Alasaka Bound

[CampWithChin]

@SAC-CA-Runner and @Kelso I am planning to do those areas in my trip. Glacier, Waterton, Banff, Jasper, Tuk, Salmon Glacier and many more. My travel from Waterton to Banff will be along the 40, I saw that in my planning and I liked the smaller road north, great to hear it is a fun road. Sac it will be warm down here in the desert areas in June and July, if you are talking the sierras it will be nice. My starting date from here will be about a week before the new grandchild's birth and leaving Vancouver, WA will be predicated on the birth. I will update the thread as I hear more. Hope we can at least cross paths somewhere along the route and share some experiences. Sac I do have the gpx files for this route if you would like to see what I have so far.

If you taking kananaskis trail AB40 up to Kananaskis, try detour using Smith Dorian Trail to Canmore. Smith Dorian Trail AB742 is a gravel road lead to Canmore. Between these 2 route, I preferred Smith Dorian Trail.

 

[CampWithChin]

@Terry Pickens Looking forward to read about your adventure up north. I'm planning for this journey in summer 2019. From all the reading, even a Toyota Prius/Honda Civic can make it up to Tuk or Pruhoe Bay. So, a 2" lifted subaru can take the challenge. I currently watching youtube video from 2 photographer, Mark & Ray Al-Can Adventure. They have covered quite a lot of highway in NT, BC & AK. I found some useful info.

 

[Terry Pickens]

@Terry Pickens Looking forward to read about your adventure up north. I'm planning for this journey in summer 2019. From all the reading, even a Toyota Prius/Honda Civic can make it up to Tuk or Pruhoe Bay. So, a 2" lifted subaru can take the challenge. I currently watching youtube video from 2 photographer, Mark & Ray Al-Can Adventure. They have covered quite a lot of highway in NT, BC & AK. I found some useful info.

Thanks I'll look those videos up. Yes years of off-road has made me prepare a little more than normal. Hope to read of your adventures when you get up there also.

 

[Terry Pickens]

If you taking kananaskis trail AB40 up to Kananaskis, try detour using Smith Dorian Trail to Canmore. Smith Dorian Trail AB742 is a gravel road lead to Canmore. Between these 2 route, I preferred Smith Dorian Trail.

I'll check that road out. Thanks

 

[Terry Pickens]

All right my trip is getting closer and I'm in the final stages of preparation. Vehicle is ready just needs final fluid changes before leaving. Camping gear is waiting. GPS route is set and just the final tweeks to it are being done. Will be leaving SoCal on July 9th to head to Vancouver, WA along highway 395 for the birth of my 4th grandchild. Leaving there I will head to Glacier National Park, Banff and Jasper National Parks then start the northern push to Dawson Creek and start the drive on the Alaskan Highway (Al-Can to us older folks) to Watson Lake. Turning off the AK Highway I'll be on Canadian 4, a gravel road, to make my swing to Dawson, Yukon and the Arctic ocean at Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. At this, my furthest point north, I start my swing back to Dawson and turn west to continue along the Top of the World Highway to Tok, Alaska. Leaving Tok I will go south on the Alaskan Highway to Haines Junction and continue to Haines, Alaska along the Haines Highway to ferry across to Skagway and go back to the Alaskan Highway along the South Klondike Highway. I will leave the Alaskan Highway just before Watson Lake and turn south onto Canadian 37, The Cassier Highway, to Prince George, BC. From there I will continue south along Canadian 97 making my way back to the border and return to Vancouver, WA to visit my new grandchild before returning home along Highway 101.
I have found from another post in this Forum a great resource for the area called, "The Milepost". I also picked up a camping guide named " Traveler's Guide to Alaskan Camping that includes all the Alaskan Highway in it's pages. Altough this written for RV'rs in mind it is good source for me to hit some campgrounds with services such as WIFI, showers, and laundry facilities along the way. It ranges from private, to Provincial Parks, to free camping areas along the roads.

 

[Carnivore]

I guess the Canadian leg kick-off is a ballpark date lol. Baby is your deciding factor there hahaha. Looks like a great route. Farthest I've been that far north in BC was Fort St John, Terrace and Prince George. But they we hotshot deliveries so I didn't get a chance to explore the areas unfortunately.

Looking forward to hearing when Jr makes the grand entry into the world. Hopefully my days off syncs up when you're in you Jasper leg.

 

[Terry Pickens]

I guess the Canadian leg kick-off is a ballpark date lol. Baby is your deciding factor there hahaha. Looks like a great route. Farthest I've been that far north in BC was Fort St John, Terrace and Prince George. But they we hotshot deliveries so I didn't get a chance to explore the areas unfortunately.

Looking forward to hearing when Jr makes the grand entry into the world. Hopefully my days off syncs up when you're in you Jasper leg.

I'll keep everyone informed, but might only be a few days notice for my departure from Vancouver, WA. THen it will be about 4-5 days before I hit Jasper.

 

[Carnivore]

I'll keep everyone informed, but might only be a few days notice for my departure from Vancouver, WA. THen it will be about 4-5 days before I hit Jasper.

All good. At least by that point, my work schedule should be confirmed. (It's currently in flux at work with guys switching positions, promotions, etc).

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Looks like a great trip! Thanks for the recs on the books. I'm going to pick them up. I'm really liking your route and hopefully can meet up with some locals in the more populated areas of Canada and Alaska. Maybe show me some trails. I'm on no time frame but your routes hit almost everywhere I want to go. I'll be leaving in June to head up that way. Maybe I'll run into you on my way back!

 

[trikebubble]

I picked up the Milepost last fall and have been going through it since then. It is an amazing Bible of the North, and will most certainly be accompanying us when we head up in June.

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[Terry Pickens]

I picked up the Milepost last fall and have been going through it since then. It is an amazing Bible of the North, and will most certainly be accompanying us when we head up in June.

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Mine will be right beside me also. I have already highlighted many things in it for my adventure north.

 

[trikebubble]

Mine will be right beside me also. I have already highlighted many things in it for my adventure north.

I know right. It is so detailed, it is worth every wry penny. I've been putting post-its on pages all over the place.

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[Questy]

I just posted this in the other Alaska 2018 thread, so this is a cross post in case you missed it there.

I lived in Alaska for 9 years. Here are some thoughts.

Depending on how far north you’re headed, the Denali Highway (all major roads in Alaska have names, not numbers — because there are so few) is 135 Miles of gravel that has spectacular views. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denali_Highway).

Head up to Hatcher Pass outside of Palmer.

If you make it to the Kenai Peninsula, the There’s great hiking and camping in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

Drive and camp on the beach near Kasiloff/Kenai.

Go to Homer and eat local oysters. Don’t camp spit but rather go to Seasode Farms. Eat at Cafe Cups, La Baleine, Finns Pizza, Homer Bagles and Katchemak Bay Coffee.

Even though it’s expensive, if you can swing it, take the time and expense to fly to Katmai and see the bears. Halo Bay is one of the best providers.

The art museum and native history museum in Anchorage are amazing.

Go to Seward and take the full Kenai Fiords tour to Northwestern Fiord. Check out Reserect Art.

Drive to McCarthy, tour the old mine.

It’s a big place. Have fun. Take rain gear and by a pair of extra tuffs so you can enjoy the beaches and rivers.

 

[Terry Pickens]

I just posted this in the other Alaska 2018 thread, so this is a cross post in case you missed it there.

I lived in Alaska for 9 years. Here are some thoughts.

Depending on how far north you’re headed, the Denali Highway (all major roads in Alaska have names, not numbers — because there are so few) is 135 Miles of gravel that has spectacular views. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denali_Highway).

Head up to Hatcher Pass outside of Palmer.

If you make it to the Kenai Peninsula, the There’s great hiking and camping in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

Drive and camp on the beach near Kasiloff/Kenai.

Go to Homer and eat local oysters. Don’t camp spit but rather go to Seasode Farms. Eat at Cafe Cups, La Baleine, Finns Pizza, Homer Bagles and Katchemak Bay Coffee.

Even though it’s expensive, if you can swing it, take the time and expense to fly to Katmai and see the bears. Halo Bay is one of the best providers.

The art museum and native history museum in Anchorage are amazing.

Go to Seward and take the full Kenai Fiords tour to Northwestern Fiord. Check out Reserect Art.

Drive to McCarthy, tour the old mine.

It’s a big place. Have fun. Take rain gear and by a pair of extra tuffs so you can enjoy the beaches and rivers.

Thanks for the info. Might not have time to do all of that but I will be adventuring north more in the future years. THis gives me more reason to get back there.

 

[PentictonJK]

well its official Alaska trip on the horizon Milepost purchased, drive up to the end and perhaps Alaska marine highway home, Anyone done this route on the ferry ?

 

[Terry Pickens]

well its official Alaska trip on the horizon Milepost purchased, drive up to the end and perhaps Alaska marine highway home, Anyone done this route on the ferry ?

I have never taken the ferry but I was thinking about the ferry back but decided to drive. For the ferry ride with me and the vehicle was expensive from Skagway to Vancouver, Canada. If you do take the ferry make sure you stop in Juneau and Ketchikan as I think those places have a lot to see from the 2 cruises I took. Will you be leaving south from Skagway or further north. Skagway is another fun place to spend some time in.

 

[trikebubble]

well its official Alaska trip on the horizon Milepost purchased, drive up to the end and perhaps Alaska marine highway home, Anyone done this route on the ferry ?

Our Milepost has been living on the coffee table for about 6 months now. I keep looking in it, and putting post-it's all over the place. It's an amazing reference book.

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[Terry Pickens]

Well I was suppose to leave on this adventure July 9th but will have to postpone it until next year as I will be selling my house here in SoCal and relocating to Vancouver, WA in a few months. So much to do around a house you've lived in for 27 years. Might even break it into several trips next year to be able to see more sights along the way since I will be closer to the border.

 

[Kelso]

You just need to break it into two stages. Stage 1: California to Vancouver via U-haul!
Haha

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[Terry Pickens]

You just need to break it into two stages. Stage 1: California to Vancouver via U-haul!
Haha

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That's about it.