Vancouver, BC to Alaska info needed

tsimtcu8 wrote:
The good news is there are 2 of us and we are young so covering ground is what we like to do. On our drive from Texas to BC we once covered the distance between Trinidad, CO and Boise, ID in one day no problem.

If you plan on using your Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab 2500HD Duramax Diesel Allison Transmission with A.R.E topper should make it much easier in either driving the route or not bad for taking the ferry up and/or back. No worries about being too tall, just have to figure the length. We have an A.R.E topper on a 8' bed, my wife & I did a couple of nights in the back of it this past April/May. If younger it wouldn't be too shabby for touring Alaska (if it had the walk-in-door in back it wouldn't be bad at all even at our age).

Sounds like you two could do well in crossing country quickly, especially if you drive in shifts & if the one not driving sleeps while on the fly, one might be able to never stop except for fuel. Might want to get fuel whenever it can be had.

Should have plenty of light for it, more & more daylight as you go north.

Might want to estimate the cost of fuel per mile (kilometer, I assume in Canada) vs the cost of taking the ferry vs cost of flying & cost of sleeping arrangements (their seems to be some hostels in Anchorage) & rental cost.

But having your own wheels & bed is always the nicest (to me at least).

my website (below) has pictures and itineraries of numerous trips we made from Vancouver Island to Yukon/Alaska and return. You can make Whitehorse in 4 days, and 4 days return. I drove Vancouver to Whitehorse in 2.5 days once, in my car, but wouldn't recommend those speeds on those roads with a truck and camper.

What you do after Whitehorse will vary your trip length. My website might give some ideas.

Many first-timers drive north on the Alaska Highway and south on the Cassiar Highway. Both nice routes.

joe b. wrote:
Go for it. I have often said I would fly to Alaska just to spend a weekend, if I could afford it. While two weeks isn't the optimum amount, you can have a great vacation in that time frame. Not go to be able to stop and spend any large amounts of time anywhere, but you can get a good taste of the north country for planning your next trip.

If your age and health allow you to put in some long days, it is very doable IMHO. Get up in the morning and be on the road by 7 AM or earlier. Some folks will tell you they only drive about 200 miles a day or less. The same people usually will admit to only driving from about 10 AM or later till mid afternoon. No wonder they only make 200 miles a day. :) if you have the time and that schedule works, then great, but everyone doesn't always have lots of time for the trip

Any amount of time spent in Northern Canada and Alaska is better than not going. IMHO. The OP should get many responses to this question, some from members that have driven to Alaska.

Very good information coming in guys - thanks so much for sharing. The good news is there are 2 of us and we are young so covering ground is what we like to do. On our drive from Texas to BC we once covered the distance between Trinidad, CO and Boise, ID in one day no problem.

Some Pics from the 2010 trip:

Awesome pics DesertHawk! thanks for the info.

Go for it. I have often said I would fly to Alaska just to spend a weekend, if I could afford it. While two weeks isn't the optimum amount, you can have a great vacation in that time frame. Not go to be able to stop and spend any large amounts of time anywhere, but you can get a good taste of the north country for planning your next trip.

If your age and health allow you to put in some long days, it is very doable IMHO. Get up in the morning and be on the road by 7 AM or earlier. Some folks will tell you they only drive about 200 miles a day or less. The same people usually will admit to only driving from about 10 AM or later till mid afternoon. No wonder they only make 200 miles a day. :) if you have the time and that schedule works, then great, but everyone doesn't always have lots of time for the trip

Any amount of time spent in Northern Canada and Alaska is better than not going. IMHO. The OP should get many responses to this question, some from members that have driven to Alaska.

garyhaupt wrote:
Bud, welcome to the Forum. If you are thinking Vancouver/Alaska and return in 14 days, plan on arriving and just turning right around again. You can do it, but it'd be no fun at all and seriously, it'll take you a week in each direction. ok ok..maybe 5 days, flat out.

It's a long ways and you wanna stop and see stuff. If I might make a suggestion? If 14 days is what you have...head out, enjoy the drive..maybe check out the road to Bella Coola from Williams Lake...drive as far as you go in seven days and figure out from there, which way to get home. You can go home via the Peace, down thru the Rockies and so on...and have just a great great time. I'd say do it in June too..come July/August, the roads are full...kids, you know. And..if you like colours...do it in September, even.

If you just have to do Alaska, maybe look at flying up, rent a vehicle and so on. Take 10 days and have a blast.



Gary Haupt

+1 Everything he said he said well. 14 days will not cut it.

It's a long drive. It can be done, but you won't have much fun.

Bud, welcome to the Forum. If you are thinking Vancouver/Alaska and return in 14 days, plan on arriving and just turning right around again. You can do it, but it'd be no fun at all and seriously, it'll take you a week in each direction. ok ok..maybe 5 days, flat out.

It's a long ways and you wanna stop and see stuff. If I might make a suggestion? If 14 days is what you have...head out, enjoy the drive..maybe check out the road to Bella Coola from Williams Lake...drive as far as you go in seven days and figure out from there, which way to get home. You can go home via the Peace, down thru the Rockies and so on...and have just a great great time. I'd say do it in June too..come July/August, the roads are full...kids, you know. And..if you like colours...do it in September, even.

If you just have to do Alaska, maybe look at flying up, rent a vehicle and so on. Take 10 days and have a blast.



Gary Haupt

We have only flown up so far, 2010 & 2011....here's a report of the trip were we got to do some camping: Our 3 weeks in Alaska - 2011

No Expert, but if wanting to do Salmon fishing....Kenai Peninsula about mid-July seems to be the time it gets started, but all depends on when they are running. Lot of neat things down on the Peninsula.

Some Pics from the 2010 trip:

At the Alaska Pipeline Exhibit north of Fairbanks - 2010 Trip


Pipeline Eielson AFB....


At the start of the Dalton Hwy. same trip.


The Dalton Hwy.


Near where Dalton begins...the pipeline.


A rest stop at a pull out by a nice stream on the way back to Fairbanks from the Dalton Hwy.




Out in early Oct on a trail 2010 with a couple of Quads.









All Denali Nat'l Park Late Sept. Last photo: Only view of Denali (Mount McKinley) we had while in the Park. It was late in the season, they were allowing vehicles to drive into the park (normally only the tour buses allowed). At least we believe it was Denali.


Tanana River Vista near Fairbanks.


Moose eating leaves by our son's home.


At Fairbanks Air Port saying farewell to our Granddaughters in Oct 2010.

Some photos from the 2011 trip:

Delta Junction 2011.




Fairbanks Pioneer Park 2011.



Alaska Black Spruce


Whittler from a day cruse ship. 2011.

With only 14 days total, I'd suggest looking into using the Ferry or to Fly up rent a car & use B&Bs, motels, etc. But those are not inexpensive, using the ferry up & back might be best depending on the size of your unit.

The Alaska Marine Highway Ferry, I was thinking of, would be out of Bellingham. You may check Fares by Clicking Here. I've looked for departing in Canada, but it seems one must drive a long ways up & do a good looping curve to get to a port.

When I last looked it as Bellingham to Haines: $353 per person, VEHICLES UP TO 10' $462, Up to 15' $797, Up to 19' $947, etc. as you get longer or higher. Cabin Rates would vary from $337-$393 for two berths. Or one can just sleep on deck or somewhere for free. They also have height restrictions with fees as well.

Remember, once you get to Haines, one must drive into Canada to get to the rest of Alaska via highways. Seems like it is about 600 miles or so to either Fairbanks or the Alaska border. Most in Canada.

I'm sure one can get a vehicle by ferry to Whittier (not a long drive to Anchorage from there), & I have found it before, but it is hard to find. Not sure why. Didn't see it listed when just looking.

Here's something on the Ferry to Whittier. For prices or Fares to Haines, & this one To Whittier.

The Alaska Ferries often have a special, driver gets to go free if using round trip on them.

Good luck with your goal of going, it is really neat.