First Alaska Trip

1995 Bounder 34J, husband, wife and 16 yr old daughter from Philip, SD. 2^nd couple, retired husband and wife from Texas with new Dodge 3/4T Cummins and 30’ NuWay Hitch hiker II with slide out.

Spent all winter putting together facts, data, articles from the Internet into a loose leaf notebook for the trip.  Made detailed maps, used both DeLorme and Microsoft Trip Planner extensively.  Had more than enough information on campgrounds, States and Provinces we were to pass through.

1^st day May 30, 1999 Got going after waiting a day for new injector pump for the “new” pickup.  Had been refusing to start on a random basis.  Traveled via Faith, SD to Buffalo SD where we spent our first night.  Only 200 miles but got into the swing of things and made sure the Dodge was going to run OK.  After months of detailed planning we were already ½ day different than planned so planned campgrounds were not where we wanted to stop.

2^nd day May 31.  Headed out toward North Dakota and Moose Jaw, SK.  Windy day and fair road.  Things going well.  Lots of excitement about heading for Alaska.  Stayed at Prairie Oasis campground in Moose Jaw.  Had fiberglass dividers between camp sites.  Was about 80% full.  Walked to nearby truck stop for dinner.  I had my first training session with Canadian money when I didn’t recognize the $2 coin.

3^rd day June 1. Headed out early for Edmonton, AB via Saskatoon, North Battleford, Lloydminster, (big farming country-several colonies evident across Saskatchewan) and into Alberta.  Speed limits lower than in the USA.  Edmonton a very large city by our small town standards.  Found our campground( Glowing Embers ) after one questionable turnaround on the freeway.  Nice park with large store.  Not too busy.

4^th day June 2. Took LONG drive this AM to get to WalMart for a few necessities we somehow forgot to pack.  Got going kind of late in the day and in the rain.  Then we had to wait for a long train to pass before we got out of town.  Hope we can kiss city driving goodbye.  We are supposed to be going into the frontier.  Headed for Dawson Creek, BC via Valleyview and Whitecourt.  Still mostly driving by farms in this area.  Should not have gone North of Banff and Jasper.  We are missing some great scenery just to make good time on the road.  Not the best choice.  As we get closer to Dawson Creek we are beginning to get “out into the country”.  Stayed at Northern Lights RV Park.  This was the right choice.  Others were jammed full of caravan travelers and were very crowded.  These folks were very friendly and we enjoyed the stay as well as visiting with other campers.  About 3/4 were Northbound and 1/4 were Southbound coming back already.  We found out many of the lakes were still frozen and some snow still falling in places.  Folks at this campground do minor repair work, sell screens and light guards, furnish a wash stall for washing RVs and are generally very helpful. NOT a rip-off place at all.

We were to discover that many of the folks we met in this campground would re-appear at many future stops along the way.   Good thing we were nice to them the first night.

5^th day June 3.  Got rolling early expecting a long trip to Muncho Lake and it was all of that.  Some GREAT scenery but a long trip with quite a bit of construction and rough roads.  Got our rigs REALLY muddy and shook thinks up a bit.  We start making much more frequent stops to look around, check on the rigs, take pictures, etc.  I should have installed a better CB radio because the hand-held I am using doesn’t reach out very well.  Saw first bear and caribou between Fort St. John and Fort Nelson.  This is starting to look like I expected with more trees, less people and more wildlife.  Also saw first moose and several of those HUGE weed eaters on track hoes cutting brush along the roadway.  Mostly truck traffic and nearly no Southbound RVs.  I think we are in the first wave of the season.  Muncho Lake is one of the most beautiful spots on the whole trip and even though it was a long drive this is a wonderful place to stop.  J & H Wilderness is a very nice place to camp.  Only generator power and no phone service on the cell phone, but a great place with fantastic scenery and a great lake tour if you take the time. (later in the season the mosquitoes take over some, but not early).

6^th day June 4. We took our time this morning, slept in (until 6:30 AM) had a big breakfast and washed the rigs.  J & H also provides a wash area and hoses for rig washing.  We are going to Watson Lake today and that is a short drive.  We will take in the sign forest and do laundry tonight. First we stop at Liard Hot Springs for a look at the swimming area and land locked fish and flora and faunta that grow here.  Worth the time to stop and look around. Stayed at Downtown RV Park.  Just a gravel lot with full hookups, but a decent Laundromat and within walking distance of the downtown area and the sign forest.  If we were staying any length of time we would have chosen the Gateway to the Yukon RV park instead, but it is about 2 miles from downtown.  We walked around for quite some time looking for an ice cream cone after dinner and finally settled for a “drumstick” from a convenience store.  The 5^th wheel had a sewer leak and we looked at the local NAPA for parts.  They had some, but not what we needed to necessity being the mother of invention, we fixed the broken part with some silicone and a screw and nut.  Lucky we were carrying tools and silicone.  I have plenty of duct tape as a last resort.  I am starting to hear way too much about how good the fuel economy is with that damn diesel vs: my gas 460.

7^th day June 5^th.  Rivers getting bigger, canyons getting deeper, country getting more remote.  I like this.  We are headed to Whitehorse and if we get there in time we men are headed for the golf course while the women go shopping.  This is another short trip compared to some (282 miles) so we should be there in plenty of time to get in at least 9 holes. Stop at Walkers Continental Divide for rolls and were they good.  Then past Jct. 37and on to Whitehorse. Looks like their airport has had a fire.  Big pile of ashes and twisted metal next to the highway.  Several nice campgrounds, one with it’s own golfcourse.  We opt for  MacKenzie’s RV Park about 5 miles west of town.  Would do it again.  Nice park, lots of amenities.  Lots of high end RV’s parked here with the most unusual methods of protecting them from rocks, gravel etc. that you have ever seen.  Evidently these folks parked here and took their toads on to Dawson City or something.

Great golf course and we got off just ahead of men’s night.  Called Mountain View if I remember right and it certainly was a mountain view.  Great course.

8^th day June 6^th  This morning it was snowing great big wet flakes.  Nearly scared my Texas friends to death.  It was melting as it fell, but could build up slush pretty easily.  Stayed put for an extra cup of coffee and waited until the Texans built up their courage.  This was just a walk in the park for a South Dakota driver.  We are going to Lake LeBerge (The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service) and on to Dawson City today.  I am excited.  My grandfather was a part of the Yukon Gold Rush so I am hoping to find some trace of his presence here.  Lake LeBerge was iced in yet so it was a bit of a disappointment, but onward we go. We are seeing huge long lakes, lots of evidence of early dredging operations and the snow has given way to rain.  We are reading the Milepost whenever we are not gazing in awe at the scenery.  We decide to stay within walking distance of the attractions so we stay at Gold Rush Campground and RV Park and take a long walk around town We will stay over an extra day here to rest up and take in the sites.  A short visit to Diamond Tooth Gertes was enough to lose some cash at Blackjack and take in a show.  We also visited the museum and territorial governors house.  It is pretty much tourist, but I guess we are tourists.

10^th day June 8^th   We cross the Yukon River on a ferry and head out on the “Top of the World Highway” on a great sunny day and you can literally see forever.  The road on the Canadian side is pretty good except for a pretty steep and winding detour to avoid an overhanging snow drift that is in danger of falling onto the road.  This scenery is not to be believed.  What a vast expanse of territory.  When we reach the Alaskan border we discover gravel roads, but we know we would and as long as you know enough to slow down it is not a problem.  We wind our way into Chicken, AK and stop for gas.  We stopped earlier but $2.50 per gallon did not appeal to us.  The lady at Chicken was very surprised when I told her to fill it up.  Evidently most folks only buy enough to get to TOK or Tetlin Jct. but I had been close to empty long enough.  Here it comes, more about the economy of that damn diesel.  She gave me a $.05 per gallon discount for filling up.

She was somewhat amazed that we were not cursing the road.  Evidently lots of folks expect a freeway up here or don’t know the first thing about driving on gravel.  Since we knew we had 160 miles of mainly primitive gravel roads we had figured on taking our time and enjoying the sites.  If we were in a hurry we would have taken another route.

The gold dredge was a welcome stop and we burned up quite a bit of film there.  Toward Tetlin Jct. the road got pretty good from some recent road work.  It took a while to get used to the speed once we got back on Hwy 2 and headed for Tok (that stretch has since gotten quite rough).  After brief stops in Tok and Delta Jct. we were on our way to Fairbanks.  We found River’s Edge RV Park with little problem and settled in for a relaxing night.  We were joined by some friends who live in Fairbanks who insisted that we move the next day into their back yard for the duration of our stay in Fairbanks.  We were about to discover mosquitoes.

Days 11 through 24  June 9^th to June 22^nd  We planned on a one week stay in Fairbanks with day tours in all four directions and we did that.  We did not want for things to do with our friends giving us guided tours every day or evening as the case may be and their hospitality was without equal.  Then on day 7 we were leaving to go salmon fishing with the locals and our fuel pump gave out.  Our Texas friends went on toward Anchorage, Glennallen and Denali and we dry camped in a gravel lot next to the Ford dealership waiting for a new fuel pump.  It was a 6 day wait and we got pretty sick of it, but thanks to our local friends we had a vehicle to drive and we took advantage of that.  It does not take two weeks to see the sites around Fairbanks, but we flew to Prudhoe Bay and Barter Island, drove to Denali, took in Chena Hot Springs, went to the late show at the Palace Saloon at Alaskaland, drove the Cleary Summit to see the Ft. Knox mine, visited the University of Alaska – Fairbanks museum, etc, etc, etc. as well as visited our friends cabin(s) in the wilds of Alaska and enjoyed their excellent hospitality.

Finally, on day 24 (June 22^th) we headed South to Valdez and to meet our Texas friends at Glennallen. Despite some of the worst road we had been on since heading for Alaska (and it is still that way today) we arrived in Valdez in good shape and what a drive from Thompson Pass to Valdez.  Such scenery.  It is truly breathtaking.  We stopped briefly along the way to make sure our plans to meet in Glennallen for the trip home were still on track.  It was very good to see our friends again.  Actually, if you are going to spend a month together, a week off in the middle does wonders to make you appreciate each other’s company again.  We stayed at Bayside RV Park on the recommendation of our Fairbanks friends and found them very helpful and friendly.  Had a free halibut feed every night back then. (I think they have since discontinued that)  Got our day cruise tickets there for the next day.

25^th day June 23. You might expect that it would rain in Valdez just when we were taking off for  a day cruise.  It did, but we still enjoyed it.  We were very grateful for the extra rain suites loaned to us by our Texas friends.  Saw glaciers, otters, seals, heard both the news version and the locals version of the Exxon Valdez spill and leaned a lot about the port of Valdez and Prince William Sound.

26^th day June 24.  It is time to head South.  By tonight we will be out of Alaska and on our way back to the lower 48.  We meet our friends in Glennallen and head for the Cassiar via Kluane Lake (this is one big lake), Burwash Landing (huge construction project there, rebuilding the highway)(two years later lots of new frost heaves and chuckholes on same road) and Haines Jct. and the Kluane RV Park there.  Rain all day.  You can tell the tourist season is in full swing now.  This campground if FULL.

27^th day June 25 We get going early this AM.  Wife and daughter sleep in while I drive and guess who sees the mama grizzly and two cubs along the road.  ME.  When we stop at Jct. 37 in prep. for the Cassiar my Texas friends are getting squeamish about the upcoming gravel roads in the rain.  They are the ones with the big tough diesel 4x4 and I have to shame them into forging ahead by offering to tie them on behind and tow them if necessary.  Off we go down the Cassiar and into British Columbia again. Spend the night in Dease Lake at Dease Lake RV Park.  Folks there with windows completely gone from meeting gravel trucks going way too fast on roads under construction.  Now Texas friends are starting to glare at me.  Lots of MUD on cars and RVs we are meeting.  Restless night.  Rain.

28^th day June 26  We are off for Stewert/Hyder and our last Alaskan stop.  This might not be a nice road, but wow the scenery.  We lost our windshield this morning to a huge rock thrown up by, you guessed it, a gravel truck going wide open in an construction area.  Now we are looking through a spot that could have easily been a hole and it is bigger than a softball.  Lots of wildlife and beautiful scenery.  Lots of replanted forest land that was once logged.  Looks pretty good to me.  No broken windows in the Dodge and Texans are speaking to me again.  More good news about their excellent fuel economy in that damn diesel.  I am NOT talking about the gas the 460 is burning as long as it runs and the fuel pump keeps pumping.  Beautiful drive into Stewert/Hyder as well.  This place is home to some real characters.  Visit the school bus café and buy some local fish at the adjoining fish packing plant to ship home.  Wash our rig and head out for Smithers, BC and the Riverside park Campground.  This is a beautiful spot.  Wish we had more time to stay and golf here.  Have to be in SD for a wedding on July 2 so got to go.

29th day June 27 Leave Smithers for  Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, Williams Lake and Cache Creek where we select Brookside RV Park for the last evening with our Texas friends.  Tomorrow they head for Montana and we are heading for Oregon.

30th day June 28 Head for the lower 48 via Chilliwack, Seattle and Portland.  Arrive in Portland after terrible traffic in Seattle vowing to avoid that place at all costs in the future.  Spend two days with relatives and head for South Dakota.

31^st  day June 29. Leave Oregon via Coeur de Alene, ID where we stop briefly to visit relatives before going on to Missoula, MT where we stay at the KOA which was easily the most expensive campground we encountered during the entire trip.

32^nd day June 30 Travel from Missoula, MT to Buffalo WY and stay at Indian Campground.  Very nice camp. Last camper in.  Full.

33^rd day July 1 Back to Philip, SD and the end of a great trip.  8,800 miles of pure enjoyment.  Could give many more details about Idaho and Montana but this was about the Alaskan trip.

Two years later, my perspective on the first trip, after taking the second trip, we tried to cover too many miles in too few days and missed some things we should have stopped to see.  The earlier dates are better because the bugs and tourists are not nearly as thick.  The campgrounds are not nearly as busy and the people are fresh and wanting to do business.  We also saw more wildlife earlier in the season.  It is better to get up early and travel because the traffic is less and the wildlife is more plentiful.  You can also get to the camp earlier and get your choice of spots.  Since it is daylight nearly all the time anyway it really doesn’t matter when you sleep so take a nap and get up early again the next morning.  It is worth it.

Be sure to plan the trip during the preceding winter.  That is half the fun.  There is so much information available on the Internet to assist you.  You can really enhance your trip with additional information.  Also, look for photo sites like  http://www.bhoffcomp.com/  http://users.ev1.net/~rhuseth/index.htm for outstanding photos from the Alaskan adventure.

Second Trip in 2001

We have a 1999 Winnebago Chieftain 36' on a Freightliner chassis with the 275 Cummins turbo diesel.  We averaged 10.85 mpg for the entire trip and were not towing a toad.

1^st day - We left Philip, SD on Sunday June 30th and drove I 90 through Spearfish, SD, Gillette, WY to Billings, MT the first night.  Because we were rushing through the first couple of days we slept in a rest stop S. of Billings the first night. We have been through this area dozens of times and wanted to get to fresh country.

2nd day - Via Lewistown, MT, Great Falls, MT and entered Canada at Coutts, AB.  This area was very dry.  We spent this night in Ft. McLeod, AB at nice little campground the name of which escapes me at the moment.

3rd day - Via Calgary, AB - surprised at the size of this place- to Canmore - what a beautiful place - and into the Canadian Rockies - we should have been here years ago - through Banff National Park and on to Jasper - we will come back this way.  Saw lots of wildlife, glaciers, and beautiful sites- Jasper crowded to we go on to Valemount, BC to camp overnight @ iRVin's Campground - brand new and very nice.

4th day - saw some black bears this morning - Prince George, BC, and on to Burns Lake, BC where we stay at the KOA.  Short trip and a relaxing stay at this decent KOA.  No mosquitoes yet. 

5th day - Smithers and on to Hyder, AK - always stop at Hyder for an hour or more.  Visited some visitors and some natives.  Next time we are going to the glacier here, but not this time, reports of bears feeding on salmon but not big numbers.  Ate some locally caught fish at the school bus cafe and had some local beer too.  Stopped at Meziadin Lake - very nice place - then up the Cassiar to Willow Ridge Resort - here come the mosquitoes - generator power only - one other camper here.

6th day - Dease Lake - Moose Meadows (didn't see any moose) - Rabid Grizley Rest Area toward Teslin to Dawson Peaks Resort - very nice place - good restaurant - LOTS of mosquitoes - very nice folks run this place.  Found Cassiar to be in better shape than two years ago and didn't get any windshield damage this trip across it.  Was muddy due to almost constant rain, but not unpleasant to drive as long as you go slow.

7th day - Tagish - Carcorss and see some very beautiful sites on the way to Skagway.  Dense fog makes it kind of interesting going down the steep road to the coast.  Short day.  Wash the rig in camp site at suggestion of the campground operator.  Garden City RV Park - friendly folks - very busy.

8th day - Day cruise to Haines - tour of Haines - excellent Halibut meal - see some orcas in the bay.  Walk about 3 miles back from cruise to campground.  Stop in main street bar for a taste of local flavor. Interesting folks.  Pretty much tourist town with many cruise ships stopping here.  High dollar items for sale all over town.

9th day - Head for Tok via Haines Jct. on way to Valdez.  Still marvel at sites coming out of Skagway - see a fox along the road on the edge of town - steep climb but no problem.  Great scenery.  Arrived in Tok early, relax and make a stop at the lounge at the campground (Tundra Lodge). Nice place, not busy. Mosquitoes have found us again. 

10th day - On to Valdez - rough road from just before Glennallen toward Valdez.  Thompson Pass very pretty.  Never seen more waterfalls or prettier ones.  Raining again.  Seems like it always rains here.

11th day - LONG day cruise from Valdez out to Growler Island and to glaciers.  See more whales, lots of sea otters, etc.  Boat crowded with mostly foreign speaking folks.  Seem to be having a good time, but push and shove a lot.

13th day - off for Wasilla, AK.  Narrow winding road. Hard to believe so many folks travel this road to Anchorage, but lots of traffic. Meeting friends here for some fishing.  Leaving wife at campground for a couple of days rest while I go to remote fishing camp for some salmon fishing. Go up Deska river about 12 miles by boat. Bugs not bad in Wasilla, but really thick at camp.  Use fogger to clear them out.  Rains all the time, but catch king salmon.  What a thrill.  Have to do this again.  Mountain View Campground - again, nice place and nice folks.

16th day - leave for Homer and the Homer Spit - beautiful trip along the Kenai Peninsula - Homer Spit Campground - plain as all get out, but right on the water - what a sight.  This is a unique place.  Have to see it to understand.

17th day - Seward  for another day cruise.  This time we see lots of whales and lots of other sites.  I have had just about enough day cruises for one trip, but wife is loving every minute of it.  Caught in construction for several hours and nearly miss the cruise.  Very late getting back to Wasilla.  Meeting my sons in Anchorage and wife flying home. The "boys" and I will travel home together.  First we spend a day getting clothes washed, resting, just kicking back.

19th day - wife leaving and "boys coming at midnight tonight.  Another day to just kick back.  Trip to Wal-Mart for film, groceries, misc. stuff. 

21st day - late night, sleep in and then head for Tok for first leg of trip back.  See moose, eagles, carribou. Arrive tired and ready for a stop at the lounge again.  Rediscover mosquitoes here.  Still thirsty for my blood.  Tundra Lodge again.  Like the light crowd and friendly folks.

22nd day - Beaver Creek, Destruction Bay, Burwash Landing, and Johnson's Crossing where we call it a night. Rough road.  Long day.

23rd day - Teslin, CONSTRUCTION, Muncho Lake - one of my favorite places.  get here early to spend some time enjoying this place.  Mosquitoes here too.  Cook out, enjoy the lake view.  Very cool here.

24th day - Ft. Nelson, Ft. St. John, Dawson Creek - Northern Lights Camp - wash the RV again.  Really needed it. Mud everywhere you can imagine.  Rain in the forecast however.  Very nice evening in a nice camp.  Friendly folks, mostly heading North and asking about the trip ahead.

25th day - Valleyview, Whitecourt getting back to the plains now.  Much less forest and much more farming.  Turn South early to stay on less traveled road and avoid larger cities.  Bad weather, storm warnings, hail, high winds. On "cowboy trail"  (S-22).  Drive clear to Ft. McCleod which is a very long day, nearly 700 miles.

26th day - Coutts, Great Falls, MT and on to Miles City, MT where weather is again bad.  Hail, lightning, winds all add up to a rough day and restless night.

27th day - Broadus, MT, Belle Fourche, SD and back to Philip, SD Home sweet home after 7,400 miles

Great trip.