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cakelady1's avatar
cakelady1
Explorer
Mar 27, 2015

2015 GAH Spring Adventure - anyone going?

Hi, Everyone! I haven't posted on this forum since 2012 and I'd like to reintroduce myself. My husband and I are doing the 2015 Great Alaskan Holidays Spring Adventure from Forest City, Iowa to Anchorage and leave in a 33 ft. on 5/16. We did this trip before in 2012 and had a blast so when the opportunity to do it again came, we took it! We will leave Forest City on 5/16 and end in Anchorage to pick up a cruise back to Vancouver on 6/12. If it's anything like our 2012 trip, it's going to be great and we are very excited to make our second trip to AK!

We are working on our route and this time we are considering (depending on what the weather does between now and then) heading to Yellowstone, Glacier NP/Waterton Lakes, Banff and Icefields Parkway (one of my favorite sections from last time), part of the Alaska Highway (we did the whole thing last time) and the Cassiar Highway. Plan on seeing things we had to miss last time like Hyder and Valdez and spend a few more days at Denali NP to hopefully see the mountain this time (no luck last trip).
I would be glad to answer any questions I can from what we learned on our last trip and share some excitement on the upcoming trip if anyone here is going too. We fly to Forest City 7 weeks from today!

7 Replies

  • sue_t's avatar
    sue_t
    Explorer
    Mar 29, 2015
    cakelady1 wrote:
    Hoping the mosquitos don't wake up too early!!

    Mosquitos have already been sighted in our area. Black flies too. Not many, but enough to remind us it won't be long before there's more!
  • cakelady1's avatar
    cakelady1
    Explorer
    Mar 29, 2015
    We shall see about the snow/weather. On our first trip, we saw how much was still frozen as we went North but it wasn't problematic. Given the warmer winter out West, it will be interesting to see what if any differences we see....part of the adventure!

    sljohnson1938, the basic Spring Adventure is for 11 days to get to Anchorage for $949 for a 33'. We are taking it for more days, 27 in all, at reduced rates in order to have time to look around Alaska more. In 2012 we did it for 20 days in all and while fine, wished that we had had more days. Very glad too because the more time the better! You can find all the details on the GAH website under Spring Adventure. Our experience with them last time was excellent and I can obviously recommend them since we're going with them again.

    I would be glad to answer any questions you have about the trip; I do note on their site that they have 4 still available for this year if you're interested.
  • sljohnson1938's avatar
    sljohnson1938
    Explorer
    Mar 28, 2015
    how many days are you allowed to get from Forest City, IA to Anchorage, AK?
    i know you pay all of your own expenses, (fuel, camping, etc). expense to get to Iowa and back. how much for the RV itself?
  • tonymull's avatar
    tonymull
    Explorer
    Mar 28, 2015
    You might be a bit early. Our annual schedule is to enter BC a day or two after Victoria Day, 3rd week of May, and meander our way to Alaska, crossing the border about July 1. We spend July and August in Alaska and then wander back through BC arriving in WA about Nov 1.
  • fanrgs's avatar
    fanrgs
    Explorer
    Mar 28, 2015
    I agree with PghBob. The Going-to-the-Sun Highway in Glacier is never clear of snow before mid-June, at the earliest, and it closes for the season after the middle weekend of September every year. Some of the higher elevation roads in Yellowstone are generally not completely cleared of snow until just before Memorial Day weekend and the same is true of Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mt. National Park. So, mid-May is chancy at all the major higher elevation NPs in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.

    I would think the same is true of Banff and Jasper as well. We haven't been there in May, but we were in a heavy snowstorm there in mid-September a few years ago.

    So, check the weather frequently during your trip, as in the past we have had snow at elevations as low as Denver on both Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. The average date of the last frost in Denver is May 10 and the earliest is September 16, but they can obviously vary several weeks on either side of those dates.
  • cakelady1's avatar
    cakelady1
    Explorer
    Mar 28, 2015
    Yes, thanks, we do know about our parks possibilities being dependent on the weather. Our last trip in 2012 things were still frozen really well so we just headed on North. I was sorta hoping that they would have warm enough weather in the West to allow us to make short visits this trip. We'll have a route B plan just in case.

    Just got back from a driving trip to New England and Canada up to Quebec City. Those folks have really gotten the snow/cold this year! I have read Alaska has had a very mild winter; it will be interesting to see how it's different than our last trip. Hoping the mosquitos don't wake up too early!!
  • PghBob's avatar
    PghBob
    Explorer
    Mar 27, 2015
    I note that you are planning on Yellowstone and Glacier NPs in the May time frame. Please check with the parks prior to your departure to insure that they are open for traffic. Both parks may have snow down and roads closed in May. The year we went to Glacier, the Going to the Sun road was still closed at the end of June do to snow. Congratulations on your trip and have safe travels.

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