Roll Call Alaska 2016

[GGeorge]

I have been planning this trip for 4+ years. It is now time to update my estimates and make my reservations.

Estimate Wash/BC border about 5 May 2016, north on route 97/1/2 to Tok, south to Valdez, make the hump to Anchorage, then to Homer and Seward, north to Denali, Fairbanks, back to TOK and off to Dawson, then south to Watson Lake, Smithers, then to CAN 16 east to Jasper,/Banff, on to Glacier in Montana, arriving early Sept so I can get thru the park then west to Kalispell. South thru the US to Houston area for the thanksgiving holiday and Florida for the Christmas holiday. Since I am sure it will be cold in Ohio I wont return home till April 2017.

Alaska here we come!!!!

G George

On edit, yup it's time to plan 2016. I edited your post to modify the title to be consistent with previous years; it will facilitate future searches for members.

... Eric (Moderator)

[fanrgs]

lizzie wrote:
We moved our ferry date up to August 3rd and will have Vancouver Island to explore before we get back in the states. it is going to be tough to choose a route home. lizzie

If you have lots of time, if you don't mind 2-lane roads through gorgeous scenery instead of Interstate highways, and if you have already been to Glacier/Waterton Lakes NPs, I have some suggestions for the western leg of your route home. The Okanagan Valley is one of our favorite parts of BC. If you like scenic glacial lakes, hillsides covered with orchards and vineyards, good wine, and great food, it may become yours too.

So, my route would include the Penticton-Kelowna portion of the Okanagan before you leave BC; the scenic, historic, isolated Bitteroot Valley (US 93 from Missoula, MT to Salmon, ID); Rexburg, ID to Riverton, WY via Jackson, Grand Teton NP, and Coulter Bay on Jackson Lake; and the old Oregon Trail route from Guernsey, WY to Ogallala, NE (with stops at Fort Laramie National Historic Site and Scotts Bluff NM). At Ogallala you meet I-80 and can speed east or find other back roads home, depending on your schedule.

But the great thing about RVing in the West is that you'll have a scenic trip after Vancouver Island, no matter which route you choose!

[GGeorge]

Tgator1: pulled into Valdez 3 hours ago at this writing. Expect delay 10 north of Valdez and travel w/pilot car. About 15-20 minute delay. Thompson Pass was very cloudy and raining. We are at Eagles Rest almost in downtown Valdez. WiFi fast, nice showers/restrooms, 50A full for $45 (GS discount) all sites gravel. We stopped at NPS just south of Glennallen this AM. Did not ask about campgrounds in NP. Remainder of week expect rain, high 60, low 40's. South of Glennallen a lot of fixed frost heaves. 3.25 hours for 115 miles.

Safe travels.

[rag-ftw]

In years past we really enjoyed Blueberry Syate Park. It's in Thompson Pass. Good greyling fishing and hiking.

[Tgator1]

We're in Soldotna area, camping at Johnson Lake. Wanted to fish for rainbows, but rain has been constant. Tent near us has smoke rising out of stack. Rain should put out wildfires, so it is good! Valdez is next up, then Wrangell Elias. Anyone find any camping places around there? Are there RV campgrounds in the national park?

[BillL1356]

Drove the McCarthy Road this morning. Road was much slower than when we drove in on Friday. Lots of rain which has resulted in lot of new pot holes. Trip out took 3+ hours as opposed to about 2 1/2 hours on Friday.

[rag-ftw]

The pastries at the Carcross bakery are REALLY good! The cinnamon/raisin roll is my favorite!

[lizzie]

It was not an ice cream kind of day. Hot chocolate maybe? We are back in Tok tonight so I guess we are sort of going home. We want to take the Atli-Tagosh-Carcross Scenic Loop before we get on the Cassiar. We moved our ferry date up to August 3rd and will have Vancouver Island to explore before we get back in the states. it is going to be tough to choose a route home. lizzie

[missnmountains]

Well, there were some nice updates recently. We were just too busy to post.

We just got back to southwest Florida. Just under three months. What a great trip. We are cleaning and getting the RV to North Trail for warranty items. I will try to update the Blogspot in a week or so for an epilogue.


I will say that the travel time from Valdez to southwest Florida is long!!!!

Ken

[rag-ftw]

lizzie, did you get an ice cream cone at the hardware store in McCarthy?

[lizzie]

Drove to Mccarthy yesterday. Left rv on gravel bar on copper river.road OK in truck. Great trip,don't pass it by.lizzie

[PA12DRVR]

Can't comment directly on the condition since I've not driven it lately.

The road from Chitina to McCarthy is all gravel, though. Reportedly in relatively good shape a week or so ago (according to my daughter who drove it both ways).

[GGeorge]

McCarthy Road: Milepost says 51% paved 49% Gravel.

How bad is the gravel portion? I don't want my dentures to fall out nor do I want a mouth full of poly grip.

Anyone travel it lately?

Thanks for you response

[DakotaCamper]

Left Dawson City this morning and are at Takhini Hot Springs near Whitehorse. We survived the TOW. What an experonce that was. Spent 1 night at Chicken Gold Camp and did the dredge tour. We had lots of mud and rain between Chicken and Dawson. Also had several long stretches of poor visibility after crossing into Canada. Less than 100' in places. Thank goodness for the vehicle wash in Dawson so we could get the mud off. All 3 of us are battling a cold so we didn't do too much at Dawson. Mostly resting although we did do the tour of the #4 Dredge. Passed 2 caravans heading towards Dawson today including an Airstream group.

[nevadanick]

In Dawson Creek and headed north in the morning.

[petrel]

sljohnson1938 wrote:
we are now in Homer, AK. spent the last two nites in a Alaska state CG in Ninilchik. wx was great the first day with great view of the mts. the second day was crummy. cloudy all day. will spend two nites here at the Homer Spit CG.
we then start back. plan to spend couple of days in Chicken then not sure if we will go TOW highway.

stuart

We must have driven right by you yesterday when we were scouting that campground!