Fuel price gouging on the Alaska Highway

I would agree with Bill, Trackrig, to check around for different, lower, prices. Most summers, I remember being able to save up to a dime a liter on fuel in Whitehorse, by going downtown to the gas bar by Super Foods or whatever the name of the super market is, instead of buying up on the hill along the Alaska Hwy.

Another place is Haines Junction. At the intersection where you turn right to head for Beaver Creek and Alaska, avoid the gas station on the inside of that turn. They have at times been up to $.20cnd a liter higher than other places in town. Location, location, location.

Over the years, I have run into some real gougers on fuel prices. On one trip north, probably in the early 70s, I was flying a Piper aircraft up to Alaska from the Lower 48 for a friend, just for expenses. Had some bad weather chasing me so stayed in the air longer than I normally would have. Landed in Watson Lake and called the local fuel supplier. At most I had about 3 to 5 gallons of av gas remaining in my tanks. The supplier, over the radio told me he would deliver the fuel to me at the airport and he charged $5 a gal for it. The last fill up I had paid about half that much in southern Canada. I had to have fuel so told him to bring it out to the airport.
He showed up in a pickup with a 55 gal sealed drum of 80/87 av gas. He told me it was $325cdn cash. The Canadian dollar was worth about $1.25usd at the time so we were talking serious money.
Told him I only wanted 10 gal at that price and was informed, that was fine but the cost was still $325cdn for the drum. Said he only sold it by the full sealed drum. Quickly realized the situation was like dropping your soap in the shower room of a men's prison and bending over to pick it up.
I paid him the $325. Took about 30 gal to fill both 18 gal tanks on the plane. He then asked me what I wanted to do with the remaining fuel in the drum.
Told him to enjoy it and never again stopped there for av gas again. I got reimbursed for the cost by the plane owner but he didn't grumble much since I was flying for free, just expenses. LOL
Many things in the north country are cheaper now than in the past, especially out in the rural areas. About $8 a gal for av gas was the most I ever paid, in the village of Stoney River. Freight charges could double the prices on items, or more.

I live in Alberta, east of Dawson Creek. We find the 20% higher price in Dawson a little annoying but understand it is due to higher BC fuel tax. What is puzzling is another 20% increase another hour west at Chetwynd. Anyone know why or if it also applies to the Co-op card lock a few blocks north off the highway? That card lock doesn't post prices and you must have a co-op card to use it.

Harvey51 wrote:
I live in Alberta, east of Dawson Creek. We find the 20% higher price in Dawson a little annoying but understand it is due to higher BC fuel tax. What is puzzling is another 20% increase another hour west at Chetwynd. Anyone know why or if it also applies to the Co-op card lock a few blocks north off the highway? That card lock doesn't post prices and you must have a co-op card to use it.

Yes the price difference between Grande Prairie , Alberta and Dawson Creek , British Columbia is VERY substantial ! That's why we filled up
with diesel in Grande Prairie and drove all the way to Tok , Alaska before taking on more fuel in 2013 .

Snowman9000 wrote:
This is an example of what I like to call the living in the boonies tax. Some things are cheaper in the boonies: land, houses, wages, services. Some things are more expensive: anything that takes serious capital and transportation.

Doesn't always happen in the boonies! We filled up with Diesel at Fry's in Yuma Arizona, it was under $3.50/gallon and with the discount for shopping there it was $2.86 per gallon. Here in Borrego Springs California (3 hours away) it's $4.50 per gallon. It's nice to have a large enough tank to be selective about where you are filling up.