North to Alaska. ... But how to get there?

My wife and I are planning to go to Alaska this summer or next (probably next year). We wanted to know about ferrying the rig north vs. driving the Alaskan Highway. Anyone else ever done either? Pro and Cons of each? Cost of trip? Time to drive it?

2010augusta said:

My wife and I are planning to go to Alaska this summer or next (probably next year). We wanted to know about ferrying the rig north vs. driving the Alaskan Highway. Anyone else ever done either? Pro and Cons of each? Cost of trip? Time to drive it?

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The ferry is easiest but expensive. The drive can be as scenic as the ferry...and you have plenty of time to stop and smell the roses. I've driven the Alcan 4 times and taken the ferry up once.

Either way you will have to drive from the last Canadian village to the US border. Based on the last time...you can expect to be able to travel at 15-20 mph towing.

Something to check on is when the Tustamena (or the replacement) goes from Seattle to Seward. It only does it twice a year. You take off from Seattle and finish up in Seward. No muss...no fuss...no customs hassles. Course then you have to get out...and that means a drive unless you manage to catch the Tusty on its way out to winter dry dock.

Either way, the road can be tough from bad to really bad to excellent. Depends on how much maintenance has been done prior to your trip...and thats a tough call.

No matter what, you have to drive it all the way at least once. It's getting darned civilized up there, they have been straightening it over the years and parts of the old road are gone...nothing like my first trip in 1974. NOW THAT TIME WAS A REAL ADVENTURE! Plywood signs...just paint on wood...pump stations that handled the gas, etc for the military....WWII mothballed military camps.

And the best people in Canada. Whitehorse was our sister city. 1200 miles apart...one year Whitehorse moved to Fairbanks...and the next Fairbanks moved to Whitehorse. Now them were the days. Only place I ever PREPAID my fines for D&D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What and adventure those days were....

We went by road from Red Deer AB to Whitehorse, Dawson City, Fairbanks and back down the Alaska hwy about 3 years ago. Wonderful trip. In order to appreciate that part of the world you have to drive. Take your time, (we took 3 months), and smell the roses. It is gorgeous and you will learn to slow down and take it all in. When we were up there we saw some people push themselves so hard to get to a destination in a short period of time that I thought they were wasting their trip. For instance Whitehorse is passed over by lots of people but it is a fantastic place to spend time and go to the museums, riverboats etc. It also has the best fish and chips I have had since I was a kid.

2010augusta, I have been investigating the trip to Alaska also. I just recently met two couples that did the trip, one taking three months the other three and a half. One couple went solo while the other went with a caravan. While they both loved the trip and would go again. The caravan couple would do it solo next time. The caravan was too structured for them. As it would be for me. From my house I figured about 7,200 miles round trip. At six hours of driving daily that would be thirty days of driving. I would not drive fifteen straight days to get there. So three months minimum sounds about right. The Alaska Marine Highway would be nice but expensive. RV's over 21 feet are $67.20 per foot. Plus driver unless its a return trip. There are some good books on traveling Alaska. I am told early June through August is a good time to be there. I figured fuel would be $1,500 to $2,000. Probalbly closer to $2,000. It would certainly be a great trip. Do your homework and be sure to post pictures when you return.
Peace
Dave

cookie said:

2010augusta, I have been investigating the trip to Alaska also. I just recently met two couples that did the trip, one taking three months the other three and a half. One couple went solo while the other went with a caravan. While they both loved the trip and would go again. The caravan couple would do it solo next time. The caravan was too structured for them. As it would be for me. From my house I figured about 7,200 miles round trip. At six hours of driving daily that would be thirty days of driving. I would not drive fifteen straight days to get there. So three months minimum sounds about right. The Alaska Marine Highway would be nice but expensive. RV's over 21 feet are $67.20 per foot. Plus driver unless its a return trip. There are some good books on traveling Alaska. I am told early June through August is a good time to be there. I figured fuel would be $1,500 to $2,000. Probalbly closer to $2,000. It would certainly be a great trip. Do your homework and be sure to post pictures when you return.
Peace
Dave

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Best time of all is after mosquito season. Still a lot of light and things to do...and no bugs. Man, them bugs.

Yeah, the only thing that is bigger than Texas is the Alaska Mosquitoes. LOL

Our trip to Alaska was not with our BigHorn... but in the tight confines of a 9 & 1/2 foot Truck camper. I would do it again in a Heart Beat... but With the BigHorn this time. I sure did miss the comforts of our Home on Wheels on that trip.

Ours lasted 3 months... taking a month to go through Canada. Because we had very limited requirements of services... we boon-docked more than half the time we were on the road. Simple to do in much of Canada and Alaska... but with the length of the BigHorn attached to the truck... I know it would be somewhat more of a Challenge.

We did most of the Alaskan Hwy... but also drove north on the Cassiar Hwy... then back tracking to Liard Hot Springs... before continuing north to Alaska. We did Banff & Jasper National Parks in Canada... Top of the World Hwy going into Alaska.. Visited Beautiful Down Town Chicken... made the complete circle around Alaska.. crossed twice the Artic Circle...

Yet with all that... there were so many things I missed... so many things I'd want to do again... Our last leg of the trip was back on the ferry from Skagway to Prince Rupert... We had sold the truck camper while in Alaska so this was only the Chevy truck on the ferry... That distance with the truck... two passengers and a cabin for two nights was over $ 1,000.00 US. But what an added experience it was... the ferry travels the same route as the cruise ships... there was lots of wild life to see along the trip... both while driving as well as on the Ferry.

Make the trip.. Plant the seeds to make you want to do it again...

If you ever meet up with me please don't bring up the Top of World Hwy to my wife. Long story and she will never let me forget. Something to do with bumps and glass ware!

beardedone said:

If you ever meet up with me please don't bring up the Top of World Hwy to my wife. Long story and she will never let me forget. Something to do with bumps and glass ware!

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That road used to have another name...but, d00d...I wouldn't have driven that thing in anything other that a pickup...and definitely not with anything in tow.
I drove part of it when it was still just a glimmer in some highway engineers eye (the trail has been there for years and years. ..and I turned around and came back. It was that rough.

I found it pretty good considering I was prepared for worse. Near the the border it got bad and after clearing US customs it seemed better. I was towing my old Titanium at the time, with a rear kitchen, (did I tell you I hate rear kitchens). Anyway, made about 1 km hit this huge pothole. Stopped to check things out and found the pantry door open, groceries all over the floor and even skinny packages under the slide floor. Clean up. Make another short distance and a frost heave quickly followed by two more. Didn't see those coming! Anyway broke all my wives china. Was I ever popular. Made it all that way and no issues at all until then. On the bright side it is one of the most gorgeous drives around. You just have to go a little slower (according to my wife)

you forgot the dragon flies

The size of a twin prop helicopter. None

$62.10 per foot from Vancouver to Juneau. And that doesn't include the per person fee or a sleeper berth. Roughly a 60 hour trip on the ferry and you can't sleep in your unit. LP has to be off so the frig won't work..... Nice trip for sure but big bucks to save a few gallons of diesel and a couple days on the road, IMHO.

Have driven their and back. Great trip, don't forget the deet, you will need it. Side trip to Dawson and over the Top of the World Highway to Tok will make it a circle trip.

None

We have driven out to the lower 48 and back in 2006. We are getting ready to move back to Missouri from here in June and will be leaving here on the 23 of May barring more snow days.

The most important thing to know about the drive up is to take it slow because the frost heaves will send everything flying.

If you decide to take the ferry up, it is a beautiful ride. I took the ferry when we moved up here but was not with an RV.

irvin56 said:

The size of a twin prop helicopter. None

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No, you're confused. Those are black flies...mosquitos are MUCH bigger often being confused with a C-130.None That IS NOT a refueling probe up front!

CGibson said:

The most important thing to know about the drive up is to take it slow because the frost heaves will send everything flying.

Ya gotta admit the frost heaves do add that extra element of adventure. I've seen a couple of the big rigs with one of the axles ripped off cause of them. The roads pretty tame now...

If you decide to take the ferry up, it is a beautiful ride. I took the ferry when we moved up here but was not with an RV.

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Beautiful ride...great scenery...and just the ride from Haines to Fairbanks. Ya gotta do each once...and with the highway once is enough. I did prefer to travel during the winter. The roads were much smoother. You could turn off your headlights and drive by the glow of the Northern Lights.

This will be one of the things you can remember with your kids. It is an adventure.

CGibson said:

The most important thing to know about the drive up is to take it slow because the frost heaves will send everything flying.

Ya gotta admit the frost heaves do add that extra element of adventure. I've seen a couple of the big rigs with one of the axles ripped off cause of them. The roads pretty tame now...

If you decide to take the ferry up, it is a beautiful ride. I took the ferry when we moved up here but was not with an RV.

Click to expand...

Beautiful ride...great scenery...and just the ride from Haines to Fairbanks. Ya gotta do each once...and with the highway once is enough. I did prefer to travel during the winter. The roads were much smoother. You could turn off your headlights and drive by the glow of the Northern Lights.

This will be one of the things you can remember with your kids. It is an adventure.

We did our drive in 2006 and will be going out for the last time this summer. The frost heaves certainly did make it more adventurous.

CGibson said:

We did our drive in 2006 and will be going out for the last time this summer. The frost heaves certainly did make it more adventurous.

Click to expand...

If you got the time, take the road out of Anchorage to Tok...can't remember the name...but, that trek is so different than going from Ft Wainwirght to Tok. BIG glaciers carved out that valley and it looks like a war zone. Wish I had taken this route more than once. So much to see, nothing to do but drive, but a lot to take pictures of.

We are headed to Alaska this year. Just trying to choose which state to embark on the trip. Montanta, North Dakota, or Washington??? Then when to leave, May, June, or July???