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campigloo's avatar
campigloo
Explorer
Aug 01, 2017

Alaska propane

Hi y'all. We're starting to plan our first trip to AK for next year. We plan on entering Canada in the neighborhood of Glacier and heading to Banff. From there meandering on over to AK and possibly as far north as Proudhoe Bay. Is propane pretty readily available in late July, August, mid September? Should I buy extra tanks? We're from south Louisiana. Not real big on being cold.
  • About every other fuel station also sells propane in Canada and Alaska. We were refused a refill once becuse our tanks were too old. That was in BC same tank was filled in AB.
  • If you go north on the Dalton toward Prudhoe, top off propane in Fairbanks.
    Propane is readily available else where.
  • In Canada, if the propane fill joint is playing by the rules, they will not fill a recertified US tank. They don't accept the re-certification. Also new tanks in Canada are only good for ten years before re-certification. In Soldotna, I paid less for propane than I did in some lower 48 states.
  • The drive to Alaska isn't a hardship as it was many years ago! :) You will have all the conveniences. However, they will be spaced farther apart than you might be used to. For instance on fuel - drive on the top half of your tank and fill when you see it. Don't think you'll be shopping for prices like you can do in the lower 48. The same for propane. Fill before you get close to empty.
  • Went to Alaska in 2015 in a Pickup Camper with a small tank. Had to fill often. No problem except once in Fairbanks -out of date over ten years.
    Just went to another place and got it refilled with no problem. All across Canada was no problem with good prices.
    Enjoy your adventure to Alaska.

    PS: we used Wal Marts a lot for overnights. Also used the "pulloffs" along the Alaska Highway for overnights. Was always several RVers using them. They were road construction and maintance parking areas.
  • campigloo wrote:
    Hi y'all. We're starting to plan our first trip to AK for next year. We plan on entering Canada in the neighborhood of Glacier and heading to Banff. From there meandering on over to AK and possibly as far north as Prodhoe Bay. Is propane pretty readily available in late July, August, mid September? Should I buy extra tanks? We're from south Louisiana. Not real big on being cold.


    We never had a problem getting propane/diesel or finding RV dumps during our journey in 2015.

    We did the Dalton Road aka The Haul Road, fuel up in Fairbanks then top your tank off in Coldfoot, once in Deadhorse you can get fuel at the Tesoro station. If you plan on going on the Arctic tour you must have advance reservation and can be made at this website: Arctic Tour. Make the reservation about 5 days before heading up to Deadhorse, any further information you can PM me
  • enblethen wrote:
    If you go north on the Dalton toward Prudhoe, top off propane in Fairbanks.
    Propane is readily available else where.


    Thanks for the info.
  • It seems that many more vehicles in Canada use propane as their main fuel than in the US. So there is often a propane pump either located in the row with the gasoline and diesel pumps or over by the side at stations and roadhouses. Either way they seem to be self serve on propane. Have watched several Canadian drivers pull up to the propane pump, attach the nozzle to their propane tank and fill it, then go in to pay. Don't remember if any of the propane pumps were credit card friendly or not. Road propane was much cheaper than gasoline.