Caravan Trip to Alaska

I did the trip from Cincinnati, OH. about 15 years ago. Solo. About 10,000 miles round trip. I was gone all summer. The trip of a lifetime, but I think everyone says that. I crossed into Canada at Sweetgrass, MT. and visited friends that had a cabin in Cooper Landing, AK. on the Kenai Peninsula. There's pretty much only one road to Alaska from Sweetgrass. But here's some tips. Convert some U.S. money to Canadian money before you leave home. Don't expect anyone north of the border more than 50 miles to know the exchange rate.
Get a passport early in your planning. The days of waving as you cross the border are over. Google "Crossing the border into Canada." That will tell you what you can bring with you and what you can't.
And a couple more. Your speedometer likely shows miles and kilometers. But it doesn't show feet vs. meters. Wish I'd done that ahead of time before I came to a bridge with a superstructure in Calgary. I pulled over and did a quick calculation and I was good. 12 feet = 3.7 meters. And if you go into a deli, 8 ounces equals 227 grams. I just ordered 8 slices and it came out about right.
And if you see a "Moose Crossing" sign, they aren't kidding.
One more thing. One U.S. gallon equals .8327 Imperial gallons.

First off, I usually don't do disclaimers but today everyone seems thin skinned so; I am using general broad stroke terms and mean no offence to any of our fellow RVers.

Now, in my opinion 2gypsies is correct and we adhere to that feeling, however, there are herders among us and caravans may be a good fit for them. My DW's cousins who did travel with us in the past and with whom we interact socially say my DW will talk to a fence post. After 53 years living together it has rubbed off on me and I enjoy talking to hundreds of folks rather than the same few day after day.

If you like companionship and herding then go with a caravan. If you like meeting more and more folks or like solitude, and if you are spontaneous, go on your own.

It is important if you go on your own that you follow all the rules you would follow on any long trip and look at AK as nothing more than someplace new and fantastic. AK and Canada are both modern and civilized places filled with folks who like all the things we like. There are lots and lots of facilities on the normal to and from routes and really on all the out of the way places. So stock your RV like you would for any trip, everything you know you need, and then 10% more for contingencies.

It really comes down to a personal preference. There is no need to join a caravan, but some people like the security they feel being part of a group or enjoy the peace of mind knowing that there's a spot for them at the next campground, etc. I did my first trip in '67 and my last one was last summer, all solo. Things along the hiway have changed a bit (the road is in better shape) and other things have remained pretty much the same. If you go solo there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

Depending on the time of year you may want to call ahead for a camp reservation for the nite. I never have and have never been turned away, but some places do fill up pretty fast. Skagway, Haines, Valdez and Seward especially when the ferries come in and the Kenai during fishing season.

Drive on the top half of your tank. When the needle shows you're down to 1/2 tank, stop at the nearest station and fill up regardless of the price. The next one could be higher priced, or worse yet, further down the road than you think. And even though you have that Gas Buddy app for your phone and it shows a station within driving distance, that station might be closed depending on the time of the year or the availability of supplies.

If you break down on the road someone will stop and offer to help. You might need to stand out by your rig and wave, but someone will stop. You'll probably find that the farther you are away from civilization the friendlier people become on the road.

Assume you're going to be dry camping at times along the way and make sure you have some fresh water in your tanks and you empty your holding tanks when you have the chance. Don't assume you'll always be stopped for the night at a full service campground. Also you'll find most campgrounds that provide electrical only have 30 Amp. If your rig is set up for 50 Amp, make sure you have an adapter. You won't need 50 since you won't be running both A/Cs anyway. There are some fantastic Provincial Parks without any services in BC and the Yukon that you may want to take advantage of in your trip.

Road construction is a season up north so expect it. Frost heaves are dips or bumps in the hiway that will get you airborne if you're traveling too fast. Many are marked with signs and flags, but not all of them are, so try to learn how to read the road and slow down for them. Take the opportunity to chat with other travelers going the opposite direction whenever you stop for fuel or for the night and ask them about the road conditions ahead of you so you're better prepared the next day.

Some people stress out about the possibility of getting a flat tire. I've never had one in all my trips, but I have always carried a spare. If you don't have a spare or you don't have the ability to change a tire yourself be prepared for a long wait for help, either from someone stopping or from calling for service. Some of those service facilities can be a couple hours away and will be expensive.

Convert some money into Canadian for your trip. While most places along the way will accept US dollars they tend to take them without conversion when the rate is in their favor like it is now.

Don't expect good or any cell phone service along the way. At best you might get some connections near major cities depending on your carrier and unless you have made prior arrangements with your carrier or have purchased a Canadian SIM card you may be shocked at the charges for roaming into Canada.

Best of all, enjoy the trip no matter how you choose to travel. The scenery goes on forever. Take your time, take your pictures, remember the wildlife is WILD and the people are almost always friendly.

I have been on 3 caravans trips---all to Mexico. For me, the caravan was a really good fit. A great way to see a lot of Mexico. Pretty sure I won't be back.

I have also made 6 trips to Alaska---all solo. I suggest you study the caravan itineraries, get the "Church" book and The Milepost and start planning your trip.

I've never made the trip. I do know someone who joined a caravan to Alaska.
They were on a pretty strict schedule. He wouldn't do it again.
It didn't sound like fun to me. If we go, it will be solo.

I agree completely with 2gypsies. There is a lot of good information in the Alaska/Canada forum.

We made the trip on our own in 2013 and loved the freedom to go where we wanted when we wanted. There were times we decided where to go next on the spur of the moment and there were a few places we enjoyed so much we extended our stay. We made friends with another couple and ended up camping a couple of places with them. You can read about our trip by clicking on the link in my signature.

2gypsies wrote:
I'd suggest you go over to the Alaska/Canada forum. There are always posts of this kind over there.

Ourselves...we did it on our own with no problems. There are plenty of RVers on the roads and you'll meet up with them time after time. Everyone goes to the same places. You can't get lost.

What if you really like a place and want to stay longer...or really dislike a place an want to get out of there? If you have any bad weather the caravans continue on. If you're on your own you can just relax until the weather clears so you can see that awesome scenery.

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I'd suggest you go over to the Alaska/Canada forum. There are always posts of this kind over there.

Ourselves...we did it on our own with no problems. There are plenty of RVers on the roads and you'll meet up with them time after time. Everyone goes to the same places. You can't get lost.

What if you really like a place and want to stay longer...or really dislike a place and want to get out of there? With a caravan you have to go where you're told on their schedule. If you have any bad weather the caravans continue on. If you're on your own you can just relax until the weather clears so you can see that awesome scenery.

If you're concerned about the roads they are no worse than the lower 48. Yes, you'll have some areas of construction but you just go slow. You have the same in the lower 48.