Alaska Trip - Advice Needed

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jbriggs

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Oct 26, 2005
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Hello fellow RVers.

My husband and I are planning a trip to Alaska - one way driving "the" highway; the other, coming back to Haines/Sitka and catching the Alaska Ferry System.

We are trying to figure out if we take a brand new GMC truck and 30 ft. Airstream on the paved/gravel roads going up, or if we should take our 1993 suburban and stay in hotels.  We've checked out renting a van, RV, etc., but it is cheaper to actually stay in hotels.

It has been 20+ years since we've headed that direction . . . I remember logging trucks, flying rocks, BIG potholes in the Yukon, etc.

Any/all advice appreciated!

 
Our RV trip to Alaska was the trip of a lifetime (Well one of them, we are going back). We can give you some tips on protecting the truck's finish and windows are insured. ::)
 
Sounds good, Jeff.  We would be interested in ways to protect the truck.
 
Hey Jbriggs,

Look in our RVForum library under Journals, Trip Reports,  Logs.  Brewers in Alaska 2006.  We took our  40 ft  motorhome with  toad  on almost every road. We always watched our speed.  Sometimes we had to go even slower.  We never had to replace a windsheild for any rocks except when we returned and got a rock chip in Montana. 
We found the condition of the  roads varies greatly  from one season to the next.  SO any advice  you may get on a road from more than a week or so ago is subject to change.  We often asked a trucker coming from the direction we were heading about the roads.  They knew!  We had these discussions at fuel stops. We encountered a bunch of  road construction repair and  we were lucky if it had just been completed and unlucky if it was in progress.  Roads are  like weather  in that you can't do much about them!

I would always MUCH rather stay in  my RV than in a hotel.  Sometimes we  camped out where there were no hotels.  We did make lots of side trips in our car too. If you have a new truck and an Airstream, I say use them! 

Betty
 
The first stop is Lowes or Home Depot for a roll of carpet protector. This is a 50 yard roll of clear plastic that is used to protect carpets in demo homes and RVs. IIRC the cost was $25.00 or so. It has a slightly sticky side that comes off easily without damaging the paint. I covered the front and left side of the m/h up to the windows with a double layer over the lights. Just run it across the grill and cut slits to create airflow.  This stuff starts looking pretty bad after a few weeks but it goes on easy with two people and the roll was enough for three applications. Be sure to cover the front of the left side mirror. You could also run a layer across the front of the Airstream.

Next is a roll of light gauge wire mesh to protect the grill and to cover the bottom of the engine compartment from rocks coming off the road.

I'm sure others will chime in here.
 
We took our 40' 2008 Monaco Diplomat (with Jeep Liberty toad) up on the ferry from Prince Rupert in June with stops in Ketchican, Wrangell, Sitka, Juneau, and Haines, and drove back down the highway at the end of July.  We put a Protect-A-Tow on in Prince George to help the Jeep, and it did just fine.  We did pick up four little rock chips on the highway, and had to take it pretty easy around Destruction Bay due to the frost heaves, but nothing unexpected.  Go for it!
 
On our second trip - at least 15 years ago! - we also took the ferry from Prince Rupert and drove the Alcan back.  The primary roads in Alaska are paved for the most part.  We were actually able to make better time in some cases on the hard-packed part of the Canadian portion because it doesn't have frost heaves like the paved parts.  As Betty said, it all depends on the construction and whether a part of the road is almost ready to be worked on or if it's been completed recently.  Just go slower.  Protective films are worth their price, although the only thing we had break on two trips was a tie rod (I think) that was welded in Tok and permanently fixed.  I'd certainly take my RV!  I want my own bed, food, and choice of places to sleep at night without worrying about reservations, making schedules, packing and unpacking luggage, and hotel food.  Just to name a few.  Having your own RV means you can make unscheduled stops at the most wonderful places - like on the Icefields Parkway where we rode out onto the glacier in a SnoCat.  We didn't know about it before getting there and were glad we could stop and enjoy ourselves.  Motel/car traveling is too restrictive for us!  By the way, what's the point of having an RV if you're afraid of getting a few dings?  It's meant for recreation, not perfection.  Things happen everywhere and I certainly wouldn't let that get in my way of enjoying the experience.

ArdraF
 
We just returned from a 4 month trip to Alaska driving a 2008 chev truck and pulling a 31' 5th wheel up and back to Alaska - 17,000+ miles.  We had NO problems except a flat tire on the truck up in Prudhoe Bay.  We LOVED staying in our own place, as opposed to hotel and unpacking, etc.  Aver campground cost was $27, and by cooking our meals, we saved a lot as well over hotels and eating out.  I would recommend taking your Airstream- have just finished cleaning the truck and camper and have found no damage, and we drove everywhere!  Have a great time and enjoy the trip.
 
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