alaska 2015 - which route - again

[sljohnson1938]

I messed up my first post by using the wrong mileage, which in turn messed up everything else.

we are planning a trip to Alaska this Summer. I have been looking at two different routes.

Route 1 - depart home, Mt. Airy, NC, and go North up to Michigan to visit our two daughters and families and two new great grand babies. From there we plan to go North across the bridge up to the UP and highway US2 then West to Grand Forks, ND. From there we go West to Minot, ND then North on highway US52 in to Canada and Dawson Creek. Total miles Grand Forks to Dawson Creek is 1318 miles. Of which 305 are in the US and 1013 are in Canada.

Route 2 - same as route 1 up to Grand Forks, ND. Then US2 from Grand Forks to Sweetgrass, MT. then North in to Canada and on to Dawson Creek. Total miles 1565 of which 792 are in the US and 773 in Canada.

This means route 2 is 247 miles farther than route 1. Or 4 to 5 hours driving time. Fuel cost will not be that much different when you consider the difference in fuel cost in the US vs Canada. The big difference to me is the 5 hours (one way) driving time. A round trip doubles the above mileage and driving time.

Which route would you choose? I am leaning toward route 1.

Again, sorry about the first post.

[EsoxLucius]

I'd still stay away from US 2 in western NoDak because of the Bakken oil field activity. Last summer we went north into Manitoba to Brandon. Even Minot is getting crazy.

Or go back south to I-94 and take Interstate and US highways farther into Montana or Washington and then into Canada.