Dave & Julie's Alaska Adventure
- Thread starter davebennington
- Start date
davebennington
Senior Member
Great minds think alike.
Dave
Dave
SouthernNights
Past South Carolina Chapter Leader
Gotto to ask-What is chain parking??
Love the pictures-thanks for the service you are doing in this thread. It's like enjoying Alaska with out the bugs.
Love the pictures-thanks for the service you are doing in this thread. It's like enjoying Alaska with out the bugs.
dieselsweetheart
Well-known member
Dave could you please take a photo of 11pm...I'd like to see how light it is out...(that's if you're still awake at that hour!).... We are going to be in AK in 6 weeks and I want to see what it's like when you say it's light there at night~
jmgratz
Original Owners Club Member
Isn't chain parking an area where you park if you have chains on your tires (like winter time)
Paul & Nan
Well-known member
When we were there last year it was full daylight at midnight. Get something to black out your bedroom windows if you have trouble sleeping when it is light outside. Nan
camr
Well-known member
Dave and Julie, we are absolutely loving this thread. Your pictures are great, and I feel we are almost there with you. The photo of Canada Customs looks very deceiving. I would have sworn that the unit would not have made it under the canopy, until I saw the photo of the height clearance sign. Thanks so vey much for sharing your trip with us.
Cam
Cam
davebennington
Senior Member
06-29-2011 Wednesday
We are now in Fort Nelson, BC, in a campground called Triple G hide a way. It is an OK campground but rather expensive in my opinion at $36.00 per night for full hookups (30 AMP, Sewer, Water) this prince is to include free WIFI and cable. No WIFI and you get 1 channel on cable.
There is one of the tours camped here also it looks like it is made up of about 18 rigs mostly big motor homes.
There is a museum of all old things next to the campground that has quite a few interesting things to see.
They have a lot of old cars that are un-restored but are in running condition and they will be in the parade on Canada day Friday.
The road from Dawson Creek for the most part is pretty good with just a few rough spots that are gravel. You need to slow down when you approach them. The scary part is the 8 and 10 percent down grades; even with the exhaust brake on I still had to gear down to second and once all the way down to first just to maintain a comfortable speed.
Julie is much happier now she saw more wildlife a fox and black bear made their presence known along the side of the road.
As I said before no WIFI in the campground so I am writing this on Thursday and will hopefully post on Friday when we get to someplace that we can get connected maybe the next campground. I will post a few pictures then also.
Dave
We are now in Fort Nelson, BC, in a campground called Triple G hide a way. It is an OK campground but rather expensive in my opinion at $36.00 per night for full hookups (30 AMP, Sewer, Water) this prince is to include free WIFI and cable. No WIFI and you get 1 channel on cable.
There is one of the tours camped here also it looks like it is made up of about 18 rigs mostly big motor homes.
There is a museum of all old things next to the campground that has quite a few interesting things to see.
They have a lot of old cars that are un-restored but are in running condition and they will be in the parade on Canada day Friday.
The road from Dawson Creek for the most part is pretty good with just a few rough spots that are gravel. You need to slow down when you approach them. The scary part is the 8 and 10 percent down grades; even with the exhaust brake on I still had to gear down to second and once all the way down to first just to maintain a comfortable speed.
Julie is much happier now she saw more wildlife a fox and black bear made their presence known along the side of the road.
As I said before no WIFI in the campground so I am writing this on Thursday and will hopefully post on Friday when we get to someplace that we can get connected maybe the next campground. I will post a few pictures then also.
Dave
davebennington
Senior Member
6-30-2011 Thursday
We are now in a place called Coal River, in the Coal River Campground, café, and Lodge.
This is truly in the middle of nowhere. We decided to eat at the Coal River Café a real culinary delightful place. Striking up a conversation with the owner she told us that anything north of Fort Nelson in British Columbia has to be on a generator. They have a big diesel powered generator and a 5000 liter tank that she has to fill 4 times a year and they are only open 5 months a year. These people are living on the edge. It is 110 miles to the nearest doctor.
We saw lots of critters today bear, buffalo, and caribou. The long up and down grades continue today, with rough roads also. Once we got to flatter road things got a lot smoother and we could make pretty good time.
If you are a person that likes to keep their rig and truck squeaky clean do not come to Alaska. The dirt is different then any other dirt that I have ever seen. It does not just wash off you have to really scrub.
Today’s post will be short as we have to be in the café to get on the WIFI. The WIFI is really slow here so pictures will have to wait until we get to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory.
I will load you up with pictures then, sorry.
While we were sitting here and eating dinner 4 buffalo walked by the front door of the café. The WIFI is so slow it makes the old phone line speed that I had seem fast .
More tomorrow
Dave
We are now in a place called Coal River, in the Coal River Campground, café, and Lodge.
This is truly in the middle of nowhere. We decided to eat at the Coal River Café a real culinary delightful place. Striking up a conversation with the owner she told us that anything north of Fort Nelson in British Columbia has to be on a generator. They have a big diesel powered generator and a 5000 liter tank that she has to fill 4 times a year and they are only open 5 months a year. These people are living on the edge. It is 110 miles to the nearest doctor.
We saw lots of critters today bear, buffalo, and caribou. The long up and down grades continue today, with rough roads also. Once we got to flatter road things got a lot smoother and we could make pretty good time.
If you are a person that likes to keep their rig and truck squeaky clean do not come to Alaska. The dirt is different then any other dirt that I have ever seen. It does not just wash off you have to really scrub.
Today’s post will be short as we have to be in the café to get on the WIFI. The WIFI is really slow here so pictures will have to wait until we get to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory.
I will load you up with pictures then, sorry.
While we were sitting here and eating dinner 4 buffalo walked by the front door of the café. The WIFI is so slow it makes the old phone line speed that I had seem fast .
More tomorrow
Dave
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floridarandy
Well-known member
here's the coal river campground website: http://www.coalminecampground.com/
and for us unretired dreamers a list of alaska highway campgrounds including coal river: http://www.karo-ent.com/index.htm
and for us unretired dreamers a list of alaska highway campgrounds including coal river: http://www.karo-ent.com/index.htm
davebennington
Senior Member
7-1-2011 Friday – Morning Update
I was up early this morning and I had a chance to talk with some of the folks working here. I watched as they switched from one generator to another (The generators run 24/7). They have 3 generators; 2 very large ones to handle the load during a busy and heavy time, 1 backing up the other and then another smaller one backing up the 2 when things are not very busy.
They have to do everything for themselves here. There is no one to call if the toilet backs up, if the phone does not work (they have their own phone system via satellite see photo, in later post). Supplies are trucked in once a week or you have to drive 110 miles to the nearest store and back.
In the states you have a county, state, or federal government to provide all kinds of “services”. The only thing the government does here is maintain the road and keep it clear in the winter, and these folks are not even here then. But the government stills want their 12% sales type tax from the people who live here.
They get 7 feet of snow at this place and the temps go as low as 60 below and that is Celsius.
Sometimes I think I would like to live like this, being off the grid so to speak, but then I realize that I am way too old for this kind of life.
Dave
I was up early this morning and I had a chance to talk with some of the folks working here. I watched as they switched from one generator to another (The generators run 24/7). They have 3 generators; 2 very large ones to handle the load during a busy and heavy time, 1 backing up the other and then another smaller one backing up the 2 when things are not very busy.
They have to do everything for themselves here. There is no one to call if the toilet backs up, if the phone does not work (they have their own phone system via satellite see photo, in later post). Supplies are trucked in once a week or you have to drive 110 miles to the nearest store and back.
In the states you have a county, state, or federal government to provide all kinds of “services”. The only thing the government does here is maintain the road and keep it clear in the winter, and these folks are not even here then. But the government stills want their 12% sales type tax from the people who live here.
They get 7 feet of snow at this place and the temps go as low as 60 below and that is Celsius.
Sometimes I think I would like to live like this, being off the grid so to speak, but then I realize that I am way too old for this kind of life.
Dave
davebennington
Senior Member
Randy,
I just read your post, the one that you posted on the forum is not the place we are at. that is in Yukon Territory ths campground is in BC.
This campground web site is www.coalriverlodge.com
Dave
I just read your post, the one that you posted on the forum is not the place we are at. that is in Yukon Territory ths campground is in BC.
This campground web site is www.coalriverlodge.com
Dave
davebennington
Senior Member
floridarandy
Well-known member
Dave - what kind of gas mileage are you getting? how much fuel do you carry and how far apart are gas stops?
Randy
Randy
davebennington
Senior Member
Randy, We carry 96 gallons of diesel on board. Our fuel mileage varies depending on conditions, ie... hills, wind and flat runs. Our best was from Calgary where we got 14.5. The worst ws SD and WY where we only got 9.5. Julie is keep a record of all expenses and we will post after we get home. Dave
davebennington
Senior Member
7-1-2011 Friday
We have left the boonies and now in semi-boonies. (LOL) We are at Watson Lake it was a short trip from Coal River. Today was a nice day temps in the 70’s and clear skies, near perfect day. Watson Lake is where the Sign Forest is located. We went over and took a few pictures, then crossed the street to the Northern Lights museum for an interesting show.
The campground is Downtown RV Park. It is a large flat gravel area with full hookups, and the WIFI was pretty good until a tour caravan showed up and hogged all of the WIFI band.
We went over and took a few pictures, then crossed the street to the Northern Lights museum for an interesting show.
Stone sheep are along the road, pesky little things herds of them, they won’t move until you are right on top of them. See pictures.
For anyone who is planning to come to Alaska one of the things you do is put a screen over your grille or at least over your radiator. Why you may ask? To keep the cotton wood floss from plugging it up.
Now all you have to do is clean the floss off the screen, the floss when it is in the air looks like snow or dandelion fuzz but a bit thicker, and there is so much of it will plug things up. Check your air filter also.
Will post more pictures when the WIFI clears.
Tomorrow we will on our way to White Horse, Yukon
Dave
We have left the boonies and now in semi-boonies. (LOL) We are at Watson Lake it was a short trip from Coal River. Today was a nice day temps in the 70’s and clear skies, near perfect day. Watson Lake is where the Sign Forest is located. We went over and took a few pictures, then crossed the street to the Northern Lights museum for an interesting show.
The campground is Downtown RV Park. It is a large flat gravel area with full hookups, and the WIFI was pretty good until a tour caravan showed up and hogged all of the WIFI band.
We went over and took a few pictures, then crossed the street to the Northern Lights museum for an interesting show.
Stone sheep are along the road, pesky little things herds of them, they won’t move until you are right on top of them. See pictures.
For anyone who is planning to come to Alaska one of the things you do is put a screen over your grille or at least over your radiator. Why you may ask? To keep the cotton wood floss from plugging it up.
Now all you have to do is clean the floss off the screen, the floss when it is in the air looks like snow or dandelion fuzz but a bit thicker, and there is so much of it will plug things up. Check your air filter also.
Will post more pictures when the WIFI clears.
Tomorrow we will on our way to White Horse, Yukon
Dave
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davebennington
Senior Member
Here are a few more pictures.These are from Fort Nelson,Ab to Coal River,Ab.
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TXBobcat
Fulltime
Dave
I have gone up an 8% grade in Montana, but never a 9 or 10% grade. How did you do on the 9 & 10% grades? What is your GCWR? You have a 4.10 rear end I have the 3.73 would probably make a difference.
How long were the grades? The one on I90 just south of Butte Montanna is an 8% grade for about 3 miles. I had no problem with it but it did drag me down to about 35mph. Going down doesn't bother me as much as going up some.
I had a 1983 Van that had a 305 CU engine pulling a Starcraft popup and just about didn't make it up one grade in Yellowstone.
BC
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