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

[borderbrae]

That 100w kit will have everything you need. If you find it a bother to keep connecting to the battery with the clamps you could set up a pigtail with ring connectors on the battery posts, then you just connect the cable from the solar panel to the pigtail.

Do read the directions carefully. A lot of the controllers that are included in the kits are not waterproof. I can leave my panels out 24/7 because my controller is inside the trailer even though it is waterproof. it is more efficient to have the controller as close to the battery as possible.

I just looked more closely at the HF kit, you get the controller but have to put a lot of stuff together. If that's the case the closer you can put the controller to your battery the better. Worst thing is to have it sitting in the sun getting hot.

Another heads up, it is it windy be sure to tie the panels down so they can't blow over. I was camping in AZ in January and saw that some one's panels had blown over and since they were rigid glass 2 of them were smashed. I have the very lightweight flexible panels (100w and a 120w) with PVC frames, they've blown over but not broken or been damaged. I'm more careful to rig them so they can't blow over now.

[mabynack]

rag-ftw wrote:
Here's 100 watts of solar charging power for $160.00!

Harbor Freight Coupon

Thanks. I just ordered it. Does the kit have everything I need?

[mabynack]

borderbrae wrote:
You can get a 12v 100w solar kit that will contain everything you need for under $300.00. I went to AK in 2014 and had a 100w folding kit that kept my trailer battery charged up. I did have 3 days of bad weather on the Kenai and was about to get some gas for my generator when the sun came out so I never got the gas. I was gone 129 days and had electric hookups about 36 of those days if I remember correctly. I kept a laptop and iPad charged up along with cell phone and trailer battery. I have one Group 24 12v deep cycle battery, nothing fancy.

Most trailer fridges will run on propane and use minimal electric power. If you have a furnace the fan for that will use a lot, but it cycles on and off and you should be able to keep the battery charged up if you have enough sun.

As someone pointed out, the cost of campgrounds with electric is at least twice what dry camping is. I splurged a few times for the sake of convenience, but overall I much prefer dry camping. Other thing about RV parks with electric, they tend to be parking lots, often you're on gravel and you're very close to your neighbors. Not nearly and roomy as campgrounds without electric.

Thanks. My battery on my rig went out while it was sitting at the RV repair facility, so I bought a new Optima battery yesterday. I guess I'll go ahead and buy the solar kit. Thanks for the advice.

[rag-ftw]

Here's 100 watts of solar charging power for $160.00!

Harbor Freight Coupon

[borderbrae]

Add me to the Rollcall 2018 list. Things are looking good here so I plan to hit the road in May. Maybe this trip I'll actually get to stay in Denali at Teklanika for a few days (had to cancel those reservations in 2014). Was a great trip in spite of that.

[borderbrae]

You can get a 12v 100w solar kit that will contain everything you need for under $300.00. I went to AK in 2014 and had a 100w folding kit that kept my trailer battery charged up. I did have 3 days of bad weather on the Kenai and was about to get some gas for my generator when the sun came out so I never got the gas. I was gone 129 days and had electric hookups about 36 of those days if I remember correctly. I kept a laptop and iPad charged up along with cell phone and trailer battery. I have one Group 24 12v deep cycle battery, nothing fancy.

Most trailer fridges will run on propane and use minimal electric power. If you have a furnace the fan for that will use a lot, but it cycles on and off and you should be able to keep the battery charged up if you have enough sun.

As someone pointed out, the cost of campgrounds with electric is at least twice what dry camping is. I splurged a few times for the sake of convenience, but overall I much prefer dry camping. Other thing about RV parks with electric, they tend to be parking lots, often you're on gravel and you're very close to your neighbors. Not nearly and roomy as campgrounds without electric.

[Veebyes]

Mabynack, for the difference in money spent on the CGs with power vs the state rec areas & such you can buy a second battery & have it for use on future trips & do some dry camping.

Doing Alaska on a budget does not work well. There are the attractions that should not be missed but also there is the unknown expense of something major breaking, a tire blowing, maybe something medical that cannot be planned for.

[mabynack]

After reading a lot of these comments I'm concerned about electrical availability. Many people have written about extended stays with no shore power. My rig only has room for a single, small battery and it won't run my fridge for more than a couple of days. Is it that big of a problem to find a park with electric? I'm on a budget and can't afford to invest in a generator or solar.

[Crowe]

Sadly you can take us off the list. Due to the purchase of a new home and an ill MIL we've put our trip off until next year.

[CountryRoad_REV]

Any thoughts on the best route from Spokane Washington to the start fo the Cassiar. Especially in Washington. Is Rt 20 a good route to get to 97 or should we go farther up 395 to 3?

[AlaskaShooter]

We really enjoyed traveling down the Okanogan Valley of BC. Very scenic and we never realized that the Columbia River starts in BC flowing north then turns back on itself and flows down into WA to the OR/WA boarder and out to the Pacific Ocean near Portland. We spent 3 nights at Radium Valley Vacation Resort which is very nice but expensive per night. But after some of the rustic places we called home up north it was nice to have a few nights in a very nice park. Many of the sites are owned and rented out when the owners are not using them so they are kept pristine. Every time an RV leaves staff inspects the site, cleans it, trims the grass to insure it is ready for the next guest to move in. Very Professional. Nothing I love more then getting a site and having to police cigarette butts, bottle caps etc so I don't feel like I'm visiting the dump for a night or three. The resort is gated, staff is friendly and helpful made for a very enjoyable stay. They even permit rig washing at your site which after spending 2 months in Alaska it was nice to get the majority of the grime off our rig. Last time it was washed was in Dawson City. Cost $25.00 in Loonies at the park power wash station. It was really bad there as the rigs were brown top to bottom, windows, everything after transiting the Top of the World Hwy in 6" deep mud at times in 4 wheel drive.

I have done Alaska half a dozen times and always traveled clockwise. Next time will be counter clockwise. Our next trip will be off the beaten path to Inuvik NWT and Prudhoe Bay.

One trip we stayed at Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park (always stop there) and my x-wife and I were tent camping years ago. A decent size bear rolled into the campground and began walking the loop we were on. Came into our site then moved along around the loop. I could tell where it was as many of the RV owners were up on their rig roofs. Cracked us up. Now I own a couple RV's. LOL

Over the years I have had some very memorable road trips up north. One trip I was riding my go fast motorcycle CBR 1100XX between Whitehorse and Fairbanks doing triple digit speeds when a very large brown bear exited the woods on my right up ahead. The sow walked to the edge of the road and looked left as I got things hauled down to a stop about 75 feet from her. She then grunted and her 3 cubs popped out of the timber line and they proceeded to cross the road in front of me and poof, back into the woods on the other side of the Alaska Hwy. It was priceless once my heart rate slowed down. She weighed more then my bike, gear and me combined.

In 2016 we were headed home when we crested a hill and could see what looked like smoke blowing across the AK Hwy a few miles ahead of us. As we approached we noted a long line of vehicles and RV's heading north backed up and a large herd of bison stampeding north along a dirt area next to the hwy. We stopped and waited for them to pass behind us in case one or more darted up and over the hwy as they were spooked and running for all they were worth. Glad I wasn't on a motorcycle.

For those heading north in 2018 have a grand trip. You will never forget the experience.

In 2016 we left North Central, WA with new tires on everything. Truck and trailer. New Michelins on the F-550 and Good Years on the trailer. Plus 2 spares for each vehicle. We had no tire issues but came across those who did during our 8,000 mile trip. For those going north make sure your vehicles drive line U-Joints and exhaust system is up for the adventure. I've been behind rigs that have dropped both and had to avoid their vehicle parts after they bailed from their vehicles. Drive lines, mufflers, exhaust pipes. Only takes a few minutes to crawl under your rig and check for play in the drive line u-joints and make sure the exhaust hangers are all in good working order and tight.

In 2016 we had made camp early at an RV Park off the north Cassiar Hwy when a large 5er pulled into the site next to us. I was done with set up sitting in my camp chair having a cold one and noted. Humm, chit is hanging off the underside of their trailers axle. So as they began hooking up I walked over and introduced myself and suggested they have a look see at the passenger side trailer axle as there was an issue. There was, it was the trailers brake line had broken loose and was hanging an inch or so off the roads surface. I gave them some parts I had since I always carry stuff to fix things while traveling so they could fix the problem and continue north without ripping their trailers brake line off down the road.

[CountryRoad_REV]

Hello, count my wife and I in. We will be leaving in early July and plan to take a western route. We want to cross Idaho and the. Turn north to Alaska. Our first trip in 2016 was grand as we hit the Badlands, Mt Rushmore, Glacier, Waterton, Banff and Jasper on the way to Dawson Creek. Came home at the end of August. A great start on retirement. This year we pLan to fish on the Kenai, visit friends made and run the birddogs. Any suggestions for the travels through Idaho and north?

Rich

[Veebyes]

The thing with border crossings, US or Canada, you just never know. Fastest ever was a Canadian crossing. Wheels stopped for less than a minute. Us crossings have not been much more. Longest stop was almost an hour. Canadian again. Longest US not much less. So much depends on the officer you come into contact with. Maybe the vehicle before you was a PIA. Now the officer is not in good mood for you. Human nature I guess. Go with the flow.

Worst enforcement officer of any type was a young female Colorado SP ranger. Her behaviour has taken Colorado right off our future visit list.

[AlaskaShooter]

I don't know all the background or laws. Just the fact that the female boarder guard appeared to be throwing her weight around in front of the trainee she was showing the ropes to.

I once crossed the boarder in Prince Rupert into Canada after taking the ferry down from KTN. I was on a touring motorcycle loaded for a cross country trip to the east coast. I had a new front and rear tire strapped to my bike and an appointment to have them changed at a private MC repair shop in Calgary. My tires were down to around a 1,000 miles of tread left and the tires it used were rare sizes so I brought my own. Woman working the crossing went through the usual questions and then settled on the tires on the bike like I was trying to import a semi trailer load to undercut buying them in Canada. We went round and round as to why I was bringing tires into Canada, over and over and over with different angles of questions trying to trip me up. After 10-15 mins she gave up and let me in the country.

I worked 20 years in law enforcement in Alaska. Every time I entered Canada the question of employment came up. Police dept. Where is your gun? Don't have one with me. Where is your gun? Don't have one, Where is your gun. Round and round we would go till they got tired of asking.

I used to carry a 7mm Mouser rifle with me when I transited Canada before it got so complicated with fees and permits. I crossed once from WA into BC. Guy at the crossing gate asked the usual quesitons and about firearms. I delcaired my unloaded rifle behind the trucks front seat. He joted a note indicated I had declaired a firearm and sent me to their office to chat with the office folks and be inspected. I went in, waited in two short lines and was told to return to my truck and await inspection. A short time later a kid came out and inspected the rear bed contents. Then he moved to the cab. Looking under the dash, under the bench seat and then he folded the front seat forward and nearly jumped out of his boots backwards. "THERE IS A RIFLE IN HERE" Yeah, what's your point? was my response. He was holding the piece of paper I gave him from the initial crossing noting that I claimed having a 7 mm rifle in the truck. I said if you look at the paper I gave you it says I declared the rifle back at the initial contact. He then looked at it and stuttered be on your way... I managed to keep a straight face till I was on my way and out of earshot range. Cracked me up. Still does.

After crossing the boarder dozens of times I've always found it harder to get back in the US then into Canada. Except at the smaller crossing points. When we crossed back into the Yukon on the Top of the World Hwy in 2016 we sat and chatted with the boarder guard for 10-15 mins. I asked if they heat with American firewood and a few other questions. Sat and chatted with a US boarder agent between Haines and Haines Jct one time about motorcycles. I was on one of mine. Both times there was no one waiting behind me so we just sat and chatted about this and that.

[AKsilvereagle]

Laws regarding firearms are strict. Ran into a couple at Takhini Hot Springs just north of Whitehorse in 2016. They had entered Canada along the southern boarder, spent time in Alaska and were attempting to reenter the Yukon at the Top of the World Hwy crossing heading towards Dawson City. They had chosen to bring a 12 gauge shotgun with them, had followed the Canadian application and fee process and had the necessary paperwork to transport the weapon with them. HOWEVER the female boarder guard and a trainee claimed the law had changed while they were in Alaska and they were declined entry. They had to drive back to Tok, AK, visit a sporting goods store and get a suitable shipping box for a long gun and pay to ship it home to a friend to hold for them till they returned home. They were not happy campers. They had to drive south back to Whitehorse and then north and approach Dawson City from the south.

The last I knew of regarding this :

Once the firearms permit is issued, it is valid for 60 days and required to reapply if it exceeds that timeframe...

If there is any change of enforcement that super cedes the current 60 day issue, I would tend to think they would not have a valid 60 day permit to transport the shotgun, but rather an approval for less than 60 days until the new enforcement date is to take effect and they were well aware of that valid timeframe...

If the 60 day valid permit was in fact issued and the permit was still valid upon re-entering within the 60 days, I would have requested a supervisor to make that kind of judgement call and politely ask why I was not informed of a new law in effect when I was issued a current 60 day permit that is still valid...

Upon a quick research, I do not see any immediate changes posted to regulations regarding transport of importing firearms into Canada, the reg is the same with no changes as far as I am reading.

Now I am curious of what this "new law" is that I cannot currently find, or based on what was mentioned with the couple's story posted that was told by them on the real reason they were denied entry reference to the firearm....I will try to find out more regarding this and keep that in mind for future reference.

Regardless, Customs officials do have the discretion of denying entry for many reasons right or wrong, and that would kinda hurt having to turn back 123 miles to Tok and endure that kind of inconvenience if this was exactly the case.