Seen in the Alaska outback

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Chet18013

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We're now halfway along our trip up the Alaska Marine Highway. Taking the ferry from Port Angelus, WA to Haines, AK and getting off for 3-7 days at each ferry stop. We are presently spending 7 days at Petersburg, AK, a fishing community on an island about half way between Prince Rupert and Haines. This island, like all the islands has been heavily logged off and all the timber that is readily accessible is second growth. There is no active logging here now.

To import and setup the logging equipment is quite expensive, so the practice is to use the heavy equipment and then abandon it when the timber has been depleted. It's just to costly to move it out in many cases. We were exploring some of the US Forest Service access roads on the island and came across this equipment just sitting off to the side of the road. As near as I could find out it has been in this location for over 10 years. It certainly is covered with a well aged coat of rust.



 

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Chet18013 said:
We're now halfway along our trip up the Alaska Marine Highway. Taking the ferry from Port Angelus, WA to Haines, AK and getting off for 3-7 days at each ferry stop. We are presently spending 7 days at Petersburg, AK, a fishing community on an island about half way between Prince Rupert and Haines.

Sounds fun. Went up the inland passage, then Skagway-Whitehorse, then Alcan back down when I was a teenager, always wanted to go back.

Chet18013 said:
To import and setup the logging equipment is quite expensive, so the practice is to use the heavy equipment and then abandon it when the timber has been depleted. It's just to costly to move it out in many cases.

I find it so interesting that public land is leased at bargain rates to private companies that do quite well off the arrangement, but then argue that while there was plenty of money to move the equipment in, there just isn't enough to move it out, so it's dumped on public property so the next guy (you) gets to come across that instead of the wilderness that once was there. But if you're a backpacker, ya better pack it all out.
 
That is a real problem in isolated areas, it costs more to move than the equipment is worth. The equipment owners bring it across the line duty free on the understanding it not become available to Canadians once the contract is finished. One group salvaged some abandoned equipment in northern BC and sold it, Revenue Canada and the RCMP moved in to confiscate the money and the equipment as it wasn't theirs to sell.
 
Chet, I would really like to know how you planned your trip. It sounds like you just can't jump in the coach and take off to do Alaska with there being a limited number of RV sites.
 
Moebius said:
Chet, I would really like to know how you planned your trip. It sounds like you just can't jump in the coach and take off to do Alaska with there being a limited number of RV sites.

The only real planning we did was to make the ferry reservations in advance. We have (or soon will) stopped every ferry stop (except Skagway), starting at Port  Angeles, WA to Haines, AK. A total of 8 stops. The length of each stop was determined by the ferry schedules. For campgrounds along the way, we usually call 4-5 days ahead of expected arrival. We did reserve at Juneau, and Denali since these are the two places likely to be full all the time. The book "Alaska Camping by Mike & Terry Church and the Milepost are the two reference books you need. Also purchase the Alaskan Tour Saver coupon book. You usually save the cost of the coupon book in the first week. This is our second Alaska trip. We did the first trip, driving all the way without a single reservation and had no problems.

Be forewarned, the cost of the ferry going this way is not cheap, especially for us since we have a 45' coach.. We spent a week at each, Wrangell and Petersburg, and in hindsight, wish we'd allowed two weeks in each place. Neither is a stop for the major cruse ships, so you really get the local flavor. One way on the ferry, either coming or going, is a MUST.

BTW, we just arrived in Juneau last night. We're skipping Skagway this time because it is a major stop for the cruse ships and we were there for a week on our last trip. Cruse ship stops are mostly several blocks of tourist trap stores.
 
Chet 18013: Exactly as I want to do Alaska. Been told it will cost about 20K. About right?
 
Thanks for that info, Chet.

Chet18013 said:
The only real planning we did was to make the ferry reservations in advance. We have (or soon will) stopped every ferry stop (except Skagway), starting at Port  Angeles, WA to Haines, AK. A total of 8 stops. The length of each stop was determined by the ferry schedules. For campgrounds along the way, we usually call 4-5 days ahead of expected arrival. We did reserve at Juneau, and Denali since these are the two places likely to be full all the time. The book "Alaska Camping by Mike & Terry Church and the Milepost are the two reference books you need. Also purchase the Alaskan Tour Saver coupon book. You usually save the cost of the coupon book in the first week. This is our second Alaska trip. We did the first trip, driving all the way without a single reservation and had no problems.

Be forewarned, the cost of the ferry going this way is not cheap, especially for us since we have a 45' coach.. We spent a week at each, Wrangell and Petersburg, and in hindsight, wish we'd allowed two weeks in each place. Neither is a stop for the major cruse ships, so you really get the local flavor. One way on the ferry, either coming or going, is a MUST.

BTW, we just arrived in Juneau last night. We're skipping Skagway this time because it is a major stop for the cruse ships and we were there for a week on our last trip. Cruse ship stops are mostly several blocks of tourist trap stores.
 

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