Yukon - Question 2

ExploreNorth, did a quick look at that's very helpful info. Thanks!

Have you been to Alaska

Twice.

Crowe, are you looking at renting a car and staying in motels? How long do you have?

Yes. Unclear at this point but probably 8-10 days, including travel time.

With scenery being a high priority for you, Whitehorse is a better starting point.

Thanks-this is the type of info I am looking for on top of what to do. Will look at pics soon.

Crowe, are you looking at renting a car and staying in motels? How long do you have? There aren't many places to stay along the Alaska Highway anymore (or any other highway up here), so you need to plan ahead. With scenery being a high priority for you, Whitehorse is a better starting point. The Northern Highways section of my Web site may be of use to see what the roads are like.

Have you been to Alaska or the Yukon before? What do you want to do in Fairbanks and on the Alaska Highway?

I just flew into Fairbanks in June for a conference, but I have been there many times since my first trip in 1972. Fairbanks to Beaver Creek, YT, on AK2/YT1 is, IMHO, not the most scenic part of the Alaska Highway route and is definitely the roughest/slowest from the standpoint of frost heave damage to the road. The AH section around Klune Lake and the Haines Cutoff are much more scenic and generally smoother/faster if you only have a short time for your trip.

If it is too expensive to fly into Whitehorse, look at airfares to Juneau. They are generally about the same as Fairbanks airfares. After touring the Juneau area and perhaps taking a boat tour to Glacier Bay, take the AMHS ferry to Sitka (my favorite town in Alaska), back to Juneau, and then to Skagway (my least favorite town in Alaska).

In Skagway, you can ride the White Pass & Yukon Railroad to Lake Bennett or Carcross and/or hike the Chilkoot Trail. Then you can rent a car and drive to Whitehorse and Dawson City, if those historic Klondike Gold Rush locations are of interest to you.

This combined ferry/car tour gets you a brief introduction to both SE Alaska and the Yukon. But you miss Denali NP, Valdez, the Kenai, Anchorage, and other prime tourist destinations in Alaska.

In the fall and spring the motorhome companies offer re-positioning rates. You can get a motorhome in Alaska, and drive it to Seattle in the fall with no drop off fees. Something to consider.