Roll Call Alaska 2014
Anyone traveling to Alaska in 2014? We ,my wife and I, are planning a trip and was wondering if anyone is planning on going in 2014 also. Would go this year, except we have two weddings to go to in...
Forum Discussion
The last 13 years we lived in Alaska was in Nenana, where every fall a trip across the Denali Highway (using the term highway very loosely, LOL) was normally the last trip we made with our RV for the summer. Then it was put it away for the winter and get out the winter toys, the boat got pulled from use and winterized as well. The snow machines came out and the airplane got changed over from wheels to skis. Alaska weather in the Interior of the state is more controlled by the tilting of the earth and the resulting angle of the sun, than weather fronts, such as in the Lower 48.
In those Nenana days, we had both a Class C bunk model and a truck camper. When the four of us were headed to camp on the Denali Hwy with my wife's two sisters and their families, we took the Class C and often pulled a small trailer to haul all the junk needed for a weeks stay.
The road can be smooth or rough, dry or wet, but especially in the fall, it is one of the more beautiful drives in Alaska with the tundra vegetation turning colors, the brisk air of fall, lots of wildlife out, and good fishing in the Tangle Lakes area.
The last time I stopped in to camp at Tangle Lakes, just west of Paxson a few miles, I came in from the Paxson side. Good road on that side to the free BLM campground there. As mentioned, take your bug dope and lots of it. The mosquitos are everywhere, including down in the outhouse hole, so a quick job should be planned if using them. LOL There are several campgrounds along the road, the one at Brushkana usually has a volunteer host for the summer. There are all sorts of sights to see, from the mountains to the north, the west, etc., there are pingos, that are in the process of thawing out from being cut into decades ago, and many great photo opps. A couple of lodges on the road, the Gracious House, good food and they have a bar license if you new a toddy or three. The roadhouse at Paxson, was somewhat falling apart the last time I stopped there. No diesel available, paint peeling off the main building but they did have a sign out by the gas pumps offering free religious services on request. I didn't request one, as I find, just being out on the Denali camping is one of the best religious experiences I can find.
The Tangle Lakes are good grayling fishing, especially the third lake south from the road. We normally carried a Folbot kayak with us to us to get back there. Paxson Lake in the spring time just as the ice is melting will offer some good lake trout fishing as well. If a person times it right, there is also a steelhead trout run on the Gulkana River where it leaves the Paxson area, headed south. Most of the land from Paxson south to Glennallen is privately owned by the local Native Corporation but they do sell use permits at a reasonable price, IMHO.
Fall time, on the Denali Hwy looking south. The 3 RVs in the center of the photo was our group and it appears I took our inflatable Zodiac on this trip.
The Tangle Lakes chain together and are interconnected so great boating. Taken from a hill top north of the road.
The Paxson Lodge
Ice pingo melting
If a person is used to driving on gravel roads from time to time, the Denali will seem just like any other gravel road, in a beautiful wilderness area.
Tangle Lakes CG sign
Tangle Lakes CG sites are not well marked, no services.
In those Nenana days, we had both a Class C bunk model and a truck camper. When the four of us were headed to camp on the Denali Hwy with my wife's two sisters and their families, we took the Class C and often pulled a small trailer to haul all the junk needed for a weeks stay.
The road can be smooth or rough, dry or wet, but especially in the fall, it is one of the more beautiful drives in Alaska with the tundra vegetation turning colors, the brisk air of fall, lots of wildlife out, and good fishing in the Tangle Lakes area.
The last time I stopped in to camp at Tangle Lakes, just west of Paxson a few miles, I came in from the Paxson side. Good road on that side to the free BLM campground there. As mentioned, take your bug dope and lots of it. The mosquitos are everywhere, including down in the outhouse hole, so a quick job should be planned if using them. LOL There are several campgrounds along the road, the one at Brushkana usually has a volunteer host for the summer. There are all sorts of sights to see, from the mountains to the north, the west, etc., there are pingos, that are in the process of thawing out from being cut into decades ago, and many great photo opps. A couple of lodges on the road, the Gracious House, good food and they have a bar license if you new a toddy or three. The roadhouse at Paxson, was somewhat falling apart the last time I stopped there. No diesel available, paint peeling off the main building but they did have a sign out by the gas pumps offering free religious services on request. I didn't request one, as I find, just being out on the Denali camping is one of the best religious experiences I can find.
The Tangle Lakes are good grayling fishing, especially the third lake south from the road. We normally carried a Folbot kayak with us to us to get back there. Paxson Lake in the spring time just as the ice is melting will offer some good lake trout fishing as well. If a person times it right, there is also a steelhead trout run on the Gulkana River where it leaves the Paxson area, headed south. Most of the land from Paxson south to Glennallen is privately owned by the local Native Corporation but they do sell use permits at a reasonable price, IMHO.
Fall time, on the Denali Hwy looking south. The 3 RVs in the center of the photo was our group and it appears I took our inflatable Zodiac on this trip.
The Tangle Lakes chain together and are interconnected so great boating. Taken from a hill top north of the road.
The Paxson Lodge
Ice pingo melting
If a person is used to driving on gravel roads from time to time, the Denali will seem just like any other gravel road, in a beautiful wilderness area.
Tangle Lakes CG sign
Tangle Lakes CG sites are not well marked, no services.
