Alaska Summer 2023

[AlanTerry]

Hi Guys. we are considering a trip North to Alaska Summer of 2023. Just looked at some threads but most had 5ers or TT post in threads of post in 2019. Is it doable with precautions. Going up through Canada want to see Banff. I know planning is an art and wife and I are up for the challenge.

Any though on taking our Class A up to Alaska?

[Jim_HiTek]

Yeah, one thought is to remove any side to side advertisement that the manufacturer may have installed under the rear of your RV. Those things, and the broom type, toss up more rock, dirt, and road debris onto the toad than not having it. So remove it if you have one.

Next, note as you get further north, frost heaves attack every road every winter especially the further north you get so the Canadians put little flags on either side of the highway to warn you. If you want your dishes to stay in the cupboards and you to not hit your head on the ceiling, slow way down when you see them.

If you're following someone on those roads up there, stay way way back so you won't end up with a broken windshield. I often had to slow and pull off the highway when some bozo in a big Class A would pass me going too fast. On a gravel road!

Also be aware that even though the RV parks are few and far between, they are conveniently placed at around 300 miles apart. If you get tired, stop at one, don't try to push it because the next one will be much further away then you may think.

[Gary RVRoamer]

It's easily doable, but observe the advice from Jim.


I raised my rear "skirt" about 3" to reduce gravel kick-up, but tires and other vehicles are still going to throw a lot of gravel. We ended up draping heavy vinyl/felt cover over the hood & windshield of the toad (after a thrown stone chipped the windshield near Tok). Also plan on the coach getting extremely dirty on some roads - some of the campgrounds have their own RV wash to help out.


Jasper , Banff and the Icefields Highway are a must-see as far as I'm concerned. Saw more wildlife there than the rest of our 3 month trip combined. And the scenery is spectacular. That's not putting Ak down either - it has plenty of scenes and wildlife too.

[B52Rnav]

You should have no problems driving to Alaska. Roads across Canadian provinces will be very good. ALCAN is a good road, comparable to a good USxx highway. As you get into the Yukon and Alaska roads are subject to frost heaves - just slow down. Roads are subject to seasonal repair/construction projects, including repairing damage due to frost heaves. You could find 20-30 miles of gravel during construction. We have driven to Alaska twice in a class C. No issues. No cracked/broken windshield. No problem finding fuel. Lots of Interesting stops on ALCAN. As noted previously, Banff to Jasper on Icecields parkway is fantastic. laird hot springs, Signpost Forest, and many more.

Most people use Milepost as their reference. We prefer Camping in Alaska by Mike & Terry Church.

For your schedule, make sure you check Canadian holidays. Provincial park campgrounds and RV parks will be full on those days. On our last trip, we forgot about Canada Day. Fortunately, there was an overflow camping area outside Jasper that was very good and only $10C.

Plan your trip and have fun. We have been to Alaska 7 times and are ready to go again.

[barko1]

Of course fuel is well over $8 a gallon in Canada. I'm still likely to head to Alaska.

[keefr]

That fuel price is in Canadian dollars. About $6.40 USD - still not cheap.


Gas Buddy is your friend, as prices can vary widely. Make sure you don't have to fuel up in Beaver Creek.



x2 on the roads. Slow WAY down. Sometimes what looks like a shadow across the road is actually a dip that may or may not be marked. We have traveled that area in a 5er, a TC and a class A DP. You can, if not careful, catch air with any of them. When (not if) you encounter construction, slow down and watch our for approaching gravel trucks. Pull over, stop, and make them pass you. On our last trip we saw a Class A that had pulled over a little too close to the shoulder, caught a wheel in the soft edge, and got pulled down the bank and onto its side. The back wheels were still spinning when we passed.


It IS doable, well worth the trip (we are planning trip #7), but be sure to adjust your expectations.



Yukon government campsites are usually fantastically clean, very reasonably priced, and uncrowded.


Have fun!

[AlanTerry]

Thanks Guys for your information. We are in the beginning planning stage. My Bounder doesn’t have the skirt under it. I am thinking this is going to be an ADVENTURE! Glad regular gas isn’t a problem other than sticker shock. I have asked Alaska Travel for information.

[Ray,IN]

Obtain a MIlepost magazine, it doesn't have to be new, the roads have been the same for decades, only business's change. Learn how to use the book before needing it, it's not like you'd expect.

[twogypsies]

(Your heading says '2022' & you're talking about '2023' trip. Ask the moderator to change it for you.)

You've gotten good basic recommendation so far.

Plan to cross the U.S. border around the last week of May & return the end of August. Take your time in Canada & The Yukon as it's as pretty as Alaska & in some places, even more so.

I'd just add that if you're soon due to get new tires do it before the trip. (Usually at 5-6 yr of age) Also, get the oil changed and other maintenance done. Plan on another oil change in Anchorage or Fairbanks.

Since you don't have a rear 'flap' to worry about that's a plus. We saw folks removing them as they traveled because of the rocks that were thrown on the towed vehicle's windshield.

We didn't have any damage for the all-summer trip. We left Arizona with a cracked windshield & elected not to repair it. We returned with the same crack!

We solely used Mike & Terry Church's book. They lived up there and traveled the roads south all the time. It's not only for Alaska but for Canada and even the upper U.S. border states.

We kept the Milepost open on our lap all the time to read the history as we traveled. We took turns driving daily so the other could really enjoy the views.

It's an awesome trip!

[FredKate]

We drove our coach to Alaska in 2014 and hope to do it again next year. You shouldn't have a problem. Get the Milepost and start making reservations ASAP.

[AlanTerry]

Okay reading these post. I have a question what website in Canada or USA to get information about procedures and paperwork for the border crossing. We have current passports for the time period but what about papers for the coach and toad.

Thanks

[Jim_HiTek]

Here's the words of the Canadian government: Transit through Canada

I would recommend crossing at a remote place. I have crossed several times at Oroville, Washington and it rarely takes longer than 5 minutes. Seldom any vehicles there, few crossing on foot.

I've also crossed at Blaine Washington and the 1st and last time I crossed there in an RV took 3-4 hours or so. Because of hold ups caused by people trying to sneak themselves or contraband across the border into Canada. Then at heightened alert, they did a complete check of my RV.

Never again.

Though it was comical to see and hear how those people were trying to sneak in and what they looked like as they did the 'perp walk'. One gal dressed in her best clothes pulled out of the trunk of a car? What were they thinking? Entire group in the car gets arrested. One guy carrying lots of drugs on his person and in his car, and another one who tried to walk across the border with no papers at all. Guy just wanted to visit Alaska, without a passport.

Eventually they came out to check my RV and as I said, they did a very careful job of it. Pulled out most everything from the basement compartments, one by one. Sniffing dogs too. Several crossings over in Oroville, they didn't even look inside the RV, just waved me through. Going both ways it was much easier there.

[twogypsies]

Go easy on reservations. You just don't know what you can run into on that long drive to hold you up. . heavy rains, snow, fires, mechanical problems and even illness for a couple days. Pull into RV parks early afternoon before the groups come in. You'll get a site. Also, there are beautiful boondocking spots along the way to stay.

The only ones we made for the whole summer were for the July 4 weekend (Alaskans like to camp, too) and for our 5 nights in Denali's farthest campground you can drive - Teklanika. Those were only made a few weeks beforehand as we were driving so we could better judge when we'd be in a certain area. As it turned out we were early for the Denali reservations so on a whim we boondocked at a lovely spot nearby and drove into the park early morning. We easily secured an additional 5 nights in Denali's front campground - Riley Creek. We spent a total of 10 nights in Denali and saw 'THE' mountain in full glory 7 complete days. This was in July. We also saw every one of the big animals.

[ByeTheWay]

All kinds of rv's go to Alaska. First year for us in a 5er, Second was a Class A My friend took a 43' Newmar Mountain Aire with a tag and a toad on Top of the World highway which requires a Ferry at Dawson.