Going to Alaska next summer and have some questions....

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SargeW

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I have read up on things you can and can't take into Canada, and the need for a passport. My questions are more about the timing of entering into Canada, and heading to our eventual destination of Alaska. How late in the year could I safely enter Canada and head to Alaska without the danger of campgrounds starting to close on me? 

I don't like blasting through and prefer to take a leisurely pace, stopping for 2-3 days between driving days.  Figure to spend a a couple of weeks touring in Alaska and head back. I don't want to have to race back to avoid closed campgrounds or snowstorms. 

We have planned to enter Canada in Blaine WA, the first week of August and head up the Alaskan highway, an probably return on the Casair highway.  Will we have time to do that? 

I appreciate any advice or comments regarding travel and campgrounds to hit or avoid. We will have a copy of the Milepost when we go, so we will have the basic information. 

Thanks! Sarge
 
I'm sure this varies year to year, but in 2000 we left Great Falls, MT on May 24 and returned to Coeur d'Alene, ID on about August 15.  We enjoyed exceptional weather and never felt rushed.  We went up the Alcan to Fairbanks, crossed through Denali, explored the Kenai Peninsula and returned via the Casiar. 

I'm not sure leaving in August would afford you enough time to truly enjoy the wonderful trip.

Margi
 
Well, the start of the Alaska Highway is way over in Alberta but you don't need to go that far to the east.  Unless you also want to visit Jasper and Banff which you might as well if you're coming up our way. 

If you are coming down Cassiar you will want to see the Bear Glacier which is a bit to the west on Highway 37A.  There was a posting here a while back talking about now nice it still is.  If you go to Google Earth and search on Bear Glacier Park, BC you'll find it.  Zoom out a bit and look north and you'll see lots of photos of the glacier.  Google Streetview also works there.  My hint would be to visit that as late in the summer as possible so more snow melts so you can see the beauty of the blue ice.

Hmm, just looking at the photos.  It's much, much smaller than I remember from 1981.  (I spent five years one loong winter working in Stewart.  :)  Didn't see the sun from October to Aprli.)

You can continue on to enjoy the unique charms of Hyder, AK.  In 1980 US Customs had a shack but only had someone there on July 4th.

Also why cross at Blaine unless you want to visit Vancouver?  Wait times there be legendary.  If you're going east cross at Sumas/Abbotsford.
 
We have driven up 3 times and the best trip of all was when we left Wyoming for Alaska in mid-August. As we were going up, everybody else was headed south! We had no problems with campgrounds, and it was really a treat not to have to fight the crowds. We had great weather and did not get back to Wyoming until about mid-October. We did what you mentioned - up the Alaska Highway and down the Cassiar. On the Cassiar, be sure to stop for an overnight stay at Meziadin Lake - we had a site right on the water's edge.
 
You cannot begin to see Alaska in a couple of weeks. Heck, it takes a week to get there from Blaine, and that is not at a leisurely pace. Remember that Alaska is 3x larger than Texas, and there is something like 1500 miles of BC and Yukon to cross to get to Alaska proper (not the panhandle).  Even a month is a quick trip to see a few of the highlights. We spent 9 weeks and never made it to Fairbanks or Denali, two of the major destinations. ANd there is as much to see and do in BC & Yukon as in Alaska, plus the delights of Hyder in the panhandle.
 
Sarge, we are going next summer also. Look over your milepost, great info. Look at the vehicle prep section. I recommend the screening for the bottom of the MH to prevent street sweeping, lots of gravel with road repairs etc.
We are planning app. 6 k miles and 6 weeks to do it in, starting at milepost 1. Haven't finished our route yet but will share it if you want.
They say the rain and mosquitoes are worse as it gets later in summer so some start their trip in June. The few short times I have been there I couldn't tell the difference.
 
Do read the trip logs that several of us have put in the forum library.  It will give you an idea of how long it takes to see many parts of AK as well as the places on the way up and back.  We spent 99 days on our trip and didn't see everything.
 
I think you need a minimum of six weeks within Alaska itself.  We hit Alaska on June 1st and were there for almost two months.  That was a tad early because many things don't open for the season until mid-June.  As Gary mentioned, the distances are huge!  On our second trip we drove to Prince Rupert, took the Alaska ferry to Skagway, then went up to Dawson City in the Yukon Territory (five days there), crossed the Yukon River to Chicken AK, down to Tok, across to Fairbanks, down to Denali, Homer on the Kenai peninsula, Anchorage, and back through Tok and Valdez.  We returned on the Alcan and down the Cassiar to Stewart and Hyder before Banff and the Icefields Parkway.

Getting a copy of the Milepost is mandatory so you know what you're looking at and see those big distances.  There used to be one for the Pacific Northwest in addition to the Alaska edition.  Also, there's a lot to see and do before even getting to Alaska.  BC has the world's second largest aluminum smelter and you can tour it.  They also had a number of different lumber-related mills we toured - oriented strand board, finger joining, lumber cutting, etc.  The area that stretches from Seattle to Dawson City is an international park devoted to the Yukon gold rush.  The Alaska pipeline is interesting.  Between seeing all the manmade things and all that Mother Nature has to offer in the way of scenery, wildlife, glaciers, and such you'd be hard-pressed to see it all in a short time.

You might want to go to an army surplus store and get mosquito hats to protect yourself from Alaska's state "bird", especially at places like Denali.  Alaska's a beautiful and interesting place so you should enjoy it.  But, as the natives say, if the Fireweed is nearing the top of its stalk it's time to go south and that can happen pretty early.  By the way, on two trips the only reservations we ever made were at the end of the ferry ride so we'd know there was a place to stay on arrival.

ArdraF
 
Here
SargeW said:
OK, gotta ask. "Fireweed"??

Here's what it looks like.  When the red tops start shrinking, it's time to head south.
 

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Sarge, we were going to go Alaska this summer (2011), then we damaged the sides of the coach, so we are going next year.  In our planning we decided to get to Alaska about the first of July and stay until the first of September or longer, depending on the fireweed  ;) .  That's really only 8 weeks and I'm not sure that would have been long enough.  Our thinking was it's a long way there and we wanted to see and do as much as we could.  Plus we wanted to take our time actually getting there and returning. 

Next summer (2012) we plan on trying for Alaska again and will be leaving central California the middle of May heading up the coast and spending time in the Northwest (Seattle, Mt Olympus etc) then a bunch of time in BC. 

One of the things we learned on our Labrador/Newfoundland /Maritimes trip was that we literally ran out of time.  We had such a great time in Newfoundland that we stretched a 2 week trip into a one month trip just because we loved it so much.

It looks like there will be a number of RVForum members up in Alaska in 2012.  We need to plan a mini-rally at some point.

My dream in Alaska is to park the rig next to a river and fly fish to my heart's content!

Marsha~
 
When we went in 2002 (wow - didn't realize it was that long ago!), we spent 4th of July in Hyder (panhandle) and then headed to the main Alaska border. We were back in Hyder for 9/11, so just shy of 8 weeks in Alaska & Yukon (cause you have to include the Top of the World Hwy & Dawson City,YK and Chicken, AK in any tour). We stayed 3-5 days in many splendid places, so ran out of time.  Would try to get there a few days earlier if we were to do it again.

And you don't want to stay late - fuel stations and restaurants along the Alaska Hwy start shutting down right after Labor Day. Not just closed - they have sold out of fuel and food.
 
Proofreader at work:  2002 ?    9/11 was in 2001. Where you in 2001?

Couldn't resist.

Your mentor/tormentor.... Carson

 
There was a Sept. 11 in 2002, as there is in every year.
 
Fireweed jelly is very good.  Had some at a museum cafe, maybe in Whitehorse?  Glad I tried it.

ArdraF
 
OOPS, as usual, my imagination has run amok.  Getting old is the pits....it's very difficult to catch you with any mistakes.

  Carry on, my friend.

Carson FL
 
Carson, imagination is good, keep on using it.  It will keep you young.
 

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