Alaska via the trans Canada

[pognumber26]

WE are planning a 3-4 month trip to Alaska This summer and keep getting ALL kinds of conflicting info ranging from you are CRAZY to take your coach up there/the trans Canada hwy is a piece of crap/to consider going by ferry!!! I am opening an Alaska travel thread and am calling on the brilliant collective POG consciousness to clarify what is involved in everything from pre-planning/routes taken/guides used and all other helpful info...thanks

[merle&louise]

R Francis and anyone else who has been to Alaska,

How was the Alaska trip?

We are considering a 2 month trip into Alaska next summer (2008), and we are a little apprehensive about it. Any info that you could give us would be greatly appreciated.

The roads and the mosquitos are our biggest concern. I have heard that they are not so bad in the later months of summer (August). How were the RV parks?

What was the highlight of the trip?

We live in Houma, LA so it will be a 10,000 mile round trip for us. I was planning to leave in late July; arriving in Alaska in early August. IYO, would this be too late in the season?

[Darl-Wilson]

I have been flying up to Anchorage for the last few years and renting a car to drive to the Kenai Peninsula. All of the main roads are great, no potholes or gravel. I stayed at this RV Park http://www.afishunt.com/ 3 years ago. They have large spaces, fishing charters, and a fish cleaning station. The owners, John and Sharon Baker are very nice. I limited out on every trip I took with them. I also used them last year, and drifted the Kasilof with Elad Sharony. Caught one nice King Salmon.
I also flew over to the west side of Cook Inlet for some Sockeye, ("Reds" ) fishing. Limited there too. Highlight of that trip was flying the right seat of a 1951 Beaver on floats. As a 40-year licensed pilot this was a real thrill. This is the company I flew with. http://www.highadventureair.com/ The Bell family owns this company.

I have been all over the Kenai and several other places between there and Anchorage. Homer, Seward, Hope, Kenai, Sterling Soldotna, Cooper Landing, Moose Pass, Whittier, Girdwood, and many more. Too much to write about here. Last year I went up for almost a month and just tramped around by myself. No one in my family shares my love of Alaska.

If you (or any other POGer) wants some information please give me a call. Phone is in my profile. Hope you folks have a nice trip.
Darl

[Ray Davis]

Hopefully Ken Zittrer (Bluevost) will post. He's made the trip before in a previous RV, and is currently planning a trip next year (although I hear that might be postponed).

Ken, tell us about driving up to Alaska!

Ray

[Darl-Wilson]

Phone number is NOT in my profile. Email me for the number.

Sorry,

Darl

[bluevost]

Tuga and Karen,

Ray is correct. I drove my 1967 40ft Eagle bus to Alaska and back in 2004. I left on Memorial Day weekend and was gone for 87 days. It was the best trip of my rv life. And, I would do it again with no hesitation. From June 15th in Dawson Creek, BC until about July 1 in Delta Junction, AK we had two rigs together. My sister and brother-in-law were in their 1965 GM 4106. We had no particular schedule or route. If we saw a place that looked good we might stay a night or two, if the fishing was really good, maybe three nights.
You have to plan you fuel, water, and dump stops, as towns are really far apart, maybe as much as 350 miles or more. The Canadian Provincial parks were our favorite, usually dry camping in very picturesque places. About $10.00 Canadian per night. My Eagle was not all electric as is Bluevost and I could boondock for quite a long time. Also, the Canadian campgrounds are a little more primitive than ours. Many times, less than 30 amps. But the scenery makes up for it!!

As to the road, there are frost heaves and parts under repair all the way. Everything is quite well marked, kilometers ahead so there is plenty of time to slow down. You aren't going to be driving very fast anyway. 300 miles is a long day on the Alaskan Highway (in my opinion anyway). There are plenty of other rvers out there too. You never pass an rv parked on the side of the road without checking to make sure they are ok. And they'll do the same if you're parked on the side. As I said, it's a long way between points on the map. Many of the more developed commercial campgrounds have wash racks to keep the rig and toad looking good.

There is a great book for planning your trip: Traveler's Guide to Alaskan Camping by Mike and Terri Church, Rolling Homes Press. And of course the Mile Post is a must.

There is so much more to talk about, but let's leave it at that for now, shoot me a PM if you have questions.

Ken

[merle&louise]

Darl, Ray, & Ken,

Thanks for the quick response and information.

I will contact each of you by PM or phone with questions.

Thanks again.

[Larry W]

Tuga & Helen
Ken has given you some great information about "The Highway" We lived in Fairbanks for 30 years and made 11 trips over the highway from 95 to 2000.
Don't let someone's horror story make you miss seeing the "Great Land"
Would be happy to answer any questions. We are currently touring in Canada in the bus for the next week and have our cell phones turned off. Will be back in the US next Friday night. PM me for our number.

Larry W
2000 Royale Coach

[merle&louise]

Thanks for the positive input Larry, I think that we are going to try to make the trip next summer.

One quick question, what are frost heaves and how bad are they to drive over. It sounds like they are potholes caused by the water freezing and expanding and finally cracking the asphalt on the road.

Does the department of highways stay on top of the repairs?

[Jerry Winchester]

Before all you PMer's get to PMing a bunch about this, you might give some thought to having this conversation on a chat board or message forum so a bunch of people could benefit from it.

Oh wait, we are on a message forum and you could do it on this board unless Tuga wants to know where all the strip joints are along the way or the ZitMan is wanted in several Canadian provences and is under witness protection.....