Upgrade for Alaska?

[petrel]

Ok we are trying again to assemble a whirlwind trip(we only have 30-40 days) to Alaska. We purchased a TT a few years ago and did a 7000mi cross country trip towing it with our Excursion. We figured it would be a warm up to Alaska. However, as the Excursion began to flag under the load our hopes of an AK adventure slipped away as well.

Things have now changed and our budget will permit an upgrade. Which, from our perspective, brings AK back into range. We are a family of six, who don't like to sit shoulder to shoulder in a pickup truck for long trips. Since nothing else (stock) will seat six comfortably while towing a 10k plus TT or a fifth wheel, we have abandoned that approach and are leaning towards a C+.

Planning to go from VA to AK, would a C+ (with the big ISL Cummins or comparable) towing our Ford Excursion be a satisfactory setup for a 30-40 day Alaska adventure?

[petrel]

zb39 wrote:
Glad you had a great time. I thought you would. Now you can start planning the next trip to see some of the items you missed on this one as well as go back and see some favorite ones. How did the new rig do?
safe travels

We were planning the trip back as soon as we cleared Calgary! Really need to take some toys next time. A boat, more fishing tackle, and some ATVs would have really come in handy.

The rig did really well. Easy to drive, very tolerant of bad roads, and all the range I had the nerve and the stamina to use. Wish we had gotten a rock deflector for the jeep. It really took a beating!

[zb39]

Glad you had a great time. I thought you would. Now you can start planning the next trip to see some of the items you missed on this one as well as go back and see some favorite ones. How did the new rig do?
safe travels

[petrel]

We returned through the Cassiar, stopped off in Hyder, then the Icefields Highway, Calgary, then zipping into Montana and straight home.

Icefields won the family consensus for the most beautiful scenery of the entire trip.

Our sincerest thanks to those who encouraged us to move forward with our plan. For anyone considering making the trip from the lower 48 to AK on a tight schedule, I'd say absolutely go for it. We were able to enjoy an awful lot (although admittedly only a fraction) of what AK, BC, YT, and AB had to offer during our 40 day adventure.

[Tarheel_2]

petrel wrote:
Thanks for the recommendation. I was toying with the idea of taking the Cassiar Highway, instead of going through DC. Have you driven it?

We came back by the Cassiar a couple of weeks ago and there were several construction projects with dust, gravel, mud and frost heaves. Overall I thought the Alaskan highway was better when we went north. Three or four couples we met on our return agreed.

[fanrgs]

petrel wrote:
Thanks for the recommendation. I was toying with the idea of taking the Cassiar Highway, instead of going through DC. Have you driven it?

Yep, and we loved it. But the highlight of that route is Stewart-Hyder, which is a fair distance from the main highway. Visiting those towns adds an extra day or two, at least, to your trip. And the north end of the road--from Watson Lake to Dease Lake--has a fair number of frost heave areas, narrow pavement, and, generally, construction zones, as well as a few tight curves and steep climbs at the southern end. So, take a look at your Milepost for those "caution" areas, calculate the distance at an average speed of perhaps 45 mph, and determine whether you can afford the time.

The grizzly bears are apparently feeding at the Forest Service viewpoint at Hyder right now, so that's one big attraction for taking that route. Have fun!

[petrel]

Thanks for the recommendation. I was toying with the idea of taking the Cassiar Highway, instead of going through DC. Have you driven it?

[fanrgs]

Fairbanks to Tok is easy driving and you already know how bad the highway is from there to Destruction Bay. Hope you can make it to Jasper and Banff NPs on the way, but the Icefields Parkway is not a fast route.

Incidentally, there is a very nice city park campground in Hythe, Alberta, just east of Dawson Creek. It is right next to the highway and has electricity and water at each site, a sanidump, and showers in an old railroad caboose. It is a very convenient overnight stop if you need one about there.

[petrel]

We are in Fairbanks provisioning for our return trip. Gonna try to hit the Canadian Rockies on the way back.

[fanrgs]

petrel wrote:
Ninilchik halibut charter was canceled due to weather, Talkeetna salmon charter canceled due to the boat breaking down.

Yep, more time is needed just to wait out those little Alaska "inconveniences" like generator, windshield, and tire repairs, cancelled charters, ferry breakdowns, williwaws, washed out roads, rockslides, wildfires, etc.

So, when are you planning to take your next trip to western Canada and Alaska? I can already hear Juneau, Sitka, Glacier Bay, Stewart-Hyder, Katmai, Kodiak, Dawson City, Banff, and Jasper calling you back. And the kids will have plenty of time to plan it on that long trip home. 😉

Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

[zb39]

I tried to get a charter in Homer. The captain said " The weather is pretty rough out there, I don't recommend it"

[Grit_dog]

That stinks on the cancelled charters, especially the halibut trip. Too bad it's so far out of the way on the way back down, assuming you're going thru Fairbanks after Denali on the way home.

[petrel]

Leaving Talkeetna for Denali in the morning. Ninilchik halibut charter was canceled due to weather, Talkeetna salmon charter canceled due to the boat breaking down. Fortunately the children caught some pink salmon in Hope.

We make our turn to head home in three to five days.

[petrel]

My youngest son finally managed to "catch" a salmon on Homer. Half of it fed our family of six. It was delicious! The other half goes on the grill tonight.

I sent both of my boys on a "float" trip on whatever river is just north of Ninilchik. They joined two other anglers for a half day charter. Only two fish were caught. The salmon aren't exactly jumping on the hooks here. Our halibut charter for today was canceled. No surprise, given the way the wind is blowing.

[Tgator1]

I haven't been able to snag a red salmon either. It must take some practice and lots of patience to "catch" a fish that is not eating! I hope to catch a silver salmon sometime soon. August is supposed to be the peak month for them.