jlawless
Coldfoot, AK
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Joined: 07/23/2007
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alaskan-rver wrote: that a trip of Alaska is like Afghanistan, but with grizzly bears!
I can't help myself with this trivia - but this website says, in part -
The brown bear currently occurs in Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra (recently reoccupied), Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan (possibly extinct), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic (possibly only vagrants), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, India, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States, and Uzbekistan.
www.iucnredlist.org
2inAlabama - get a generator so you can boondock.
Talk to the animals. They will talk back to you. If you don't talk to the animals, they won't talk back to you, and you will fear and when you fear animals you will destroy, and if you destroy the animals, you will destroy yourself.
Chief Dan George
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morley
British Columbia
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Joined: 03/17/2010
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We just returned from a six week trip to Alaska with our 26 ft. Topaz 5er.(Up the Alaska highway all through Alaska and down the Stewart Cassair)
We had no issues with flat tires, etc. We have spare tires for each vehicle that go with us any where. As we dry camped a lot the Honda 2000i came in very handy for topping up the batteries and for making popcorn in the microwave but we could have done without it.
We always carry extra diesel for the truck on any trip.
In my opinon with the exception of the Alaska Highway from Burwash landing north to the American border(approx. 150 kms) and the section of the Top of the World highway from the American border to Chicken. The roads are good.
Any construction that we encounterd had pilot cars to guide you through.
Take your time and drive to the road conditions and you will be allright.
Try to avoid if possible buying any gas or diesel in the Moncho Lake Liard Hot Springs areas of the Alaska Highway as prices there were in the $1.60 to $1.80 per litre range. All other areas the prices were only marginally higher(10 to 15 cents per litre) than what we normally see at home. In Alaska after the conversion of gallon size they were actually slightly less than what we pay normally. Alberta is always cheaper.
British Columbia, The Yukon and Alaska are awesome enjoy your trip.
2008 Topaz F254SS 26 ft.
2009 Chevy Silverado, 2500HD, Duramax, Allison Tranny, 4x4, EC
Honda EUi2000
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lonnie4801
Texas
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Joined: 01/22/2005
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No. Special equipment is absolutely required. Following is a list of the special equipment we took on our 2 trips to Alaska:
1. Money
2. Money
3. Money
4. Money
And the most important of all ----
5. Money
Lonnie and Sue
2007 HR Ambassador 40'
2008 Chevy Colorado Z71 4x4 Crew Cab
West Texas, Retired
Fulltimers. No more grass to cut, no more leaves to rake, and can move if we don't like our neighbors.
States we spent time in, drive throughs not marked.
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sbishop
Eagle Rock, CA
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Joined: 08/09/2001
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We undertook the trip in 2000 in a ten year old rig(see signature) with 10 yo tires. Big mistake but I hadn't joned this forum and wasn't aware of the 5(6or7) year rule. Other than tire problems we had no need of extra parts. I carried two onan oil filters but found that Jiffy Lube in Anchorage had filters and oil so I didn't need them. AK wasn't that expensive except to fly around to remote areas like Katmai, Barrow, Nome, Kotzebue and Prudoe Bay. Plan on 10 to 20% more for fuel and 20 to 30% more for dining out but buying supplies in big towns or in Anchorage or Fairbanks kept costs down. I really thought that we would be paying double for fuel and five dollars a dozen for eggs but not really. Took the DGKs for three weeks in June in a rented MoHo and discounting the flight up there and the rental costs we only spent maybe $300 more than we did last summer with the DGKs going back to the Dakotas and Yellowstone for three weeks. I would suggest a phone card and if you have a netbook or laptop they are nice too. Sent the GKs folks and other family members pictures etc when we could get on line. While most private campgrounds are not as nice as most in the lower 48 they were mostly in the $25 to $35 dollar range and most had free wifi.
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to go". R. L. Stevenson
David Bishop
1990 Bounder 27D
1995 Suzuki Sidekick 4X4
Stowmaster 5000
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alaskan-rver
Anchorage, AK
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Joined: 09/25/2005
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jlawless wrote:alaskan-rver wrote: that a trip of Alaska is like Afghanistan, but with grizzly bears!
I can't help myself with this trivia - but this website says, in part -
The brown bear currently occurs in Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra (recently reoccupied), Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan (possibly extinct), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic (possibly only vagrants), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, India, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States, and Uzbekistan.
www.iucnredlist.org
2inAlabama - get a generator so you can boondock.
I did not know that brown bears got around so much--they must also have a bunch those Alaska Airlines Visa miles! I stand corrected.
So, I guess I'm going to have to change my analogy to "Afghanistan with indigenous tweeting-Palins!" For better or worse, we seem to have the monopoly on them.
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bee_46
Jarrettsville, Md
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Joined: 02/03/2005
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We made the trip in 2005 with only spare tires for the tow vehicle and the trailer. I found having clothes for various seasons more important. When we went in 2008 we did carry a generator with us because we stayed in Denali for three days and had to charge the battery on the trailer. In 2005 we entered Canada in Saskatchewan and found traveling from there to Dawson Creek very easy. Just make sure you can dress in layers and have rain gear. Oh, and I agree about the money.
Bobbie
Alaska 2008
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afraid of bears
I'm not sure I'm ready to be a
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Joined: 10/16/2006
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We drive around in Canada all of the time and you don't need any special equipment. As for the Alaskan part, we didn't take any special equipment and we did just fine.
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Bmach
Spfld, Ma
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Joined: 08/26/2004
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For me nothing more than what I take with me every time out.
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archie18
Middle Tenn
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Joined: 01/04/2010
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Made the trip from TN to Alaska and back in June-Aug of this year. You can read my day by day account at http://wanderingwoolfolks.blogspot.com.
You will find reports of road conditions and fuel prices.
As others have said, take lots of money! Fuel and food prices in Canada are double what they are here.
If you break down in remote area you may experience 2 to 3 day (or more) delay getting a tow truck (I saw this happen twice on our trip).
I took extra belts, hoses, filters for the truck but fortunately did not need them. We were lucky, only a cracked windshield, a broken passenger side window lift mechanism, and broken levels on camper (due to gravel sections).
In our caravan of 23 rigs we had 2 or 3 flat tires, 2 broken slide outs, a recurring turbocharger problem, several broken windshields, a bent tow bar, and one bad wheel bearing. Only the broken windshields and the bent tow bar could be attributed to the rough roads.
It was still a trip of a lifetime, enjoy!
Robert and Nancy
2007 Starcraft 21SB/Ford F150
http://wanderingwoolfolks.blogspot.com
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jessjerr1831
Colorado
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Joined: 01/11/2009
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We returned from Alaska & Canada the end of July, spending almost 8 weeks there and back.
Had no problems whatever. Took TV and TT in for preventative maintenance right before we left. Put new tires on both the TV & TT. Spent a week in Denali at Savage River campground so was really glad I invested in a Yamaha generator. Drove according to the road conditions and was sure glad for the new tires. Some of the roads are in bad shape due to freezing and frost heaves, construction. in Dawson Creek at the visitors center they gave us a sheet that listed all of the gas stops and towns along the Alaskan highway. Came in very helpful. Used it all the way up and back. Had a fantastic time and now the Brother in law and wife wants us to go along with them in 2012.
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