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

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4ducksrus said:
We too were planning on getting to Alaska in the near future...not sure if next year or the following.  My DH is worried about taking our MH to Alaska.  He's heard horror stories about the damage done to the paint of both the MH and the toad.  Since many of you have gone up there in the past few years what are your thoughts about this?  Heard somewhere that the roads have been improved??
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Every year the roads will be different depending on  the kind of winter they had to endure.  We found the most reliable info on highways to be the truckers at the fuel stops who had just come from the direction we were going.  We found bumpy roads and the secret was to go really slow.  You can't  do the speeds you usually do.  Bumpy road speeds for us were between 20 and 35 mph.  So plan routes accordingly and allow plenty of time.  Most stretches of bad road only lasted a  few miles.  I woud never avoid Alaska because of roads.
 
I agree. My rig already has the 3M mask on the front end. And I have already fixed a window chip that I got driving in the mid west somewhere.  As for the Jeep, it spends lots of time on gravel roads already. I wouldn't miss one of the most spectacular RV trips in the country worrying about paint chips. I get em in the lower 48.  Just take some reasonable precautions and go for it.
 
Mikie,

The reason you have an RV is to be able to take it places like Alaska and Canada.  They're both wonderful places to visit!  Yes, there are the occasional horror stories, but those happen everywhere.  Like the others said, take reasonable precautions and slow down on roads with frost heaves.  The biggest road problems are during construction and of course that's when we from the Lower 48 travel up there.  Construction areas are just like here when they replace a road - lots of gravel to contend with.  But I'd never even think of not going because the RV might get a rock chip or have something break!

Take your motorhome to Alaska and have the time of your life!

ArdraF
 
We just left Alaska about a week ago. We had a great time even though it was kind of cool and wet this year. We entered Canada in the middle of July ,spent about three weeks in Canada then onto Alaska for about a month. We would have stayed longer but it was getting pretty cold. The fall leaves were spectacular!

We did the loop backwards - Cassiar Hwy -Whitehorse-Skagway-Haines-Fairbanks-Anchorage-Kenai Pennsula-Dawson City-Whitehorse-Watson Lake-Dawson Creek - with some side trips. Most of the time we had the roads almost to ourselves , the same with public campgrounds. Even  staying past tourist season we found that there were still enough campgrounds and dump stations opened that it wasn't a problem. You do have to fill your tank at every opportunity because some of the tiny gas station/campground/stores along more remote sections of the highways do close early. Some have gone out of business so you can't count on old information.
 
Yes , we always travel with full tanks. Our fresh lasts for 4-5 days , by then we have to dump anyway. We usually dry camp at public campgrounds or boondock. Dump stations aren't a problem because most towns have a city owned one or a gas station with one.
 
So did you travel with full water tanks most of the time?
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I always keep my fresh tank full also. More out of habit than anything as we stay in CG's more than we boondock. I just assumed most folks did this also but maybe not. Guess it's just the way I learned but I thought it's better to keep water moving through the fresh water system/pump and use the hook-up pretty much for just refilling the tank. If we are staying in one place for 2 or 3 days then I will usually hook up the water.
 
In the lower 48 I usually only run with about 20% fresh water. With a 100 gallon fresh capacity that is a lot of weight to haul around "just in case". I am assuming that there will be some significant grades on the way north? 
 
SargeW said:
In the lower 48 I usually only run with about 20% fresh water. With a 100 gallon fresh capacity that is a lot of weight to haul around "just in case". I am assuming that there will be some significant grades on the way north? 
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  Looking at the map going North, it must be uphill all the way to the North Pole. Then from there it is all downhill again going South.  You have to have a weird mind to understand that, like I have.  ;) ;D

Carson
 
In the lower 48 I usually only run with about 20% fresh water. With a 100 gallon fresh capacity that is a lot of weight to haul around "just in case"
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Heck, two of my fat friends will weigh more than that water, certainly no mpg difference on a 28k lb rig!  ;D

Looking at the map going North, it must be uphill all the way to the North Pole. Then from there it is all downhill again going South.  You have to have a weird mind to understand that, like I have.     
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I?m only checking my fuel mileage on the way back then. Always wanted a Cat that gets about 25 mpg! ;D
 
One reference book that we found very useful during our two trips to Alaska was Alaskan Camping by Mike and Terri Church, it does a much better job of rating campgrounds than does the Milepost. I too would suggest at least 2 months in Alaska, there is just so much to see. One of the highlights of our trip was Denali, I certainly would recommend camping at Teklanika River Campground and using the shuttle buses to see the park.
 
Tough winter up here this year~4th largest snowfall ever recorded in Anchorage thus far.  With about 2' exceeding #1 and it not even being March yet, I am sure we will make 2nd or 3rd largest snowfall ever recorded in Anchorage and maybe even beat the record.

Marsha/CA said:
My dream in Alaska is to park the rig next to a river and fly fish to my heart's content!
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Well if you do this on the Russian River the First week of Aug, let me know.  I am there every year that time.
 
Did the 11 day inner passage cruise 12 yrs ago ..
Planning on driving it next year - leaving on the trip 3rd week in May 2013, hit Alaska arounf June 1st, spend 2 months there, then 2 weeks coming down the N and NE route of CN.......... 
Have several trips yet between now and end of year but then I need to get started with gathering info from those of you that have done it already and start planning ours ...
 
SargeW said:
OK, gotta ask. "Fireweed"??
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Sarge when you get into BC on your way north, look for Fireweed Honey when you stop for provisions. It's the only honey I like anymore. Absolutely wonderful stuff to use for toast and stuff like that.

Dennis
 
Just wanted to say that I have found this thread and others very entertaining and very helpful as I plan my own trip to Alaska. I will be leaving around the first week of May 2014 on my first Alaska trip from Niagara Falls then heading north toward the Northwest Territories. I plan to stop and visit everything in between before heading on to the Yukon and then Alaska. I had originally planned 2-3 months but see now that I will need more time. When does the snow start to fly up that way??  :D

BTW ... has anyone every driven up to Barrow during their trips?? I understand that some have but it can be a challenging trip with the large trucks and gravel/stone roads etc.

I am doing my Maritime Province and Newfoundland trip next year and have planned upwards of 3 months for that ... more if necessary. That's the nice thing about being on my own and retired. Time is not an issue.  ;)

Thanks again for some great information ... I'm heading to the "Library" shortly to check out some of the info there.

Karsty
 
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