Roll Call Alaska 2015

[trcgolf]

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 June from western NY; travel west up through Ill., Wis., Min., ND, into Canada.
Diagonally across Saskatch. and Alberta, BC, and YT...
Our first destination is Fairbanks, via Top of the World Highway... thinking of doing the Dempster to the Arctic Circle. I know there will many stops... some short, some long but all will be great.
Fairbanks to Homer with the obligatory Denali stop for a few days.
Homer to Portland Or; Oregon to San Fran; San Fran to home via the Northern US.

We have so much planning yet to do but reading all the Roll Call posts in 2013, and 2014 just keeps us going. Started to plan finances which brings us to the first major question.
I have heard all the diesel advantages and draw backs of the gas engines. We invested in a 32' fifth wheel and 2013 GMC 2500 HD with 6.0L Crew 4x4. The fiver weighs about 8K empty, I would guess 10,500 loaded. ( I will get that checked for sure)Brand new to Rving

The truck is my every dayer.... need the 4 wheel drive here in winter. The decision with gas was pure economics. A Cummins diesel and matching tranny was $9500 more. Doing the math it was going to take a bunch of miles to save enough in mileage to pay for the increase in price. About 100000 mile by my calculation. We not going to be full timers; one long trip a year to Florida.
Traveling around NY and Pa and maybe Florida, that all makes sense but going on a trip like this, I am not so sure gas was the way to go. So I am asking for those who used a truck like mine to haul a fifth wheel through Canada...Alaska...et al... What kind of mileage can I expect? Sorry for the novelette...I will get better at this.

Edited to add 'Alaska' within the title.

[trcgolf]

I can get 1 day at Savage...more aggravation than its worth
3 days at Riley...Probably just do that

[sue_t]

Savage River would be the better choice if you prefer to be deeper into the Park. You can come and go as you please as it is still along the public portion of the park road.

Riley Creek is at the entrance. More facilities, busier. Nice enough.

Both are nice...Savage River is further in though so if your intent was to go to Teklanika then I'd suggest taking Savage River as a second choice.

Look here for some pictures of the area http://yukonsights.ca/20100903_ByersLk-Denali.html

[trcgolf]

Cant get into Teklanika near the dates I need. What is Savage river like or riley creek

[dahkota]

When we crossed the border, the exchange rate was $1.13 to $1. Now it is $1.25 to $1. Many of the charges we have made are showing up three to seven days later - we are getting a better exchange rate with the delay. This benefits us as long as the US dollar is rising. If the US dollar begins to fall, getting a chunk of Canadian cash will save us money. As it is, our money is 'growing' with us not doing a thing.

(Our credit card charges us 1% on some purchases as a separate line item. Otherwise, the charge matches the rate of the day the charge posted rather than the rate of the day the charge was made.)

[Kidoo]

It is pretty important to check your charges on an exchange. Anything less than the exchange rate is a fee charged from your bank or from your credit card. For example, 2.5% exchange fee should have cost around $16 fee total for 650 Can $, giving you around $797 Canadian dollars, if there is no exchange fee, you should have got $813 can $ as per the rate today. Be carrefull with the rate from your bank, they could be tricking you with hidden fee, check the rate on a currency website.

On my last trip to USA this winter, I took some samples to see the differences with the current day rate and what the actual charge was on my credit card statement. You can check previous rate on this site:
http://www.xe.com/currencytables/

There was an average difference of .025 cents with Master Card and Visa. On every $1000 Can$, I loose $25 dollars in fee on the day rate. This confirms that my credit cards actually charged 2.5% exchange fee as stated. If a bank takes more than 2.5% over the day rate, I sure will take just enough money to make it in case I need cash and pay with credit card.

On your credit account, the rate will vary fractions of pennies from what is charge as it allways depend on the time of the day you did the purchase and when it was actually charged, exhange rate varies all day. So if you take note and make an average, it will tell you the average charges.

BTW, when I go to USA I pay with my credit card for fuel, but I allways have to go inside first to pay in advance because it almost allways ask for a ZIP code which we do not have, not a big problem.

[trcgolf]

Okie Lady Traveler wrote:
We are in Selby, Mt ready to go into Canada tomorrow. The exchange rate on money is $100 US to $120.34 Canadian. Is there a negative to getting enough Canadian cash to pay for gas up to Alaska instead of using credit card? Do all gas stations take Canadian cash? Looks like we would save 20%.

Also is there a better time during the day that would be less traffic at the boarder?

How are you going?....up thru Banff? Looks like there are forest fires going that way. Let us know how it goes?

[CA_Traveler]

2lazy4U wrote:
I just returned from my bank here in W. Colorado. I got $750CA for about $650US, plus my bank charged me a $12 bank fee. It's not the prime bank rate quoted as the day's rate, but the banks always win cause they're bigger than me. I think it's around .86.

The Yahoo cash exchange rate showed $779CA for your $650US and I think you said something about no cash fees?

In 2013 we got the current exchange rate with either Visa card and no other fees. Except for the day the exchange was made the CC exchange rate was the same as the cash made.

[2lazy4U]

I just returned from my bank here in W. Colorado. I got $750CA for about $650US, plus my bank charged me a $12 bank fee. It's not the prime bank rate quoted as the day's rate, but the banks always win cause they're bigger than me. I think it's around .86.

[Tee_Jay]

In Canada, plan on going in the store. A lot of US issued cards do not work out on the island, and sometimes trying to use the pump swipe will lock up your card. Been there several years back.

The close-of-market exchange rate today was listed as $1US to $1.25CDN. The bank, the currency exchange or your credit card will all take a fee.

[Kidoo]

Okie Lady Traveler wrote:
We are in Selby, Mt ready to go into Canada tomorrow. The exchange rate on money is $100 US to $120.34 Canadian. Is there a negative to getting enough Canadian cash to pay for gas up to Alaska instead of using credit card? Do all gas stations take Canadian cash? Looks like we would save 20%.

Also is there a better time during the day that would be less traffic at the boarder?

Why do you say you would save 20%? A credit card will charge you the rate of the day, plus maybe a fee. Mine charges the rate of the day plus 2.5%.

Do you know if the banks charges you a fee to exchange money? You could check with your credit card and see what is the exchange rate and fee. The rate right now should be 125 US for 100 Canadian.

Nobody refuse cash and you sure should bring some. I never saw a place where they refuse a Visa or Master card credit card in Canada, but it is nice to have cash just to pay for camping and in case a machine does not have the connection.

[2lazy4U]

I think it would be better financially to take cash and pay for everything that way, as you'll avoid fees. The downside is you can't just swipe your card, fill the tank, and drive off - you'll have to go inside the station. Not a big deal, though.

[Okie_Lady_Trave]

We are in Selby, Mt ready to go into Canada tomorrow. The exchange rate on money is $100 US to $120.34 Canadian. Is there a negative to getting enough Canadian cash to pay for gas up to Alaska instead of using credit card? Do all gas stations take Canadian cash? Looks like we would save 20%.

Also is there a better time during the day that would be less traffic at the boarder?

[Kidoo]

trcgolf wrote:

trcgolf wrote:
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 June from western NY; travel west up through Ill., Wis., Min., ND, into Canada.
Diagonally across Saskatch. and Alberta, BC, and YT...
Our first destination is Fairbanks, via Top of the World Highway... thinking of doing the Dempster to the Arctic Circle. I know there will many stops... some short, some long but all will be great.
Fairbanks to Homer with the obligatory Denali stop for a few days.
Homer to Portland Or; Oregon to San Fran; San Fran to home via the Northern US.

We have so much planning yet to do but reading all the Roll Call posts in 2013, and 2014 just keeps us going. Started to plan finances which brings us to the first major question.
I have heard all the diesel advantages and draw backs of the gas engines. We invested in a 32' fifth wheel and 2013 GMC 2500 HD with 6.0L Crew 4x4. The fiver weighs about 8K empty, I would guess 10,500 loaded. ( I will get that checked for sure)Brand new to Rving

The truck is my every dayer.... need the 4 wheel drive here in winter. The decision with gas was pure economics. A Cummins diesel and matching tranny was $9500 more. Doing the math it was going to take a bunch of miles to save enough in mileage to pay for the increase in price. About 100000 mile by my calculation. We not going to be full timers; one long trip a year to Florida.
Traveling around NY and Pa and maybe Florida, that all makes sense but going on a trip like this, I am not so sure gas was the way to go. So I am asking for those who used a truck like mine to haul a fifth wheel through Canada...Alaska...et al... What kind of mileage can I expect? Sorry for the novelette...I will get better at this.

Edited to add 'Alaska' within the title.

here is my original post when I started this...things have not changed significantly. We are leaving this Saturday with basically the same route. New truck but same route...No reservations yet as we are going to just bump along. As we get closer to some spots I am sure we will get some.
A few more odds and ends needed but for the most part we are ready to rock and roll. This is my second full day of retirement and what a way to start. 3 months on the road with my bride of 36 years..... Should be quite a party,
Look for the Roll Call sign in the window and stop in for a beer.
Safe travels.
Dawn & Gregg

:
Have a happy retirement and enjoy every minute of it. When I retired in 2012, at 12:00 o clock I was off the job and at 12:30 we where off to Florida, then to Alaska.

[sue_t]

Northeastern BC is on fire too. The Prince George Fire Centre has responded to 37 new fire starts since Friday May 22.
http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/dmf-viewer/?siteid=5131184402955244847

In Yukon, things are also bad, mostly on the eastern side with some in central and northern Yukon. There are none in the southwest of Yukon - nothing from Whitehorse along the Alaska Highway to the Alaska border. http://www.community.gov.yk.ca/firemanagement/

Yukon's total number of fires this season is now 58. Fifty-two fires are still active in the territory as of May 26.

Alberta's fire status is at http://wildfire.alberta.ca/wildfire-status/default.aspx

Northwest Territories isn't doing much better http://www.nwtfire.com/

[2lazy4U]

I suspect it won't be long before BC sadly follows suit.