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dkwalsh · 02-07-2018, 11:36 AM

We are planning on driving our 32' Class A motor home from Michigan to Alaska this June and July. My husband does not want to take our tow vehicle. Has anyone else made this trip without a toad? If so, how did that work out?

TIA.

CF-104 · 02-07-2018, 11:52 AM

following

**TonyDi** · 02-07-2018, 12:16 PM

I have not been to Alaska however from what I understand from those that have been, a toad is important to see the things that make Alaska a great destination. I feel this way even when I'm travelling on the lower 48.

zigzagrv · 02-07-2018, 12:29 PM

I've been to Alaska with a toad and can't imagine going again without one. Many of the sights and attractions are on roads I cannot imagine taking the MH on. Took the toad up the Dalton Highway (haul road) up to the Arctic Circle. Motorhome would have been nearly impossible to get clean. Was still finding dirt in and under the toad years later.

Gary RVRoamer · 02-07-2018, 01:27 PM

We've been to Alaska and believe a toad is valuable, but we like to explore to see wildlife and off-the-path places. You could probably take a tour, e.g. like the caravan clubs do, and hit many of the highlights without one, but I personally believe you would miss quite a bit.

As with the lower 48, RV parks in Alaska may be near town or further away. Stores and restaurants in the larger towns and typically have adequate parking lots, but in the boonies (most of AK) it's anybody's guess.

dennis45 · 02-07-2018, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

We've been to Alaska and believe a toad is valuable, but we like to explore to see wildlife and off-the-path places. You could probably take a tour, e.g. like the caravan clubs do, and hit many of the highlights without one, but I personally believe you would miss quite a bit.

As with the lower 48, RV parks in Alaska may be near town or further away. Stores and restaurants in the larger towns and typically have adequate parking lots, but in the boonies (most of AK) it's anybody's guess.

Gary, having also made the trip with a Caravan, I agree with you100%.

As Carl Malden used to say. "Don't Leave Home Without It"

twogypsies · 02-07-2018, 01:39 PM

Agree... take a car or you'll be confined as to things you want to do/see.

You didn't state his reasoning for not wanting to do so but if he's worried about damage that's unnecessary.

We left Arizona with a cracked windshield and didn't get it fixed because hearing all the 'horror stories' we thought for sure it would just get cracked again. We drove all summer through Canada, the Yukon and Alaska and returned to Arizona with the same crack in the windshield. I'm not saying it couldn't have happened on the trip but saying that it could happen in the lower 48, also.

We didn't have any damage to the motorhome or Jeep.

The sites you'll want to see aren't on the main highways for the most part. Parking the RV at most would be troublesome.

Take the car!

Knightab · 02-07-2018, 01:44 PM

We went in 2013 and another couple took their rv. We got around just fine without a toad, granted having one would have be a luxury but had no problems. Denali, Chicken, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula, Homer, Valdez, Seward, and Our friends took the ferries to Juneau and several other islands.

PS: Our rv's were 24' If you do take a toad, make sure you have the windshield protected well and the headlights, all toll we did probably 300 miles of gravel roads.

If you take the Top of the World Highway, when you go through customs on your way to chicken ask them to stamp your passport, they have a cool Elk stamp!

grumpy0374 · 02-07-2018, 02:25 PM

Last May, June, July, we went from Va, across USA, up into Canada, and into Alaska, and back. Almost 13,000 miles, towing our Subaru XV.
No way would we take a trip like that without a toad. Just too many places off the main routes to see and visit, that would have been verrrry hard to do in a motor home, including our 28 ft class c.
Can't imagine trying to navigate some of the roads we were on in a 32 ft class a.
Damage to our toad...yes. Cracked windshield and many many paint chips. But, it's a toad, does what we want it to. Like "gas mileage", we just don't worry about it. We just enjoyed the trip. Toad will get many more chips and scratches, but, so what!!!
And, don't think of "rentals". No such thing in 75% of the areas we were in. It's just such a pain to have to "uncamp" to go sightseeing and running a 32 footer down narrow 2 lane gravel roads.
Grumpy

jacwjames · 02-07-2018, 07:47 PM

We went in 2009 soon after buying our Windsor, we did not have a toad and regret not having one. So many places we could have visited if we had another vehicle. Still regret it to this day.

We got back in Sept and by the end of the year I had purchased a Jeep GC, still have it today and don't take a trip without it.

dons2346 · 02-07-2018, 07:50 PM

I think everyone has everything covered. If hubby doesn't want to tow, don't go. You will miss the best part of Alaska if all you do is drive the coach

dkwalsh · 02-08-2018, 03:50 PM

Thanks to all who replied. You've convinced us to take the toad!

**CLIFFTALL** · 02-08-2018, 03:56 PM

I suggest you get some kind of protection. This was taken at the end of the Top of the World Highway.
Well worth the trip. [emoji106]

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twogypsies · 02-08-2018, 09:25 PM

Clifftall: Did you have a solid rear flap on your RV?

We saw folks actually removing their flap because it was throwing rocks on their windshield. We traveled the same road after them and we had absolutely no damage but didn't have a flap across the rear. We just had flaps behind each tire.