Roll Call Alaska 2015

Gary Dietz wrote:
After 7-10 days in this area we plan on taking the Marine Highway back to Prince Rupert BC with 1-2 day stops at Petersburg, Wrangall and Junau. We will then head south towards Yellowstone for several days. Since we have already been to Alaska 3 times we do not need to drive as far north as Denali/Anchorage/Fairbanks, been there done that.

My questions are about the Marine Highway, will we need reservations , or if we are flexible can we just check a day or 2 ahead? We will be towing a 25 TT with pickup. Also which way would be better the Alcan or Cassiar heading north.

Have you traveled the Cassiar Highway before? If so, the Alaska Highway is likely more convenient from Banff/Jasper. And you will be traveling the Yellowhead Highway from Prince Rupert, so you will repeating a substantial part of your route if take the Cassiar going north. But, at the time you will be traveling north, the Cassiar will likely be less crowded--we did it in late June/early July in 2013 and had no problems with traffic or finding a campground without advance reservations. You will also avoid the nearly overwhelming oilfield traffic between Ft. St. John and Ft. Nelson, BC. So, you have a lot to weigh before making that decision.

Do you want a cabin in the AMHS ferry? If so, get reservations. We went from Skagway to Haines with reservations made the morning we left Skagway, but that is not Wrangell to Prince Rupert. And, if you are doing the ferry anyway, why not take one that goes from Juneau to Sitka and then southeast? We like Haines and love Valdez, but Sitka is our favorite town in all of Alaska. If you can manage to be there in good weather, Sitka has some of the most beautiful scenery and best eagle viewing anywhere in the U.S.