Popup and going to Alaska?

Would a pop up be OK traveling to Alaska? I am worried about bear attacks.
I am retiring any time now. Definitely after the first of the year. I presently own 2 vehicles, A Kia Soul and a 2500HD Chevy. The trunk would pull most anything that I would hook up to, but it is a 2003. Considering replacing it with something smaller and more fuel efficient. Thus going with something a lot lighter.
I have had pop ups in the past and had a motor-home. I presently have my father's motor-home, but it is older and needs a lot of work. Plus it doesn't like to pass up a gas station. That is why I am considering a lighter camper and a efficient tow vehicle. 
Any help about the safety of this trip would be greatly appreciated.

I made a motorcycle trip to Alaska some years ago and pulled a popup.  At some locations, in particular a state park in the Kenai, they would not allow soft-sided units to camp.  That is the only restrictions or problems we had on the 11,500 mile trip.

I once camped next to a couple just returning from Alaska, using an ALiner hard sided camper. It worked great for them. They are small and light-weight but acceptable in bear country. It might be an option to a traditional pop-up.

I think you would need to be extra careful about leaving any food in a soft-sided trailer.  Those bears are pretty smart and smell food from quite a distance away.  It would be a good idea to carry a bear-proof food storage container that can be kept away from the tent trailer.

ArdraF

UTTransplant said:

I once camped next to a couple just returning from Alaska, using an ALiner hard sided camper. It worked great for them. They are small and light-weight but acceptable in bear country. It might be an option to a traditional pop-up.

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Thanks. I briefly looked at the ALiner site. Need to spend more time there. Between a rock and a hard space presently. Have to replace my truck and don't know what to do. A big truck and fifth wheel doesn't appears not the best option at this time. Exploring light weight units and a smaller vehicle.
Like the Hi-Low campers as an option, but they don't make them no more. Haven't found the weight of these units yet.

The Aliner is a top quality unit. The fit and finish are better than the other options. They are speedy and you don't have all the niceties you might like but they are light, tough and tow well.
Sounds like your choice is large and costly to own and operate or small and easy to use and tow. We all face that question and I'm sure you will come to the correct decision.
Happy Holidays!

You haven't given alot of information to help us help you decide.
Are you married, single, animals to travel with you, etc.  I'm wondering when you say you have to replace your truck....why?  Have you considered buying  a used truck camper?  Are you planning to tow the Kia? If you did you could save a lot of money using it to explore rather than the truck and camper.  Are you planning to move to Alaska permanently, or is it just a vacation. A single person or even a couple would be just fine in a truck camper and you wouldn't be spending any more than you would for a pop-up.
Com'on back with a few more details.  There are even truck campers with 'slideouts' these days. Makes a big difference.

Gord

we have bears all the time here even had a 3yr old Grizzly hang out a the campsite one morning for a hour - so long at there is NO food in the trailer and i mean nothing and you cook outside and eat outside/inside  you will be fine. Last year when we were at Kaninaskis there were 8 Grizzly's in the Campsite and a Dozen Browns all milling around the Campsite is about 25-30 acres in size

steveblonde said:

we have bears all the time here even had a 3yr old Grizzly hang out a the campsite one morning for a hour - so long at there is NO food in the trailer and i mean nothing and you cook outside and eat outside/inside  you will be fine. Last year when we were at Kaninaskis there were 8 Grizzly's in the Campsite and a Dozen Browns all milling around the Campsite is about 25-30 acres in size

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That's where a couple of firecrackers would come in handy.

That is frowned upon during the fire season. Bears are a fact of life, go with what Steve said. Clean up thoroughly and put food away immediately after eating, there should be no issues. If they get too nosy, bear bangers are a safe effective way to discourage them.

We had a lot of fun and did a bunch of camping in our old pop ups, had 2 of them. The wife and I with our 4 teenagers camped at Canaan Valley in WV. The bears came right in to the campsites to raid garbage cans and what ever else they could get. I stepped out of the camper and a bear was at the other end of the picnic table messing with an empty cooler. Then he was behind the camper where the garbage can was hanging on a post, looking out of the plastic window and down on his back was a little scary, but pretty cool also. Quite an experience.

I lived most of my life in the Yukon and stayed in many campgrounds in just a tent as did a lot of other people.Never had a single problem with a bear in all that time. There's a huge difference between a bear that lives in a state park versus one that lives in open area. Ones in the park aren't scared of people because no one ever shoots at them where a regular old bear not in a park runs into you and it high tails it the other way with the exception if it's a sow with cubs. I've seen what a bear is capable of and if he wants in somewhere a little fiberglass or aluminum siding isn't going to stop him. I seen a grizzly rip the aluminum siding off a campshack plus the half inch plywood then crawl between two wall studs 16 inches apart to get a bacon greased filled frying pan on the stove. Be more scared of the mosquitoes they are worse then the bears up there..LOL

Bush

I was hiking a section of the Appalachian trail with a female friend and we kept passing another guy and two women. As night was coming we all decided to camp together and share food. Our tents were about six feet apart. After dinner John gather all the remains of our food in a sack and hung it from a high tree branch. We went to sleep around 10 pm. Shortly after that I heard John yelling and opened my tent flap to see a Huge black bear rummaging through our camp. One of the other girls left candy wrappers in her backpack and the bear ripped open several packs. When he was done with the packs he climbed the tree looking for our stash. We were watching him with flashlights. When he got to the branch he reached for the food and the tree broke! Tree, bear and food all came crashing down. Knocked the bear out! Now we're panicked! What will the bear do when he wakes up! (My friend watched the beginning of this and then went back to sleep missing most of the encounter) well the bear woke up shrugged it off and then ate most of our food, and then peed on everything before he left. After being sure the bear was gone the rest of us went to sleep. This was summer and I had the front and back of my tent open for some cross ventilation. About 6 am I heard a loud whooshing noise that sounded like a locomotive at the bottom of my tent. I looked down and saw the Bears nose poking in! He the quietly walked between the tents.  I think he was back for breakfast. John and I got out of our tents and started a ruckus and the bear took off running never to be seen again. We cleaned up the mess packed it all out and went home. Our trip ended two days early but we had a good story to tell.

Marshel said:

Like the Hi-Low campers as an option, but they don't make them no more. Haven't found the weight of these units yet.

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TrailManor makes collapsible trailers and recently came out with a straight up and down collapsible line like the old Hi-Lows.

Jim Johnson said:

I made a motorcycle trip to Alaska some years ago and pulled a popup.  At some locations, in particular a state park in the Kenai, they would not allow soft-sided units to camp.  That is the only restrictions or problems we had on the 11,500 mile trip.

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I'm not so sure that is still the case.  If it is I've never heard of it.
Lots of folks camp in tents throughout the state. As stated, proper food storage is a must.  As is anything with a smell.  8)

Derby6 said:

Lots of folks camp in tents throughout the state.

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And I would NOT be one of these folks.  :-\

It has been almost 15 years since we visited Alaska. However, at that time we did see postings that only hard sides campers were allowed.