Forum Discussion

windinmyface2's avatar
Sep 22, 2019

travel to Haines Alaska

My Grandaughter and her boyfriend are planning to drive from Port Angeles Washington to Haines alaska. They will be in a car, leaving next Thursday.
I am beyond concerned.....
Can anyone tell me road conditions, expected weather, ect?
appreciate ANY information.

worried sick.
  • Are your grandaughter and boyfriend smart or dumb? Do they know how to drive in snow?
    If the answers are smart and yes, then don't worry.
    If not, then I'd be worried.
  • They had better have food, a source of heat, blankets and winter clothes this late in the year. As others have said weather is very unpredictable in the north
  • I think you are very right to be concerned about the weather. Someone mentioned getting into a motel to wait out a snow storm. But as was said by someone else they’re aren’t many. I think it is a bad time of the year to make that trip in a car. Making that same trip at the same time of year in an RV is a different matter.
  • The roads up north are generally pretty good. Some construction here and there but just take it slow and things there are fine. If they're driving down from Haines Junction, YT, they can expect few, if any, services on that road. In addition, the customs/border crossing is NOT open 24 hours, so they need to time their run to hit it when it's open. As others have said, make sure they check the weather closely and often. Things up there change very quickly and you can't expect an open motel or restaurant just down the road, so plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead. BTW, the Alaska Highway was closed near Haines Junction for snow around August 20th this year, and when we went through a week later there was NO SNOW to be see except on the peaks.
  • My 80 year old aunt drove up to the Kenai recently from Seattle in a 25 year old Crown Victoria. No problems.
    Try to learn to relax.
  • If it snows she would just pull off for a day or two and wait it out in a motel.
  • Well these guys have just done it and you can read all about it:
    RV Dreams

    Probably day 128 and there on they return on the Cassier Hwy

    I wouldn't be that worried she isn't heading off into the unexplored jungle...heh