Average Speed

sue.t wrote:
I'm curious ... why try to estimate an average?
Are you trying to schedule for something?

Our best trips are when we just wing it. If you're going with your truck and camper, winging it will be especially easy.

Having just finished an eleven week trip across Canada and then up the highway and back, I can safely say that if you want to do an average MPH, you are looking at the trip in the wrong way. There were times when we did 62 MPH and then there were times when we were doing 20 MPH (north of Beaver Creek to the Alaska border). Even on the TOTW Highway we were able to do 55 MPH sometimes and then 10 MPH at times. Everything depends on the roads. Don't strive to make an Average MPH, just enjoy the drive and the scenery is my advice.

Only reason I've ever used "average" speed in AK is to build lead time in for a specific activity at a specific location: getting the dipnet charter at Chitina at 0900...better leave at 0300 (i.e. 300 miles, 6 hours @50mph); meeting the BIL at Squarebanks 360 miles away requires just a bit over 7 hours .....and so forth.

If taking a road (or air) trip around AK just for fun, about the only concern for speed is "I have to be back in Los Anchorage in XX days"...and given that this is the road system in AK, one is never more than 1 - 3 days drive from Los Anchorage depending on how hard you push it and the time you build in for contingency. There has been more than one time when I was 20 miles from a road and weathered in in the PA-12 for 2-3 days in a row....if I was able to get to that road, it would have been a few hours drive back to Los Anchorage.

I planned for and averaged about 40 mph for the trip. It made for comfortable distances to make everyday and took the stress out of the plan. The only place I planned for less between Whitehorse and the border. I broke that into 2 days to save wear and tear on the body and the MH.

The next time I go I'll plan a lot less!

So true Sue, I like to poke along @ about 45-50 mph, that way I can see things and can sure save on fuel and my nerve's. How that new house coming along.

I'm curious ... why try to estimate an average?
Are you trying to schedule for something?

Our best trips are when we just wing it. If you're going with your truck and camper, winging it will be especially easy.

Don't often RV in Alaska but agree...."between 45 and 50 miles for each elapsed hour"....

Even just driving a car / pickup, estimating 50 mph to cover door-to-door time is pretty accurate in AK. Maybe 45 would be better for RV travel, particularly if on one of the bumpier roads (Glenn, Richardson, etc).

Just looking at Canada and Alaska after Dawson Creek, 7 to 9 hours will get you 350 miles, 10 hours will get 500 miles. We stop every hour or so for about 10 minutes. The two slowest areas are Ft Nelson to Liard Hot Springs, mostly due to road alignment with a lot of hills and curves, and Kluane Lake to the border due to frost heaves and construction. The main roads in Canada and Alaska are pretty decent, mostly 12 wide lanes and shoulders. We plan to average, including stops, between 45 and 50 miles for each elapsed hour of travel. It has been pretty consistent over the last 8 years.

We drive just as quickly in Canada as You do in the States! The only difference is that Our Speed Limits are in Kph rather than Mph.

Our Distances are also measured in Kilometres rather than Miles!

To put it simply when some where is 100 Kilometres away it is about 60 Miles so getting there will take a little over an Hour!

Southern BC is where you can make some time. Stick to #5, it is 4 lanes all the way to Kamloops and barely any traffic. After that you will be slowing. The roads in BC north of there are no better than in Alaska. There is always construction in both places. The only reason you will go slower in AK is the traffic. I drove from Anchorage to Seattle in 10 days once with pets and kids, camping at night. We took one rest day at Liard Hot Springs. Didn't push, but I would have taken longer if I didn't have to report for a new job and get the kids in school. BC is just as pretty as AK, don't rush through it.

Depends on whether you are sight seeing or just driving to get there. I find, and I've made that drive a few times, that 8-9 hours is about all I want to do. 3 stops, two short ones, and a lunch break. I try to put excursions at the end of the day. You are passing through so of the most spectacular scenery on earth, you should enjoy it. Take a rest day, or two on the way. I'd go for 35-40 if you want an average speed. You will often not be able to exceed 50 while driving due to frost heaves and the need to watch for wildlife.