Road to Alaska

[kdmunoz]

Originally Posted by Rich and Cork

Here are a couple of great posts from the past:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/alask...1-a-97916.html

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/north...ska-88043.html

We did the trip this last year from May 1-Jult 3.

You are right! These are great posts!! It sounds like so much fun I can't wait to go. Thanks Rich and Cork!

[RV735]

Here is our blog address of our 2012 trip to Alaska for New York. Wonderful trip including; plane flight through Denali with glacier landing; fishing for Halibut out of Homer; Grizzly with 4 cubs in Valdez; Inter coastal ferry with 40 ft. MH from Haines to Prince Rupert.

RVGR8escape

[Dave 430]

KD,
My wife and I and another couple drove from SoCal to Alaska and back. We were in a 40' MH and they have a 39' 5th wheel. We left mid June and returned Mid to late Oct. First, I'm going to say take your time and enjoy the trip. If you are on a time line, you will miss alot. We took the Alcon highway from Dawson Creek to Tok, Alaska. We drove the tow car from Tok to Dawson City and spent the night. IMHO I would not drive any MH of any size on the dirt/rock road between those 2 locations. There are some tight spots and there are no guard rails. It had been reported that a MH had slid off the side of the road, because the driver got too close to the edge and it broke away. Protect your tow vehicle as best you can, I had almost $7k in damage to my vehicle towing it behind my MH. I had a front cover and a front windshield cover, but it did not stop the rocks from breaking headlights, side mirrors and rock damage. We did not run into bad roads until we left Dawson Creek, especially around Destruction Bay to Tok. It was at least 40 miles of bad roads. Another problem was the truck and gravel trucks going the opposite direction. We could not go faster than 20 mph, but they would go 40-60 miles because there is no one else kicking up rocks to damage their vehicles . We got 2 chips in our windshield and the other couple got cracks and chips from these trucks . I cussed them at least a dozen times will traveling. Any area of the road that needed repair or just had repairs, usually had a small red flag next to road, they come on quick, another reason to take your time. We did run into some bad roads to in Alaska on our return trip. We spent 4 days in Denali and it was not enough time. We would have spent more time in Alaska but after Labor Day, the RV parks in Alaska and northern Canada start closing because of the change in weather. If you need more info on our trip, feel free to contact me via personal message and we can exchange info.

[George Schweikle]

If you're talking about Logan Pass road, the length limits pretty much eliminate all but the smallest RV's; probably a class B. Here's the official word:

"To help reduce congestion, vehicle size restrictions are in effect. Vehicles, and vehicle combinations, longer than 21 feet(including bumpers) or wider than 8 feet (including mirrors), are prohibited between Avalanche Campground and the Rising Sun picnic area parking. Vehicle and vehicle combinations over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass to the Loop, due to rock overhangs. Stock trucks and trailers are able to access Packers Roost on the west, and Siyeh Bend on the east."

Originally Posted by kdmunoz

In your travels have you driven the Going To The Sun Highway up into Canada? I grew up around Glacier and could drive the highway in my "sleep" but my husband is worried about driving the road with an RV up into Canada....are the roads good to Lake Louise, and further up? The more I think Bout it, the more excited I get!

[kdmunoz]

Originally Posted by RV735

Here is our blog address of our 2012 trip to Alaska for New York. Wonderful trip including; plane flight through Denali with glacier landing; fishing for Halibut out of Homer; Grizzly with 4 cubs in Valdez; Inter coastal ferry with 40 ft. MH from Haines to Prince Rupert.

RVGR8escape

Thanks! Beautiful pictures plus I learned several things I never knew before, including the information about Fort Collins where our son lives.

[kdmunoz]

Originally Posted by George Schweikle

If you're talking about Logan Pass road, the length limits pretty much eliminate all but the smallest RV's; probably a class B. Here's the official word:

"To help reduce congestion, vehicle size restrictions are in effect. Vehicles, and vehicle combinations, longer than 21 feet(including bumpers) or wider than 8 feet (including mirrors), are prohibited between Avalanche Campground and the Rising Sun picnic area parking. Vehicle and vehicle combinations over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass to the Loop, due to rock overhangs. Stock trucks and trailers are able to access Packers Roost on the west, and Siyeh Bend on the east."

I guess we'll have to park the MH and drive the Jeep into the park before heading into Canada. Good to know! Thanks George!

[kdmunoz]

Originally Posted by Dave 430

KD,
My wife and I and another couple drove from SoCal to Alaska and back. We were in a 40' MH and they have a 39' 5th wheel. We left mid June and returned Mid to late Oct. First, I'm going to say take your time and enjoy the trip. If you are on a time line, you will miss alot. We took the Alcon highway from Dawson Creek to Tok, Alaska. We drove the tow car from Tok to Dawson City and spent the night. IMHO I would not drive any MH of any size on the dirt/rock road between those 2 locations. There are some tight spots and there are no guard rails. It had been reported that a MH had slid off the side of the road, because the driver got too close to the edge and it broke away. Protect your tow vehicle as best you can, I had almost $7k in damage to my vehicle towing it behind my MH. I had a front cover and a front windshield cover, but it did not stop the rocks from breaking headlights, side mirrors and rock damage. We did not run into bad roads until we left Dawson Creek, especially around Destruction Bay to Tok. It was at least 40 miles of bad roads. Another problem was the truck and gravel trucks going the opposite direction. We could not go faster than 20 mph, but they would go 40-60 miles because there is no one else kicking up rocks to damage their vehicles . We got 2 chips in our windshield and the other couple got cracks and chips from these trucks . I cussed them at least a dozen times will traveling. Any area of the road that needed repair or just had repairs, usually had a small red flag next to road, they come on quick, another reason to take your time. We did run into some bad roads to in Alaska on our return trip. We spent 4 days in Denali and it was not enough time. We would have spent more time in Alaska but after Labor Day, the RV parks in Alaska and northern Canada start closing because of the change in weather. If you need more info on our trip, feel free to contact me via personal message and we can exchange info.

After reading your post and a few others we decided to explore the options available to protect the toad. When we get closer to the departure date, I'll be asking more questions. Thanks for you're insight!

[Rich and Cork]

To add to some of the above posts, we had to have our driver side windshield replaced on the MH after getting home. We had three rocks hit, all by big rigs going the opposite direction on asphalt roads; and I watched each of them hit Luckily we had no damage on the passenger side. We tow our Wrangler with no protection and suffered no significant damage.....and I would guess in total the Wrangler has around 30,000 towing miles. Our MH has the typical mud flaps at the rear wheels and a full mud flap at the rear.

Enjoy your trip and do not over plan......you want to enjoy the unexpected.

[jacmat]

Originally Posted by Dave 430

KD,
We took the Alcon highway from Dawson Creek to Tok, Alaska. We drove the tow car from Tok to Dawson City and spent the night. .

This is a very good advice and furthermore the road from Whitehorse to Dawson City, is not very interesting and the road from the Alaska border to Chicken can be extremely rough, especially with a motorhome and a toad.
So leave the MH in Tok, and drive the toad to Dawson on the Top of the World, and spend the night in Dawson. They have quite a few hotels and nice B&B,

[LindaH]

Originally Posted by kdmunoz

We just bought our first Class A Winnebago Vista and plan to take our first long road trip to Alaska from northern California this summer. We wonder if anyone has experienced Alaska in an RV? Did you drive the whole way or take a ferry part way? Are all the roads paved and easy to drive? If you have any suggestions for us as first-time RVers heading to Alaska, we would love to hear them.

We've been to Alaska twice, both times by RV. We drove up and back...we thought about taking the ferry one way, but we have dogs, and there are some stretches that are 11 hours or so. Since the dogs must stay in the RV at all times, except for short stretches when you can go down and take them for a potty walk, and you can't sleep in the RV, we discarded the idea. However, if you don't have pets, I think it would be fun to be able to get off at stops that you can't reach by road and do some exploring.

All the major roads are paved...they're two-lane, but as good as, and in some cases, better than, two-lane roads in the Lower 48. If you take one or both of the haul roads, like the Dempster, those are not paved.

A few suggestions: 1) Pick up a current copy of the Milepost and Mike & Terri Church's book on traveling in Alaska. 2) Take your time. The Alaska Highway is not an Interstate where you can travel 75 MPH. If you go with the that expectation, you're not going to enjoy the trip. There are frost heaves and road construction that will require you to go slow...often as slow as 15 MPH. 3) You RV WILL get dirty, but there are lots of places where you can clean it. Do so as often as possible since some of the stuff they use to keep the dust down in construction areas can be corrosive.
4) Oh, and did I mention take your time?

[LindaH]

Originally Posted by kdmunoz

We plan to travel in late July early August all the way up to Fairbanks.

You're going to miss the best part of Alaska if you only go to Fairbanks!!! We like Fairbanks and it has quite a bit to see, but there is Denali NP, the Kenai Penninsula, Valdez, Homer, oh...and SO much more.

If you can, I'd advise leaving at least a month earlier, if not the middle to end of May or first part of June and travel as much of the state as you can. Then, on your way back, take the Cassiar and stop in Stewart and Hyder so you can go out and see the bears feeding on salmon at Fish Creek. Depending on the weather, continue on up the road to view Salmon Glacier (assuming it's still there, of course...our last trip was in 2001).

[LindaH]

Regarding Dawson City. We drove to Dawson City in 2001 from Whitehorse, towing our fifth wheel with a Freightliner FL-60. Dawson City isn't to be missed!

When we left Dawson City, we took the free ferry across the Yukon River, drove the Top of the World Highway, camping at a USFS campground shortly after entering into Alaska. The next morning we drove into Chicken and had breakfast...while this portion of the road was mostly dirt and narrow, there IS enough room for two vehicles to pass...we ran into several tour buses coming the other way and had no problems. I wouldn't want to drive this road, however, during a rain storm, or shortly afterward.

The road from Chicken back to the Alaska Highway east of Tok was a very good, wide, gravel road. It's my understanding that most of it, perhaps all of it, has now been paved. Maybe someone who has driven this portion of the road will speak to that.

[kdmunoz]

Originally Posted by LindaH

Regarding Dawson City. We drove to Dawson City in 2001 from Whitehorse, towing our fifth wheel with a Freightliner FL-60. Dawson City isn't to be missed!

When we left Dawson City, we took the free ferry across the Yukon River, drove the Top of the World Highway, camping at a USFS campground shortly after entering into Alaska. The next morning we drove into Chicken and had breakfast...while this portion of the road was mostly dirt and narrow, there IS enough room for two vehicles to pass...we ran into several tour buses coming the other way and had no problems. I wouldn't want to drive this road, however, during a rain storm, or shortly afterward.

The road from Chicken back to the Alaska Highway east of Tok was a very good, wide, gravel road. It's my understanding that most of it, perhaps all of it, has now been paved. Maybe someone who has driven this portion of the road will speak to that.

This is good information! Thanks!

[kdmunoz]

Originally Posted by LindaH

You're going to miss the best part of Alaska if you only go to Fairbanks!!! We like Fairbanks and it has quite a bit to see, but there is Denali NP, the Kenai Penninsula, Valdez, Homer, oh...and SO much more.

If you can, I'd advise leaving at least a month earlier, if not the middle to end of May or first part of June and travel as much of the state as you can. Then, on your way back, take the Cassiar and stop in Stewart and Hyder so you can go out and see the bears feeding on salmon at Fish Creek. Depending on the weather, continue on up the road to view Salmon Glacier (assuming it's still there, of course...our last trip was in 2001).

I teach online at a university in Northern California, which means I can travel and work anywhere as long as I can get an Internet connection. That means we can head up to Alaska anytime. Would the weather/ roads be clear in the middle of May? Oh I forgot! We can leave at the last minute if we want. I guess being retired takes some getting used to....