Community Forums

Superslif · 12-28-2014, 06:00 PM

I'll retire about June 1st 2016 and plan a summer 16' AK. trip. Have family in the Fairbanks (North Pole) area where we have flown up 4-5 times usually in Aug. over the last 15 years.

Mosquitoes can be bad in May or June. All depending on the weather for that year. Never seems to be much of a problem when we visit in Aug. The one trip we took in mid June the bugs were kind of bad.

Have to ask a ? here. We will be traveling up in a hybrid tt. We have camped in bear areas before like the Smoky's NP., Shenandoah NP. and WV. Do you think it would be any problem boondocking at pull offs along the Alcan? or at Prov. campgrounds in Canada or state parks in AK. with a hybrid? We have actually run into more bears in the state parks of Northern PA.

We will be able to park our RV at my sis-n-laws driveway in North Pole for maybe 2-4 weeks.

Pics from our last 20 day trip up Aug of 2013

Pics from 2008

jpharley · 12-29-2014, 08:11 AM

We did not see bears at any of the areas we stopped including pull outs. That does not mean they were not there. We only saw one bear in Alaska except for those in Denali. We saw black bears in BC and grizzlies in the Yukon.

sirpurrcival · 12-29-2014, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geneandea

I plan on going up next year we are in North Carolina. I thought I would go into Canada in Alberta and then head west and north. Not sure about time first of May I guess any suggestions on time/route would be great.

Gene and Bea

May is about the time things start to turn warm. By the end of the month, things are usually quite well along. I don't know that I would start May first but if was going to take a long leisurely trip, I might start around the middle of the month and begin to work my way north; sort of following the retreating cold weather. A good indicator is really when RV parks open for the season. Checking that in different regions will give you some local feedback for what the weather is like.

Superslif · 12-31-2014, 07:04 AM

I have seen some YouTube videos where there was still a good amount of snow especially in the Yukon all thru the month of May. We'll be starting our trip from NE. Ohio somewhere between June 2nd and June 12th. Take maybe three weeks to get up to the Fairbanks area.

Use my Sis-n-laws place in North Pole as a home base and hit Homer, Denali and Valdez in one or two week side trips. Maybe start returning home Sept 1st. or what the weather brings. Would like to hit Jasper on the return trip. Not so sure about the "Top of the World Route".

Dr4Film · 12-31-2014, 08:09 PM

We are headed back to Alaska next year for our third time since 2010. We plan to be in Fairbanks by the 15th of May to spend two months with my younger son and family. Then it's off to Anchorage to spend another two months with my older son, grand-kids and family.

Will probably leave Anchorage for the lower 48 sometime around the third week of September.

We will take the Alcan on the way up and the Cassier on the way back. Hopefully the bear viewing will still be on at Hyder as we have not ever done that on the previous trips because we always took the Cassier up to Alaska and the Alcan back to the lower 48.

We plan to return through both Jasper and Banff NP and then onto Calgary and finally back into the US. Then I have many stops planned on my way over to the Rochester NY area to spend time with my siblings. Once it starts to get winter time there I will head for Flagler Beach Florida to spend the winter surf fishing on the coast.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

Ramets · 01-01-2015, 04:45 AM

Wow Richard, that's kind of pushing the envelope weather wise isn't it? Be in Fairbanks by May 15th. In 2012 we hit quite a snowstorm May 31st coming out of Destruction Bay.

Americanrascal · 01-01-2015, 05:20 AM

Planning on another trip up to Eagle River/ Anchorage via the Alaska Highway from here in west Georgia this year. Probably will leave around July 20 or so and take about 16-18 days to make our destination.

We did the trip last year in our truck camper set up. We traded that rig in and bought a motorhome and tow dolly for the trip this year. Last year we took the Marine Hiway back down to Bellingham. This year we'll drive back.

The funny thing was we saw an unbelievable amount of every type of wildlife once we hit Canada. Everything from cougars, bears, caribou, buffalo, deer and numerous other fury creatures. Once we got to Alaska we never saw one animal in 2 weeks! Guess they didn't let them out of the cages the weeks we were there.

We were totally saturated with natural beauty from the trip--- although we saw that same pine tree for 6 days straight

from Dawson Creek to Glennallen! Maybe this year they'll have a new pine tree out for us.

We are very excited about this years travel for several reasons: We look forward to meeting our new grandson in Anchorage. We are looking forward to the trip in the MH and not feeling cramped as we were in the TC.We will travel a bit slower and visit more stops along the Alaska Hiway

A couple of things we learned. You can't find grits anywhere north of Kansas so we plan on taking several hundred pounds of them this year since we now have room in the MH. I had a terrible sinking spell last year when we ran out and could not find any in the northlands. It took me nearly a month after returning to Georgia to overcome the withdrawal symptoms. Any left over grits will be available in case we run into some sort of blizzard in late August along the way and we find we need them for traction under the rear dually's. Always best to be prepared. Are there limits to hauling grits across the border?

We also experienced a severe shortage in biscuits on last years trip. We searched stores from Montana to Anchorage and eventually found a tube of barely edible tube biscuits at a Walmart in BC. We choked them down for breakfast for a few days and somehow survived. This year we will have enough room to roll out our own home made biscuits in the MH on the countertop. Just need to remember to bring about 300 lbs of butter, several gallons of buttermilk, and plenty o' self rising flour and some Clabber Girl baking powder.

Will also need some Country Ham and Streak'o lean to survive in the far north. Plan on making some Blue Eyed "dravy" to go with the biscuits. (Some folks call it red eye gravy but not us)

With that set up we might make it!

Ought to be a great trip and looking forward to seeing you all along the way!

Rascal

Dr4Film · 01-01-2015, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramets

Wow Richard, that's kind of pushing the envelope weather wise isn't it? Be in Fairbanks by May 15th. In 2012 we hit quite a snowstorm May 31st coming out of Destruction Bay.

On both previous trips, 2010 and 2012 we were always in Anchorage by the middle of May to start our summers stay.

I also hit a bad snowstorm back in 2012 while driving out of Haines Junction headed for Destruction Bay. By the time we made it close to the south end of Kulane Lake the weather and road conditions cleared. However if I ever have to do that again I won't. I was eventually driving in 5 inches of snow on the road once I got up in elevation and with a 72 foot rig it wasn't a comfortable situation. I will not wait thinking maybe conditions will improve and find myself a decent safe pull-out and wait it out.

This trip I decided to spend the first half of the summer with my son in Fairbanks and the second half with my son in Anchorage.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

osok · 01-03-2015, 12:00 PM

A Man has to be prepared!

Quote:

Originally Posted by americanrasc

A couple of things we learned. You can't find grits anywhere north of Kansas so we plan on taking several hundred pounds of them this year since we now have room in the MH. I had a terrible sinking spell last year when we ran out and could not find any in the northlands. It took me nearly a month after returning to Georgia to overcome the withdrawal symptoms. Any left over grits will be available in case we run into some sort of blizzard in late August along the way and we find we need them for traction under the rear dually's. Always best to be prepared. Are there limits to hauling grits across the border?

We also experienced a severe shortage in biscuits on last years trip. We searched stores from Montana to Anchorage and eventually found a tube of barely edible tube biscuits at a Walmart in BC. We choked them down for breakfast for a few days and somehow survived. This year we will have enough room to roll out our own home made biscuits in the MH on the countertop. Just need to remember to bring about 300 lbs of butter, several gallons of buttermilk, and plenty o' self rising flour and some Clabber Girl baking powder.

Will also need some Country Ham and Streak'o lean to survive in the far north. Plan on making some Blue Eyed "dravy" to go with the biscuits. (Some folks call it red eye gravy but not us)

With that set up we might make it!

Ought to be a great trip and looking forward to seeing you all along the way!

Rascal

Superslif · 01-03-2015, 12:49 PM

People who have made the trip before, what was your average day like on your drive up from the lower 48, Canada and especially along the AlCan.

Are there plenty of pull offs along the way where you are away from the road. I'm kind of thinking I'll do 150 or 200 miles a day, one day just locate a "pull off" for a quick bit to eat and some sleep, maybe the next stay at a Provincial Park and maybe one at a private campground. Some stops I might say "Lets spend a extra day here to explore".

Counting down the day till I retire. With the new year (2015) I can now say "I'm retiring next year" Trip to AK. 2016.

Dr4Film · 01-03-2015, 01:40 PM

I have never had a problem finding a Turn-out, Pull-out, Rest Area, Provincial Park, etc.

If you carry the Milepost, it will list exactly where they are on all of the highways going in any direction for Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska.

By far Alaska has the BEST ones and the most.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

Superslif · 01-03-2015, 04:41 PM

I plan on buying a older Milepost this spring on Ebay to make notes on spots to stop at. Then in the spring of 2016 buy the updated copy for my trip in the summer of 2016.

My last fly up trip to Fairbanks ( 2013) along the Chena Hot Springs road I have my eye on one such pull off. Also of note: the 3 Alaska State Parks along the Chena Hot Springs road just north of Fairbanks, the state was upgrading them. They finished two and the third was to be completed by the end of 2013. One of them Red Squirrel Campground is geared towards tent campers, Granite Tors & Rosehip are more for RV's. At the end of the Chena Hot Springs rd. is the resort of Chena Hot Springs. You can pay for a dip in the hot springs. The campground there is kind of on the small size. Don't stay there if your looking for nature from your campsite.

Americanrascal · 01-03-2015, 07:38 PM

Osok-
Ain't no way I'm gonna let my body deteriorate as a result of "grit withdrawal" this time after I cross the border like I did last year when I got north of Calgary.

Gracious by the time I got home I was shakin so bad from a lack of fine food (southern that is)I had to get Momma to give me a cholesterol injection of fried butter on a stick just to get back to normal!

You are so right -- I will be prepared---- just as long as I can figure out a way to smuggle them fine vittles across the border!

Rascal

sirpurrcival · 01-03-2015, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superslif

People who have made the trip before, what was your average day like on your drive up from the lower 48, Canada and especially along the AlCan.

Are there plenty of pull offs along the way where you are away from the road. I'm kind of thinking I'll do 150 or 200 miles a day, one day just locate a "pull off" for a quick bit to eat and some sleep, maybe the next stay at a Provincial Park and maybe one at a private campground. Some stops I might say "Lets spend a extra day here to explore".

Counting down the day till I retire. With the new year (2015) I can now say "I'm retiring next year" Trip to AK. 2016.

Once you get the Alcan, it will be like no drive you have ever had before. Miles and miles of wilderness connected by a thin ribbon of pavement. There is no shortage of places to pull off and you don't necessarily need to get too far away from the road for peace and tranquility. The highway and some of the secondary highways just aren't that busy in the evening or even during the day for that matter. It is easy to be in awe of the solitude. This is a trip best enjoyed when you don't have a hard and fast schedule. Trying to make a schedule in the far north on a holiday really undermines the reason for taking the trip in the first place. It is a place to be humbled and amazed at, a place where without too much difficulty you can see the world as it was, simpler times where the biggest choices had little to do with meetings, cell phones, internet access and the like. Take a deep breath and just inhale the tranquility. You will never forget it.