$US in Canada?

Jim Shoe wrote:
...
The only problem I ran into was at a deli. Lunchmeat was sold by the gram and I didn't have a clue. So I ordered 8 slices. And I still don't know the ounce/gram conversion.....

A good rule of thumb - 500g = 1 lb

Tom N wrote:
I would get a credit card that charges no foreign transaction fee. See:
...

When I worked on both sides of the border I carried Capital One for that reason.
That a Debit card that had an agreement with a Canadian bank for no-fees, and the work-card that the employer paid the fees on.

On my trip to and from Alaska, I found that banks offered the best exchange rate. Always good to have some $CN with you. I found that my US Dollars were widely accepted for CN dollars one for one because of the then current exchange rate, but that rate changes often.
I don't think that it will ever happen, but I'd love to see us follow the lead of Canada and use $1 and $2 coins. "Loonies" and "Toonies". They physically last a lot longer than our singles.
The only problem I ran into was at a deli. Lunchmeat was sold by the gram and I didn't have a clue. So I ordered 8 slices. And I still don't know the ounce/gram conversion.
The other thing that surprised me was gas stations with attendants that pumped the gas, and it wasn't optional. But since its sold in $CN/Liter, you really don't know what you're paying or how much you need, so you just "fill it up".

US dollars are not legal tender in Canada. It would be up to the merchant whether or not to accept your dollars, and at what exchange rate.

I try to carry a small amount of the currency of a country going in, and use an ATM to withdraw what I plan to spend.

The remote towns can have electric outages that prevent the use of credit/debit cards. It's wise to have cash on hand to pay for food, fuel etc. The provincial parks in the Yukon are cash only.

A couple hundred Canadian is good insurance.

TD Bank charges no fees for ATM or transaction use in foreign countries.

We prefer Canadian Tire money :-D

Cards for most stuff, but for currency I just use an ATM, from my US account which doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee (CapOne, formerly ING).
I seldom finish up with more than $20 of unspent cash.

My biggest use for Canadian cash is campground fees. In Prov Parks those are usually collected at your site by the campground operator.

JayBea wrote:
In planning an Alaska trip for 2014 I have studied "Milepost" to select a route. However, I could find no mention as to what currency is accepted. Given that most credit cards charge a 2 to 3% foreign transaction fee the most economical thing would be to carry a wad of cash. Should I plan on converting my $US to $CA?

Thanks,
JIM

You really should have some Canadian cash for the incidentals. Just imagine a Canadian visiting your part of the World and trying to spend Canadian dollars there!
FWIW most border crossings have a currency exchange facility, otherwise you could draw cash from an ATM using your debit card.
Failing that, find a bank during business hours and exchange a couple of hundred there.