Alaska trip

stephenmgleason · 05-04-2011, 12:07 AM

All

My wife and I will be heading from New Orleans to Alaska this summer in the van (below).

We will be making the trip in two legs. First from New Orleans to Spokane, WA (my hometown). We will make our way to Spokane via Los Angeles and then up the coast line (San Fran - Portland)
From Spokane we will hit glacier NP and then (after July 4th) up through Banff and Jasper NP. Finally to the ALCAN highway. Denali and Kodiak NP.

Not sure about return trip yet but we are thinking of loading the van on a ferry to come down the inside passage. Then I want to hit the Queen Charlotte islands off the coast of BC.

So my question is... Can you throw out any routes and/or camping destinations along the way? I am mostly interested in sites west of Texas. Our only experience with this was in Australia and New Zealand where we had little 2wd combi's and searched for discreet parking spots every night for 10 weeks.
Mohave Desert? Grand Canyon? Joshua Tree? Highway 1? Big Sur?

I've got a nice pack list spreadsheet built that I might try to post. That way you can let me know of any must have items I'm missing.

Thanks for the wisdom.

salivan · 05-04-2011, 08:43 AM

Hey ... not fair ... you hi-jacked my trip for 2012. Keep notes, any helpful books, etc.

TroySmith80 · 05-04-2011, 09:12 AM

How much time will you be taking?

LenS · 05-04-2011, 11:09 AM

Hey Jage,

Can we upload a PDF file? The easiest way to respond to this info request is to supply our Alaska trip log.

jage · 05-04-2011, 01:23 PM

Should work as an attachment.

LenS · 05-04-2011, 02:12 PM

Thanks Jage.

I have uploaded our Alaska 2 month trip log. You are traveling as most RVers do, counter clockwise. We went clockwise. So just read our log backwords

Ford_6L_E350 · 05-04-2011, 03:47 PM

I think the Cassiar Highway is a better route than the AlCan. And you can stop in Hyder, AK and drive out to Salmon Glacier.

Be prepared for some bad roads. Frost heaves can be nasty to your suspension. I bottomed my front suspension many, many times - maybe 50 times!

Have reservations in Denali. Stay at Teklanika Campground (3 day minimum) and get a Tek pass for the bus. Once at Tek campground you really can't move your vehicle until you leave the park. You can ride the bus into the park as much as you want. We spent 4 entire days taking the bus in and then back to our campground.

If you can, drive up the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse and tour the oil fields. Spend a night or two along the Dalton.

Here are links to our trip report from our last Alaska trip:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3604&hilit=Alaska+trip+report

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3611&hilit=Alaska+trip+report

Enjoy the trip and let us know about it.

Mike

bettyford · 05-04-2011, 07:56 PM

I want to go.

My trip 2yrs ago we took the same route Just started in Jackson Hole.
If it were me I would drive back down the Cassiar Hwy and not miss the Salmon Glacier, (like Mike said)

Stop at the last place on the left for the Fudge as you leave Hyder Ak.

Get the Mile Post guide book it will tell you everything and more.

Good camping in Banff we loved it so much we went back last year and got married there.

Heres a picture of the Salmon Glacier and the Old Van Betty Ford..

I would love to share more just pm me.

Ron

bigdog · 05-04-2011, 10:38 PM

From New Orleans to Hwy. 1. That coastal drive is awesome. Along the Alcan Laird Hot Springs is definitely worth a stop. Kluane Lake in Canada you can camp on the beach. Just the AK side of the border is a good campsite on the lake. PM me if you need spots to camp in AK.

durangatangs · 05-06-2011, 11:49 AM

There's a cute little website called the Frugal Shunpiker (Shunpiker = One Who Shuns Turnpikes, i.e. traveling the backroads) that has lots of practical advice for finding free places to camp and advice for boondockers:
http://www.frugal-rv-travel.com/RV-Travel-Guide.html

They sell guidebooks to specific free and cheap campsites in southern Texas, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. If you are looking for camping ideas in those areas, I recommend them. We've found the advice to be very reliable.

We are headed to Alaska this summer as well, leaving Colorado in early July and planning for three months on the road. Thanks for all the advice at this thread.