Roll Call Alaska 2014

[sljohnson1938]

Anyone traveling to Alaska in 2014? We ,my wife and I, are planning a trip and was wondering if anyone is planning on going in 2014 also.
Would go this year, except we have two weddings to go to in MI, one in late June the other in early August.
So next year we are planning to leave home in NC in mid July, we plan a 2 month trip. We were there in 2004, only that time we were with paid RV tour. Loved it, and would take another paid tour in a 'heart beat', but the cost is now too much.
The reason for the mid July date is looking at the 2013 Alaska postings the wx, road conditions and insects are at their worst. Later in the season all three are better. Plus I want to travel back on the Cassiar Hwy in Sept is supposed to be the best time of the year on the Cassiar, plus less travelers.
Finally, money is an issue with us. So we will 'boon dock', stay at
free or low cost CG's, rest areas, etc. when ever possible.


Hope you all have a great trip and hope to see you some where along the way.

[Tonijim]

fanrgs

Totally agree on Haines vs. Skagway. We spent an extra few days in Haines for the very same reason on our '05 trip. The only downers on Haines were two bad haircut for me and the Missus. We also favored Haines Hitchup.

Jim

[hr0082]

We are now in Nikiski which is near mile 23.4 on Kenai Spur Highway on the way to Captain Cook Park. We are parked at the North Peninsula Recreation Area http://www.northpenrec.com/index.htm which has a huge domed indoor pool, exercise room, racquetball and an ice rink. The facility is surrounded by trees and wildflowers as well as walking/biking trails. The really good news is that they allow free overnight RV parking (unhook if you want). The use of the facility, including shower is $2.

[fanrgs]

It's Lynn "Canal", Portland "Canal", etc. in SE Alaska. They use "canal" there for the long, narrow, drowned glacial valleys that are called "fjords" in Norway and many other places around the globe.

We had the same experience last year with Oceanside vs. Haines Hitch-Up and have recommended Hitch-Up to everyone we have met since. We actually stayed there two days longer than we originally planned because we had such a great time photographing bald eagles, sunsets, glaciers, mountains, and fishing boats, ferries, and cruise ships in the canal, taking the walking tour of Ft. Seward, visiting the cannery and bald eagle preserve on the Chilkat River, hiking in the state parks, eating out, and just walking around town. Haines is now one of our favorite towns in Alaska (and Skagway is one of our least favorite!).

[fanrgs]

Sorry for the double posting.

[reelgalnita]

We are in Haines AK for 6 nights - has been cool, rainy first 2 days but at least the rain has stopped for a while now.... enjoying halibut ($19.99/lb) and dungeness crab, which is only $6.50/lb here... wish I could take a boatload home with me! The coastline and fishing village are misty, magical - great photo ops! Fireweed blooming, fisherman are out in the Lynn Canal, I believe it is called, trying to catch some fresh salmon. They are counting the salmon at a weir set up over the channel, have counted over 17,000 since May 27... saw a few eagles, no bear yet. We opted not to camp at Oceanside, talk about a crowded parking lot - nice on the water but a bit too cozy for me. We are at Haines Hitch Up RV Park, nice spacious, grassy sites. They are not putting anyone next to us, maybe because of our longer stay? Don't know but we like it.... We are heading to Jasper/Banff when we leave here... safe travels everyone!

[06ViewH]

Nice sunny day in Ketchikan. On the way to Prince Rupert soon. Enjoyed what Ketchikan had to offer.

[fanrgs]

The "Roll Call 2015" thread already exists and is now 3 pages long.

[RamblinManGA]

Hi from AZ. . . well, due to the year from Hell health-wise, we did not do the Alaska drive this year. . . but, things are looking up, so I'm ready to try again (3 previously planned trips now on the cancelled list, starting in 1977) About time to start the 'Roll Call 2015' thread, if you don't mind. See you on the road, Craig (formerly posted as Seahawk 09)

[sue_t]

It is wise to not use the highway shoulders regardless of how solid they look from the driver's seat.

Soft shoulders are all along the Alaska Highway. Unless you see other tire tracks on the shoulder (meaning it is likely a popular photo stop), don't pull your RV onto the shoulder. Even then, be careful...where I pull off with my little car might not take the weight of your rig.

I see a handful of RVs tipping well into the ditch each summer on my drives between Whitehorse and my place west of Whitehorse. This year also seeing a fair number of trailers with axle and tire problems. Usually leaving the trailer behind with a tire or two off then driving into Whitehorse for repair.

[traveylin]

A note for the folks headed south to Whitehorse . I pulled over on the very nice looking shoulder for the wife to take a picture and had the right front wheel sink down to the axel tipping the class a precariously. I was able to back it out. The road looked good, well maintained. But the shoulder had been riddled with holes by ground squirrels. This occurred about fifty miles north of Whitehorse in the north bound side.

[traveylin]

Spell check converted soldatna to sold arena

[traveylin]

In Valdez this week at the adult camp watching the boats in and out in the dripping rain. On the plague at the shower house it describes sixty inches of rain a year and four hundred inches of snow. It truly is a rain forest. We added a sixth day here because it's great. Saw the walrus at the fish hatchery yesterday. Halibut trip tomorrow and glacier cruise Monday. Bear paw ii adult camp is really a find and after six grande on fuel the forty five bucks a night is great value. Sold arena area next week. Plan to leave Alaska third week of August prior to closures .

[soos]

We were in Stoney Creek a few days ago, and have moved to Anchorage. in a couple of days we head to Denali for a week, then on to.........?

Sue

[sheltieRV]

In Seward with the rain. Very crowded here, the City park seems to be pretty full and out at Stoney Creek (where we are at), they are waiting on a caravan that will overflow the park.

[06ViewH]

Now in Ketchikan until Sunday when I go out on the ferry to Prince Rupert. I have to admit that it is temporarily nice to be in a tourist trap after driving the Alaska Hwy and touring Alaska for the last 5 weeks. Loved the entire trip and nothing better than being able to boondocks where ever you stop and having mountains, waterfalls, etch surrounding you.

Now back to the people watching for another day...

https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=a07a538ddea1dca24