ALASKA----FIRST TRIP - RV-Dreams Community Forum

charles · RV-Dreams Family Member

ALASKA----FIRST TRIP

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

You don't need either the rock screen nor the sewer wrap. It's a toss up on GS or Passport, we have both. Only comment would be that it's a long trip for only 6 weeks up there. If possible, I would recommend May 1 and Sept 30. I would also recommend getting the Church book, it's better than MP for campgrounds.

Have a wonderful time, it's the trip of a lifetime. We're planning on returning next year or 12.

-- Edited by Luvglass on Tuesday 2nd of November 2010 01:09:18 AM

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

No, you don’t need a rock screen on the radiator
No, you don’t have to worry about freezing anything with those dates.
IMO, no you don’t need “extra” spare tires. One for the truck and one for the trailer should be fine.
Plan on driving much slower once you get into the upper Yukon and for a ways into Alaska. The trip from Beaver Creek to the Alaska boarder is “very interesting.” Not a big problem, just drive slow due to the potholes. It’s all about using common sense and remembering “this isn’t Kansas anymore Toto.”
There are excellent roads and services from the border up from I-15 to Dawson Creek, BC, the beginning of the Alcan. You can make good time to Dawson Creek assuming your going the Alcan from the beginning in Dawson Creek, BC
We highly recommend coming back through Prince George, BC and then down the Ice Fields Hiway through Banff, etc. It is a great drive. Don’t assume you can show up at 5PM and find a site there either during the prime season which you are going to be traveling within.
IMO, you will enjoy the trip more if you have an aux fuel tank. No you don’t have to have it. But it just is soooo much nicer and less of a stress when you can have more than 30-40 gallons of fuel. (One of my buddies almost ran out carrying 34 gallons and that was in a diesel pickup. Not all stations are always open. And some are VERY expensive and it’s nice to just pass them with confidence.)
Good Sam in our opinion because of where you will be traveling. (It’s all about where the campgrounds are and where you are going on the trip, not the quality of the organization one way or another.)
Been there, done the trip (this year) with the equipment below in the sig. Not one equipment problem. Great rig – truck and 5’er. We did have a MOR-ryde Independent Suspension on the 5’er. Worth every penny in our opinion including the DW’s.
If you interested in more current information, PM me and we’ll give you all we can including some other suggestions. . We made the 3 month trip this year including the Alcan, all the way to Valdez, Seward, the Kenai, above the Arctic Circle, etc. that totaled, for us, 14,200 miles. Of that 11,700 was towing. So we’ll share some recent experiences should they be helpful.
You will LOVE it if you like a little adventure. If you are a 50 amp full hook up resort type person, forgetaboutit. {Grin} But big rigs are not a big problem – but you have to plan ahead IMO.

Safe travels
Bill

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

You can read the overview of our 2006 trip here, http://www.sacnoth.com/2006/AlaskaGuide1/AlaskaGuide1.htm. At the bottom it has links to the start and end of our actual travels. We were on the road in Canada and Alaska for 89 nights and 53 of those were in Alaska.

JackieandTony · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would sincerely second what Fred said about your dates. We left mid-May to end of September and wished we had even left a week or two earlier. There were plenty of RV parks that opened at the beginning of May, besides in Canada and Alaska there are many, many gravel pits and pull overs where you can stay the night.

This is going to be the trip of a lifetime for you I am sure - if you would like to read about our trip just click on our blog below and start at post dated May 13th 2007. Enjoy!!!!

charles · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jackie and Tony,
Did you leave from Tampa in mid may?
How long did you take to get to BC?
BC border with US to Alaska?
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
We really appreciate your help and that of all the others who have responded.
As I mentioned all has been saved to a file that I will print.
CCC

SkyJean · RV-Dreams Family Member

It's a wonderful drive. I drove solo from TX to AK in 1984 with my black lab and sleeping bag. I didnt have any problems back then .Just be careful....you might fall in love with Alaska and not want to leave. I fell in love with Alaska and stayed there 1984-88.

back then I had a little S10 truck with camper shell.
traveled as single woman with a dog, it was a great adventure

-- Edited by SkyJean on Monday 8th of November 2010 08:53:05 PM

JackieandTony · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Charles, actually we had left Tampa many months before traveling across this wonderful country. What we did was position ourselves in Bellingham, Washington by mid-May so that we could cross the border at Sumas into BC. See page 5 of our blog for a step by step travelogue of Alaska.
As this is a costly trip and for some it's a once in a lifetime trip, I would heartily suggest that you spend as much time on the trip as you possible can. BC is beautiful and is worth a slow drive through to enjoy all the gorgeous sights.
If you are going to the Kenai Peninsula (which was the hightlight of our Alaska trip) is sincerely suggest staying at Kyllonen RV Park .... we just loved that little park - had Moose visiting us almost every day and saw at least 50 Fisheagles on the beach at any one time.
If you have any questions that we are able to answer, we would be more than happy to help.

charles · RV-Dreams Family Member

J and T,
I did see your webpage and am digesting it.
We do want to see all as this will, probably be our only trip to Alaska. On our boat for the past 5 yrs we were on the Great Circle Cruise around the US and Canada, most do it in one yr and 5,000 miles, we did it in 5 seasons and over 9,000 miles, did not want to miss anything. We expect to travel in the RV the same manner.
Would May 1 be too early to cross the US/BC border? Is Sept 1 too late to leave Alaska headed south? We do not travel fast, this summer, our first RV trip was 4 mos and we averaged 151 miles on days that we traveled. We like the 2-2-4 plan. Usually we are at our destination by noon. We do realize that on this trip we may be compelled to increase the miles traveled on travel days. Also we usually spent 2 nts at each stop----or more!

The big question that we have is the earleist entry date into BC and the latest exit date from Alaska.

Thanks so much.
CCC

JackieandTony · RV-Dreams Family Member

Charles, the earliest date would totally depend on the weather. Some winters are milder and shorter than others. I will say that mid-May is totally acceptable, you will find all campgrounds open along the way, maybe some of the lakes and rivers will still be frozen over along the way .... which we found very beautiful. Although we would like to leave 2 weeks earlier next time (beginning of May) just to maximize our time up there.
With regards to when to leave Alaska. All campgrounds are open until the Labor Day weekend and many are open much later than that. Up till mid-September we did not encounter any campground closures either.
Just keep your eyes on the weather channel :) It's all about the weather!!

You are going to have the most unbelievable trip .... I'm envious :)

charles · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks to all.
I have printed each post for our Ak file.
We have moved up our planned date of departure from La. to April 20/21 and still plan to leave Ak by Sept 1 to start, we hope, a leasurely trip home.
Have been reading CHURCH and making notes. Also have MILE POSTS and have laminated both of those large maps, it was only a few bucks at the office supply house and should make them easier to handle and more durable.----This was a hint from a freind who has pulled his TT to Ak twice and is going again this summer.
CCC

Pinon · RV-Dreams Family Member

Any issues travelling w/ dogs through Canada? Do you just need proof of vaccination or is there more paperwork than that? (Now I'm jealous and want to go!)

Heidi

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

It should not be an issue, but I suggest this site for your review. There were lots of pets on the trip we took.

http://www.travelexpertguide.org/forum/Canada/Do-I-need-any-special-papers-for-my-pet-to-travel-to-Canada-390196.htm

You didn't ask, but you do need a passport to make things easy as to crossing in and out.

Enjoy the trip.

Bill

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

You need proof of rabies vaccination for pets and the one year vaccine is best, they don't seem to trust the 3-year. Not every border stop will ask, but you make a lot of border stops between the U.S. and Canada.

2fortheroad · RV-Dreams Family Member

We pulled our 5ver up there last year. As stated before,don't get in a hurry from Beaver Creek to the border. There are speed bumps that will jar your teeth loose. You can usually see them in time and most are marked.

About 15 miles North of Laird Hot Springs we in-countered a herd of Buffalo, and another herd further up North.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that when you are out walking around and taking pictures be mindful of your surroundings, bears are not the only ones that are highly protective of their babies. A Moose will also attack if they feel threatened.

There's so much to see and do, you will wonder were the months went.

charles · RV-Dreams Family Member

UPDATE ON ALASKA CRUISE

No problems on entering Canada at all but we had no mace, bear spray, guns, fresh vegetables nor meat. Oh, no $5,000 cash and nothing to be left in Canada. Made several crossing due to visiting Hyder, Ak on way up.
On re-entry to US do NOT have fresh veggies nor fruit, some exceptions but that changes all the time.

About joing a tour group to do Alaska, to us, it is an unnecessery expense, Large expense at nearly $7,000. One can do a lot of personal travel planning for that.
Roads, we found them exceptionally good. There is ONE stretch(128 miles) from Distruction Bay to Tok, Ak that is very bad but that can be bypassed very easily.

In our experience, so far, the road condition has been a non issue. We are right at 7,000 miles so far.

Before leaving I installed a hardware cloth screen behind the grill of my truck, just after I did a freind who has made the round trip 3x told me that it is not necessery, he is correct.
That is our only concession to the trip.
Did normal maintenance on the truck, oil change, rotate tires, airfilter change and gasoline filter change before we left.

Oh, on clearing back into US one time, I was asked for my truck registration.
US did seize my mango! The fresh tomatoes would have been seized if we had not CUT THEM UP, so whole and they are gone/ seized but cut them in half and all is OK---go figure.

CCC