CANADA & ALASKA TRAVEL TIPS

[TARDIS_TIME_TRA]

CANADA & ALASKA TRAVEL PLANNER TIPS
PRESENTATION AT THE 2018 TIGER RALLY
HOPE IT HELPS WITH YOU NEXT TRAVEL PREPERATIONS

NOTES FOR CANADA & ALASKA TRAVEL
(Don’t do this trip alone in a Lance Camper) ha ha.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME

1-Passport (Must have) (Could take as long as 2 months to get) You
can get full size & driver’s license size – we got both and keep
full size in a lock box on board the Tardis
2-Tiger serviced (Have you’re Tiger fully serviced prior to
leaving home.)
3-Tires & spare (Have good tires and spare or two.)
4-Emergency Contact (Have an emergency phone contact card in your
wallet and glove compartment in case of a road emergency, or
major problem to allow Police , Mounties and EMT to get in
contact with family back home.)
5-Medical cards (Have Medicare & other medical insurance cards
with your Tiger)
6-Prescriptions (We have all our prescriptions at Walmart. They
are in all major cities in Canada & Alaska.)
7-First aid (Be prepared to take care of yourself while traveling)
(Along the roads you will see EMT trucks parked at intervals to
take care of miners, road construction crews, etc., I would
think that in an emergency they would be willing to help)
8-Seniors pass (Free admission into US National Parks & ½ price
camping in the park.
9-Fire arms into Canada (Need papers to enter Canada at border
crossing (3 copies) (Most handguns not allowed) (You can carry
some handguns thru Canada with the right papers & a fee but you
must drive straight thru – no sightseeing)
(Rifles or shotguns OK in Canada with proper papers) (Carry no
ammo for any other weapons)
10-Fire arms back into the US (Need US papers to bring rifle or
shotguns back into the US at border crossing.)
11-Pets (Need all up to date shots and papers from vet within 30
days of entering Canada)(They were not ask for when we crossed
but you might need to show them.)
12-Travel plans Contact your Bank or Credit Card Company (Give
them your approx. travel plans.
13-Credit cards (Have a backup credit card Your bank will do the
exchange rate calculation US to Canada) (In 2017 Canadian Dollar
was equal to 0.75 cents US)
14-Cell phone problems (Have your cell phone provider to include
Canada for your service plan for 2-4 months.) (also you may want
to increase cell data storageso you can download & use internet)
(Lots of dead space out of tower range thru out Canada & Alaska.
(Example RT-4 Yukon)
15-GPS (Works well thru out Canada & Alaska including roads less
traveled)
16-Internet services (Available at most visitor centers,
library’s, Walmart’s, Starbucks)
17-SPOT (Spot is a location device( (One of our safety items we
carry at all times is “SPOT” Satellite GPS Messenger.) (It
transmits the GPS location of exactly where we are located to
our family & friends – up to 20 ) (We send it every night via
satellite giving the Latitude & Longitude so the know exactly
where we are) (No cell towers needed)
18-Sign Post Forest (Make up a sign for the Sign Post Forest at
Watson Lake Yukon to remember your travel) (not required but a
fun thing to do)

THINGS TO HAVE WITH YOU WHILE TRAVELING

19-Allstays App (Great for finding camp grounds, dump sites, fuel,
propane, etc.
20-CB Radio (Great for emergency’s . We keep ours tuned to weather
channel.)
(Always pay attention to the weather and local conditions, flash
floods, fires Etc.)
21-Road maps (Obtain copies from AAA for Canada & Alaska)
22-Milepost (Covers Canada & Alaska) (lots of good travel info)
23-Camera (With battery charger an extra memory cards.)
24-Cell phone (With charger)
25-Extra provisions (Nice to have (chipped windshield repair kit –
duct tape – oil – normal tool kit, fuses)

CROSSING THE BORDER INTO CANADA
(THIS WILL HAPPEN MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE TRAVELING)

26-Passport (Have it ready to present along with your Driver’s
license )
27-Pet papers ( Have them ready if they ask for them) (Keep the
pet food labels showing formula)
28-Fire arms papers (You will be ask do you have any firearms or
weapons) (Have the paperwork ready if you are carrying a weapon)
(Don’t hide the fact that you have a weapon) (DO NOT have any
ammo for any weapon other than the ones you are declaring) (They
can strip search your vehicle if they suspect otherwise)
29-Fruits & vegetables (Some are not allowed to cross the border
into Canada) (They will ask about this and may confiscate them
if they wish) (Comply as requested) (You may be able to keep
them if they are packaged)
30-Pet food (Pet food not in its original container may be
confiscated) (I believe it was lamb based products not allowed)
31-Canadian National Parks (If you plan on visiting Canadas
National Parks you can purchase a one year pass for all the
Canadian parks) (About $80.00??) (In 2017, their 150 anniversary
they were free to everyone including US citizens)
32-Time changes (The time changes every time you cross the border)

THINGS TO WATCH FOR WHILE DRIVING THRU CANADA & ALASKA

33-Wildlife (Everywhere, on the road, beside the road, in the
water) (Grizzly with cubs, Black bear, Moose, Bison, Fox,
Pronghorn, Deer, Elk, Wolves, Coyotes, Bighorn Sheep, Mountain
Goats, Stone sheep, Dall Sheep Ducks, Geese, Eagles, Ospreys,
Ravens, Owls, Marmot, Sea Lions, Seals and of course Big Foot)
34-Flowers (Don’t forget to stop along the way to smell the
flowers) (Stop on the way to or from the Arctic Circle at Fox
Alaska to see a wonderful flower & vegetable garden)
35-Waterfalls & Glaciers (They are everywhere)

ON THE ROAD IN CANADA & ALASKA

36-Take your time (There is something new around every curve in
the road) (My brother Don thought we would be in Canada for 3-4
days) (We actually spent 16 days on the way north & 10 days on
our return heading south) (There is a lot to see in Canada)
37-Fuel locations (Watch your fuel gage, start looking for gas
station when you get to ½ Tank) (You can drive a hundred miles
and not see a house much less a gas station)
38-Fueling problems (While traveling thru Alberta & British
Columbia you have to take your credit card inside to the
attendant & pay for “X” amount of fuel in advance of pumping the
gas. US credit cards will not work at the pump. If you pay for
50 ltrs & only pump 30 ltrs. That’s all that is charged to your
card.) (The Yukon operated the way you would expect at home,
This could change)
39-Speed limit in Canada (The speed limit signs are in km/h while
driving in Canada)
40-Distance (Mile markers are in km not Miles) (Your GPS can be
left in miles)
41-Campgrounds (cost – about same as US except in big cities –
Skagway down town $40.00/night)
42-Boondocking opportunities (There are gravel pits located about
every 10 to 20 miles apart along most roadways) (Roadside rest
areas with parking dropping down to lakes & rivers)(LEAVE NO
TRACE so that others can enjoy the same spots)
43-Driving road conditions (Roads always under some kind of
construction) (Roads less traveled are dirt, gravel, pot holes,
washboard and long distances – some hundreds of miles long)
44-Route-4 Yukon (Leaving Dawson City Yukon to Watson Lake Yukon -
583 km or 360 miles, all dirt, gravel, , washboard , potholes,
no cell service, only gas at Ross River) (To stay on paved
roads, head from Dawson City To Whitehorse Yukon To Watson Lake
Yukon)
45-Top of the World Hwy (From Chicken Alaska to Dawson City Yukon
is mostly dirt/gravel with beautiful overlooks & lots of Gravel
pits for Boondocking)
46-Visitor centers (Internet, fresh water, dump stations, it
varies from center to center) (The visitor center at Williams
Lake BC on Hwy-97 is a must see)
47-Shower opportunities (Check at local visitor centers - local
recreation centers, some laundromats, and you can pay to get
showers at most campgrounds, price varies)
48-Food cost (Be prepared to pay more – everything has to be
shipped in to Alaska)
49-Fuel cost (Higher than the lower 48) (Fuel is in litters in
Canada) (May be as high as $^.00 on the way to Arctic Circle)
50-Tok Alaska (The Tesoro Gas Station north of Tok on Hwy-2 offers
free RV wash, refill fresh water tanks & dump station With Fuel
Fill-up) (You do the wash, dump, & FW tank fill)
51-Ferry from Skagway to Haines (The ferry, part of the Alaska
Marine Highway system runs each day) (Cost for my Tiger at 24
ft. was $146.00 one way) (Price is dependent on length of RV)
52-Ferry betweem Chicken Alaska & Dawson City Yukon (The ferry
crosses the Yukon River all day and has a limited vehicle
capacity) (It is a free Ferry)
53-Keep track of location (Keep a record of your GPS latitude ,
longitude & elevation of all of you overnight Boondocking Sites
so that others may find them on their next adventure)
54-Hyder Alaska (The most southern entrance into Alaska) (Nice
Gravel pit for boondocking, see handout) (No customs leaving
Canada at this site. However you go back thru Canadian customs
when leaving Hyder) (Eat at the bus, Great seafood) (Take the
drive from Hyder up to summit view point, it’s a dirt/gravel
road about 25 miles up to the mountain top, overlooking Salmon
Glacier

TRAVELING TO THE ARCTIC CIRCLE IN ALASKA

55-Arctic circle (Leaving Fairbanks driving north on Hwy-11, the
Dalton Hwy, mostly dirt & gravel, can be very muddy & messy if
raining)
56-Arctic circle (Fuel, leave Fairbanks with a full fuel tank)
(You must gas up at north side of Yukon river on way north, it
is the only gas station unless you want to drive an extra 60
miles north of the arctic circle to get enough gas to get back
to Fairbanks)
57-Arctic Circle Camping (There is a large campground just past
the Arctic Circle sign in the right side of the road) (Normally
almost empty , lots of good sites) (Free)
58-Truckers on Dalton Hwy (Give them a break & plenty of room)
(They are working and drive the dirt/gravel roads every day)
(Slow down and Move over so they can have plenty of room to pass
both coming towards you and coming up behind you)
59-Returning to Fairbanks (If you don’t do anything else after
returning get to a car wash and clean your Tiger) (It will cost
about $30 to 40 dollars to get the mud out from under the
vehicle) (Don’t put if off the mud will set up like concrete if
not cleaned off)

SPEED LIMITS IN CANADA km/hr
(We have this laminated and in stored in front of steering wheel)

KM/HR -----------------MLIES/HR

25----------------------------15
30----------------------------18
40----------------------------25
50----------------------------31
60----------------------------37
70----------------------------43
80----------------------------50
90----------------------------56
100---------------------------62
110---------------------------68
-

[PA12DRVR]

It's a bit (IMNSHO and FWIW) of a conundrum re: Motels. Later in the summer (June onward) there are more options: B&B's open up, more "lodges" or motels open up, etc.....but there are more travelers.

Strictly FWIW, it seems to me that outside of the larger spots (Dawson Creek, Whitehorse to pick a couple) one is likely to find better / nicer accommodations at a B&B / small lodge than at the advertised "motels".

If one is driving a vehicle (i.e. not RV'ng), prior to mid-June, I'd suggest determining where you want to get to for the day by Noon, and pick / call a place by 3:00. Mid-June or after, I'd make the determination and the call the night before. With a vehicle and wanting to motel it, one is a bit more limited (i.e. need to go from town to town) than with an RV. So the location of the "towns" may determine how far you go on any given day and that in turn determines where to look for overnight lodging.

[okhmbldr]

PA12DRVR wrote:


In May of '18, the biggest challenge (driving a SUV, not an RV) was determining which motel to book for the night.

All FWIW.

Next year, 2020 I plan to do the drive in an SUV also. I had wondered about the availability of motels and if you need to make prior reservations. I usually don't make reservations, because when you stop to look at stuff during the day you really don't want to be rushed to get to the motel. But, I don't want to arrive at 5:00 and no rooms available. Any advice is appreciated,
thanks, Geo.

[lakeside013104]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
Dilan, Sitka is not an Island, it is a town on Baranof Island.

Juneau is the only State capitol not reachable by road. If your leaving an RV there, how did you get it there?

I would add to the OP's list about entering Canada. If you are wearing sunglasses as you approach, leave them on until the CA Customs officer looks at you and then remove them while he is looking. I do this so they know I an not afraid to let him see my eyes up close. You eyes tell a lot about you emotions. Second is answer as much as possible with Yes and No. If he wants to yack he will let you know. Excessive talking and jokes generally alert the Officer to nervousness on your part.

Dimensional lumber is not firewood, it is kindling, if asked about firewood and you have only dimensional lumber tell the Officer yes dimensional lumber in X cabinet and here is the key.

They are really cool guys that have a very tough job and have to deal with all sorts of people, treat them nice and have everything you can think of handy. I your wife is like mine, remind her to keep quiet and look at the Officer but don't answer for you and only talk if addressed.

A nice touch is to say thanks when he waves you on through.

Good points and very well said.
Thanks

Lakeside

[lakeside013104]

PA12DRVR wrote:
To add a cent to the discussion.....Gun threads have been discussed ad infinitum, so won't really discuss that other than to note that ammo for all common calibers is available in Alaska.

One might not find 16 ga SSG or Kynoch solids on the shelf in Tok or Gustavus or Venetie....but generally, ammo is readily available even pretty far from the population centers.

IMNSHO, it's not worth the hassle and "risk of irritating" factor to bring ammo into/through Canada (particularly handgun-suitable ammo) when it is available in Alaska.

Very true. There is so much ammo at the 'Three Bears Outpost' in TOK that I thought I was in a Cabela's store. Numerous weights available for hundreds of calibers of handguns, rifles, & shotguns. No worries about finding ammo to fit most any firearm in Alaska.

Lakeside

[D_E_Bishop]

Dilan, Sitka is not an Island, it is a town on Baranof Island.

Juneau is the only State capitol not reachable by road. If your leaving an RV there, how did you get it there?

I would add to the OP's list about entering Canada. If you are wearing sunglasses as you approach, leave them on until the CA Customs officer looks at you and then remove them while he is looking. I do this so they know I an not afraid to let him see my eyes up close. You eyes tell a lot about you emotions. Second is answer as much as possible with Yes and No. If he wants to yack he will let you know. Excessive talking and jokes generally alert the Officer to nervousness on your part.

Dimensional lumber is not firewood, it is kindling, if asked about firewood and you have only dimensional lumber tell the Officer yes dimensional lumber in X cabinet and here is the key.

They are really cool guys that have a very tough job and have to deal with all sorts of people, treat them nice and have everything you can think of handy. I your wife is like mine, remind her to keep quiet and look at the Officer but don't answer for you and only talk if addressed.

A nice touch is to say thanks when he waves you on through.

[Grit_dog]

Well unless bird hunting, why in the ______would you need to bring more than a box or 2 of any ammo? Skeered bears will jump outta the woods at every turn to eat ya?

[PA12DRVR]

To add a cent to the discussion.....Gun threads have been discussed ad infinitum, so won't really discuss that other than to note that ammo for all common calibers is available in Alaska.

One might not find 16 ga SSG or Kynoch solids on the shelf in Tok or Gustavus or Venetie....but generally, ammo is readily available even pretty far from the population centers.

IMNSHO, it's not worth the hassle and "risk of irritating" factor to bring ammo into/through Canada (particularly handgun-suitable ammo) when it is available in Alaska.

[cross21114]

DrewE wrote:
Those are pretty good notes. I don't think there's any legal reason to need to avoid carrying ammunition for guns you don't have with you through Canada (subject to the 5000 round limit), assuming it's properly declared etc., though it may well make them more likely to search your vehicle at the border--as they have every right to do in any case. Many people do this on the way to Alaska if they have a handgun shipped separately there in care of a gun dealer.

Canadian regulations are unclear on this. This is one statement "Within the prescribed limits, non-residents can import 200 rounds duty free for hunting purposes, or up to 1,500 rounds duty free for use at a recognized competition." The other is the reference to 5,000 on the same website. I have carried, and will carry this year, only 200 shotgun shells which fit the 2 shotguns I will be using in Alaska to hunt birds with (one is a 28 gauge which might be hard to find in Tok). In 2005, I shipped a handgun to Tok and bought ammo there for it and left all of it with my Alaskan friend before I dropped by handgun at an FFL in Tok to ship it to my FFL home. I am not shipping a handgun this year.

Declaring ammo to fit a handgun will put them on edge. With the availablity of ammo almost as soon as you enter Alaska, I don't see the risk being worth it.

Just my 2 cents.

[PA12DRVR]

Looks like a very comprehensive list but to reiterate an earlier point, Canada (including BC, Alberta, YT) is not a 3rd world country.

Based on my last trip (entering in MT and leaving at Beaver Creek), I'd agree that one should start looking to refuel at the 1/2 tank mark, but driving through Canada (on the main roads anyway) isn't the challenge it was in 1976. At that point, the road that is now a roadside attraction ("Turn here to see portions of the old Alaska-Canada highway") was the road to take and things were much different.

In May of '18, the biggest challenge (driving a SUV, not an RV) was determining which motel to book for the night.

All FWIW.

[garyhaupt]

To muddy the waters a bit perhaps...regarding distracted driving in BC....anything, A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G a driver does other than having hands on wheel is pretty much an offense. Having a coffee cup or a sandwich in hand, doing anything on the GPS controls, using a cel or E device. I am trying stress..there is nothing that is not a distraction except hands on the wheel and eyes ahead.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/road-safety-rules-and-conseque...

The cop sheet...http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cycp-cpcj/dd-dv/index-eng.htm


Gary Haupt

[DownTheAvenue]

I guess "Tiger" is the tow vehicle.

#3. Two spare tires? whatever for? Canada is not a 3rd world country!
#52. There is no ferry between Chicken Alaska and Dawson City, Yukon. Those two locations are over 100 miles apart over a mountain range. There is, however, a ferry over the Yukon River at Dawson City.

[DilanYah]

I am also planning our RV trip which kicks off here in a couple weeks (already got rv through rv rental sites). Going to Sitka island has always been on our bucket list, but the cost of taking the rv on the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry system is outrageous so I will have to park it in Juneau and fly over to it and rent a car there for 2-days while we explore and I am concerned about security and theft while our RV sits in Juneau. So keep you posted on my eperience.

[SideHillSoup]

Traveler7 wrote:
15-GPS (Works well thru out Canada & Alaska including roads less
traveled)

I read that GPS use is forbidden in British Columbia as it is considered a distractive device while driving- not true?

Not sure where you got that info... cause it is incorrect.
I carry a handheld GPS that we use for Snowmobiling, fishing and ATVing, and have updated it a few times over the years because of newer models, or fell in a ice fishing hole.....
Right now my handheld GPS is sitting in my truck charging as we are headeded out on a short day hike in Fort St James BC tomorrow, before the Salmon festival.... yummers....
I also carry my SPOT at all times while in the Bush, or traveling, keeps the kids happy.... my truck has a built in GPS which works great, however with that unit, we can’t enter any addresses unless the vehicle is in Park.
Soup.

[thomas201]

Take a look at the Garmin In Reach Explorer. It is about the same size as a hand held GPS for hiking, but includes two way satellite texting and SOS capabilities. More money than the Spot, but with two way communication. Mine includes the GPS feature with topo maps, however as a GPS it is just so,so.

[Z-Peller]

(3) If a global positioning system is a hand-held type, a person may use the system while driving or operating a motor vehicle on a highway if, in addition to the requirements of subsection (2), the system
(a) is not held in the person's hand, and
(b) is securely fixed to the motor vehicle in a manner that does not obstruct the person's view of the front or sides of the motor vehicle or interfere with the safety or operating equipment of the motor vehicle.

BC Law......