Dawson City > Chicken > Tok AK

[nrbsr]

2018 F150 3.5 Eco towing a Keystone Bullet 230bhs

Wife and I will be leaving in a couple weeks from upstate NY headed to Alaska. My plan on the way up to Fairbanks and Denali was to take Rt 2 from Whitehorse to Dawson City then Rt 5 through Chicken towards Tok.

While researching I've come across some negative comments on road conditions traveling from Dawson City through Chicken, including one (I think on tripadvisor) stating that they would never tow a camper on that route.

I'm not against a little "adventure", but I also don't want to get the wife and I into a situation I might regret.

Seeking comments!

[soren]

After I hit the "post" button, I got an error notice that the system was down for maintenance. When the page loaded it double posted. First for me?

[soren]

Regarding any one RVer, who tells you to avoid any part of AK. or the Yukon, as a particular road is hell on earth. I've done the trip from PA. to AK. four times, so far. 99+% of other travelers I've met are in tune with the reality of where they are, and how and why being in some of the most amazing places on earth, means that roads are far from perfect. However,every so often you end up having interesting conversation with a fellow traveler that has simply become unglued, when dealing with the stress of driving their rig (which they are OCD about to the point of it being unhealthy) in that environment, They just can't deal with the possibility of it becoming damaged, stone chipped, or even filthy.

I was heading north in Prince George, early in the year, and met a guy who was heading south in a class A. This guy had made it another half day north, and lost it. He abandoned his Alaska trip, since he couldn't imagine another hour of gravel roads, or following a pilot car through another rough construction zone. Fact is, he never really started his journey north.

Another year I was south bound filthy and tired from dealing with **** roads. I stopped at border city for the night, and spent until ten PM repairing my fridge. As I went to bed, I noticed that a rig was STILL at the free rig wash, having been busy washing a stunning Class A with a matching Jeep GC for a few hours. I got up at 2 AM to pee, and they were still detailing the rig. That couple should of never left the states,lol.

Bottom line, to quote an old cowboy I worked for, "some guys would whine if you hung em with a gold rope". IOW, there is a small demographic in the Alaska bound crowd that will tell you that any and every road is the road from hell, and will destroy your rig.

Have a GREAT trip, the TOW is magical.

[sljohnson1938]

on our first trip we traveled west to east. from Chicken over the TOW to Dawson city. the wx was great. plan on at least two days there. great things to do and see in Dawson city. Diamond Tooth Gerties is a definite place to visit.
nice floor show, not long, but good. have pic of me with the girls. hope you have a great time.

[sljohnson1938]

sure Sue - pour it on - ha ha - love ya girl.

[ppine]

Elk are introduced to Alaska. Seeing lynx is always a big deal.

[sue_t]

The elk herd of about 180 tend to live on and around our place too and are sometimes on the Alaska Highway so be alert 😉
See more elk photos at http://yukonsights.ca/Elk-CervusElaphus.html

[sue_t]

rag-ftw wrote:
Sue has provided many great pics to this forum over the years. One spring she even arranged for a majestic elk to be standing beside the highway when we passed her place heading North! 😉 We are indeed fortunate to be able to learn from her wisdom and experience.

Maybe she will share her lynx video with us again in the future.

Thanks Sue, for all you do for us "tourists"!

These two lynx ?
See more of their activity including the video from March 2016 north of Haines Junction at http://yukonsights.ca/20160305_Lynx.html

[ppine]

My uncle Alaska Bob always talked about Chicken, his favorite town to visit.
I can also suggest the road from Haines, Ak at the end of the ferry system through the Yukon to Tok and Los Anchorage.
Right past Lake Kluane and Lake LaBarge that R Service wrote about in the Cremation of Sam McGee. There were over 100 Dall sheep at Sheep Mth. We met Athabascan families smoking salmon on a fire. The Northern Lights were wonderful. The Yukon could be the most beautiful place in the world.

[colliehauler]

Alaska was always on my bucket list. Sue T photo's and stories made it even more so.

[rag-ftw]

Sue has provided many great pics to this forum over the years. One spring she even arranged for a majestic elk to be standing beside the highway when we passed her place heading North! 😉 We are indeed fortunate to be able to learn from her wisdom and experience.

Maybe she will share her lynx video with us again in the future.

Thanks Sue, for all you do for us "tourists"!

[sljohnson1938]

is that not a fantastic picture???

thanks Sue -

you know it is not fair for someone to have such great talent, and people like me zero.

[sue_t]

We've towed our fifth wheel across the Taylor Hwy and Top of the World Hwy many times. Many of my pictures are posted for other RVers to view on my website at http://yukonsights.ca/TopOfTheWorld.html and http://yukonsights.ca/TaylorHwy.html

It can be a beautiful drive if the weather is good and especially in the Fall - just drive to suit the road conditions which vary a lot

[ppine]

Good idea. Just expect dust and gravel.

[Ozlander]

We did it on a motorcycle pulling a tent camper. You haven't seen mountains until you've' been on the TOW.

[Ed_Rana2]

We did the TOW in June 2016 from Dawson City. Few things not mentioned - there is a 10 minute ferry ride across the river to start the highway. Our timing was bad, behind a caravan, and waited about 3 hours to start. Don't sweat the small stuff...
As mentioned, weather will impact the road, it was nicely graded, safe, stress free to the Border. On the US side as approaching Chicken, the road was in heavy use and quite muddy. Slow and easy, no issues. A night in Chicken was a hoot and the drive the next day into Tok was good.

That experience was certainly a highlight of the trip. Remote, yet comfortable with the roads, beautiful scenery, true sense of being "out there."
Once in Tok, it did take a good hour with a pressure hose to get the top layer off the truck and trailer, but no other worries.
Take your time, enjoy the journey, don't sweat the small stuff...

Dawson City also was pleasant as well. Glad we did it.