Mile Zero to Alaska

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Henry Wishard

Henry Wishard

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Posts
381
Location
Texas
Margaret and I have been in Dawson Creek for the last 2 days. Rain has been falling off and on, mostly on. Gary and Andrea Phillips are camped next to us at Northern Lights RV park. Cost is $36.00 a night. We are moving on in the morning to Fort Nelson.
  We entered at the Sweet Water crossing with no problems, just a couple of questions after a 30 minute wait in line and we were on our way to Calgary. Stayed at the Calgary West @$46.20 a night and was the worst RV park I have ever been in. The next day we drove through Lake Louise and the Icefields. This is one of the most beautiful drives we have been on. Stayed 2 night at Whistlers National Park @ $38.20 a night. We have seen several bears and loads of wildlife.
 

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Beautiful pics Henry.  We are looking forward to following your travels thru Alaska.  It's that much better now that we can put a face with name following meeting you in Moab.  Keep the postings coming.  Happy travels!

Steve & Dee
 
Great pictures of the Ice Field and the bear. Wish that I was there. DW and I went about 10 years ago and wish that we could go again.
 
Dear Margaret and Henry...
Darn it, you're ahead of us too!  We're in Dubois WY right now, headed for the northlands also. We are headed for Yellowstone today, then Glacier, then up in Canada. Thanks for the warning about Calgary West CG...I had heard that was a decent place to stay in Calgary. Oh well...maybe we'll boondock at Walmart while there for 1 night. Love your posts....my DH Don already has his journal up and running. I am starting mine today on this site...  Hope perhaps we can link up somewhere in Alaska this summer.  Would be fun.  Klondike Susie (aka Salty Adventurer)
 
I am jealous. Alaska is still on my bucket list. I am sorry you disliked the Calgary West campground. I always use RV Park Reviews before checking into a campground or RV park. Calgary West gets terrible reviews:

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/Alberta/Calgary.html#CGID3360
 
Henry,

Just when I was about to send you a note to encourage you to do a travel log, here you are!

What are you using for voice and data? I took a lot of notes when SargeW went last year. We are considering doing a test run next year, but not all the way up while I am still working. Probably just do a little tour of Alberta.

Appreciate the notes and details - we like picking our parks with good information like yours.

Have fun!

Kim & Christi
 
Unfortunately Henry, Tom is right on.  There will be several campgrounds in Canada on the way to Alaska that are over priced and under cared for. Kind of nature of the beast.  RV Park reviews is a great site to get some inside information on the parks though. 

Just don't expect a lot, and you won't be too disappointed.
 
Stayed overnight at Fort Nelson triple G RV park. The spaces were large but I could never get on the WiFi. The next day we drove to Muncho lake and parked on the water for $16.00 per night at Macdonalds campground with no services but my favorite so far. After 2 days we moved on to Whitehorse stopping by Laird Hot Springs for a dip and the sign forest in Watson Lake.  Staying at the Hi Country RV Park tonight at $36.00 with small space but I am happy, I have Internet  We took Sarge's advise and went to the Klondike Rib and Salmon BBQ tonight. The service was great the food was good. Tomorrow we will do some shopping and the Follies.
  The roads were fair and only had about 7 miles of gravel roads between Lake Watson and Whitehorse. There was no rain today but the highway dept. wet the gravel down to hold down the dust and the Jeep and RV is covered with mud.
  As for internet and phone service we have none until be arrive at an RV park with Wifi service. I can text on my AT&T for 50 cents each and have a phone calling card. When I get to Alaska I will then have my Hot Spot and phone service restored. I am not trying to write a book just a friendly report on our trip.
  I would like to thank  Sarge, Betty and Marsha for all the help from their post, sure makes traveling to Alaska a lot easier.
 
 

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Henry Wishard said:
  I would like to thank  Sarge, Betty and Marsha for all the help from their post, sure makes traveling to Alaska a lot easier.
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Hey Henry,

You're welcome.  I did the  daily journal  to recall what I had done and hopefully to assist others.  Glad to be of help. I hope you give a report whenever you  get a signal.  We love to hear how much you enjoy the country side. It gives me a chance to relive the  journey!
 
Henry Wishard said:
Tomorrow we will do some shopping and the Follies.
 
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I hope you get a chance to see the big eagle's nest.  As you come from your RV park to downtown Whitehorse, there's the river and a small, unmarked pull-out (maybe room for 3 cars) before you get to the SSKlondike.  As you face the Yukon River, the tree with this huge nest is on your left.  The eagles may be in it, or they also perch on the side of a cliff on the left side of the road, at ground level.  They were always in the area from 9:00-11:00 in the evening.  Look on the light poles and flying over the river, too.  We never saw them there during the day.  That nest must weigh over a ton, and has been there for many years.  Russ told us about it, and he accompanied Betty, but it had been there for his earlier trips, too.  Hope you get to see them.

I hope you get to see the fascinating Beringia Interpretive Center.  Murdock's Gem Shop and the gift shop across from the MacBridge Museum gave the true exchange rate and had interesting pieces (variety of goods, not just gems). 
 
Thanks for the information on the Eagle and we will check it out this evening on our way to the Follies. How far behind us are you guys? I don't know if you know Gary and Andrea Phillips but they are forum members we met in Moab and we touch base with them on there way. They are here next to us in Whitehorse at the Hi Country RV Park. Woke up this morning to alarms going off, the park lost one leg on their 30 amp service and my RV battery went way down. Not good. 
 
Henry Wishard said:
Woke up this morning to alarms going off, the park lost one leg on their 30 amp service and my RV battery went way down. Not good.
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I really hope you get to see the eagles--there were 2 when we were there.  We'll be in Whitehorse in 4-5 days.  We're going through it going and coming, so we may stay just 2 days on our way up.  We don't know the Phillips, but we'd love to meet you all.  We had reservations so we could renew old friendships and meet  Alaska-bound friends in Moab, but our dentist nixed our plans--said I had to get a crown taken care of.  Whitehorse is not where you want to have problems.  We were there for over a week waiting for a part for our inverter 4 years ago. Their mail system and package delivery leaves a LOT to be desired.  Hope you have good power and battery works well tonight.  Happy trails!
 
I second the Beringia museum.  Fascinating place.  I think that's where we had fireweed jelly in the caf? and it was really good.  And almost next door is a transportation museum that includes everything from dog sleds to float planes to trains.  Tell Andrea and Gary we said hello.

ArdraF
 
We went to the Follies tonight and looked for the eagle both coming and going with no luck. Maybe on the way back we can catch the eagle and the museum. The electrical problem was the parks and there is a line on empty spots by me tonight. It effected 4 spaces and luckily nothing was harmed on our rig. Maybe we can meet up with Dean & Linda a little further down the line.
    Ardra, I will tell the Phillips you said hello. We are heading out in the morning and don't know where we will land tomorrow evening. One of the locals said there was some problems around Dawson City with flooding. 
 
Henry,

Hope you have a great time in Alaska. Really sorry we missed you at Yellowstone. I did send a message that I received your note and was sad we were not there when you and Margaret visited.
 
  I am always glad to meet forum members, they are so informative. So full of information especially on this long adventure we are on. I don't know where we would be if it wasn't for Betty, Marsha and Sarge's Journals. Not only helpful but can save you money, time and we enjoy having 3 different point of view.
  Jim I did receive your note and wish Margaret and I could could have met you while in Yellowstone. Maybe in Quartzsite or Moab next year.
 
Henry,

I'm afraid we won't be able to see you in QZ or Moab. We have to go back to FL this coming winter and Moab is after the store opens.  :(
 
  Maybe one day we will catch you at one of the stores, who knows since we are going to be on the move. We spent the night at White River Lodge and RV park. Enjoyed it and the owners are great people! Sarge was right on about Bob, he is a real character . Taking me fishing this evening.They had some generator problem last night but I never knew anything about it until this morning. Sarge,I haven't been around the fire pit yet but I believe after Bob and I go fishing it's going to be a long night.
    The road from Whitehorse was a little rough in some places and smooth in others, just keep your eyes on the swells  in the road for some of them is not marked.
 
SeilerBird said:
I am jealous. Alaska is still on my bucket list. I am sorry you disliked the Calgary West campground. I always use RV Park Reviews before checking into a campground or RV park. Calgary West gets terrible reviews:

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/Alberta/Calgary.html#CGID3360
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For what it is worth, I find these comments on Calgary to be embarrassing.  I stayed in that Calgary West Campground way back in '95 and it was just as bad then.  So, I have punched off an email to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce with a link to Tom's above posted link.  I added that if they want Americans to stop in their 'beautiful city' they better get their act in order and police a few of the Campground owners who are their source of bad impressions.  Thanks to you guys and your reviews, I'm not stopping in Calgary on my way east this year.
Thankfully, not all of Canada and certainly not all of Alberta put up such an unpleasant experience for travelers.

Gord
 
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