trip to alaska summer of 2005

[stankern]

I'm planning a trip to alaska this summer and looking for more info from people that were there last summer,ie quality of the roads (via edmonton),diesel availabilty,cell phone coverage(rogers),amount of campground along the route and what preps do i need for the vehicle (protection against road damage).
Also are most roads paved.
rt stankern@tnt21.com

[stankern]

I'm planning a trip to alaska this summer and looking for more info from people that were there last summer,ie quality of the roads (via edmonton),diesel availabilty,cell phone coverage(rogers),amount of campground along the route and what preps do i need for the vehicle (protection against road damage).
Also are most roads paved.
rt stankern@tnt21.com

[Moby Bill]

We did it in 2003. Road up is paved all the way to north of Fairbanks. There will be sections under repair or upgrade. Some sections through the Yukon were just 2 lane with no shoulders, but I have traveled far worse in the lower 48. Each year portions are upgraded to higher quality roads with frost barriers to prevent buckling. Plan to slow down and enjoy the scenery in the northern areas.

Get a current copy of the Milepost. It has more information than you can use on every major road enroute and in Alaska. Campgrounds, fuel etc. It will answer most of your questions. As for going through Edmonton, fine highways.

We came back down the Cassiar Highway. It was mostly narrow 2 lane with about 80 per cent paved. Again, very drivable if you take your time.


You will get mixed opinions on precautions. Have good tires. There is a lot of sharp rock used. Some advocate doing a tread check each night to pull out any that are penetrating. I didn't. My 2 flats were from nails. I was warned to put screen over the front of the truck. I didn't and the only damage I got was a chipped windshield on the interstate in AZ, on the way home. We had a transmission go out near Ft Nelson, but that had nothing to do with where we were. It took a couple days to get one up from Edmonton.

IHO it was not much different than a very long trip in the western US. In fact, when we got to Great Falls, we were halfway there. Enjoy. Bill