Roll Call Alaska 2018

[JANETRUPP]

Okay...I know 2017 hasn't even taken off, but those of you that remember me from Roll Call 2013 know that I plan well ahead of time, lol.
4 years is way too long to go without being in Alaska so we are heading up again. This time my sister (Barbara), her husband (Pat) and their baby poodle (Koko) are going with us with their Bounder. We are planning to leave from Bullhead City, AZ around the end of May.
Would love to get a roll call started if anyone else out there is as much of an early planner as I am.
For those of you heading up this year, have a safe and wonderful trip and maybe you will enjoy it so much that you will join us in 2018. :W

Janet and Gary

[PghBob]

Sorry to hear your personal story of the postponement of your Alaska trip. Hope all goes well for your family. We had the same thing happen to us. We started our trip in 2014 and four hours in, we had to cancel the trip because of a sudden medical issue. We made it up to Alaska in 2015, and are planning for a 2018 return.

Best wishes to your family.

[n2light]

I just posted this on Roll Call Alaska 2017:

Well, we had to cancel our 2017 trip.

The plan was to leave next Monday, Grandson got out of school today, and return in late August, however my mother-in-law (93) took a fall and just got out of the hospital a few days ago.

I had put new shoes on the truck and fiver, maintenance items were completed and the only thing left was to stock the fiver with groceries. Sorry we couldn't make it, but we will add our names to the 2018 roll call.

[JANETRUPP]

missnmountains wrote:
In reply to Janet's June 4th post:

Look for us by this placard we put on our dash:



Ken

Very Cool !!! Now I will have to get creative, lol

[missnmountains]

In reply to Janet's June 4th post:

Look for us by this placard we put on our dash:



Ken

[Just_Lee]

CA Traveler wrote:
Run the gen for the block heater as needed. Using the inverter for the block heater draws a lot of house amps and not recommended.

After doing some more research you right it would pull to much and drain the batteries way to much and recovery would be long....

[CA_Traveler]

Run the gen for the block heater as needed. Using the inverter for the block heater draws a lot of house amps and not recommended.

[PA12DRVR]

rag-ftw wrote:

jacketsbum wrote:
So I'm planning on leaving in July for 8+ weeks. Is August and Sept not a good time? ...

Not the best time to see animals along the roadside but a better time for fishing!

The only thing about leaving in late September is you could run into some snow in the Canadian Rockies that might hold you up for a couple of days. SueT and PA12DRIVER would be excellent sources of info on possible road conditions.

Not sure if you'll be in the North for July/Aug/September or on the road in the continental U.S. during July and then hit the Canadian border circa 1-August:..... in any case, thoughts:

- For Southcentral Alaska (McKinley Park to Kenai) August is still "summer", but September can be a magical month: a bit cooler, bugs are gone or on the way out, tourists are gone or on the way out 😉 snow is dusting the mountains, etc. ....but it can also be rainy and chilly
- Further North (Squarebanks and upwards) September is the harbinger of winter, particularly at higher elevations or towards the end of September.
- Many tourist attractions shut down mid-September, although there is still plenty to see and do
- If you wait until end September to leave Los Anchorage or Squarebanks, you will encounter snow along the way out. In all probability, you'll encounter a few patches of road with snow on them (either in Alaska or Canada), but IRCC it will be patchy
- Mid-August through mid-October is Silver Salmon and trout season (when the fish are active whether or not the regs allow catching them). Halibut are good too, but the weather on the salt gets to be more of a consideration, particularly if going further offshore in search of the barn doors.
- August in Southcentral can be nice and is usually full of tourist activities and warmer days (even if rainy).
- FWIW, September is my favorite time of year in Southcentral and I'm perfectly happy to enjoy October if I miss September.....but by the end of September, one had better have their painting and roofing done and the warm weather chores done because Fall is on with a vengeance and winter is knocking on the door.
- In many ways, animals are actually more active at the end of summer and in the fall (i.e. September) but they're not dumb: roads and trails tend to become access points for hunters from late August through the end of September and the animals tend to avoid roads at that time of year in my experience. Not entirely, but noticeably so compared to June July.

[Just_Lee]

Thanks for the responses;

I do not have Aqua Hot.... I do understand the battery system, I'll have to think about keeping the engine heater on. I could use the converter/inverter but perhaps running the generator would cure the problem..The fuel used would be worth the once in a life time adventure......

[memtb]

CaTraveler, While I'm not familiar with a diesel pusher,but my Cummins is good to a minus 20F (and probably colder) without using the block heaters. I don't think you'll have any issues, even with #2 (summer) diesel. Wishing you the best and enjoy the trip! memtb

[CA_Traveler]

Just Lee wrote:
I have a technical question for those of you that have Diesel Pushers or anyone else that might know.

When traveling up in the North and you boondock and the temps get down on the 20's. When it comes to start the engine in the morning how do you handle the engine heater? I have 4 6volt deep cycle batteries?

1. The 20's should not be a issue, colder yes.

2. The chassis batteries start the engine but not the house batteries - ie your 4x6V batteries. But the house batteries can help with the emergency start.

3. Bottom line - good batteries and equipment and you should not have a issue.

4. Very likely your engine heater uses 120V from shore or the gen and NOT the batteries.

5. And yes some have alternate heat like an Aqua Hot.

[rag-ftw]

Just Lee wrote:
I have a technical question for those of you that have Diesel Pushers or anyone else that might know.

When traveling up in the North and you boondock and the temps get down on the 20's. When it comes to start the engine in the morning how do you handle the engine heater? I have 4 6volt deep cycle batteries?

I use the engine heat mode of my Aqua-Hot.

[Just_Lee]

I have a technical question for those of you that have Diesel Pushers or anyone else that might know.

When traveling up in the North and you boondock and the temps get down on the 20's. When it comes to start the engine in the morning how do you handle the engine heater? I have 4 6volt deep cycle batteries?

[rag-ftw]

jacketsbum wrote:
So I'm planning on leaving in July for 8+ weeks. Is August and Sept not a good time? ...

Not the best time to see animals along the roadside but a better time for fishing!

The only thing about leaving in late September is you could run into some snow in the Canadian Rockies that might hold you up for a couple of days. SueT and PA12DRIVER would be excellent sources of info on possible road conditions.

[jacketsbum]

So I'm planning on leaving in July for 8+ weeks. Is August and Sept not a good time? I figured kids would be back to school making it a wee bit less crowded. We went on a cruise/tour in September 2001 and it was beautiful then!

[CA_Traveler]

Some 2 weeks ahead of us in 2013 got very tired of the rain while we had almost none. Others coming up the Cassiar spent some days waiting out the floods. Luck of the draw.