Alaska Trip

agesilaus wrote:
We want to go up there but it's something like 7000 miles from where we live to Fairbanks.

I see you live in DeLand, so the distance is the same for you. There are all sorts of complications that arise from crossing the border--pets for example have to have a current health certificate. It's better to get an authoritative book that will cover most items of interest

I get about 4600 miles from Orlando to Fairbanks. But the trip is an adventure first, second and last.

We've never considered US/Canada border crossings complicated. Just know the basics of the crossing requirements.

We spent 3 months up and back in 2011. We did use some of the books mentioned. Milepost usually gets published each spring, but the 2014 version will only have a few changes in 2015, and you can get it now.

Only drive on the top half of your fuel tank, fuel may be difficult to get past the large cities in Canada.

Take your time and see the sights, it is a trip of a lifetime.

Consider taking the ferry system to Juno and south, only way to see this unless you have a plane or your own ferry. Totally different scenery and experiences. It also reduces your time in western Canada, and you will not see a whole lot different scenery than you saw on the way up. You can then come back by way of Washington and Oregon.

Recommend you join this thread. And there are similar Roll Call Alaska 2013 and 2014 threads.

GKU wrote:
The only stop in the lower 48 will be Mount Rushmore. From here can anyone give me a good route into Canada then over to Fairbanks and the time.

We do plan on taking it easy through Canada, but I am a little confused on the best route through Canada.

Are you trying to suggest that there is a not so good route in Canada??? :B

Every route including gravel roads has something to offer. Here's our route for 2013. Click here and scroll down a few pages.

Basically the Alaskan Highway is one road and one loop around Alaska. And there are great side adventures including in Alaska, BC and Yukon.

I used Milepost. Crossed the border at Sweetgrass, MT. Stayed on the main highways thru Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon Territory, to Cooper Landing south of Anchorage to visit a friend, then north to Fairbanks, AK. Home pretty much the same route.
In Canada, I stayed in CGs with hookups and found some that had 20A and 50A but no 30A, so take dog bones for everything. Take your time. Mostly two lane roads with lots of potholes. Not a very long road repair season up there.
And take some Canadian cash. Don't expect people 30 or 40 Kilometers north into Canada to know the exchange rate. Make up a cheat sheet for converting to Metric weights and measures. And take a camera. Its beautiful country.

I suggest you go to Calgary then over to Banff and up to Jasper and then over to Edmonton and north to Dawson Creek and the Alcan Highway. It's much shorter to go straight from Calgary to Edmonton and skip the two parks, but you'll miss some of the most beautiful country in North America.

Another great publication is Mike and Terri Church's book "Guide to Alaskan Camping". We used it much more than the Milepost, but both are very informative.

Ron

I would go west to I-15 and then into Canada for Baniff, Lake Louis, and Jasper and then on to the Alcan.

There are two routes that people generally follow. But spend $10 and get a copy of Dalby's book:

Guide to the Alaska Highway

There is also a Milepost book:

Milepost 2014

And there is an Alaska-Canadian forum here and they'll be able to answer questions much better than I can. We want to go up there but it's something like 7000 miles from where we live to Fairbanks.

I see you live in DeLand, so the distance is the same for you. There are all sorts of complications that arise from crossing the border--pets for example have to have a current health certificate. It's better to get an authoritative book that will cover most items of interest

n