# Alaska 2011



## Dunworkin (Dec 3, 2007)

Just booked 2 weeks in Alaska, including 8 days RV hire. 

Has anyone done this before, and if you have, can you share your experiences, to give us some ideas?

Merry Christmas to one and all.

Mr. & Mrs. Dunworkin


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: ALASKA 2011*



Dunworkin said:


> Just booked 2 weeks in Alaska, including 8 days RV hire


Congratulations - a brilliant thing to do. And I love the forum name. 



Dunworkin said:


> Has anyone done this before, and if you have, can you share your experiences, to give us some ideas?


Not yet, but we'll be working our way east-west across Canada next year in our RV, and might be tempted with Alaska!

Dougie.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Hello,
Two friends have 'done' Alaska via the AlCan Highway in their own RVs. They raved about the experience but said they would never do it again.

Apparently there are many hundreds of miles of unmade roads which took out headlamps and cracked screens.
They remarked about the spectacular scenery but hours of absolutely nothing.

There used to be an AlCan Rally with high powered sports cars competing. One year back in the 80's a Rockwood Motorhome took part and came 9th out of 22 entries.!! It was promoted in Motorhome Magazine for the IPD suspension company.

Ray.


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

*Re: ALASKA 2011*



Dunworkin said:


> Just booked 2 weeks in Alaska, including 8 days RV hire.
> 
> Has anyone done this before, and if you have, can you share your experiences, to give us some ideas?
> 
> ...


Hi,

We toured Alaska and the Yukon a few years ago and found THIS publication to be very useful.

Safe travelling.

Don


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi,

I was fortunate to have 2 months in Alaska on detachment with the RAF back in '93.

We were based at Eilson AFB near Fairbanks and did a trip up the Dalton highway from Iceroad truckers fame, following the Alaska pipeline north and passing through Coldfoot, supposedly the northenmost truckstop in the world to the Arctic circle. The road carries on to Prudhoe bay but we didn't go any further. Alot of the road is gravel and as mentioned, you can go for miles and miles without seeing any vehicles, we had one puncture on the route and only one vehicle passed, he stopped and offered to help. The Alaskans are very friendly and helpful people, once they know you're a 'Brit' you'll have friends everywhere. 
We had a people carrier for the Dalton but I would imagine it would be very easy to sample some true wildcamping along the way. Its a paradise if you like to get away from it all, theres only a few basic settlements along the way.
A trip to Denali National Park also come highly recommended, the scenery is 'awesome' :x 

Pete


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## exmusso (Jun 18, 2006)

*Alaska*

Hi Dunworkin,

Went to Alaska in May 2005. Rented an RV from Great Alaskan Holidays in Anchorage for 3 weeks.

We were the second motorhome out the place at start of season on the 1st May and travelled down to Seward, boat trip to see whales and sea otters, then headed to Denali, then Fairbanks before returning to Anchorage 3 weeks later. Apart from 2 or 3 days, in t-shirts most of the time having to visit Walmart in Fairbanks for ice for drinks as we had run out.

As Don says, the Milepost was an essential buy and full of information.

You can buy it in the supermarkets and campsites easily.

No problems wildcamping as long as you're not causing an obstruction.

We stopped overnight at Portage Glacier visitor centre which hadn't opened for the seaon. Huge car and bus park and we were the only ones there. The glacier colour constantly changing as the sun moved round.

Did a bit of gold panning as well at the Eldorado Gold Mine, Fairbanks.

Loads of fantastic scenery like North West Scotland x10. Mt McKinley at 20320 ft highest in US.

After handing back RV, stayed a couple of nights in the Dimond Center Hotel for a bit of luxury - ultimate dream beds, oversized soaking hot tub, huge telly, strawberries and cream Belgian waffles etc.

I'm sure you'll enjoy but in 8 days you'll only scratch the surface.

Cheers,
Alan


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## PeterandLinda (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi

We've hired an RV in Canada but didn't attempt Alaska partly because we were not insured for gravel roads. We suggest you check the terms and conditions first because you may find yourselves limited to tarmac which would be a pity.

We met people on their way to Alaska and their (owned) vehicles were well supplied with protective covers at the front and skirts at the back.

P&L


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## Bethune (Apr 21, 2008)

My family and I have toured Alaska in a RV on two occasions, once for four weeks in 1996 and for two weeks in 2006. Both times we have rented from Anchorage in August, the first time was with an A-class which was brilliant because the whole family (we had three pre-teenage boys) could look out of the enormous front window at the spectacular scenery. The second time was in a Class C which was not so successful because of the smaller windscreen restricting view for the rear passengers. In 1996 we headed north to Fairbanks via Denali (we had to camp outside the Denali Park to wait for a space to become available in a park campsite-peak season !). We stayed in Fairbanks (I have a cousin who at that time was supervisor for the Gates of the Arctic National Park). From Fairbanks we drove south to Valdez via Seward and then across to Homer. Homer was one of the highlights of the trip because on one morning the boys pulled back the front curtains of the RV (we were parked on a beach campsite very close to the shore) to see a pod of Orca crusing up and down very close to shore.
In 2006 we flew to Juneau and went on the day cruise in the Glacier Bay National Park (disappointing on account of the awful visibility, expensive too!!). We then collected our RV from Anchorage and drove down to Seward (Kenai Fjords National Park), Exit Glacier well worth visiting. From Seward to Homer via Kenai River (salmon fishing capital). Caught a passenger ferry to Halibut Cove from Homer.
If you have limited time in Alaska I would suggest the Anchorage- Seward-Homer trip because otherwise the distances are just too great. Alaska is fantastic for scenery especially along the coast, the wildlife - bald eagles, sea otters and Moose and something we don't get too much of in Europe - wilderness. Wild camping is no problem but just be aware of the larger wildlife. Have a look at the National Parks web-site.
Have a great trip
Philip


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