The ALCAN

[matt.brown]

Traveling to Alaska this summer over the ALCAN. Any suggestions on where or where NOT to stop? Are there any must sees I don't want to miss?

[mga60tw]

I just did the Alaska trip in 2011. Had a great trip with no problems at all. Just drive slow when you see the frost heaves. I did a blog(listed below) once you go to it click on 2011 and then go to the month of July for all my Alaska adventures. Our trip was from Florida, 306 days on the road, 25,388.5 miles and 64 campgrounds later we made it back.

Tom and Suzanne's Travels

Any questions that I can answer I will be glad to.

Tom

[texnet]

We made the trip in 2009 and had no issues except one rock chip in White Horse!

Check out our day by day photo journal (with a little text for each section) at ronniesphotos' Photos : RV Vacations : Alaska - 2009 | SmugMug

[pa0gri]

Unfortunate, there is not enough space on this web site to list all the things to do/see on a trip to AK.
So, get a "The Milepost" book (The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner or your local book store)
Reading that (road by road) add yellow stickers with numbers(!) for the Must Must.
The Must's are in beween. Could not think of what to skip for a stop (besides on a railroad crossing)
Have a great trip.

[lonestarace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt.brown Are there any must sees I don't want to miss?

Muncho Lake in northern BC. We over nighted at the nicest lodge/RV park on the Alaska Hwy called Northern Rockies Lodge, at mileage marker 456. That day along the Alcan we saw black bear, mountain goats, caribou, bull elk, mule dear, and moose. The lodge/rv park has 2 float planes. The dock is 50' from the rv camp site. They have a DeHavelin Beaver and a Cessna 185 on floats. The owner of the lodge is also one of the pilots. We tried to book a plane to go on a sight seeing flight, but he was booked solid, flying Bobby Knight(the Texas Tech coach) and his buddies out to various lakes everyday, all day. This lodge has 4 diesel powered generators for electricity.

[mga60tw]

the mile post is good for finding the BEST Cinnamon Buns too

[Mike Thomas]

Might be just as important to list places you don't stop at. We lived in Alaska for 18 years, so we kind of know what we are talking about. So here goes: Don't stop to look at the bears or moose. You can stop, but don't get out of the vehicle. A bear can run as fast as a race horse, uphill, downhill or on the flat. A moose will run over you just as fast. It will be tempting, because you will see everyone else out of their vehicles, but DON'T DO IT!

Do stop at about any stream you see, because it will almost always have fish, big ones! Do stop at all the little restaurants and other attractions, even if the sign looks a little worn or tired. Alaskan's don't waste much time on the details like signs. Do stop at the Alyeska Ski Resort. Even in summer you can ride the tram to the top of the mountian, a really great view and experience. Do stop at all the overlook areas. There is always something to see, but you might have to spend an hour looking to see the whales going by. Do stop in the gift shops in Anchorage. It is a great opportunity to see real Alsakan artist's work, and ask questions of the clerk, they can explain what it is made of or how it was done.

Mostly, just take your time. Talk to the locals in a relaxed way. They enjoy sharing if you show that you are really interested in them. Those that are always in a hurrry are just "tourists on a schedule", and nobody pays much attention to them.

Last bit of advice: Throw away your watch. The sun is up almost all day, it doesn't matter when you get up or when you stop. Relax, you are in Alaska. The locals don't pay much attention to time, and you shouldn't either.

[matt.brown]

Thanks to you all for the info! I've got the milepost and will try to lose my watch before I take off.

[Ding-a-ling]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonestarace Muncho Lake in northern BC. We over nighted at the nicest lodge/RV park on the Alaska Hwy called Northern Rockies Lodge, at mileage marker 456.

I enthusiastically second that for a stop! I thought the Muncho Lake area had some of the most gorgeous views of the northern Canadian Rockies you could find.

FJF

[LindaH]

On our two trips to Alaska, we stayed at J&H Wilderness Lodge in Muncho Lake. They had a tour boat that plied the waters of Muncho Lake with a very interesting skipper who told all about the geology of the area. If this place is still in business (we were last there in 2001), and the tour boat is still going, I highly recommend taking the tour.

Another "must have" book to take along, in addition to the Milepost, is Mike & Terri Church's book on Alaska which has much more information regarding camping places. http://www.rollinghomes.com/alaska%20book.htm

[donandmax]

On the Alcan highway if you broke down would Coach Net. still come to your rescue out in the middle of nowhere ??

[Old Sarge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donandmax On the Alcan highway if you broke down would Coach Net. still come to your rescue out in the middle of nowhere ??

Yes and no. I had both them and AAA when I made the trip a few years back. (Okay, maybe a little bit more than a few.) When I had a serious problem I called each company. They told me they could have someone there within 48 or so hours?!?!?!?!

I ended up hitching a ride with another kind RVer to the next town (yes, had to leave family there) to a repair station and pay $$$$$ to have them come (go) and help me.

IMHO the roadside assistance plans are a farce on the ALCAN.

Respectfully,

[new rver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mga60tw the mile post is good for finding the BEST Cinnamon Buns too

w
we tryed them all.chicken has are vote
safe travles bob,linda & missy

[lonestarace]

July of 2009, We left Whitehorse, YT northbound and drove 200 miles up Hwy 2, the Klondike Hwy, headed for Dawson City, Chicken, etc, when we decided to turn around and go back to the Alcan because the Klondike Hwy had turned from nice pavement into a dusty 5mph washboard POS and we liked our MH to much.
We talked to some people that had made it to Chicken, YT. They said we weren't missing anything, that Chicken doesn't even have paved streets, and it was a dust bowl.
To each his own.
Speaking of that, we met a family from Anchorage that had driven their MH from Fairbanks to Prudoe Bay. That's another lovely 350 mile long dirt road. The husband thought it was a great drive, while DW and kids hated it.
Maybe next time we'll make it to Chicken and Dawson City? and we'll try it coming from Tok, AK, on the Top Of The World Hwy.