East Access vs West Access
We're planning our 2015 route to Alaska. Between East and West Access, is one 'better' than the other? We're reading Milepost, but would also like your input. Thanks in advance !
Forum Discussion
From Central Maryland, it is just added miles to think about the West route. It depends on When you plan to travel The Icefields Parkway will show a lot of glacier in May into June, not so much in August and September.
We cross the border at Sumas, WA and travel to Hope but stay on the freeway and cross the Cascades on the freeway to Merritt and Kamloops, then north thru Valemont to Hwy 16, East thru Jasper to Hinton, north to Grand Prairie and then Dawson Creek. I intensely dislike going thru the Fraser River Canyon as the road changes from two-lane to 4-lane divided and back a lot, and the rush to beat the RV so they can slow down is tiresome. Also, Hwy 97 has a lot of towns, a lot of stop lights, and a lot of traffic. On our route, you could get to Hwy 16 (Yellowhead) and go West to Grand Prairie, then either north on 97 to Dawson or continue West to the Cassiar. Both 97 and 16 are pleasant drives after you leave Prince George.
The other option is continue on 90 to Missoula and take 93 on the west side of Missoula going north around Flathead Lake and into Canada. It is a pretty laid back border crossing. Hwy 93 goes to Radium Hot Springs and turns E/NE toward Banff/Lake Louise. At Canada 1 go left or West to Icefields, north to Jasper, East to Hinton and North to Grand Prairie.
In planning your trip, Glacier NP is not fully open until July most years. Yellowstone is open by early May usually. The Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody is year round, the entry fee is good for 2 days, and you need 2 days to see it all. Custer Battlefield is year round. Theodore Roosevelt NP is year round. In South Dakota Crazy Horse is still a work in progress.
So a suggestion assuming late May early June travel. See what you want to and take 93 north. Do Alaska. Take the Cassiar south, Hwy 16 back to Jasper, Icefields and 93 south, and see what else there is or what you want to return to on the way home.
We cross the border at Sumas, WA and travel to Hope but stay on the freeway and cross the Cascades on the freeway to Merritt and Kamloops, then north thru Valemont to Hwy 16, East thru Jasper to Hinton, north to Grand Prairie and then Dawson Creek. I intensely dislike going thru the Fraser River Canyon as the road changes from two-lane to 4-lane divided and back a lot, and the rush to beat the RV so they can slow down is tiresome. Also, Hwy 97 has a lot of towns, a lot of stop lights, and a lot of traffic. On our route, you could get to Hwy 16 (Yellowhead) and go West to Grand Prairie, then either north on 97 to Dawson or continue West to the Cassiar. Both 97 and 16 are pleasant drives after you leave Prince George.
The other option is continue on 90 to Missoula and take 93 on the west side of Missoula going north around Flathead Lake and into Canada. It is a pretty laid back border crossing. Hwy 93 goes to Radium Hot Springs and turns E/NE toward Banff/Lake Louise. At Canada 1 go left or West to Icefields, north to Jasper, East to Hinton and North to Grand Prairie.
In planning your trip, Glacier NP is not fully open until July most years. Yellowstone is open by early May usually. The Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody is year round, the entry fee is good for 2 days, and you need 2 days to see it all. Custer Battlefield is year round. Theodore Roosevelt NP is year round. In South Dakota Crazy Horse is still a work in progress.
So a suggestion assuming late May early June travel. See what you want to and take 93 north. Do Alaska. Take the Cassiar south, Hwy 16 back to Jasper, Icefields and 93 south, and see what else there is or what you want to return to on the way home.
