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)

[sue_t]

Even with snow tires and chains, I wouldn't be tempted to drive through this area with fresh snow on the ground. This was last September on a sunny day :B
http://yukonsights.ca/20150915_Tetsa-Liard.html

[missnmountains]

rag-ftw wrote:
Thank you Heavenly Father for giving us only rain as we passed through this area earlier! Those mountain passes would NOT be fun in an RV today!

I cannot believe we have watched three people leave Triple G this morning heading northwest. One was a rig a little smaller than ours towing a huge cargo trailer.

Ken

[rag-ftw]

Thank you Heavenly Father for giving us only rain as we passed through this area earlier! Those mountain passes would NOT be fun in an RV today!

[sue_t]

Steamboat Hill this morning, about 50 miles north of Fort Nelson
NOTE: the image will update automatically, so you'll see current conditions rather than all the snow that is there as I post this.
Highway cams at http://images.drivebc.ca/

[missnmountains]

sue.t wrote:
Environment Canada is recommending NO TRAVEL through the Muncho Lake area today

WARNINGS
5:15 AM PDT Saturday 28 May 2016 -- Snowfall warning in effect for:
Muncho Lake Park - Stone Mountain Park

A long period of snowfall, with total amounts of 20 (8") to 30 cm (12") is expected.

A cold upper trough of low pressure over the province has created a moist easterly flow over northeast BC. Snow has already developed over higher elevations last night. As freezing levels lower snow will develop elsewhere by this afternoon. The snow will be heavy at times and continue through tonight. Total snowfall accumulations will range from 15 to 20 cm at lower elevations to 30 cm or more at higher elevations. The snow will ease Sunday morning and change to rain at lower elevations Sunday afternoon.

Travel is not recommended. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow.

I saw that this morning. We are going to spend another night here in Fort Nelson. Hopefully we can get out of here tomorrow.

Thanks for the post.

Ken

[sue_t]

rag-ftw wrote:
Sue special thanks to you for all your excellent info and for having your pet mule deer greet us as we passed by your place. When we go home this fall we will have more time and maybe we can stop for a few minutes!

This is her deer partner in our yard, a couple of summers ago

[sue_t]

Environment Canada is recommending NO TRAVEL through the Muncho Lake area today

WARNINGS
5:15 AM PDT Saturday 28 May 2016 -- Snowfall warning in effect for:
Muncho Lake Park - Stone Mountain Park

A long period of snowfall, with total amounts of 20 (8") to 30 cm (12") is expected.

A cold upper trough of low pressure over the province has created a moist easterly flow over northeast BC. Snow has already developed over higher elevations last night. As freezing levels lower snow will develop elsewhere by this afternoon. The snow will be heavy at times and continue through tonight. Total snowfall accumulations will range from 15 to 20 cm at lower elevations to 30 cm or more at higher elevations. The snow will ease Sunday morning and change to rain at lower elevations Sunday afternoon.

Travel is not recommended. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow.

[rag-ftw]

Tok to Wasilla today.
Bright sun, light tail winds, and no rain today made for spectacular views of the mountains!
Tok cutoff had the worst frost heaves of the trip. Numerous times we were down to 30mph and below. Most are not marked. Watch for the white line waves for an indication. Glen Highway is in much better shape with a few unmarked frost heaves to keep you honest.
Animal watch today was 3 moose between mile 96 and 92 on Tok Cutoff. They have to be the dumbest animal in the world! One of them waited until we were a couple hundred feet from it to slowly walk across the road watching us come to a screeching halt! Just a typical "moose brake check"!

Thanks to lizzie for organizing this effort.
Thanks to all who posted info that helped the rest of us with our travels.
Sue special,thanks to you for all your excellent info and for having your pet mule deer greet us as we passed by your place. When we go home this fall we will have more time and maybe we can stop for a few minutes!

My butt is dragging after 4748.5 miles in 9 days from Ft Worth to Wasilla! We normally take a month to make the trip but this year we had a grand daughter graduation in Phoenix that caused us to not have any spare time.

Y'all be safe and keep the greasy side down!

[sue_t]

Weather warning in effect for the Muncho Lake and Stone Mountain Park area tonight (Friday) and tomorrow. Rain up to 2" or more, with snow possible on Saturday. Higher elevation may receive up to 8" of snow.

Check the weather warnings at Environment Canada

[missnmountains]

GGeorge wrote:
My first trip crossing the border with RV and TOAD. I have required documents, and have quit buying food until I am in Canada. I will be crossing at Osoyoos, BC. But I do have a couple of questions?

1) Is there a good time to cross? Osoyoos is a 24 hr port. Is 8AM or 3PM better or even 10PM?

2) Plan is to change money in Osoyoos, BC. Good idea or bad idea?

3) Will Mounties take care of DW if I leave her there till I return?

As always, thanks for your answers

GGeorge

Don't stress about the time or food at crossing. They only worry about firearms.

Money... You can change about $500.00 at a time at banks for a small fee. We did it in advance.

Mounties and your wife??? WELL I guess 🙂

Ken

[GGeorge]

My first trip crossing the border with RV and TOAD. I have required documents, and have quit buying food until I am in Canada. I will be crossing at Osoyoos, BC. But I do have a couple of questions?

1) Is there a good time to cross? Osoyoos is a 24 hr port. Is 8AM or 3PM better or even 10PM?

2) Plan is to change money in Osoyoos, BC. Good idea or bad idea?

3) Will Mounties take care of DW if I leave her there till I return?

As always, thanks for your answers

GGeorge

[CountryRoad_REV]

We have made it to Inga Lake after spending last night at the Rotary park in GP. Bought fuel at 91.9 in GP. It was 99 where we purchased in Calgary. The trip and time in Waterton, Banff and Jasper were incredible even if the road to Cameron Lake was shutdown. We have already seen 2 grizzlies and 4 moose. We drove the bighorn route to GP (rt.40) lts of truck traffic on the GP end and we were given 2 chips in I our windshield. Purchased a repair kit and we are hoping they don't get bigger. We have spent 23 days getting to this point and the summer is young. Plan to fish more from this point going forward.

[missnmountains]

Roads up to Fort Nelson were great. Just cold and rainy.

We saw our first bear of this trip around MP184.

Rain and Snow is expected for tomorrow up to Liard Hot Springs.

Ken

[sue_t]

rag-ftw wrote:
Animals today was a large mule deer doe at KM1486.

Sue, we blew the horn and waved as we passed through your neck of the woods!

That mule deer doe has been hanging around our property quite a bit. She was here last Sunday for most of the day.

[rag-ftw]

Whitehorse to Tok today.
This was an unpleasant drive to say the least.
Watch for unmarked frost heaves between Whitehorse and Kluane Lake.
Rough torn up road to Destruction Bay.
Mostly gravel/mud from Burwash Landing to Beaver Creek with two major construction areas that required pilot car and 15-20 minute wait. The good news is there wasn't any frost heaves on the gravel section! The bad news is it took just under an hour to get the top layer of mud off the RV and towed with the high pressure wash at Tok RV Village! They will get a proper bath when we get to Wasilla!

Animals today was a large mule deer doe at KM1486.
A grizzly momma with two cubs at KM1732. She stood by the side of the road for a good 5 minutes waiting for all the traffic to stop before she strolled across the road with springer cubs in tow!

Sue, we blew the horn and waved as we passed through your neck of the woods!

Enough of this for tonight. We are off to Fast Eddy's for a steak!