Roll call Alaska 2017

TxGearhead wrote:
Yeah, I'm wanting to go 2017. I passed on caravanning with a friend this year. I asked the wife if she wanted to go....in the cabover. NO. Well maybe.
I need advice on routes. Is there any reason to get on HWY2 at Whitehorse and go to Dawson and on to Tok and Fairbanks, other than avoiding seeing the same scenary twice on HWY1 from Whitehorse to Tetlin Junction on the way back? Or just take HWY4 from Watson Lake to Carmacks and on to Dawson. Then south on HWY3 to Wasilla and back to Tok. Is the HWY37 loop to Prince George BC, then Kamloops and into Washington good stuff? I wouldn't mind seeing coastal Washington and Oregon.
It'll be a bunch of miles from Houston.

On the way up, I would recommend highway 97 through Fort Nelson, some very nice views on this road and you should see many wildlife. A stop at Liard River hot spring is a delight.

I never been on highway 4 from Watson to Carmacks because the recommendations where not the best. Highway 2 from Whitehorse to Dawson is better I think, it is not the most impressive but it has some nice lookout of the Yukon River.

Dawson is a nice little place to see and it has a lot of history, you can spend a few days there. Then you can go to Chicken by the "Top of the world road", it has some very nice scenery. Chicken is a place to see once, go to the bar for a beer or two, you might meet some interesting folks. Then to Tok and to Faibanks. Fairbanks is a good place to refill with Food and stuff and it has some nice tourist attractions. If you want to go to the Artic cirlce and to the Artic Ocean, this is where the road starts, asphalte for the first strech then gravel, it is a long drive, around 500 miles. I have been twice and do not regret. The Tundra is something to see.

If you prefer not to go to the Artic, you might want to head down to Anchorage through Denali Park, this is The place to see the highest Peak in North America and the park is a wonder.

I would not miss Valdez. If you go around the 18 of July, you should see some bears and Sea lions feeding on Salmon, and the boat tours to the Glacier is spectacular.

On you way back you can take the other route from Tok to Haines Junction then to Haines. It has some spectacular scenery. You will not miss much between Haines junction and Whitehorse. Haines is a nice little town by the bay and it has some good Rockfish. Depending on when you go, you will see many Eagles on the way down. From there you can take the boat to Skagway with your RV, it is a very nice boat ride and not very exensive, spend a few days then go to Carcross then you probably want to go back to Whitehorse for grocery before you head back, there is not many big stores between Whitehorse and BC.

On the way down to Prince George by the Cassiar highway, you do not want to miss Hyder AK/ Stewart BC, the Glacier Highway to get there is very nice, you will see big water fall from glaciers and once you get to Hyder, you could see some black bears and Grysley in town and at the bear lookout platform where they feed just below your feet, best time is around end of July / August I beleive. Then you can go on top of the Salmon Glacier, the drive to get up there is again, spectacular and unique, you have the Glacier below your feet.

Then you want to drive, and stop, on the Icefield parkway in BC, from Jasper to banff, again, Spectacular.

In other words, take the most of what you can in the days you have. I see that you have a Bigfoot, my two trips where with a Bigfoot. You could sleep right there on top of the Salmon Glacier, not at the lookout but further up the road a little, be aware that the road is riding along a cliff. There are so many nice places to explore with a TC. Another scenic road, if you are not afraid of hights and gravel scenic roads, would be to go from Willow to Wasilla.