Roll Call Alaska 2015
I know its early but we have been planning for the past 3 months. I know its another 15 months at least till we leave but we are just going crazy... So here is our very rough plan overview. Leave mid...
Forum Discussion
We got back from Alaskan Trip on August 22nd after leaving home May 1st.
Traveled about 10k miles in 2003, 34 foot, National Motor home.
Gone almost 4 months. Great vacation, first time to Alaska.
Did much boon-docking, quite easy to find places.
We visited Haines, Fairbanks, Denali, Chicken, Anchorage, Wasilla, Palmer, Seward, Valdez, Homer and every little place between.
Tried to visit anywhere there was a paved road.
I especially liked Anchorage; great Bike paths, lots of museums. Hard to Boon-dock, stayed in a private campground and Elks Lodge.
I'm not a big city person, but this isn't that big; about 200K people.
I'm glad we did this trip. Chance of a lifetime. I would do this again. We had Great experiences.
I was surprised at how little it rained, much less than I had expected. Same with mosquitoes; didn't need to use my face net at all. There were 3-4 evenings that mosquitoes were bad enough to be pests, that's about all.
Here is what I was disappointed in though...
The condition of the roads, especially in Canada.
I understand about permafrost and frost heaves, etc. The good roads are not as smooth as our US roads are in the lower 48. You can really tell the difference in a motor home because you hear all the rattles and squeaks that you wouldn't hear while towing a trailer. The bad roads are really rough. It's a shame.
The 300 or so miles from Whitehorse to Alaskan border are in terrible condition. It seems to me that the Yukon Gov't doesn't care about the travelers on this section of road because there's very few places for tourists to spend their money here. It is obvious that they don't spend much on road maintenance here.
This section of road will really lower your average speed or you will break something serious on your rig.
The turnoff for Haines Alaska is along this section of the Alcan hwy and it is 155 miles of perfect road. It looks like it was paved yesterday. It gets the same weather as the Alcan does, so I don't believe the excuses of Permafrost and Frost Heaves.
The difference is; It gets maintained. Shame on Yukon Gov't.
By the way, I didn't plan on driving to Haines, but I'm glad we did. It is a jewel of a town. Well worth it.
Alaska is beautiful to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
So much we take for granted in the lower 48. Not every place has electricity and running water.
I would go again, but I think I'd fly or Cruise ship to Alaska, then rent a motor home while there and drive around for a month or so, then fly or cruise back.
One more thing; the road from Tok to Chicken Alaska is bad. We were told at the visitor's Center that the road is paved all the way except for the last 2 miles or so. It was at sometime, but again it has fallen into disrepair, narrow, hilly. I believe it took us 3 hours to travel the 66 miles. The further from Tok you get, the worse the road becomes.
Any questions?
Mike
Traveled about 10k miles in 2003, 34 foot, National Motor home.
Gone almost 4 months. Great vacation, first time to Alaska.
Did much boon-docking, quite easy to find places.
We visited Haines, Fairbanks, Denali, Chicken, Anchorage, Wasilla, Palmer, Seward, Valdez, Homer and every little place between.
Tried to visit anywhere there was a paved road.
I especially liked Anchorage; great Bike paths, lots of museums. Hard to Boon-dock, stayed in a private campground and Elks Lodge.
I'm not a big city person, but this isn't that big; about 200K people.
I'm glad we did this trip. Chance of a lifetime. I would do this again. We had Great experiences.
I was surprised at how little it rained, much less than I had expected. Same with mosquitoes; didn't need to use my face net at all. There were 3-4 evenings that mosquitoes were bad enough to be pests, that's about all.
Here is what I was disappointed in though...
The condition of the roads, especially in Canada.
I understand about permafrost and frost heaves, etc. The good roads are not as smooth as our US roads are in the lower 48. You can really tell the difference in a motor home because you hear all the rattles and squeaks that you wouldn't hear while towing a trailer. The bad roads are really rough. It's a shame.
The 300 or so miles from Whitehorse to Alaskan border are in terrible condition. It seems to me that the Yukon Gov't doesn't care about the travelers on this section of road because there's very few places for tourists to spend their money here. It is obvious that they don't spend much on road maintenance here.
This section of road will really lower your average speed or you will break something serious on your rig.
The turnoff for Haines Alaska is along this section of the Alcan hwy and it is 155 miles of perfect road. It looks like it was paved yesterday. It gets the same weather as the Alcan does, so I don't believe the excuses of Permafrost and Frost Heaves.
The difference is; It gets maintained. Shame on Yukon Gov't.
By the way, I didn't plan on driving to Haines, but I'm glad we did. It is a jewel of a town. Well worth it.
Alaska is beautiful to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
So much we take for granted in the lower 48. Not every place has electricity and running water.
I would go again, but I think I'd fly or Cruise ship to Alaska, then rent a motor home while there and drive around for a month or so, then fly or cruise back.
One more thing; the road from Tok to Chicken Alaska is bad. We were told at the visitor's Center that the road is paved all the way except for the last 2 miles or so. It was at sometime, but again it has fallen into disrepair, narrow, hilly. I believe it took us 3 hours to travel the 66 miles. The further from Tok you get, the worse the road becomes.
Any questions?
Mike
