Route to Alaska all the way through Canada?

We drove Hyway #1 from Winnipeg to Medicine Hat last Spring and it was one of the roughest roads of our entire trip. Lots of big pot holes and rough asphalt. The bad road combined with the higher fuel costs probably made that our last trip across Southern Canada. We will stay in the US as long as possible in the future.
I would definitely recommend going through Banff and the Ice Fields Parkway on your way North. The Canadian Rockies are some of the prettiest scenery on the trip North.

cdbinns wrote:
We live in Maine and are planning a trip to Alaska this summer. We are thinking of crossing into Quebec from Maine and traveling through Canada all the way to Alaska. Most of the suggested routes seem to travel through the U.S. much of the way west and then cross the border somewhere around Montana. We are aware that it will be longer to take the northern route and that fuel is more expensive in Canada. Aside from those two issues, anything we should be aware of in choosing this route? Anything we shouldn't miss or anything we should avoid?

Thanks.

The northern route, through Canada is actually shorter. For example, from Gouldsboro, Me to Edmonton, crossing into Canada at Norton, VT, is 2695 miles. Staying south and crossing at Sweet Grass, MT, the distance to Edmonton is 3123 miles. An in-between route, crossing at Noyes, MN, would be 2695 miles.

As far as fuel costs, given the current exchange rate (Canadian dollar worth $.85 US) the fuel costs is negligible. To illustrate, assuming your truck gets 10 mpg while towing, the fuel cost for the northern route would be $1009. For the Noyes, MN route, the cost would be $1006. For the Sweet Grass crossing, the cost would be $1025.

If I had never done the drive before, and could take my time to enjoy the sights, I would choose the norther route. The problem with the route is US 2, until you cross into Canada.

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

On edit: Adjusted the fuel costs to include the exchange rate.

Tom

X2 on the dollar difference, and further west the gasoline also has Beaver Tail in it.
BTC

Pulsar, you are correct for the most part, but you haven't factored in the value of each others dollars. Also our gas is better because it has rendered whale fat, melted igloos, and ground up hockey pucks in it.

Enjoy your day.

If you do take the more southern Route, don't go much past Regina before going up towards Dawson Creek. From Regina to Saskatoon to Edmonton is a good diagonal route through Canada and the roads were in good condition. We drove that route from Iowa this past year.

We've also driven the Trans-Can (Canada 1) from Winnipeg to Vancouver and parts of it east.

We've enjoyed driving in Canada. Different perspective of roads, etc. A lot of the roads were no worse than the states. A lot the major highways are 65MPH and 4 lane in the segments we've traversed.

What you may want to even consider is drive through Canada from Maine to Alaska, then on the way home, from Dawson Creek swing South through Calgary and the Ice Fields Parkway down to Glacier National Park, then back through the states. It's a nice drive through northern Montana down to the interstate by the Billings Area. This type of route you get a different mix of things and see something different on both routes. This assumes you've got the extra time.

Go for it.
It's an adventure isn't it?
North of Lake Superior should be visited at least once in your life's travel.

Artum Snowbird wrote:
You will probably not find the price of fuel is so different. The US $ is 20% higher, and the US gallon is 20% smaller. Gasoline is much cheaper in the USA, but the price of diesel remains much higher.

I'm not sure I understand this statement: "Gasoline is much cheaper in the USA, but the price of diesel remains much higher."

Are you saying the price of diesel is much higher in the US?

Like the US, the prices of fuel varies from region to region. If we compare the national averages, we can get a measure of the differences in prices.

On 12/30/14, the average price of gasoline in Canada was $0.981 per liter. That converts to $3.157 per US gallon, including the exchange rate

On 12/29/14, the average price of gasoline in the US was $2.299 per US gallon

On average, Canadian gasoline was $0.858 per US gallon (or 37%) higher than in the US.

For diesel fuel, on 12/20/14, the average price of diesel in Canada was $1.18 per liter. That converts to $3.799 per US gallon, including the exchange rate

On 12/29/14, the average price of diesel in the US was $3.21 per gallon.

On average, Canadian diesel was $0.589 per US gallon (or 18%) higher than in the US.

Note: The average price of gasoline in certain regions of the US, those that have to use "reformulated" blends because of pollution, was $2.445 per gallon. In this case, Canadian gasoline was $1.268 per US gallon (52%) higher than in the US.

For the most part, "reformulated" regions of the US are California, Chicago and the northeast costal regions.

Sources:
Natural Resources Canada

US Energy Information Administration

On edit: Corrected the numbers to include the current exchange rate.

Tom

Have a look at the Yellowhead Highway. Crossing western
Canada has 2 options, the Yellowhead and the Transcanada. The Yellowhead is the northerly route, in keeping with the Alaska destination. One way going and the other returning sure seems like a valid option to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowhead_Highway/

You can avoid Chicago by going across the UP of Michigan - nice roads and lots to see.
This brings you to Duluth, then take Rte. 2 west and turn north into Canada when you feel like it. Great route - cheaper gas and cheaper camping than going through Canada.
Of course Americans will benefit with the stronger US $ while in Canada.

http://transcanadahighway.com/

I certainly would stay on the northern route when traveling from Maine to Alaska. We have driven our MH on the Trans-Canada as far west as Winnepeg and will be taking it farther west when we head to Alaska from Michigan this summer.

IMHO For you a possible small increase in fuel cost per gallon will be more than made up by the fact the Trans-Canada will be about 300 miles shorter and you avoid Chicago. Geez Avoiding Chicago is worth the cost by itself.