KLONDIKE LOOP / TOP OF THE WORLD HIGHWAY

nevadanick wrote:
Any tips on planning a trip thats not in an rv ? Hotels and availability.

Lots of options in Dawson City, one in Chicken ( http://chickengold.com ) and the best motel in Tok is Young's ( http://www.youngsmotel.com/ ). Whitehorse to Dawson is a one-day trip, Tok back to Whitehorse is best as 2, with overnights at Destruction Bay ( http://www.talbotarm.com/ ) or Haines Junction (several options).

Reservations are always recommended, especially at Chicken.

Any tips on planning a trip thats not in an rv ? Hotels and availability.

You will have no problem with your 34' and tow. We made our trip through Alaska in 2011 with a 37' and tow. We made the trip backwards...starting out on the Alaska Marine Highway from Prince Rupert, BC, Canada, to Haines, AK. After traveling around Alaska we left by way of Chicken, Alaska, then the Top of the World Highway and crossing the YUKON River to Dawson City, YT, Canada. You can check out my blog on the trip at http://bev-ontheroadagain.blogspot.com/2011/08/chicken-ak-to-dawson-city-yt-july-25.html. Go ahead and look around the page and check out our adventure. Hope you have a blast. I know you will. Looking forward to going again.

I'd check the weather forecast for the Dawson area before leaving Whitehorse. If it was looking good, then I'd head to Dawson first and cross the Top of the World/Taylor Highway into Alaska. If it was rain & wet, then I'd take the Alaska Highway northward instead.

You don't say when you plan to head south. Late August/early September can be beautiful on the Top of the World Highway. The fall colours are making their appearance then.

This was September 5, 2012

With the completed construction on the Taylor Highway I would have no problem taking the Top of the World/Taylor Highway route. The slow and go around Destruction Bay was not as fun.

For us it depends on if we're planning to go to Dawson Town or not. Suspect we have been there six or more times by RV. If we have a time frame as to when we need to be in Alaska by, we often will bypass Dawson on the way up. Whitehorse and Dawson are two northern towns we dearly love to visit. I can made it to Fairbanks from Whitehorse via the Alaska Hwy in three days drive. If we go through Dawson to get to Fairbanks, I might as well figure on a week or more.

Only possible difference might be crossing the Yukon River at Dawson on the ferry. Most of the caravans seem to go from Dawson across, sometimes causing a multi hour wait in line to board. Coming into Dawson from Alaska there is seldom any waiting that I have ever seen. The Customs station on the border is not 24 hrs so check their open times as that might effect your travel schedule.
Shouldn't be any unusual problems with a rig your size, just drive at a speed appropriate to road conditions . In rainy weather watch for soft shoulders as you would with any gravel road, some travelers like to stay in Dawson or Tok or thereabouts for a day or two to let the road dry out a bit. I have done it both ways.
A beautiful trip, great scenery, etc

We don't go to Dawson every trip north, alternating Dawson, Skagway and Atlin, and sometimes a visit to Haines, keeps each of them special and like seeing then again for the first time. Dawson is a living history book of the gold rush era of the Klondike. The great Canadian poet, Robert Service, did much of his writing here while working at the bank. I have his complete works downloaded on my tablet, so enjoy going up by his cabin , reading some of his works, letting him take me back to the days of the gold stampede.