Alaska 2014

[Ford_6L_E350]

Rick,

I could modify my plans and go to Denali July 7-10 or so. Since I have not made any reservations yet, I'm flexible.

Hmmmm............I wonder what 4th of July is like in Eagle????

Mike

[llamadave]

Hi all,

We will meet Rick in Haines June 23-25. Our plans were then to head up to Prudhoe Bay. If that takes about 10 days we could be back to Denali about July 6 and might stay there a week which would overlap Jim and maybe Rick and Mike. It would also be possible instead for us to do Denali on the way up before the 4th.

How soon do we need to make the Danali reservations?

I checked and the midnight sun does not end in Prudhoe Bay until about July 25, using the iPhone app Orbit.

David

[Ford_6L_E350]

Our history says you don't need to make reservations way in advance. In fact, there has always been space available at Teklanika when we were there. Most people walk away from the 3 day minimum stay at that campground.

That said, I'd like to make my reservation at least 3 months early. And be sure and reserve the TEK pass for the bus at the same time.

And the 2014 Milepost is available for ordering on March 1st.

Mike

[REF]

OK, now we're getting somewhere! Mike, where were you thinking of being on the 7-10th? and are you planning on doing Kenai at all? would it be more convenient for you guys (Mike,Dave) to meet up in Anchorage or Kenai around the week of the 7th? I guess what I'm getting at is we have several options for the week of the 7th: 1.)Anchorage-Kenai or 2.)Denali. We could go either way, we're open to whatever works for others.

If we meet up in Denali the 7th-10th we are going to then head down to Kenai after, if anyone wants to join. We will then be heading up to Fairbanks-Prudhoe Bay before heading down and out via Cassiar around the 21st.

[Ford_6L_E350]

It really doesn't make sense for you to go from Denali to Anchorage to Denali to Kenai to Prudhoe Bay. That is a lot of backtracking. It would make much more sense to do the Kenai and then head north. And from Prudhoe Bay, it would be easy to hit Dawson City on the way out.

I am flexible, with no solid plans. As, I suspect most are at this point. You have done more early planning than I ever do. I usually have general ideas and let the rest flow. And, every trip, the best adventures and sights have NOT BEEN PLANNED. The only reservations I've ever made were Denali and Ferries.

We need to meet up for a couple of days at some point. I'd like to meetup with as many forum members as possible. At some point, I need to exchange cellphone numbers with several members to facilitate last minute meetups.

Mike

[REF]

Yes, a little backtracking, but that seems to be the only way to meet up with you guys in Denali. My preference would be to do Kenai first before heading back up to Denali and then on to Prudhoe, and yes Dawson City on the way out.
Unless everyone wants to swap meeting up in Denali for the 15th-18th or thereabouts, we'll deal with backtracking so we can hang out. We'll be doing Kenai/Wrangel/St Elias after Denali if we keep it for the 7th-10th.

[BrianW]

If you do Wrangell-St. Elias be sure to head back the road from Chitina to McCarthy/Kennicott. You probably already have this on your agenda. It's not nearly the backcountry road it used to be back in the 80s, but it's still a fun drive even though McCarthy has gotten really touristy since the pedestrian bridge went in (you used to have to use a two-person hand tram to cross the river).

On the McCarthy road from Chitina you'll come across the the Kuskulana Bridge (see

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh4B6jcap84

), a great vantage point over a deep gorge. Not sure if they still have it open, but you used to be able to walk across the bridge on the catwalk underneath the bridge (accessed easily at the northern end). It's really cool having just some mesh grating separating you from the river far below.

You also used to be able to drive (with a good 4x4) south from Chitina along the old Copper River Railroad bed aka O'brien Creek Road. This was a really cool drive as it got very little traffic past O'brien Creek, and went through old RR cut tunnels, etc. Last I heard a landslide had closed the road, but you may want to check locally to see if any part of it is open. If so, it's a highly recommended jaunt if you have 4WD. (Don't do it without 4WD.) Find it by looking for signs to O'brien Creek Road as you come into Chitina. The road heads off to the right if you are coming from the west.

[REF]

That sounds great, thanks for the tip.
By the way, just found a book: back roads of Alaska and the Yukon, although a review says it's mostly like the milepost without the updates. Anyone else come across a back roads 4X4 Alaska book?

[REF]

Booked ferry:
June 7th:Prince Rupert-Arrive Juneau June 8th(fast boat)

Will be booking the rest after the NY.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year Y'all....!!!!

-Rick Little man is picking these now, he thinks they're funny......

[Ford_6L_E350]

Rick,

I assume you and Alex will be going to AK. Is Lake coming or getting some quality grandparent time?

Mike