Alaska bound in a few weeks!

[BrianW]

Well, I'm cheating and not taking my SMB. We've been thinking of doing an Alaska trip, driving from our home in Philadelphia, for a year or two, but didn't really have the time to drive it both ways. I've thought about buying a regular van and doing a minimal sleeping conversion on it, driving it to Alakska and selling it up there. But it never seemed to work out.

So, anyway, I was browsing Alaskan RV rental sites and found a killer one-way RV deal from Seattle to Anchorage for $750 total, including 14 days and 2500 miles included. Brand-new F350 4x4 king cab with a very nice slide-in camper on the back. We're adding on another 10 days for a total of 24 days on the road.

It's not an SMB, but we'll still be bringing our campervan mindset and doing a lot of backroad exploring and remote camping! Thankfully they allow gravel road travel, which a lot of the rental agencies do not. Planning on doing the Denali Hwy, Top of the World from Dawson City to Alaska, McCarthy Road, and maybe some others as time allows. We're excited to show our 13 year old son places that we love from our summers living in Alaska in our younger years.

If anyone is interested in checking out the offer, I think they still have 1-2 units available for the one-way discount. These are new units that they need to have transported to Alaska for the season. See Last Minute - GoNorth

Anyone else on an Alaskan roadrip with their van this summer? We'll be looking out for you!

[dokaman]

That sounds like an awesome trip and a great opportunity!

I did Alaska last summer over a couple months and covered 9k miles from Portland OR and back. So you really can do a LOT of miles up there with out really knowing it...

[ctb]

GREAT FUN!!!!!! Your kids will remember this forever as an all time favorite! DOn't forget to make RESERVATIONS at Prudoe Bay Hotel to get to the Arctic Ocean! They won't let civilians past the last 8 miles (you sign up for the short bus tour to make you there)! Plus the food there is KILLER!!! Some of the BEST VITTLES i've EVER had...the reindeer stew was out of this world and I don't like game meat (usually)... my favorites:
1..Dempster HWY (since you're going to be in Dawson anyway, just east of Dawson and heads north...wwe saw 10-12 bears on the way up and back...)That is where my badge pic is from
2. DALTON< my all time favorite road in the world! Gas only at Yukon (last five year addition), midway at Coldfoot, and Prudoe Bay
3. Exit Glacier hike up to the ice field, then go to the base and touch it!
4. Mossy's Seaside Farm in Homer...take a break from the camper and rent the Seashell cabin overlooking the bay! (She's Jewel's Aunt, Kilcher TV folks sister)
5. Denali HWY, gravel, rough, but great views and hikes
6. Camping on the bluffs by Nanilchik

[BrianW]

We’re keeping it mostly freeform, to allow for serendipity and bad weather. Exception might be if we can score a campsite in Denali NP. Really want Teklanika, but so does everyone else. I miss the good old days of being able to roll into Denali and get a campsite and shuttle space last minute. Ah, progress...

I’d love to get up to Prudhoe, but don’t think we’ll have time. Plus at 49 cents a mile for the camper it adds up. I figure we’ll do about 4000 miles total. I have previously driven the Dalton as far as the Yukon River. It would be fun to at least get to the Arctic Circle maybe.

Rough itinerary is Seattle to Whitehorse via the Cassiar and Alcan, then up to Dawson City and across the Top of the World Hwy to Tok. Rejoin the Alcan/Richardson up to Fairbanks(visit friends in Salcha). Down to Denali, some time there, the. Over the Denali Hwy to the Richardson southbound. Stop in Glennallen to visit friends, then the McCarthy Road to McCarthy. Down to Valdez for a few days. Then to Anchorage in the Glenn Hwy and down to the Kenai. Back to Anchorage to turn in the camper and fly home. We have 25 days so this should be pretty much doable. We’re familiar with most of these areas so it’s more about showing our son things.

[86Scotty]

Wow Brian, what a find. You guys really lucked out on that one.

Can't wait to hear more.

[Beasty Boy]

What a deal You GOTTA go to Denali N.P. and take the bus ride back into
Wonder Lake on the north side of Denali(THE GREAT ONE) It will be a ride
you and your son will NEVER forget. If you get down to the Kenai Peninsula the view down the hill into Homer(on a clear day) will blow you away

Happy Campin to Ya

[gahamby]

Do get out on Prince William Sound if you can. It's truly awe inspiring.
The Girdwood Forrest Fair is an experience.