Alaska - 2023

Benn off line for a bit - got bit by the COVID bug. I appreciate the thoughts and input that has been shared. We have taken the lower 48 attractions off this trip and added the time into additional time in Alaska and the Canadian Rockies. Given other commitments, we will be leaving NY State early June, visiting the Canadian Rockies, arriving in Alaska mid July, and beginning our return trip mid September. Thanks again!

The horseflesh will suffer further indignities..."Salmon fishing in rivers is boring. You're just trying to snag a fish passing by, they aren't interested in eating."

- Chances are this statement was made after fishing the Kenai, Kasilof, or Russian for red salmon. Red salmon ("sockeye") are plankton eaters and are truly not interested in eating once they hit freshwater. Fishing for reds in freshwater is a matter of dipnetting (Alaska residents only) or trying, as mentioned, to snag them in the mouth, otherwise known as flossing for reds.
- Pinks ("Humpy") or Chum ("dog") salmon are more active in freshwater and will hit lures and baits, depending on their mood or the weather or ....
- King salmon ("chinook") will hit lures or baits, although bait and some lures are currently banned by regulation. Takes some work to get a king nowadays, but they are fairly active in the freshwater if they make it past the commercial guys.
- Silver salmon ("coho") are exceptionally aggressive in either salt or freshwater. I've been told (how they know I'm not sure) by ADF&G bio guys that silvers are either trying to eat or just get mad at the bait or lures that cross their path. Same source told me that king salmon either try to carry bait (i.e. eggs) upstream. Silvers are aggressive strikers, Kings you have to know when the line is bumped and set the hook hard...they both fight aggressively.
Point is, if you're interested in fishing, it can certainly be worked in to your trip. Other than a bit of freshwater doldrums in early August, there is enjoyable salt and freshwater fishing from May - September...even opportunities for trout and pike if you want to venture on some of the lakes.

I spent a lot of time in Alaska but always got there by plane or ship. I like the idea of cutting across Canada to get to Alaska. If it were me I would go that way and get to Alaska first. In the North reservations are not really warranted because you can always boondock everywhere.

I cannot imagine planning out a long trip ahead of time with reservations. The beauty of a long trip is that there are no time constraints. One of my favorite guidelines is "find a place you like, stay for around 3 days."

You will have plenty of time to visit sites in the Lower 48 when you return. You have the rest of your life to revisit them. It is the time in Alaska and Canada that you may not get to again.

Just did a 2 month trip from LA (real LA, not Lower Alabama) Pounded it up on 8 days, back in 8 days from Tok. We were up touring around for 6 weeks plus change.

- one of our highlights was Prudhoe Bay and the Arctic ocean. Dalton hwy very scenic. Coldfoot and Deadhorse great stories to tell. We towed our Jeep, used it on this trip.
- Alaska and Canada make it too easy to camp and use hook ups. You can boon dock, there's places but they are not so easy to find for someone not too familiar.
- Seward was another fun find. Good accessible hiking, boating, great restaurants, tour boat saw lots of marine life.
- Homer.. ifnyou want to fish this get reservations early. As you get ready to leave, the fishing guides will call you to fill seats of drop outs. Plan ahead.
-Salmon fishing in rivers is boring. You're just trying to snag a fish passing by, they aren't interested in eating.
- dip netters.. know when things going on, will mess up your fishing
- talk of reservations is true. . We only used it at Denali. Stayed longer than we should, was 4th of July. Didn't want to be looking for a place. Scenery south of Denali much better and some remote camping
- frost heaves damage is real.. watch out.. RV welding shop in Tok was very busy.
-The roads may be muddy, really soft in places. Frequently a pilot car. You could be stopped for up to an hr and a half worst we saw.
- when we came up cis Cassiar hwy early June was wet, cold, roads rough. Coming down was sunny, dry and roads largely better
- Really liked Whitehorse as a town. People cool.
- Enjoyed Muncho Lake and resort.

Had no real breakdowns, (lost a coach battery .. died) no broken glass, flats but were prepared. Keep it fueled up is good advice. Also have food handy. Some gas stations and restaurants were out of food or employees not working.

Have fun

and of course, you can add lower 48 or a portion of it back into trip!

No bad thoughts Valhalla! 6 hrs driving is enough for most days and to much for others.

Just the statement that we usually are on the go rather than sitting and relaxing. I think that is going to be our biggest challenge in retirement!

We are rethinking (and re-planning) to cross off the lower 48 portion and concentrate on Canadian Rockies and Alaska.

Thank you to all who offered their thoughts, hints, and suggestions. Each one is highly valued and appreciated!

Salty Dog wrote:
My wife and I do not like to just sit so I didn't plan on idle time (maybe the vacation mode mentality).

If this was in reference to my post, doing 6hr towing every other day doesn't suggest much idle time. You still have grocery shopping, maintenance, trip planning, visiting local sites, hikes, etc... that can easily fill the "idle" days.

It's fairly common to hear folks who start full timing quit after 6-12 months because it's so tiring. When you get them to describe their travels, it's like when they were working and they had a weeks vacation and wanted to visit someplace 1000miles from home. For a week, when you have no other option it's doable to go, go, go...when it's a lifestyle, it gets old pretty quick.

While I think 4 months for your trip is doable, I would have a plan to reassess every couple months and be prepared to slow down or otherwise change how you travel if it's not working.

Another tip while traveling through Canada make note of Canadian holiday weekends and expect Provincial campgrounds to be pretty full.

Sounds like a great trip. We did it in 2013.

I would suggest purchasing Mike and Terri Church's book "Alaska Camping." It has routes, times, campgrounds, restaurants, sites to see, when you need to make reservations, etc. I bought it the year before and read the entire book, highlighting and tabbing pages for easy access. It was a treasure trove of information and there were many things we saw that we had only read about in their book. We also used the Milepost, which almost reads like a history book.

Enjoy your trip. We traveled fewer miles per day, especially after getting to Alaska. It was a wonderful trip and we have many memories.

Dale

PA12DRVR wrote:
For the OP, I'd second most of the destinations suggested by Wadcutter as good places to visit. It is beautiful country around Chicken, but (IMHO) that's the draw, not the town itself. Similarly in my view, Valdez and Juneau are scenic spots and great starting points for "adventures", but I believe the "adventures" can be duplicated in other parts of AK. If one catches the right combo of weather and seasons, the drive from Glennallen to Valdez can be spectacular in late summer / early fall.

I've always enjoyed Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Muncho Lake, and Dawson Creek. It is striking to me how much all of those have changed since '74.

One should be cautious about frost heaves, but..again opinion...the biggest concern is if one is trying to flog a big MH or 5th wheel along the Alaskan / Canadian roads like they were on a freeway in the L48.

...and you neither want to hit a moose in AK nor a buffalo in Canada. 'nuff said.

And not to further pound the horseflesh, but: My dad worked on the road during it's construction for a few months as a catskinner, called it the "Alcan"; in '74, my first trip, it was referred to, in Alaska anyway, as the "Alcan"; upon entering Canada (if coming from Alaska) or entering Dawson Creek otherwise, the road was referred to as the "Alaska Highway" on road signs, billboards, sign forest, etc; and, sometime in the early '80's when there were enough roads that I had to look at a map, the Alcan / Alaska Highway had road numbers, either "BC #xxx" or something similar. The nomenclature doesn't really matter, but in my 7th decade now, I've become habitual about calling the road the "Alcan".

No pounding here either, my uncle was a surveyor for the Canadian Govt, and was working with the US and Canadian governments jointly building the Alaska Hwy during its entirety.
He was actually working in the Yukon for mining companies at the time the war broke out in 1939 and joined up then.
He was then stationed in Ottawa and shortly after that because of is northern experience sent back to the Yukon / Northern BC to work on securing the northern guard, what that meant I have no idea, he didn’t talk about it, as he died when I was in my 20’s back in the 70’s.
There are many names for different things in this world, However I will always call that Hwy the Alaska Hwy because my Uncle Jack worked on it for start to finish, and that’s what he called it.
He lived in Whitehorse from 1937 to 1976, so he had some seniority of northern life.
Oh, I’m in 7th decade as well.
Cheers