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Old 05-06-2011, 01:10 PM   #11
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Re: Alaska trip

You should have a great time. Would really like to do the trip again. This year though is a fall trip to Vancouver Island for a month. We will probably take US-2 to get there (The Great Northern, AKA: Route 66 of the north... small towns, less traveled, very good two lane).

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Old 05-06-2011, 03:02 PM   #12
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Re: Alaska trip

If you get the chance, I'd recommend the side trip to Cordova and out to Childs Glacier. We took the ferry from Whittier to Cordova then eventually Cordova to Valdez. The campground at Childs Glacier was one of the families favorites and it's easy to sit there most the day/night watching the glacier calve right in front of you. The drive out to the campground is interesting as is past the campground across the "Million Dollar Bridge".

This side trip wasn't on our original plans, but turned out to be a favorite.

Have fun.
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Old 05-06-2011, 03:50 PM   #13
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Re: Alaska trip

Seems like there'll be quite a few of us up that way this summer. Liard Hot Springs is hard to beat just south of the YT/BC border, especially when it's raining. Cassiar Hiway is a must- maybe detour towards the Grand Canyon of the Stikine- there are so many places to get lost on that road. Make sure to fill up before the drive as fuel can be an issue. Don't forget to stop in at the bakery in Haines Junction, YT before going to Haines (south) or north to AK. It's a food and music oasis. On Fridays they do a salmon boil and Bluegrass fest all in the shadow of the Kuanes/Wrangells. It's across the street from the Welcome Center. Haines is one of my favorite towns. The Fogcutter my favorite bar. Great hikes right from town, too.

Some folks broke into our camp on a lake just east of Whitehorse last year in the middle of the night, ransacked our gear and stole all our liquor (it was in a box in the trailer). Never heard a thing. Beer is $16/six pack and liquor is $$$$!

McCarthy, AK is on the list for us. As is the Kenai Penninsula. I'm debating whether or not to bring sea kayaks or just rent them up there. I'm also debating whether to stop at Denali since I don't have the discipline to make reservations for a camp site in advance and am not too crazy about taking a tour bus thru the park. We'll have the bikes, though.

We'll be up that way from July until mid September, rafting for a few weeks and wandering the rest. I'm thinking of bringing the dog this time. Any thoughts on this?

Have a great trip!
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Old 05-06-2011, 04:21 PM   #14
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Re: Alaska trip

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Originally Posted by mtnrafter
McCarthy, AK is on the list for us. As is the Kenai Penninsula. I'm debating whether or not to bring sea kayaks or just rent them up there. I'm also debating whether to stop at Denali since I don't have the discipline to make reservations for a camp site in advance and am not too crazy about taking a tour bus thru the park. We'll have the bikes, though.

We'll be up that way from July until mid September, rafting for a few weeks and wandering the rest. I'm thinking of bringing the dog this time. Any thoughts on this?

Have a great trip!
It's a long drive out to the parking lot/campground before McCarthy. But, the old Kennicot Mine is under the National Park Service and well worth the visit. Don't expect much in the way of facilities at the 'campground'. Still, I'd go back there.

Usually you can get into Teklanika campground on short notice, maybe even drive up and get a site. Most people won't stay in that campground because of the 3 day minimum requirement. And they want to be able to drive out of the park and get dinner. Maybe that is why we prefer to stay out there. After you see the road you will be glad to take the bus. Some of the dropoffs are 1000', no guardrails and you will be looking at the scenery and wildlife. I'm glad I wasn't driving that road. One day on the bus we saw 16 grizzlies including a mother and cub eating a small caribou. Can't see all that and watch the road.

In case you missed the message earlier, get a copy of 'The Milepost' before you go. It details all the highways in NW Canada and Alaska, mile by mile. It is an invaluble tool. And, while my wife is reading what is coming up, she is not trying to backseat drive!

Mike
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Old 05-06-2011, 06:44 PM   #15
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Re: Alaska trip

Mojave Presrve,Carruthers Canyon, It's on the map or you can get directions in the subcribers discussion section of this forum. It is spectacular!!!! The rock formations are beyond description. Hike bike to the mine. Take a rock pick. Relish being by yourself. It is dispersed camping with many choices.
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Old 05-06-2011, 07:27 PM   #16
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Re: Alaska trip

Mike- thanks for the info.! Maybe Denali will work after all, eh? My next online visit is to Amazon for a copy of "Milepost." Same reason!
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Old 05-08-2011, 11:21 AM   #17
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Re: Alaska trip

I never made a reservation on our trip. ( aug-sept) crowds had all gone.
I would tell you to take the Denali bus trip it's worth it. You can get off and hike around and get back on. its a little spendy but what the heck. Its 8 hrs on the bus I almost didn't do it but it wasn't bad and I'm glad i did.

If the CG are all full you can go south a little ways to the Denali HWY and camp anywhere you want (FREE) or at least we did. Never saw a soul just lots of wild life. We did stay in the Savage River CG in the Park 1 night but after seeing 2 people we new from Jackson Hole (home) we left. and went to the HWY.

All of the BC CG that are State run are really nice and clean I think $6-$12 a night and never full. if there is a lake some have boats you can use, just clean it and put it back.


FYI: you can take fire would into AK from the Yukon but you can not bring any back thru BC or Yukon they will make you dump it.
driving from Talkeetna heading to Denali NP we stopped at a guys house that had a fire wood sign out front super nice people.

I wish i was going this year.

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Old 05-08-2011, 11:57 AM   #18
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Re: Alaska trip

Our trip was early spring into summer. We also never made a reservation in advance. We would sometimes during the day call ahead when we figured out were we were going to spend the night and it was at a town.

We had to stay two nights outside Denali before we could get a reservation in the park. I think that was the only time we had a "problem" during our two month trip. We do not like to have to be on a time schedule.

Yes, BC parks are great. I think the state parks in the Yukon we stayed at had free firewood in them.

We found all the roads good to great. Yes, some grave do to continual frost heave repairs. We found that as soon as we washed the mud off the van we would come to a gravel section (they wet them down with water to hold dust down while repairing the road). Came into Fairbanks about 20 minutes ahead of a three class 'A' caravan. They were all complaining about how bad the roads were! We did not think anything about it. I think a class 'A' is like riding a camel. Long, high up, continually tippie in all directions.
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Old 05-08-2011, 09:18 PM   #19
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Re: Alaska trip

Thanks for all the great info. I got"busted" last year for bringing firewood (six pieces) into AK and then immediately turning around to drive back into BC to run the raft shuttle (all within 20 minutes). Had to re-check in with the US border folks who thought the whole thing a little odd. On the way back thru the BC crossing a lumber truck filled to the brim was going the other way thru customs!
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Old 05-08-2011, 11:08 PM   #20
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Re: Alaska trip

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Originally Posted by mtnrafter
Thanks for all the great info. I got"busted" last year for bringing firewood (six pieces) into AK and then immediately turning around to drive back into BC to run the raft shuttle (all within 20 minutes). Had to re-check in with the US border folks who thought the whole thing a little odd. On the way back thru the BC crossing a lumber truck filled to the brim was going the other way thru customs!
Different border, but I rolled through a US Border Patrol outside of Big Bend, but nobody could give me camping or road info at the visitor center, and I had an empty trailer I didn't want to drag deeper into the park, not to mention not wanting to pay entry just to get 411. So I turned around and went back through the Border Patrol station about 20 minutes later... they took a good long look in all my cubbyholes and spaces. Nice guys though.
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