Great Alaskan Spring Adventure

[riven1950]

We are on the waiting list for this trip for May 2015. I am looking for anyone with real life experience with this trip, good or bad.

Some Idea of how the trip went, where you visited, and how you got home ( cruise back down coast, rent a car, fly, etc. ), what it ended up costing etc. There would only be two of us, no pets, no children. Looking at the 24' or 26' RV.

We have a 18TT and 2013 Eco which can easily make the trip. Just trying to decide if I want to put the miles on my rig or their rig. Live in NC.

Looking for opinions....and hopefully some real life experience.

http://www.greatalaskanholidays.com/spring.html

Thanks in advance

[pigman1]

We drive up every second year. We fish. Generally leave DE around May 20, cross to Canada in western Montana, then up to Calgary, Edmonton and up. We stop for a few days in Tok and get the rig cleaned up, clothes washed, etc. Then down the Tok cutoff toward Glennallen. We fish that area if Kings are running and weather is good. THen a run to Valdez for a few weeks for early Pinks, shrimp and renewing old friendships. Later back to Copper Center for a week or so for Red Salmon and on to the Kenai for a run to Homer for Halibut out of that area.

Get a copy of the Milepost (1 year old is OK as the new one won't be out till March). Use that for your planning. What ever you do, don't miss any local museums or visitor centers. All are great. local docets have all the best info on local things to see. Fuel will be expensive but that's the cost of the trip. Check out local festivals and celebrations and talk to everyone. Most of those traveling will be Alaskans. They've been cooped up all winter and want to get out. Museums in Valdez, Fairbanks and Anchorage are also great. Tons of things to do and places to go. We do at least one new thing each trip and haven't run out yet. We've been up in '06, '07, '09. '11, '13 and will go again next year.

We leave around Sept 25th. 10 driving days of about 600 miles a day, but we've done our sightseeing along the route so we only stop to sleep. Roads north of Whitehorse will have frost heaves and some loose gravel, but if you just slow down, you'll be fine.

Needless to say we love it. We flew up in '11 for the Iditerod in March. Drove around for 2 weeks and loved it too. -38 just outside Denali, but we were fine. Be cautious though. THe place is addictive. Once is NOT enough.

[GordonThree]

I went this year, left in May ... early May in fact. Many here said it was too early, and partly they were correct. A lot of the "mom 'n pop" campgrounds and gas stations were not yet open on the Alcan... some of them appeared to open in July and close in August (wtf is the point)

In May, there were very few RV'rs headed west / North, in fact most of the RV's I passed were headed the opposite way.

There is plenty of snow left in the mountains making them beautiful, and the inland lakes are all frozen so no fishing (and no fishing related crowds)

There was plenty of black bear, elk and eagles. Also saw some bison, goats, sheep, etc.

Some "unmaintained" roads will be closed by snow, mostly in the mountains leading to scenic places like the Salmon Glacier, Hatcher Pass and a few others.

Traveling through Canada, be mindful of Victoria Day (mid May, was May 18 this year) - there will be crowds at the campgrounds that are open.

As I returned mid-June, the snowbirds were returning to ALaska, giant Class A's towing trailers and / or cars behind them, all with Alaska plates. The organized caravans were also starting... when a caravan stops for fuel, prepare to wait hours for a pump, or find another station.

Edit: My equipment was a 20ft TT and a 1/2 Ram with the 350 Hemi

Edit #2: Cost .. A LOT, spent over $6k on fuel, round trip was 11,300 miles give or take. In populated Canada expect to pay $5-6/gallon for fuel, and in Northern Canada along the Alcan, make that $6-8/gallon