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jeeprubi · 02-28-2009, 07:04 PM

We are headed to Alaska this summer. Anyone else on going there this year?

Where/when are you crossing into Canada?
Where/when are you crossing back into the U.S.A.
What type of things do you plan to do on your trip? Hunt, fish, gold panning, etc
Traveling alone or with others.

We are fulltimers, but will be leaving from Milan, TN about May 1st. We plan to take about a month to get to Washington State. We will be traveling with 2 other couples. We will meet the first couple at Hutchinson, KS at a Newmar Region 3 Rally. We will meet the third couple at some yet to be determined location in Washington state.

All 3 of us will cross over into Canada about June 1st at osoyoos, BC
We plan to return back into the USA on the Eastern leg from Dawson Creek, BC and stop at Glacier NP.

I have been planning to do some fishing along the way in streams and lakes. Another person suggested doing some gold panning and I like that idea, so we will try that. We mostly plan to enjoy the wildlife and scenery and just enjoy the trip. We will not be any hurry and will be going at a slow pace.

There will be three couples of us so I think that will make it more fun.

Ben

Chickadee · 03-01-2009, 04:08 AM

Ben & Bonita:

Hi again. (I'm the guy who talked about gold panning on another thread).

Just thought I'd mention that when we came back from Alaska, we came down the Cassier Hwy. (#37) running from Watson Lake (on the Alaska Hwy.), South to Smithers just inland from Prince Rupert on the British Columbia coast. I mention this for a few reasons. First, if you take the Alaska Hwy. North going into Alaska, taking the Cassier (#37) South when you leave, gives you a great alternative route to see some new country. Second,and most important, if ya do use the Cassier either going up, or coming back, DO (for sure) swing into Stewart, B.C./Hyder, AK for a short stay and be SURE to take a ride in your tow vehicle up to the Salmon Glacier (on a clear day). Ya won't regret it as it's maybe the most fantastic glacier vista you'll experience. Also, depending on time of year, there's great bear viewing in Hyder. Just a thought for what it's worth.

By the way, it's no BIG investment to get into gold panning. Just stop at a Wal-Mart or similar outlet up in Canada on your way and pick up a couple pair (one pair for both of you)of those knee high rubber pull on boots (often black w. red soles). Also get a couple of gold pans (black plastic with ridges inside) will do. Ya only need the smaller ones about 12" to 14" diam. Finally, ya might want to pick up a couple of those small trenching tools ya often find in Army Surplus or hardware stores. Only about 1.5' length, with folding shovel and pick which often come in a green canvas belt carrier. That's all ya need...boots, pans and something to dig around with. Geeeeeze, with the price of gold now over $1,000./oz. ya could end up paying for your trip!!!!

Have fun!!!...boy! we wish we were headed back up there.

OH, almost forgot. When we came out down the Cassier we then drove from Smithers, East over to Prince George and South via #97 to Merrit and took 97C from Merrit, Eastward over to Peachland/Westbank which are just North of your crossing point of Osoyoos. Just wanted to say that 97C btwn. Merrit and Peachland is a fabulous highway...BUT...it's a MAJOR UPMOUNTAIN/DOWNMOUNTAIN haul going either way. Don't know what you're driving and what the folks w. you will be driving, but it may be a consideration. Bye. Steve & Lynette

Superslif · 03-01-2009, 10:05 AM

~~Free gold panning spot just North of Fairbanks.~~ I'm sure you will be visiting Fairbanks. If you head about 10 miles north of Fairbanks to a town called Fox, there is a good open gold panning area with ample parking. You just take your pan and a bucket and shovel. There is a small creek with a cave next to it where you just dig out a few shovel fulls and get started. It is located on Route 6 (steese Highway). I believe it is a hair past Fox on your right.
Also you can call one of the following #'s to get info: Bureau of Land Management (907) 271-5960, or US. Geological Survey (907) 561 1181. This was out of a 30 page book I received from the state as locations, how to, mining rights....
Also, if you do Denali NP. take the earliest shuttle bus you can get. It takes about 4 hours to get to the 2nd visitor center Eielson Visitor Center Picture On most days the mountain goes behind the clouds by noon. We missed it by 30 minutes. There is a National Park campground next to the Main Visitor Center. They have about 123 sites. There might be say 25 or 30 sites for rigs larger than 32'. If you need a list I marked the larger ones down. Now, the campground does save the longer ones for the larger MH's. When we were there this past Aug., there were maybe 30 RV's and tents in the whole place. The price of diesel kept people away.
We have never taken our RV to Alaska. My wife's sister lives in North Pole AK. which is just SE. of Fairbanks. We have been up there 5 times over the last 18 years. We did tent camp for 4 nights in Valdez last time. We do plan to spend a summer there once I retire.....O another must see. Take a trip on the Riverboat Discovery located in Fairbanks. It's pricy, but very cool.

rjf7g · 03-01-2009, 10:17 AM

Sounds like there's fun to be had in AK.

jeeprubi · 03-01-2009, 07:11 PM

Steve, thanks for all the good info. I passed it along to my two travel buddies. They both have Mountain Aires and I have a Newmar Scottsdale with Workhorse.

Jim & Diane, thanks for the info. Every bit of information helps make the trip better.

Becky, most everyone that goes to Alaska really seems to enjoy it.

Ben

LindaH · 03-03-2009, 06:36 AM

[quote]Originally posted by Scottsdale:
We are headed to Alaska this summer. Anyone else on going there this year?[quote]
We're making our 3rd trip to Alaska this summer.

Quote:

Where/when are you crossing into Canada?

Not sure yet, but perhaps on US-95 in Idaho. We plan on crossing the border sometime in May.

Quote:

Where/when are you crossing back into the U.S.A.

Again, we're not sure (we never make plans that far ahead). However, since we'll probably want to stop and visit family in the Tacoma area, we may cross back over at Sumas sometime in September.

Quote:

What type of things do you plan to do on your trip? Hunt, fish, gold panning, etc
Traveling alone or with others.

We plan on sight seeing, although we might do some fishing.

We're traveling alone. We went with 2 other couples on our 2nd trip. While it was fun, we found out quickly that, unless you all have the same traveling style, problems crop up. One couple of our group wanted to be on the road at O'dark hundred, travel from Point A to Point B and got upset if there were any changes in plans. The other couple and we were much more laid back and open to doing stuff on the spur of the moment. We also weren't in a hurry to leave in the morning, usually pulling out about 10 AM.

I wish you luck in traveling with the other 2 couples. Hopefully, you all have the same traveling style.

JoeT · 03-03-2009, 07:20 AM

We have plans to go to Alaska this summer, too. That is, if Mt Redoubt doesn't blow its top.
We plan on crossing into Canada at Sweetgrass, MT on June 1. and returning to the US from Canada at Oroville, WA about August 6.
We plan on going Halibut fishing, maybe a river cruise and/or a train ride.

LindaH · 03-03-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JoeT:
We have plans to go to Alaska this summer, too. That is, if Mt Redoubt doesn't blow its top. ... We plan on going Halibut fishing, maybe a river cruise and/or a train ride.

I can see where the eruption of Mt. Redoubt might be a factor if you're planning on going halibut fishing out of Homer; otherwise, I'd think it would be a non-issue.

sharbra · 03-03-2009, 02:11 PM

We will be going to Alaska this year also. Plan to cross into Canada from Western Washington toward the middle of May. We plan on our trip lasting about 2 months. May be joined by one other couple.

Ding-a-ling · 03-03-2009, 04:57 PM

We are doing an Alaska caravan with WIT (Winnebag-Itasca Travelers) Tours this summer. The caravan starts in Dawson Creek, BC July 2nd and ends up at Prince George, BC August 17th.

I had heard about the volcano simmering and rumbling and burping but had not really thought about it's potential impact upon the caravan. That could make things interesting!

jeeprubi · 03-03-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LindaH:

We're traveling alone. We went with 2 other couples on our 2nd trip. While it was fun, we found out quickly that, unless you all have the same traveling style, problems crop up. One couple of our group wanted to be on the road at O'dark hundred, travel from Point A to Point B and got upset if there were any changes in plans. The other couple and we were much more laid back and open to doing stuff on the spur of the moment. We also weren't in a hurry to leave in the morning, usually pulling out about 10 AM.

I wish you luck in traveling with the other 2 couples. Hopefully, you all have the same traveling style.

Traveling with two others has been a concern of mine. All three of us couples got together back in Oct for several days to work out some of the traveling items, like when to leave in the morning, when to stop in the afternoon, etc. It appears that our traveling styles are very similar. We are going to give it a try and see if it will work and I know there will be times that we will all have to compromise on what we want to do. There are very few others that I would want to travel with and think we have the best chance with these two. I pray that it works.

Good to see that there are others that will be up there.

JoeT · 03-04-2009, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LindaH:
I can see where the eruption of Mt. Redoubt might be a factor if you're planning on going halibut fishing out of Homer; otherwise, I'd think it would be a non-issue.

I definitely plan on Halibut fishing.

Glen Taylor Jr. · 03-05-2009, 11:42 AM

Me and my dog are going up this summer. No plans, don't know when we will get there or when we will get back. My dog is good for three months on the road and she is ready to come home, unless she runs into a lot of rabbits. Looking for the slow ones. Wants to get one, one of these days she might. Need to be ready with camera.

GraciesMom · 03-14-2009, 12:33 PM

I was there in 2007 . . . plan to go back in 2010. WISH I was going this summer! I thoroughly agree with the Cassiar Highway route - it was one of the best parts, watching the bear fish in the streams. But if your goal is to GET TO ALASKA, I would advise you to take the western route up - and not go in through Sweetgrass . . . if you go through the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper) you will be delayed in getting to Alaska. There's no way to just drive through that area. It is breathtaking - makes our rockies look like foothills!! There are some serious pulls and so many things to see, it took me two weeks to get through that part. And the trip down Highway 97 . . . whoa! That was scary. But I was towing a Teton with a Ford F350. Not sure what it would be like in a motorhome or something else. It's steep - the down lane is on the side of a cliff overlooking a gorge with a river. I don't have pleasant memories of that trip back!! Enjoy!!!!