Alaska Trip Planning: Looking for Some Advice

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Gizmo

Gizmo

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Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Posts
1,813
Location
Bellingham,WA
We are planning our first ever trip to Alaska for 2020.  Our plans are written in jelly right now, but as of now we are likely to leave the US early June.  Recognizing Alaska is a huge state, we want to primarily visit Denali, Kenai Peninsula and see whatever is along the way. 

My first question is: I spoke with someone yesterday who also is planning a trip to Alaska, and they were told it is not advisable to head to Alaska from Spokane, WA because there is a very steep climb along that route and brutal on RV's or trucks pulling trailers, is this true?  We have pulled our 35' 5th wheel up and down a few 7% grades, but have not done anything steeper than 7%, without issues.  We are not sure yet where we will be prior to leaving for Alaska, but Spokane, WA, Coeur d'Alene, ID and the coast of Oregon and WA are likely to be where we will start from.

My second question concerns campgrounds in Denali.  I looked on the Denali website and noted a couple that can accommodate RV's, but no good descriptions of each campground to determine which location might be the nicest, convenient etc. So looking for some intel on the campgrounds in Denali that accommodate RV's.
 
There is a great FB group called RVing to Alaska 2020 and the corresponding 2019 group for historical info. The Shorts (Vicki and Mark) on this group recommended them to me. You also need a copy of The Milepost, the classic guidebook. It comes out each year in March, but the 2019 book is still amazingly helpful. We are hoping to do the same trip in 2020. 
 
There are a few good YouTube channels that I found very entertaining and informative:

Long Long Honeymoon, Keep Your Daydream, Less Junk More Money, Find Your Someday.

These folks all pulled Travel Trailers. I am sure there are others. I am not trying to promote any particular channel - just offering potential resources.
 
Thank you for the suggestions.  We are not on FB but will check out the You Tube videos and have just ordered the MilePost which looks like a good recommendation.
 
The forums own Sarge made the trip a couple years back and has a post here "Alaska just the facts"

RV-dreams.com did the trip this year and have a daily blog, with lots of pictures.

 
We have been to Alaska twice. The second trip was the best . We started from Port Angles, WA and took the ferry to Victoria Island, drove to the north of the island to Port Hardy, took the ferry to Prince Rupert. There we got on the Alaska Ferry and got off on every island stop for 3 to 6 days.  Did this all the way to Haines. We did this in a 45' motorhome and towed a Jeep. Didn't make a single reservation-except the ferry- and had no trouble. Our first trip was up the Alaska Hwy and back on the Cassiar. I think the ferry and seeing the islands is a must, especially the islands where the cruse ships do NOT stop.

You must get a copy of the Alaska milepost. Also get an Alaska coupon book.
https://www.themilepost.com/
https://www.toursaver.com/

The weather is a crap shoot. Our first trip had no rain, but the second one had three weeks of rain. Top of the World hwy in the rain is no fun.

On your return trip I recommend the Cassiar Hwy going south through BC. It is now paved all the way. Once you are south of Prince Rupert, plan a stop for at least three days at Barkerville, BC. http://www.barkerville.com/. We planned a one day stop and ended up staying three. A fabulous place.
 
We went this year and did the Alaska Highway up and the Cassair Highway back. We crossed the border just before Memorial Day about the third week of May and was ahead of a snow storm that came in to Canada a week or two later. We also bought the milepost and the TourSaver coupon book. We caught the TourSaver on sale I think around this time of year for the next season. It was maybe $20 off. You might watch for it to go on sale. Most all of the coupons are buy one get one free, so as long as there are two of you, it is worth the money. We definitely got our money?s worth and more.

Hope you have a great trip!
Vicki
 
There are several trip reports in the RVForum Library on members trips to AK.  Some are a decade old, but much of it is still relevant. The scenery hasn't changed, but I hear the internet & cell service is better.
 
Also check out pauhana travels on YouTube. About 80 sequential videos of their 2018 trip to Alaska. Well done and informative.
 
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