Great ride
I have driven the ALCAN more times than I could tell you. Started doing it when it was all gravel and still continue now it is paved. Things that are VERY important is to look for black skid marks as you go down the road, frost heaves are very large (especially in the upper run into the YuKon Territory) you will see the scraps and black marks well before the heave, just go slow and enjoy the road, these heaves will rip a 5er apart. Most of it is single lane and very woodsy. Laird Junction is a great stop over to enjoy the natural hot springs...no charge, just have to walk through the forest for a ways! Have a CB, many reports of gas prices, road problems etc. will be transmitted over these. Carry extra gas/desiel since many of the gas stops are far and few between. Time seems to stand still and the scenery gets to look the same after a while, but never fails to amaze you when a bear/moose/bison or whatever comes out in front of you. If you have small pets, DO NOT let them out alone in areas, eagles will be there and know that small pets are an easy targets, especially in designated rest areas. Weather is very unpredicable, plan for anything. Be careful of strangers when you get farther North, people seem to change a bit. Take survival gear/water/food and warm clothes and two (2) spare tires for each vehicle. It is a very long drive, but you will never forget it.
I have driven the ALCAN more times than I could tell you. Started doing it when it was all gravel and still continue now it is paved. Things that are VERY important is to look for black skid marks as you go down the road, frost heaves are very large (especially in the upper run into the YuKon Territory) you will see the scraps and black marks well before the heave, just go slow and enjoy the road, these heaves will rip a 5er apart. Most of it is single lane and very woodsy. Laird Junction is a great stop over to enjoy the natural hot springs...no charge, just have to walk through the forest for a ways! Have a CB, many reports of gas prices, road problems etc. will be transmitted over these. Carry extra gas/desiel since many of the gas stops are far and few between. Time seems to stand still and the scenery gets to look the same after a while, but never fails to amaze you when a bear/moose/bison or whatever comes out in front of you. If you have small pets, DO NOT let them out alone in areas, eagles will be there and know that small pets are an easy targets, especially in designated rest areas. Weather is very unpredicable, plan for anything. Be careful of strangers when you get farther North, people seem to change a bit. Take survival gear/water/food and warm clothes and two (2) spare tires for each vehicle. It is a very long drive, but you will never forget it.
Tom of Ypsi
Well-known member
First off welcome to the forum. A bunch of good informative people hang out here so any questions no matter how big or small ask away.
We plan on going from mid May thru mid September if our medical problems are resolved. There is a good book out by Mike & Terri Church, Alaskan Camping www.rollinghomes.com This gives you virtually every campground, things to do and places to see type book. They have personally been to Alaska countless number of times so there book gets updated all of the time. There is another book that I am not too familiar with, Milepost, that is supose to be good too. We plan on doing mostly boondocking, which you can do almost any where, then go to a campground for a couple of days to dump and take on fresh water. Fuel is higher in Alaska by about 20 cents per gallon last time I checked but Canadian fuel s expensive. The internet is full of info and one news letter I get from Alaska is northtoalaska@alaskatia.org informing me on what is happening in and around Alaska. Hope this helps somewhat and good luck on your search. Keep the forum in touch with what you find out as sharing info is what we are all about.
We plan on going from mid May thru mid September if our medical problems are resolved. There is a good book out by Mike & Terri Church, Alaskan Camping www.rollinghomes.com This gives you virtually every campground, things to do and places to see type book. They have personally been to Alaska countless number of times so there book gets updated all of the time. There is another book that I am not too familiar with, Milepost, that is supose to be good too. We plan on doing mostly boondocking, which you can do almost any where, then go to a campground for a couple of days to dump and take on fresh water. Fuel is higher in Alaska by about 20 cents per gallon last time I checked but Canadian fuel s expensive. The internet is full of info and one news letter I get from Alaska is northtoalaska@alaskatia.org informing me on what is happening in and around Alaska. Hope this helps somewhat and good luck on your search. Keep the forum in touch with what you find out as sharing info is what we are all about.
DougLynne
retired Alberta Chapter Leaders
We were up a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. There were a few spots where they were repairing the road and you get gravel but they were pretty short. We never had a problem with fuel and didn't carry extra, we even did the Dempster (don't recommend it unless you want to travel 750 KM's of gravel each way). As mentioned,the frost heaves canbump you around so drive slow. It is beautiful country.
Doug
Doug
Paul & Nan
Well-known member
We are doing Alaska late June, but taking a Traks caravan-leave Dawson Creek June 26 for 45 days. We are leaving Illinois January 1 for the RGV, head northward toward Oregon in April. Granddaughter graduates from college June 14 in Oregon. Then North to Alaska!! We figure 8 months on the road, then home to finish dealing with my recently deceased fathers house and stuff.
Hope we see some of you along the way.
Nan
Hope we see some of you along the way.
Nan
You may be accustomed to driving 400 miles or more in a day in the United States. Once you enter Canada don't plan to drive more than 300 miles per day. Not only because the roads are worse, but because there is so much that you will want to stop and see. Once we entered Canada the whole trip was like driving through one continuous beautiful national park. With the exception of the stretch from Haines Junction to the border of Alaska the roads were really not that bad. However, that area was very bad. We came back the same way we went up except for cutting across the Glenallen Highway. We tried to overnight in different towns coming back than we had on our way up. That worked out nicely. We also worked in two and three day stops periodically so we could get some rest, do laundry, resupply, and sightsee. We had reservations at all the places we stayed, including Denali National Park. However, many people we talked to did not and they seldom had a problem finding a spot.
Thanks so much for all the great info. We have already purchased the Milepost. We plan on leaving around May 30th. We figure it will take us around 2 weeks to get to Canada. We live in San Diego. Our plans are to spend at least 50 or so days in Alaska. I took a look at the book on Alaska Camping and will definitely purchase it before our trip. Tom of Ypsi and Paul and Nan, hope to see and meet you along the way. We just purchased a Cyclone 3010 and taking it out for its first trip this weekend. Can't wait.
porthole
Retired
Could you explain?
Last year we took a trip to see the fall colors in New England. It was the longest trip we had ever made at almost two months and 7500 miles on the Big Horn and over 11,000 miles on the truck. I spent months planning it, and, like Chevy Chase in Vacation, had everything scheduled. We made a headlong rush to New England staying only one night at each stop along the way without unhooking. It was rush, rush, rush and made for a very hectic and stressful trip. Once we got to New England everything was fine because we stayed three or four nights in each place. For the trip to Alaska the CEO and Navigator (I stole that from someone on this forum and wish I knew who it was so I could thank them) ordered that I build in some down time. We would stay only one night at two or three places without unhooking, but then we would stay two or three nights at a destination that seemed to have alot to offer. Those stops were also dictated by the need to do laundry which was about every ten days. Doing the travel in this manner made the trip a part of the vacation rather than making the destination the only part of the vacation.
yondering
Retired-Full Timer
If you are not on a strict time frame, and enjoy different scenery, you may wish to go up the cassiar hwy ( 37 ) from Prince George , BC and rejoin the Alcan at Upper Laird, just west of Watson Lake in the Yukon Terr. It is a beautiful drive, has available fuel and food stops, and is a change of scenery. Come back by way of Alcan hwy, and you have been on two of the very few roads that go northwest to Alaska. Have a safe journey, and may God Bless you with travel mercy. Al Weaver, Marshall, Texas
bigredtruck
Well-known member
We learned our lesson as well for our 12 day trip from Vancouver to Anaheim and back. Next trip (to Central British Columbia) was travel every other day so we could at least see the place we were stopped in.
British Columbia is a beautiful place so make time to see it. I don't know that the roads are that bad, but definitely a lot 'hillier'. And fuel is further away from the refinery the further north you go, so logically more expensive (in addition to being subject to more CDN taxes then you can shake a stick at!)
We are retiring in May, so we are not on any schedule. Will look at the route you are suggesting.
airedale
Active Member
the milepost will become your bible......as someone said , from kluane lake to the alaskan border will destroy a fifth wheel if you are not very, very careful....when i went up in 07, i remember thinking every time i passed a fifth....i hope the h**l you dont have a rear kitchen....those that do will understand.......had a class a at the time and thought i destroyed it going over the 'top of the world'......alaska is georgeous and the pipe line has to be one of the wonders of the world ...followed it all the way to valdez and it just blew my mind.......on your way back, take the cassier from watson to new hazelton....well worth the trip....beautiful drive.......really wish i'd had a month or two........luck...
No rear kitchen. We have a toy hauler 5er. Thanks for the info. We plan on taking it slow and enjoying the scenery.
SmokeyBare
Well-known member
One Other Book To consider is written by Mike & Terri Church... the "Traveler's Guide to Alaskan Camping". It's very well written... and for us was much easier to follow than the MilePost.
Link: http://www.rollinghomes.com/alaska%20book.htm
We traveled through Banff and Jasper Provencial parks on the trip up... drove the Cassiar Highway from Prince George to Watson Lake... back tracking to Liard River Hot Springs... before continuing our trip to Alaska. On the return trip we came back by way of the Alaska Ferry System from Skagway to Prince Ruppert BC.
Have a great trip... take your time... and do it right.
Marv
Link: http://www.rollinghomes.com/alaska%20book.htm
We traveled through Banff and Jasper Provencial parks on the trip up... drove the Cassiar Highway from Prince George to Watson Lake... back tracking to Liard River Hot Springs... before continuing our trip to Alaska. On the return trip we came back by way of the Alaska Ferry System from Skagway to Prince Ruppert BC.
Have a great trip... take your time... and do it right.
Marv
gmpoirier
George
Our 2009 experience
We took a BH 3670 to Alaska last summer and absolutely loved the experience. Please take a look at our Journal at http://alaska.mpandgp.com.
Take a look at "The Trip" to see some exiting experiences and some great scenery.
The 300 miles/day recommendation is right on.
Also - the road from Burwash Landing, YT to the Alaska border is a challenge. Go slow and don't be afraid to use both lanes when you need to. Traffic won't be an issue. We went a bit to fast and discovered our freezer contents on the floor and our sofa 2 ft from the wall.
We arrived in Cooper Landing on the Kenai Peninsula with absolutely NO Bighorn problems. The RV was perfect.
Have a great trip.
We took a BH 3670 to Alaska last summer and absolutely loved the experience. Please take a look at our Journal at http://alaska.mpandgp.com.
Take a look at "The Trip" to see some exiting experiences and some great scenery.
The 300 miles/day recommendation is right on.
Also - the road from Burwash Landing, YT to the Alaska border is a challenge. Go slow and don't be afraid to use both lanes when you need to. Traffic won't be an issue. We went a bit to fast and discovered our freezer contents on the floor and our sofa 2 ft from the wall.
We arrived in Cooper Landing on the Kenai Peninsula with absolutely NO Bighorn problems. The RV was perfect.
Have a great trip.
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