Trip from Calgary, AB to Alaska
We live in Alabama but going to Calgary for the stampede in July. My wife and I are considering driving to Alaska from Calgary. Being from Alabama we don't drive through many mountains and am concer...
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We'll be on the road with you coming up from west Georgia headed to Anchorage. We did the trip last year in a truck camper. This year we are doing it in a 31 ft motorhome with a toad dragging along behind us.
There is nothing intimidating about the trip at all. There are a few grades that are typical of what you'd find here in the eastern mountains but nothing that made us feel uncomfortable. In my view if you've ever been up or down Mt Eagle in Tennessee then the Alaska Highway will be a breeze as to me the AH is much easier.
The road condition does make one slow down as you approach the Alaska border. The frost heaves had us running about 25 mph for a few hours in the last 100 or so miles to the border. But it was manageable. Several dozen miles of dirt where they have ripped up the road for repairs along the way but we joked the dirt parts were as good as the paved!
Much of the roadway and topo is gently rolling much like GA and AL.
The speeds are much slower than down here in the south but a pace of 350 mi. or less a day makes it enjoyable. I ran about 55 mph from Banff north.
You really ought to give it a shot-- its a trip of a lifetime. We can't wait to go again. We ran from just east of you to Anchorage in 14 days. That was peeling pretty good. This year we are slowing down and poking a bit more and planning 20 days up and about 12 days back.
If you go you will see things that you just can't describe and you'll be glad you go.!!!
Joe
There is nothing intimidating about the trip at all. There are a few grades that are typical of what you'd find here in the eastern mountains but nothing that made us feel uncomfortable. In my view if you've ever been up or down Mt Eagle in Tennessee then the Alaska Highway will be a breeze as to me the AH is much easier.
The road condition does make one slow down as you approach the Alaska border. The frost heaves had us running about 25 mph for a few hours in the last 100 or so miles to the border. But it was manageable. Several dozen miles of dirt where they have ripped up the road for repairs along the way but we joked the dirt parts were as good as the paved!
Much of the roadway and topo is gently rolling much like GA and AL.
The speeds are much slower than down here in the south but a pace of 350 mi. or less a day makes it enjoyable. I ran about 55 mph from Banff north.
You really ought to give it a shot-- its a trip of a lifetime. We can't wait to go again. We ran from just east of you to Anchorage in 14 days. That was peeling pretty good. This year we are slowing down and poking a bit more and planning 20 days up and about 12 days back.
If you go you will see things that you just can't describe and you'll be glad you go.!!!
Joe
