Heading to Alaska

Redwillowhunter · #1 07-02-2012, 09:06 PM

Hey, my fiance' and i will be getting hitched on the 28th of july. After the wedding we are leaving to head up to alaska for 21 days on a camping trip. We will be pulling our Tent trailer and camping along the way. For any of you that have done this similar trek before are there any must see/must do stops along the way? We have no real direction in mind, just driving and camping and taking in the sights. Looking forward to hearing some suggestions!
Thanks Redwillowhunter

bb356 · #2 07-02-2012, 09:13 PM

Sorry if I missed it ....... Where are you starting from ???

fatboyz · #3 07-02-2012, 09:16 PM

Liard Hot Springs are a must.

Redwillowhunter · #4 07-02-2012, 09:18 PM

Starting in Camrose.

fishmonger · #5 07-02-2012, 11:55 PM

Boya Lake.
Watson Lake sign post cluster.
Chilcoot and Chilkat passes.
Haines Alaska.
Atlin Lake.
Hyder, Alaska...and get "Hyderized" (do it once, and you can always say you did it).
Mt Edziza volcano fields.

Stay away from Skagway...that is where the cruise ships dock, and where they "fleece" the captive tourists.

Take the Dawson/Watson Lake road up.
Take the Cassiar highway back down.

Beg, borrow or steal a canoe (car topper is even better)...but make sure you take a boat. Boya Lake has the most beautiful lake trout in it that you have ever seen...and the water is clear enough to see the fish cruise the shallows in the early morning.

Stop often whenever you see a fair sized steam, as they are full of grayling.

Be prepared for 3 things...construction, flat tires (especially on your trailer), and long distances between fuel.

Oh yeah...and bears...lots of bears around campgrounds. If you have a dog, be bear smart. When we were there, a grizz walked into our campground in the middle of the day and took the neighbors cocker spaniel that was tied to a tree. True story.

I did the same trip years ago, pulling a tent trailer. Lots of miles, over 8,000 kms in 2 weeks. Best advice, apart from the above...take your time and enjoy the journey. If you are fixated on the destination, it makes for a tedious trip. There is lots to see as you drive thru the various regions.

Last bit of advice...it's a long long way to Whitehorse...but the trip from Whitehorse further into Alaska is fabulous. In other words, don't stop at Whitehorse. Plan for a week to whitehorse, a week into Alaska and back, and a week down the Cassiar.

My 2 cents. Hope you guys have a fun and safe trip.

Cal · #6 07-03-2012, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redwillowhunter

Hey, my fiance' and i will be getting hitched on the 28th of july. After the wedding we are leaving to head up to alaska for 21 days on a camping trip. We will be pulling our Tent trailer and camping along the way. For any of you that have done this similar trek before are there any must see/must do stops along the way? We have no real direction in mind, just driving and camping and taking in the sights. Looking forward to hearing some suggestions!
Thanks Redwillowhunter

Did this very same trip but spent a couple months doing it with my wife, probably the greatest experience of my life. Theres all kinds of things to do and places to see that I could list but here is my advice... Just keep the pace slow and the direction flexible, just lose track of time and enjoy yourselves. The very best part of the trip was at a lake called Tachun lake on the way to Dawson, just a nice little lake with good fishing and absolutely no one else while we were there. We ended up staying there almost a week, with the 24 hour daylight you completely lose track of time, fish when you feel like it, fry em up when you feel hungry, sleep when your tired, skinny dip whenever the mood hits... about 2 AM at some little lake or another...

tara_13 · #7 07-03-2012, 08:27 AM

I dont know any direction or places to go... but... Have a great time !!

doetracks · #8 07-03-2012, 08:34 AM

Sounds like a great trip!

The Alaska highway from roughly Burwash to the AK border is FULL of frost heaves. Rough ride, but pretty.

As for Skagway, yeah, it's a tourist trap - but kind of neat all the same. You could take the AK highway up to AK and then take the ferry from Haines to Skagway. Just a thought.

And yes, Liard hot springs is a must.

hunterbobthebuilder · #9 07-03-2012, 09:00 AM

Heard from a biker buddy that white horse is pretty amazing for the ladies they out number men 10-1 maybe if your having second thoughts ya could swing by there and upgrade lol....... Just kidding

GoneFishin' · #10 07-03-2012, 09:04 AM

I've only been part way up the Alaska Hwy and it was beautiful as far as I went

...have a safe and amazing trip. I'd love to do it myself someday...

Elk Chaser · #11 07-03-2012, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatboyz

Liard Hot Springs are a must.

x2

uncle buck · #12 07-03-2012, 09:11 AM

Dempster highway is spectacular - tombstone park

G Kenworth · #13 07-03-2012, 10:12 PM

Top of the world highway. Good thing you have 3 Weeks. you cant do that trip justice with any less time

Lotep · #14 07-03-2012, 10:22 PM

Depends where in Alaska you plan on going. Anchorage or Fairbanks? Haines?

Liard is a must, the Tombstones are great (up the Dempster if you like to hike but the drive to Dawson adds a lot of time) but I have never driven the top of the world highway. There is some great lakes along the way (twin lakes heading from Whitehorse to Dawson), Kusawa (from Whitehorse to Haines Junction), Aishihik Lake (from Whitehorse to HJ) (beware as both are gravel roads off the Alaska highway, A little rough but nothing compared to Burwash-the AK border....)

As mentioned before, the drive from Whitehorse to Skagway, Ferry from Skagway to Haines and then back to HJ is amazing. Beauty high mountain pass.

Ryry4 · #15 07-03-2012, 10:27 PM

If you're driving at night watch for wildlife. Lots of buffalo, bears, moose, whatever. I've only been as far as Watson Lake but it's a great trip. Having a couple Jerry cans of fuel isn't a bad idea.

Lotep · #16 07-03-2012, 10:31 PM

Oh and just so you are not totally shocked as you drive up here.

Gas was 135.00 in Whitehorse today, Dawson is probably closer to 150, Watson and Ft Nelson are similar. Just expect 130+..

Peterupnorth · #17 07-03-2012, 10:39 PM

Done 3 weeks stints several times. Unless you plan on beating pavement, you can only do one area each trip.
Stewart/Hyder is awesome. Fresh Halibut and fries, Grizz's fishing salmon, Glaciers and the Stewart highway is awesome.
Atlin is another gem. Goldpanning, beautiful lake, less tourists.
Liard Hot Springs are the best of any springs.
Haines, the ocean and Coastal Mountains.
I agree with Buck,...Tombstone area is amazing, heh, stick your feet in one of those streams that flows on permafrost.
Always like to enjoy what's there, so never made it past Kluane Park yet.
Make sure you get the Milepost book.
Enjoy!

Yéil · #18 07-08-2012, 12:51 PM

Liard is cool...

but before you head there, check out the mineral licks near the Northern Rocky resort, Stone Mountain, the Sikanni Chief bison herd, the Norquist herd (near Liard).

I was raised in the Yukon so I tend to avoid the tourist places.

Teslin Lake - stop and enjoy the fishing there, take in the Tlingit culture.

WH can get a bit tedious - there's way too much cliche of the pan handlers, Robert Service, highway construction, dance hall and saloon mock ups. Kwanlin Dun FN has a good cultural centre - spend some time over there.

Stop at the Takhini hot springs, stop at Champagne and have a look at the spirit houses of the ancestors of the Tutchone peoples, head up the Aishihik road (about 3 hours) to the hook of the lake - you'll see an old WWII airport that has been renovated into a community hall - the old runway is still there, bison herd is free roaming up there, fishing is awesome.

Kluane park's gateway is in Haines Junction, good interpretive centre there, you can either go down the Haines Hwy to Haines Alaska and see the Valley of the Eagles, travel through 4 distinct areas of boreal, tundra, coastal rain forest and seacoast all within a 3 hour drive from HJ or head up the hwy to Alaska. While in Haines Alaska, check out the studios where they teach Chilkat robe weaving, (the only weaving technique that produces a perfect circle) and Raven's Tail weaving. The Tlingit have a cultural centre there as well.

Sheep mountain, Kluane lake and Silver City are pretty neat places to explore. Watch for the massive amounts of poppies growing near Burwash Landing - the fire of 1998 which burned 140 miles up the hwy left these flowers growing, a result of the soil lifts from the BC interior to smother the fires. The poppies were "transplanted".

The Alsek valley is cool to wander around - spruce beetle kill has marred the forests but it's still pretty.

If you travel the interior of the east side of Kluane Lake, you'll find an abundance of fishing camps, summer camps belonging to the Southern Tutchone - lots of cut and logging roads to access.

Dawson City is pretty good too.. the Moosehead Gathering is around that time - so lots of activities put on by the Han people.

The Top of the World Hwy is pretty cool to travel, so is the Dempster hwy up to Eagle Plains. Tons of Caribou up that way.

Lots of bear activity on the road allowance so be careful.. they like the sweetness of the fireweed plant and tend to munch on it. Elk won't be down off the ranges until Sept - they tend to hang out on the west side of WH on the hwy. Sheep start coming down end of Aug.

Salmon runs depend on the species you want to go after - we get approx 5 species running anytime between end of July through to Oct.

HTH