Roll Call Alaska 2015
I know its early but we have been planning for the past 3 months. I know its another 15 months at least till we leave but we are just going crazy... So here is our very rough plan overview. Leave mid...
Forum Discussion
Cassias is the best route up from the West Coast.
I drove both routes in September 2014.
It is at least 12 hours shorter, very little construction. It is a two lane road in great condition only short breaks in the pavement the longest maybe a couple of hundred meters, all near Dease Lake.
Dease lake is a nice area to take a break or stay the night, fuel up before heading to the junction if heading North there are no other fuel stops until you reach the jct..
Bell 2 is another place to stop for a break and fuel.
Check the mile post you will see that there are plenty of places to camp or rest.
Read the signs when you pull into a rest stop some say no camping but they also provide a time limit if I remember it was 8 hours, more than enough to stay over night.
Also if you plan on resting, stop before it gets to late as they tend to fill up.
This is a much nicer drive than the other route, I saw 8 bears in twenty miles just North of Bell 2 in the early evening.
You can't get around the construction just South of the boarder to Alaska so just take your time it's about 140 km not to bad if drive slowly. No pilot cars late in the evening.
You could run up to Dawson but your not really avoiding the gravel road just exchanging it for another the Top of the World hwy.
We are headed to Dawson in May from Anchorage over Top W. Hwy then on to the Dempster to Tomestone Territorial park for some hiking/flying. We are then heading to Whitehorse after that we are back to Anchorage.
The other route thru Dawson creek has at least two sections of construction one 130 km. several pilot car stops, they weren't to bad but did slow progress. The worst part is the speeding traffic heading the opposit direction throwing rocks (broken wind shield). There is a long stretch where gas drilling is taking place just off the hwy. They come out of the camps from muddy roads which in the rain make the paved hwy slippery, and when it is dry extremely dusty so bad you have trouble seeing more than 100 m. In this section there is also a lot of truck traffic.
This route is also boring after awhile rolling hills remind me of Kansas.
If anyone is interest in more details let me know I live in Alaska and travel all over the State. My wife is the photographer she travels to even more remote locations for wild photos, Kaktovik last fall Polar bear trip 1200 pics in two days that took some time to par down.
I drove both routes in September 2014.
It is at least 12 hours shorter, very little construction. It is a two lane road in great condition only short breaks in the pavement the longest maybe a couple of hundred meters, all near Dease Lake.
Dease lake is a nice area to take a break or stay the night, fuel up before heading to the junction if heading North there are no other fuel stops until you reach the jct..
Bell 2 is another place to stop for a break and fuel.
Check the mile post you will see that there are plenty of places to camp or rest.
Read the signs when you pull into a rest stop some say no camping but they also provide a time limit if I remember it was 8 hours, more than enough to stay over night.
Also if you plan on resting, stop before it gets to late as they tend to fill up.
This is a much nicer drive than the other route, I saw 8 bears in twenty miles just North of Bell 2 in the early evening.
You can't get around the construction just South of the boarder to Alaska so just take your time it's about 140 km not to bad if drive slowly. No pilot cars late in the evening.
You could run up to Dawson but your not really avoiding the gravel road just exchanging it for another the Top of the World hwy.
We are headed to Dawson in May from Anchorage over Top W. Hwy then on to the Dempster to Tomestone Territorial park for some hiking/flying. We are then heading to Whitehorse after that we are back to Anchorage.
The other route thru Dawson creek has at least two sections of construction one 130 km. several pilot car stops, they weren't to bad but did slow progress. The worst part is the speeding traffic heading the opposit direction throwing rocks (broken wind shield). There is a long stretch where gas drilling is taking place just off the hwy. They come out of the camps from muddy roads which in the rain make the paved hwy slippery, and when it is dry extremely dusty so bad you have trouble seeing more than 100 m. In this section there is also a lot of truck traffic.
This route is also boring after awhile rolling hills remind me of Kansas.
If anyone is interest in more details let me know I live in Alaska and travel all over the State. My wife is the photographer she travels to even more remote locations for wild photos, Kaktovik last fall Polar bear trip 1200 pics in two days that took some time to par down.
