Camping in Alaska

[John & BJ S.]

We're home from our Alaska trip, spending 135 nights on the road, covering over 15,000 miles with the truck and over 11,000 miles with the trailer. It's tough chosing the best spots, but there were a couple that I thought were pretty nice, and the price was right. While they were both designated campsites, they were also both free!

Peterson Lake was easy to access off of the Sterling Highway
The East Fork Chulitna River Wayside is south of Denali on the Parks Highway. A beautiful, quiet place and free!

Perhaps the best spot we camped while paying a fee was at the Resurrection Campground in Seward. We paid $15 for dry camping but the views were spectacular.

The second best pay spot was selected not because of the campsite but because of the easy access to watch the activities on Harding Lake.

We didn't get to see all of the areas that we'd hoped, but the trip was wonderful! I'm already starting to dream of doing it again.

[Steve Outlaw]

John,

Now that's an impressive trip. Sounds like you guys did it right. That trip is on our horizen in a couple of years. I think it would be great for a group of campers to do it together, especially if someone (like yourself) who had done it before was along to help guide the others.

I'll dream until that time comes for us.

Steve

[Donna D.]

Glad you guys got home safely, after I post this I'll go check out the links.

[John & BJ S.]

Originally Posted by Steve Outlaw

That trip is on our horizen in a couple of years. I think it would be great for a group of campers to do it together

Since you're just starting to dream, be sure to allow enough time so that you're not rushed. Roads won't support travel at the same pace that some anticipate based on lower 48 experience. Groups apparently work - we saw a couple caravans of 15-20 rigs, but it's not our style. IMHO for a group to work you'd need to have shared interests and expectations including distance to travel daily, boondocking vs FHU, etc.

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Glad you guys got home safely, after I post this I'll go check out the links.

It was a super trip, Donna! We had very little rain - only four days where it rained all day. Folks in Alaska said it was the best summer weather in over 20 years!

John

[Mike Magee]

What an epic vacation.

[John & BJ S.]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

What an epic vacation.

It really was!

[Joy A]

Originally Posted by John & BJ S.

It was a super trip, Donna! We had very little rain - only four days where it rained all day. Folks in Alaska said it was the best summer weather in over 20 years!

John

As was 2006 when I went.

I didn't have rain until we went down the coast from Juneau to Prince Rupert on the ferry system. Of course that's not unusual for the coastal areas.

My trip was 2 1/2 months from the 1st of June through mid August. If I ever do it again I'll not come home for an additional month. It's a great trip.

Glad you had a good time.

[John & BJ S.]

Originally Posted by Joy A

As was 2006 when I went.

I didn't have rain until we went down the coast from Juneau to Prince Rupert on the ferry system. Of course that's not unusual for the coastal areas.

My trip was 2 1/2 months from the 1st of June through mid August. If I ever do it again I'll not come home for an additional month. It's a great trip.

Glad you had a good time.

I'd love to do the ferry and spend a few days in each of the southeast communities. Next time I think I'll advocate for not leaving Alaska until after Labor Day.

BTW, thanks for the beta on your neighborhood! We loved our Highway 49 wandering on the way north.

[ernie z]

We bought our trillium from a couple who had done Al. in it. We then went ourselves. The trl. performed flawlessly and the only incident was a flat tire on rt.2 in Minn. Since it's been to Alaska twice that we know of w/o problems I think of it as being bullet-proof. I have talked to people who have been and they always say they would love to do it again. It's awesome.

[Carol H]

John and BJ I missed your return annoucement! Was just thinking about you guys a few days ago and wondered if/when you would return!!

How many tire flats did you experience if any - tug or trailer?
Anything you would have done or added to the trailer or tug prior that you didnt?

Glad to hear you had a good trip.

[John & BJ S.]

Originally Posted by Carol H

How many tire flats did you experience if any - tug or trailer?
Anything you would have done or added to the trailer or tug prior that you didnt?

Glad to hear you had a good trip.

The factual answer is that we didn't have any flats, but ... We did end up replacing both trailer tires - the details are on the blog at Just Finding Our Way: Another Tire Update. We were very pleased with the trailer and the tug. Would have loved to have a bigger gas tank to avoid some of the most expensive gas stops, but we wouldn't have saved enough to justify the expense of a tank.

BTW, we have our reservations in for Bullard's Beach in July!

[Carol H]

Good to hear John, Spent last evening along with Jay & Eileen booking Bullards as well. we look forward to seeing you and BJ again. Have a new hand crank ice crusher I would be more than happy to show you how well it works with refreshments ;-)

[SilverGhost]

Those Conti Vanco tires are one of the only available tires in correct size and rating for the VW based Rialta camper. They seem to wear well on these campers.

Glad you got both tires taken care of without drama. That sounds like a good deal your dealer have you.

Jason.

[Gilda]

Did you see the Aurora Borealis? I heard that it is at the tail end of a many year cycle. Do you know how I can find out about that?

[John & BJ S.]

Originally Posted by Gilda

Did you see the Aurora Borealis?

With the long daylight hours, the northern lights aren't typically seen during the summer months.

[ernie z]

John: I found it interesting that you wished for a bigger gas tank. I read the info on the highway and got some extra 5 gal. gas cont. Since we stopped every time we got down to a 1/2 tank,we never used the extra containers until we were back in the U.S. The only unusual thing with gas was a shack in B.C. where an old guy pumped our gas from a pump that registered gal. but not money. He punched in on his calculater and I paid the most on the whole trip. Ernie Z.

[John & BJ S.]

Originally Posted by ernie z

John: I found it interesting that you wished for a bigger gas tank. I read the info on the highway and got some extra 5 gal. gas cont. Since we stopped every time we got down to a 1/2 tank,we never used the extra containers until we were back in the U.S.

It's not that I needed the range to make it to a location selling gas (during the summer season) but rather the pricing of the gas was significantly better in most of the towns as compared to the resorts - gas at Muncho Lake resort(s) was well over $7 per gallon as compared to well under $6 in some of the Yukon towns.

Travel in the shoulder season is a different issue entirely with many of the resort not refilling their tanks as they get to the end of August which means a need for longer range.

[Bonnie01]

Thank you for the wonderful trip to and through Alaska. I am soooo happy your little Turk pulled through such a terrible ordeal. He has good parents ; )

Bonnie

[John & BJ S.]

Originally Posted by Bonnie01

Thank you for the wonderful trip to and through Alaska. I am soooo happy your little Turk pulled through such a terrible ordeal.

We're glad he pulled through, too. He's a wonderful traveler and it's good to have him back. He'll always have some residual impacts but he's his happy self.