Bugs in Alaska - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-27-2017, 12:50 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Name: Craig
Trailer: Casita
Washington
Posts: 6
Bugs in Alaska

We are planning a trip to Anchorage/Kenai/Denali this summer, and are concerned about the voracious bugs there. We will be towing our 17' Casita, which has an awning, but no insect screening except on windows and door. Anyone have experience dealing with this issue?
Craig
carefree is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2017, 07:56 PM   #2
Member
 
garyjona's Avatar
 
Name: Gary & Jona
Trailer: 2015 Oliver Legacy Elite II
Florida
Posts: 33
Well we went in our Casita in 2012 and the Oliver this past summer of 2016 and had no issue with bugs either trip. I am not saying you can't we went gold panning at a friends claim up in the nw Yukon area and had a little there where my wife was bothered at times. I would take something like a claim which we took, easy and quick to put up when you need it and I would be more concerned to handle the rain or wet weather so you can be outside at times which does have a screen sides for both circumstances. Have fun u will love it and read all the post you can find on all the site. (cover the front of the trailer from the rock roads ).
garyjona is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2017, 10:58 PM   #3
Junior Member
 
Name: Craig
Trailer: Casita
Washington
Posts: 6
Hi Gary,
Thanks for your advice!
Not sure I understand what a "claim" is. We have a retractable canopy, which does not have screened sides. Are you referring to a product that can be attached to a canopy?
Craig
carefree is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 06:45 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Jon in AZ's Avatar
 
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,912
Registry
I'm guessing they meant a Clam shelter. It's a popular freestanding screened shelter. Very easy set-up. There are two sizes; this is the larger.

https://www.amazon.com/Clam-Corporat.../dp/B00E3LF7FK
Jon in AZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 07:47 AM   #5
Member
 
garyjona's Avatar
 
Name: Gary & Jona
Trailer: 2015 Oliver Legacy Elite II
Florida
Posts: 33
Thank you Jon that is what I meant I have not meet anyone who did not like theirs only two draw back i can think of for them is the folded up length is 6.5 feet and keep bugs out with the tight mesh, but also in the hot, hot, summer months does not let a breeze come through the screen mesh, but love the product goes up in a minute and down and in the carry bag in 2 minutes.
garyjona is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 08:40 AM   #6
Moderator
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2009 19 ft Escape / 2009 Honda Pilot
Posts: 6,221
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by garyjona View Post
Thank you Jon that is what I meant I have not meet anyone who did not like theirs only two draw back i can think of for them is the folded up length is 6.5 feet and keep bugs out with the tight mesh, but also in the hot, hot, summer months does not let a breeze come through the screen mesh, but love the product goes up in a minute and down and in the carry bag in 2 minutes.
I too love how quick ours goes up, and how well it is built. I have not had much trouble with it being too hot, but I guess I never set it up in blistering heat. The stowed length is certainly a bit of a problem, to where we only take it if we know we will need it, otherwise it stays home.

In hindsight, I would have gotten the smaller one.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 10:36 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Trailer: Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 1,279
We were there in 2004, with our 16 ft Scamp and Odyssey. It was hot and dry, and lots of fires, do not recall any serious problem w/ bugs or insects.
I grew up in Saskatchewan where the provincial bird was the mosquito.
They were SO BIG that 4 or 5 of them could gang up and carry away a team of horses!
Wayne Collins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 10:51 AM   #8
Junior Member
 
Name: Alexander
Trailer: Escape 15B
British Columbia
Posts: 11
I went to Alaska in July-August 2015. Never used the bug spray. Only had one night where the mosquitoes were a nuisance, but not enough to apply the DW Off.
penderpaul is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 11:21 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
WaltP's Avatar
 
Name: Walter
Trailer: 2017 Escape 17B
SW Virginia
Posts: 2,254
Is the folded length of the smaller Clam also 6'5"? The bed of my Ridgeline is shorter.

Walt
__________________
Past owner of 1995 13' Casita, 1994 16' Casita, 2012 Parkliner, 2002 17' Bigfoot.
WaltP is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 11:29 AM   #10
Member
 
Name: Bill
Trailer: Escape
Wisconsin
Posts: 64
That is pretty long

I had no idea the Clam was that long.
__________________
Around a campfire everyone is a raconteur - Escape 19
Escape 15A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 12:13 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
sokhapkin's Avatar
 
Name: Sergey
Trailer: 2014 Scamp 16 layout 4, 2018 Winnebago Revel 4x4
SW Florida
Posts: 850
Folded smaller (4 walls) Clam is about 52" long. I expect the larger one has the same folded length.
__________________
Sergey
sokhapkin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 02:49 PM   #12
Moderator
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2009 19 ft Escape / 2009 Honda Pilot
Posts: 6,221
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by WaltP View Post
Is the folded length of the smaller Clam also 6'5"? The bed of my Ridgeline is shorter.

Walt
I don't think it is that long. I have a 6.5' bed, and I thought room left over. I will measure later.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 03:05 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Name: Jann
Trailer: Casita
Colorado
Posts: 1,307
Quote:
Originally Posted by carefree View Post
We are planning a trip to Anchorage/Kenai/Denali this summer, and are concerned about the voracious bugs there. We will be towing our 17' Casita, which has an awning, but no insect screening except on windows and door. Anyone have experience dealing with this issue?
Craig
Went to Alaska in 2008 and 2015 in a small 21 1/2 ft motorhome. Only horrible place for mosquitoes was in Denali Natl. Park at a lake the bus stopped at. You can't drive through Denali NP. You have to take a bus. The bus driver told us the bugs were bad at that lake and we took spray and it saved us. Also wore a jacket with a hood at that place. The trip through the park in a green bus not the tan ones was fabulous. They take their time and show you a lot and we saw tons of animals. Take food and drink with you in a soft side carrier or back pack as there's not much available on the bus trip. We froze some water bottles to keep other food cold then drank it as the day went. The tan buses provide a sack lunch but it's not much and they have a schedule to keep no matter what is seen. Plus it costs a lot more on the tan bus. I'd do it again on the green bus. Call and get reservations about 3 days before you want to do the bus trip. We stopped at night one place in Canada and the mosquitoes were awful so we didn't get out but just wanted to eat and sleep anyway. Other than that use bug spray on clothes, Avon Skin So Soft on skin and Bounce dryer sheets rubbed on clothing and hung on the back of a cap you wear. In 3 months I got about 6 mosquito bites and they usually eat me alive. We did a lot of hiking also about 5-10 miles a day. If you have a pet use a pet friendly repellent on it.
Jann Todd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 03:12 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Name: Jann
Trailer: Casita
Colorado
Posts: 1,307
Quote:
Originally Posted by carefree View Post
We are planning a trip to Anchorage/Kenai/Denali this summer, and are concerned about the voracious bugs there. We will be towing our 17' Casita, which has an awning, but no insect screening except on windows and door. Anyone have experience dealing with this issue?
Craig
You don't have to worry about the heat to much in Alaska. In July it can get hot and humid some but in the evenings it cools down real good. Make sure you have rain gear since it rains a lot. Not heavy usually but light rain often. We hiked in the rain lot with just raincoats. Most people in campgrounds sit out in the campsite without any screening. We might have gotten lucky our 2 years of travel but mosquitoes weren't bad. Spent 77 days in 2008 and 80 days in 2015 in Canada and Alaska.
Jann Todd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2017, 06:36 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Radar1's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2020 Escape 19 (was 2005 16 ft Scamp Side Dinette and 2005 Fleetwood (Coleman) Taos pop-up)
Posts: 1,227
Registry
When I was stationed in Alaska for a year back in 75, the Air Force issued us head nets, and mosquito repellent that melted plastic. Mosquitoes were so bad back then that we could see them show up on the RADAR scopes and sometimes have to scramble interceptors to verify they weren't Russians.

Just made the trip up and back this past summer and hardly any mosquitoes at all. We had plenty of repellent but did not have to use much. Did run into a few flies at Valdez but we used our screen house for that.
We also ran into a couple Olivers on the ferry at Dawson (Gary and Jona's was one of them) but they didn't bite. ;-)
Attached Thumbnails
IMG_20160620_113550.jpg   IMG_20160620_113629.jpg  

IMG_20160620_113704.jpg   IMG_20160620_113724.jpg  

__________________
Dave (and Marilyn who is now watching from above)
Sharpsburg, GA
04 Dodge Dakota V-8, 17 Dodge Durango V-6, 19 Ford Ranger 2.3 Ecoboost
radar1-scamping.blogspot.com
Radar1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2017, 06:52 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Name: Barb
Trailer: Trillium Outback 2004
British Columbia
Posts: 179
Registry
Spent May, June, July and part of August up there in 2015. Lifesaver was an instant-up screen tent. Lots of mosquitoes and blackflies, but the mossies were the worst. We ate and cooked in the tent. It was big enough to fit over a picnic table when we had a site with one, otherwise we had our own folding aluminum table. Half the length of a Clam when folded. Coleman makes a variety of sizes and styles. Ours was just a screen tent but I had a lightweight silicone/nylon tarp that we threw over top if it rained. Slept in it some nights. Some have floors, some not. Very easy up and down. Take a couple of flyswatters for inside the trailer too....!
__________________
BarbinBC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2017, 07:06 AM   #17
Moderator
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2009 19 ft Escape / 2009 Honda Pilot
Posts: 6,221
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
I don't think it is that long. I have a 6.5' bed, and I thought room left over. I will measure later.
I just measured my Clam shelter, the larger six panel, and it is 6' long in the bag. A bit cumbersome collapsed, but by far the best screen shelter I have ever seen used.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2017, 08:50 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
mmeyer's Avatar
 
Name: Michael J
Trailer: U-Haul VT
Indiana
Posts: 505
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
I just measured my Clam shelter, the larger six panel, and it is 6' long in the bag. A bit cumbersome collapsed, but by far the best screen shelter I have ever seen used.


Dittos on the Clam, we have the smaller 6 panel but it is essentially the same length in the bag. Well staked with a center pole it has held up to 30+ mph gusts on the Outerbanks of NC and provides critter sun and rain protection. I did use fabric water proofing on the top as from the factory it will mist through during heavy rain. Started with an easy up knock off with no screen, saw the Clam at Townsend, talked to the owners and ordered it from Amazon next day. Only issue is to make sure you don't try to put it up inside out. Trick is to look for the pull strap as you unfold it, if you don't see it,turn it upside down spread out the ribs, step on the bottom pull out the strap till it pops in place as you walk around the perimeter, duck under the door and pop the top up. Honestly just a minute. We timed it once it was spread out to up an it was about 48 seconds. Could have done better if I had left the door unzipped when I packed it.
mmeyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2017, 10:12 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 2010 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 204
Registry
We were in Alaska this past summer (2016) and came prepared for serious mosquitoes, like we've encountered in northern Wisconsin or some parts of upper Michigan. There was one campground near Glenallen, AK where we needed bug spray and we did set up our REI screen house at the Williwaw campground near Anchorage (and that was for non-biting, annoying flies). Otherwise, we had absolutely no problems with bugs while in Canada or Alaska. Maybe it was an off year, but all the mosquito horror stories I read about turned out to not apply in our case.
Marsha D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2017, 10:34 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 1,704
Alot of people have mentioned the "clams" but does ANYBODY use a "screenroom" on their awning. We have the Dometica Catalina and there just doesnt really seem to be one for it. We would like that because you can step out of the RV into the room without having to open the door and let bugs in to get to yer bug-resistant room. Just curious...
Darral T. is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
bugs and flies Hazel in Sk Modifications, Alterations and Updates 11 09-02-2012 08:31 PM
What do you do for bugs? CindyL General Chat 24 08-17-2010 09:09 PM
"Keeping the Bugs at Bay" Alf S. General Chat 9 07-24-2008 05:08 AM
Boler, Bugs & Babies Going Bump in the Night... Kevin H. General Chat 8 07-03-2008 12:31 PM
BUGS!!!!!! Gina D. General Chat 16 06-06-2006 07:37 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:02 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.