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Lloydu · 03-16-2016, 12:37 AM

Planning to drive up to Soldotna, AK to do some fishing this summer. Would appreciate any advice on which route would be least traumatic to ourselves, coach and toad. Did this in 2013 and came out with cracked windshields on both vehicles. The many frost heaves created job security for road construction crews that made travel slow, bumpy, dusty and muddy if it rained.
Thanks in advance.

twogypsies · 03-16-2016, 12:11 PM

Since you've done the drive already you know that you don't have any choices once you get into the Yukon and Alaska. All you can do is drive slow through the frost heave areas and road construction.

We've also driven up and spent the whole summer driving every road we could and we returned with absolutely no damage to our motorhome or Jeep. If we saw an oncoming vehicle and if possible, we pulled over as far as we could and sometimes even stopped until they passed - especially for semi trucks. That's about all you can do. One thing, we didn't have the stiff rear flap; only a flap behind each wheel. We actually saw folks in Whitehorse taking off that stiff flap and they showed us a layer of 1/2" stones laying at the base of their windshield from being thrown on it. We had none of that.

We went up on the Alaskan Hwy and returned on the Cassier. Good luck this time!

Ramets · 03-17-2016, 06:27 AM

Yep, that full width rear flap causes problems. The times we went north it was always before the road construction got underway. That was mid to late May. But the road is always rough in places, especially going north out of Destruction Bay. As mentioned, just don't be in a big hurry. We've never had so much as a rock chip in our 3 trips.

Lloydu · 03-17-2016, 07:37 PM

Twogypsies & Ramets, thanks for your reminder about the full mud guard. We learned about that in White Horse when we talked to an RV tech on our way North. I will be sure to leave mine behind in the storage shed before we leave.
I have since invested in what Roadmaster calls their Alaska package which includes the Tow Defender and the Guardian shield. I also intend to buy me a thin yoga mat to wrap my toad (2014 CRV) windshield with the ends pinched in the front doors. I recall those days when my windshield wipers were laden with 1/2" pebbles. I will try to attach a homeward bound picture of my old CRV taken at Destruction Bay RV Park.