Denali Highway.

When I drove this years ago, in a pickup camper, I was just trying to cover most of the state's 'highways'. I'd all spent a week on the Dempster, done Top of the World with a side trip to Eagle. On this leg I took the ferry from Homer to Valdez and gone out to McCarthy.

Journal notes:

~150 mies of gravel ~40mph
Generallly along ridges, eskers and broad valley between Alaska Range to the north and lesser range to the south. Great view of Alaska Range, Mt Debora and neighbors. Camp at BLM CG (Brushkana) - in velley by river. Less crowed than expected - we saw lots of hunters in early fall.

~10 am first view of Denali (we'd done the park earlier). Lunch on Parks Hwy at Denali SP. Side trip to Hatcher Pass at Willow (evidently I hadn't had enough gravel roads). Camped at Finger Lake SR, civilized.

We drove the Denali Highway in 2013 towing our 24' TT. It was rough, dusty, muddy and absolutely beautiful. We took three days with lots of stops and primitive camping at night. Our truck and camper got very dirty. When we got to Delta Junction we gave everything a wash-up. Last year we left the TT in Cantwell and drove about 1/2 way and back. It rained off and on all day and it was absolutely beautiful. When we got back our truck was filthy, so we washed it. I would do it again in a heartbeat. lizzie

Trackrig wrote:
I criticized you not for telling the people about the road conditions but for obviously not being able to enjoy what could have been a great part of the trip.

Thread creep - oh well.

Bill

Canwell to Praxton there two places that are Scenic, directly south of McKinley, and the Maclaren Glacier, the rest is Muskogee, wash board, pot holes and DUST. This time of year the Caribou are not there, the bears are still in their dens, so there is nothing but solitude, and the opportunity to get your coach really dirty. Our Jeep has a 1/2" of fine dust every where, I don't know if I'll ever get it out.

And don't forget if it took 6 hours or 6 days you still can't avoid that, bad road, or the DUST.

I criticized you not for telling the people about the road conditions but for obviously not being able to enjoy what could have been a great part of the trip.

Thread creep - oh well.

Bill

Trackrig wrote:
I don't think 6 hour for 136 miles is rushing it at all as far as driving time.

And you're right, there aren't any RV resorts on the Denali, but as you said, you've got a Newmar. You would have been inconvenienced by doing a night or two without 50A, water and sewer? Is your generator not working - have you every really used it? If you had spent a little more time looking, there's plenty of places to get out of the road dust and spend an enjoyable night or two

Why did you come to Alaska? You should have taken a tour by air plane and stayed in Glitter Gulch for as much of Alaska as you apparently want to experience.

Bill

We had just spent 5 days remote flying the bush with 2 of the aircraft we can use up here.
I post a warning for those who are not as well informed, and you criticize me for it.

Nice thread creep, but it doesn't work.

I don't think 6 hour for 136 miles is rushing it at all as far as driving time.

And you're right, there aren't any RV resorts on the Denali, but as you said, you've got a Newmar. You would have been inconvenienced by doing a night or two without 50A, water and sewer? Is your generator not working - have you every really used it? If you had spent a little more time looking, there's plenty of places to get out of the road dust and spend an enjoyable night or two

Why did you come to Alaska? You should have taken a tour by air plane and stayed in Glitter Gulch for as much of Alaska as you apparently want to experience.

Bill

Trackrig wrote:
You should have spent three to four days doing it, you rushed through a lot of great country.

Bill

Do you really think 6 hours to do 136 miles is rushing?
we were in Denali, needed to be in Valdez. next time I drive around.

OBTW there isn't a single camp ground on that road, you'd be cold dry camping. I didn't buy a Newmar to set on a pull out and watch the traffic stir up dust.

It is scenic, but not worth the conditions

You should have spent three to four days doing it, you rushed through a lot of great country.

Bill