Community Forums

Flyfshr · 02-22-2020, 09:23 PM

Has anyone done an Alaska rv caravan. Specifically, did you tow a vehicle? We are considering one of these with Adventure rv caravans in 2022.

powercat_ras · 02-23-2020, 07:30 AM

Yes.
Yes.
The mix on the caravans I have done is about 45 % class A or C towing vehicle, 40 % pickup truck or SUV towing 5th wheel or travel trailer, and 15 % small Class B or C not towing.

Renegade RV · 02-23-2020, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powercat_ras

Yes.
Yes.
The mix on the caravans I have done is about 45 % class A or C towing vehicle, 40 % pickup truck or SUV towing 5th wheel or travel trailer, and 15 % small Class B or C not towing.

I am seriously considering one of these tours as well. Can you offer some comments on your experience? The tours are not inexpensive but I can see the value in going with a group tour like this if the experience is positive.

Pigman1 · 02-23-2020, 08:24 AM

Your choice I guess, but you really don't need to spend all that money to take a trip to Alaska. We've driven up 9 times so far and stayed the summer each time. A copy of the Milepost is the best planning document you'll ever need, and extended reservations are not needed unless you want to stay in Denali, Seward for July 4th, or Valdez for one of the fish tournaments or Gold Rush Days. Fuel is plentiful in the big towns along any route, as is maintenance and tire work if needed. We've never stayed in a pay RV park as we pull off in a turnout and spend a night without any issues. Most all RV parks will look like a large gravel parking lot, and many will only have a central dump but most have 30A service and water. People are great and all towns have a local visitor center willing to talk to you about what to see and where to go as well as road conditions ahead. Fishing is to die for, be it salt water charters or fresh water float trips, but the rules are complex, so go to Alaska Fish and Game web site for specifics. We love the place and will be back as many times as we can in the future. Right now I have to eat down 3 17 cu ft chest freezers full of salmon, shrimp, and halibut and about 14 dozen jars of canned salmon. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

twogypsies · 02-23-2020, 11:38 AM

^^^^^ what Pigman 1 said.

The trip to Alaska is no different than a trip from the Midwest or East to the West coast. It's just a long one.

You can't get lost as there are few roads to travel. Everyone is going to the same main attractions and along the drive you'll meet some of the same people over and over. We met some awesome locals while admiring the abundant hanging flower baskets in towns who then invited us to come to their home and have lunch and walk through their gorgeous gardens. One local invited us to their sled dog training facility and gave us a sled dog ride (no snow; with a wheeled sled). The locals are very helpful answering questions or helping with any issues. They are truly self-sufficient.

You may not like a place that the tour stops and want to leave. You may want to stay longer. Keeping up with a schedule isn't flexible.

The majority of Alaskan travelers go by themselves.

It's a very safe trip. It's just a long one. Think of it as multiple small trips; not the total mileage. Don't rush through Canada and the Yukon. They have gorgeous places; some even more so than Alaska.

If you have the time, plan to cross the Canadian border by the end of May and spend 3 months on your trip from there. How often will you make this trip? You might as well cover everything and spend quality time in places you enjoy.

To the OP's questions, I can't imagine doing this trip without a vehicle to explore other than a big RV. We didn't receive any damage to our motorhome or Jeep. One thing, we just had stiff flaps behind our tires. We didn't have a stiff rear flap across the whole motorhome. We actually saw folks along the way removing those stiff long flaps as it was throwing rocks at the toad's windshield. We didn't have that. We also drove slow. It's not a trip to be in a rush.

The only references you need are the Milepost for history and small maps as you travel; Mike and Terri Church's book 'Alaskan Camping' which includes Canada and the Yukon and also gives nice boondocking spots, and the '2/1 TourSaver book'. One glacier tour pays for it and you'll want to do at least one tour.

Reservations to campgrounds aren't needed if you pull in early in the day. We only made them for the July 4 weekend (Alaskans like to camp, too) and for 5 nights in Denali's Teklanika campground.

djpauls · 02-23-2020, 06:41 PM

We did the trip with Adventure Caravans in 2012. We had a great time and I highly recommend the caravan. The pace was leisurely with enough free days so that you can do whatever you want. The piece of mind knowing that all stops were planned was worth it to us. I tracked the costs of the side trips and attractions that we experienced and the group rates went a long way to offset the cost of the caravan. IMHO those that disparage the caravans probably haven't experienced them. Lasting friendships were made with those that we traveled with. Planning a repeat trip in 2021 or 2022. Have a Great Time!!!

Flyfshr · 02-24-2020, 07:20 AM

I agree that they are expensive, but with their knowledge of where to stop for fuel, and a mechanic that is with the group, takes alot of stress out of the equation. I'm just trying to decide if I want to tow my jeep with me in the caravan.

Flyfshr · 02-24-2020, 07:23 AM

DJPauls,
Did you have a road with you on your trip? I'm trying to decide if I want to pull my jeep or if it will be something I can leave behind.

twogypsies · 02-24-2020, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyfshr

DJPauls,
Did you have a road with you on your trip? I'm trying to decide if I want to pull my jeep or if it will be something I can leave behind.

Does your itinerary call for any free time? If so, you'll need a car. I can't imagine just staying in the campground when you're in Alaska. For the most part, the campgrounds aren't like you're used to in the lower U.S. Many are just gravel parking lots.

RBBRTRMP · 02-25-2020, 06:27 AM

Deleted

Pine Stump · 02-25-2020, 06:33 AM

Thanks good info

djpauls · 02-25-2020, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyfshr

DJPauls,
Did you have a road with you on your trip? I'm trying to decide if I want to pull my jeep or if it will be something I can leave behind.

We did have a toad. All but 1 of the motorhomes in the caravan had a toad. When we went on side trips, we sometimes rode with others or they rode with us. I would not take the trip without a toad only because I don't want to be dependent on others.

Have a great trip!

Don

drdit92 · 02-25-2020, 06:37 PM

I did a Fantasy RV tour last summer. We had 22 rigs plus the Wagon master and Tail gunner, to make it 24. Our breakdown:
-Wagon master and Tail gunner both class A DPs towing 1/2 ton pickups
-12 fifth wheels, pulled by mostly one ton diesels, a few gassers
-6 class A MHs (I think all DPs but one), all but one pulling a toad
-4 Travel trailers all pulled by 3/4 to 1 ton pickups
This tour was originally put together by a group of owners from the same manufacturer, Highland Ridge (or Open Range), which does not make any motorized RVs. This is why the ratio of class As is so low, I'm sure. Of the towables, all but two of the 16 were Highland Ridge/Open Range owners.

I will say it was the most amazing experience ever. I'm a single female; there is no way I would have taken my fifth wheel on a 14k mile trip alone. We met in Idaho and parted ways in Washington, so getting there and back were all by myself. But I was comfortable with that.

I did end up breaking both rear leaf spring hangers on my fiver; a bunch of the guys were involved in talking to and helping the mobile welder we got to fix it in North Pole, Alaska. I also had a hydraulic brake line bust due to what turned out to be an improper installation that I'd had done in Elkhart, at Morryde! Several of the guys went out and bought the correct supplies, as well as more hydraulic fluid, and fixed my brakes by themselves. No chance I could have done that.

Besides me, there were a few other issues that cropped up. One of the class As went off the road near Chicken during a downpour. Had to get towed out, but it still ran. Another class A broke down in Palmer, and another one lost a belt in Haines. I know the guys all fixed the belt together. Everyone really got along well and we totally became a tightknit family. In fact, 22 of the 24 rigs are meeting in April in NW Tennessee for a reunion. The only two not coming are a fairly elderly guy from Texas and a couple from Idaho that will be doing a Fantasy tour in New Zealand at the time of the reunion.

There are lots of people on this forum who'll tell you just to do it alone. I'm not someone who would do that, and I'll be honest, having all the others around made it a much better trip than I could ever have done alone. I have amazing memories of campfires together on the beach in Homer, dinners we made and shared, jokes and funny stories that happened, sharing wildlife sightings with each other, etc. I loved every single day I spent with them, and cried like crazy when we had to part. I can't wait to see them in April, and would love to spend 3 months with all of them again.

Good luck on your decision. It's an amazing journey, and I can't think of one bad memory--besides paying for the welder. But he did a great job. Enjoy it!

Larry · 02-27-2020, 09:04 PM

We went with Adventure Caravans in 2018 and I believe everybody with a class A had a towed. I believe going with a caravan is a good value since we did things we wouldn't have considered if we had gone on our own. They also take care of all your reservations for campgrounds, and will give you road information for each days trip.