Cassiar Up and Down

Be sure to stay at Williwaw national forest campground on your way down the Kenai. It's gorgeous!

Yes, my itineraries are always subject to change. I've never stuck to one yet! :) And my plan involves public lands and campgrounds wherever possible. Depending on road conditions, I hope to take the Denali Highway across from Paxton to the park rather than using the Parks Highway, although I will proceed south from Denali NP toward the Kenai. There are some BLM and boondocking opportunities along the Denali Highway and my high clearance and 4WD should enable me to take this route unless the conditions are really bad. Not keen to drive through miles and miles of mud.

Just a side thought on the rest of your Alaskan Trip Planning.

Planning is great - but use it as a framework only - there is so much to see and do in BC, Yukon and Alaska that it is important to build in flexibility. In our own trip we found ourselves shifting our itinerary around quite a bit - spending a lot more time in the smaller places (Dawson City, Haines, Homer, Seward) and a lot less time in the cities (Fairbanks, Anchorage). Our itinerary didn't go out the window - but it sure got altered on a regular basis.

Only other piece of advice - get away from the RV parks if you can and stick to public parks (National, State, Provincial, Territorial) - they might be a little shy on amenities but are pretty much all on stunning pieces of landscape - and they cost a fraction of what you will pay in an RV park.

Enjoy your trip - I'm envious.


Jay

In Whitehorse, take in the Follies. It's a hoot!

Head up on the Alcan. Great scenery in the Muncho Lake area. Travel south on the Cassiar but pay attention to the road from the junction to Dease lake. It can be narrow, curves and potholes. Very doable but just pay attention. Also pay attention to fuel as can be quite expensive on the Cassiar and Alcan north of Fort Nelson, reasonable in Whitehorse.

Prince George has all the same services as Kamloops.

If you have the time take a run down to Atlin, very beautiful area and rustic old town. There is a campsite right on the lake. It is a side by side gravel site but right on the water with an awesome view over the lake and mountains.

When you pass through Whitehorse, there is some interesting tourist items.
A c-47, known to you civilians as a DC 3 is mounted at the airport for a functioning wing vane.
Canyon up stream from Whitehorse is good look at how the steam boats winched their way up the river. Some of the old rings are still there.
A paddle wheeler in Downtown is a good tourist look see.
Are you taking the Icefields Highway to Jasper? great trip! Road is much improved.

I won't be going through Kamloops in either direction but taking the Yellowhead Hwy from Jasper to Prince George and the same route back to NE WA.

One thing, take the Yellowhead 5 from Hope to Kamloops and cut across to #1 or even take 5 all the way to Little Fort and take #20 across to #1. 5 is 4 lanes with very little traffic all the way to Kamploops but #1 is mostly 2 lanes with more traffic. And they don't call #20 the Fishing Highway for nothing. Kamloops is the last city you'll pass through with every major store chain and convenience till you get to Anchorage, although Williams Lake has quite a bit. I drive #5 several times each summer on the way to fishing...geez lots of years I don't even buy a WA license any more.

Thanks, all. I have changed my trip plans back to my original: Alaskan up, Cassiar down. I just met another Alaskan couple today who agreed with all of you.

We have taken the Alaska Highway north and the Cassiar going south. We usually stop a Hyder on the way home to see the bears and they are not at Fish Creek until the salmon run which usually is not until the end of July or beginning of August. I can't say that I find the scenery better on the Cassiar than the Alaska Highway.