip.

Steve

[Superslif]

Originally Posted by Ron_H
...I hope she is comfortable with a 15 minute ferry ride as the Dawson City ferry is a must do experience.

The water is flat, but the Yukon is flowing fairly fast. The ferry actually rides at a 45 degree angle to the flow of the river. Kind of creeped my DW out.

YouTube channels to watch are:

Gone with the Wynns ( They went up in 2015 very high quality V-Logs)

Chris & G Travels ( he goes up every year for a summer job in Seward)

Josh and Kali The Freedom Theory (they went up like in April this year)

His and Hers Vlogs (They RV / live in Seward in the summer in AK. and travel to lower 48 in winter)

[twogypsies]

The Dawson City ferry shouldn't be worrisome. It's just across a wide river, similar to the Mississippi in width. It's not big so there are not a lot of vehicles on it.