Road Trip to Alaska

[Kevin R]

I’m taking a “break year/sabbatical” from school, and thus am fortunate to have the opportunity to tackle some larger trips.  I’ve been to every state in the continental US, but have not yet made it to Alaska.  Doing some quick research, it looks like right now (August) is about the perfect time to be there, but unfortunately I have some slight commitments this month and am still putting together my camper truck, and thus won’t be able to leave Virginia until late September.  Theoretically, I could postpone til next summer, but there’s a good chance I may be caught up in other commitments by then.  Does anyone here have advice on visiting Alaska in October, as well places to visit (natural/cultural/historical/etc), including some multiday backpacking trips?  I will be traveling/camping in a four wheel drive pickup and am pretty well equipped for Appalachian winters in the backcountry.  Thanks for any suggestions and resources you might have!

[BlackHatGuy]

I assume you’re renting the pickup and not trying to drive there? I say this because isn’t the border still closed?

And you might PM David Thomas, he’s a fount of knowledge for Alaska (and other things) and is always willing to share what he knows.

[Kevin R]

Oh wow, didn’t realize that.  I’ve been pretty much off grid all summer and didn’t realize the border status had changed.  Looks like it may possibly be opening up late September, or there may be some provision for people driving direct to Alaska.  I’ll need to look into that further.  Since I’m driving from VA the border status will obviously affect whether the trip is feasible or not, but I’d still love to collect ideas.

[BlackHatGuy]

“or there may be some provision for people driving direct to Alaska.”

I remember reading some story a bit ago about Canada starting to crack down on Americans trying to cross the border saying they were going to Alaska but then just vacationing in Canada. Don’t know what the status of that is.

[David Thomas]

The Canadian/US border is closed except for essential travel.  That includes commercial trucks, Alaskans returning home and people reporting to a job in Alaska.  It doesn’t include people on vacation or people accompanying others doing essential travel.  I’ll cut&paste a post from an Alaskan who arrived two days ago after driving up through Canada.  Basically you have to do the trip with a little contact with Canadians as possible, as directly as possible with as few people as possible.

They have cracked down, partly because of covidiots who’d claim they were driving to Alaska and but then vacationed in Banff and were bragging about it.

You can drive to Bellingham WA and take the State ferry up.  That’s still happening.  You can also catch a flight up and rent a vehicle, hitch, or bicycle around.  The Alaskan Railroad can take you from Fairbank to Seward and is the last remaining whistle-stop RR in the country (you can get dropped off or picked up anywhere along their route.

[David Thomas]

Here’s that cut&paste from an Alaskan coming up the AlCan who posted for Yukon Territory. This was August 15, 2020. Things can and probably will change.
We are driving through rural Canada to get back home. Today we are outside the Tlingit community of Teslin.
I am very envious of how remote Canadians are being protected.
Here’s a few observations we could emulate:
1. The procedures to get into Canada at all is very stringent and exclusive. We were only allowed (a comparatively generous) 5 days to get to AK. The process for every vehicle to go through the border takes 40 minutes each.
2. We were forbidden from going into any buildings unless absolutely necessary. (I’ve only been in three after 3 days of travel).
3. We have a big sign on our front dashboard identifying us as Alaskans (Americans) to let officials know when we are required to leave. If we miss our deadline, a warrant will go out for our arrest.
4. All Indigenous communities I’ve seen have big signs that say only residents are allowed in town.
5. The Yukon, especially remote, only gives us 24 hours to get through and has a rather intimidating and extensive roadblock that requires us to register as visitors.
6. The Yukon allows travelers to stop at only 4 or 5 designated gas stations (towns–theyre mostly towns with one gas pump) and may not travel into town for anything less than an emergency.
7. We are required to wear masks any time we leave the vehicle. We stick to this even though we are the only ones wearing masks here.
Locals told me that life here is just like rural Alaska: some are very worried and take all precautions while others couldn’t believe the virus could travel up here. I don’t know any data about how many cases the Yukon has had.

[David Thomas]

So as not to be a total downer, let me point out that the Alaskan Highway is a fabulous road trip – my favorite (and I’ve been in every US state 6+ times).  And that Alaska is a great place to vacation – when I’d gotten to all 50 states, it was the one I was going back to the most often.

Over twice the size of Texas and very little of it is developed.  11,000-foot glaciated volcanoes that anywhere else, they’d drawn a box around and make it a National Park are just typical scenery I look out at over my bowl of Cheerios.  Our actual national parks (a dozen, I think?) are each the size of Massachusetts.  September and October is a great time to visit because there aren’t other tourists, we get some freezing nights which knock down all the mosquitos and it gets dark again at night, so you may see the aurora.

In a normal year, there are also great things to do and hikes to take in Canada, but that won’t change until the US decides to be a grown-up country and response to cover-19.

[David Thomas]

The obvious place to visit on a first Alaskan trip is Denali NP.  The first time I came, having driven up from CA,  I did the big triangle of roads : Tok-Fairbanks-Anchorage plus the Kenai Peninsula.  That’s a lot of driving, but it sounds like you like a road trip.  If someone wanted to minimize driving, the Kenai Peninsula has world-class glaciers, snowfields, rivers, lakes, canoeing, sea kayaking, developed trails, wilderness areas, a national park, day cruises, salmon, halibut, black and brown bears, caribou, goats, sheep, and too many moose.

An hour from my house, the Resurrection Trial offer out&back backpacking trips of any length or through hikes of 40 or 38 or 78 miles.  You’ve heard of Boundary Waters?  The OTHER national, wilderness canoeing trail system is on the Kenai Peninsula – you can head out for a day or 2 nights or 2 weeks.

Often I do a crazy trail angel stuff for BPLers, but this fall I’ll have two college students, one HS student, a doctor and engineer(me)  all working from home, so our usual extra cars are being used and we’re trying to shelter in place as much as we can.  I could lend out a canoe and kit for the canoe trails or a sea kayak for the fjords out of Homer or Seward.

[Luke Schmidt]

I live in Glennallen Alaska and love it. I’d say skip the camper project and fly up as soon as possible. The longer you wait the shorter the days will be. It probably won’t be much more expensive then driving.

The first week of October should work for a road trip but a mid September will be warmer, days will be longer and there will be beautiful fall colors. Also some of the summer tourist services will still be running.

1. Definitely go to the Kenai. It’s farther south so it’s especially good if you get here later. The hike up above Exit Glacier is amazing.  I would also do Crow Pass to see Ruth Glacier. Maybe go backpacking there too. There are a few bike rentals on the Kenai if you want to try mountain biking or fat biking.

2. McCarthy and Kennicott is a cool area. You can hike out to Root Glacier. I crossed it this summer with a 13 year old so it’s not too bad if you use your brain. You can do a day trip there or make an overnight of it and get a bit farther in.

3. Denali is probably your best bet for seeing bears at that point.  I believe the park is running tour buses again (they had stopped at one point for Covid).

4. If you are in the Denali area Kesugi Ridge in Denali State Park is a simple but scenic hike with views of Denali (if its clear).

There is tons of other stuff to do. Feel free to PM me and we could do a phone chat sometime. I’d love to help but I might be out a lot so I can’t make promises. I’m helping a couple Native kids with their first moose and caribou hunts which is a big deal for them. But if you swing through Glennallen I’d love to say high.

Do be aware you have to show a Covid test to leave the airport. If not they’ll do one there but I believe it’s a bit more expensive and probably a hassle. But really it is worth it. My only regret is I didn’t get up here sooner.

[Paul Wagner]

I was going to suggest to the OP that he contact Dave Thomas….

Too late for that. grin

[David Thomas]

Yeah, current rules are to show up with test results from 3 days prior.  If not, get covid-19 tested at the airport.  Free for residents, $250 for non-residents.  But it’s been changing so check back often.

[Kevin R]

Thanks for all the info.  I looked briefly at the ferry option, but a one way trip w/ vehicle in late Spetember runs $1900!!  On the flip side, plane tickets from DC to Anchorage are super cheap right now: one way for $145!  I’ll keep monitoring the border status.  Might end up flying, or, depending on availability of freelance work around here, might start heading that way late September and just explore Montana/Wyoming/Idaho some more if the border doesn’t open up.

[AK Granola]

October in Fairbanks, where I live, is typically pretty chilly. Our “normal” fall weather includes snow that stays by October 15th, although lately we have had some warm fall weather. We are often skiing by mid-October and it lasts through end of April. The mountain trails in the interior often have much more snow and cold than in town, and some serious wind; you need to be prepared for winter backpacking if you do this, with excellent wayfinding and navigation skills. Denali is the same and most services are closed by mid-September. For locals, the tourist season is over until aurora seekers start showing up (they don’t usually hike anywhere), so lots of businesses are closed. This Covid year many of the Denali businesses never opened for summer.

If you really want to make this weird Covid year your Alaska trip, you should probably stick with points south of Denali unless you truly know what you’re doing. If you come north, know that there aren’t exactly park rangers out there keeping track of anyone. You will have some serious solitude, and there’s no cell service. You’re on your own.

[David Thomas]

I agree with Karen that a south-of-Denali trip is climatically much easier come October than going to her area.  That said, I and a friend hosted three German college student WWOOFers November through January.  They got all over the state even hiking out to the Magic Bus (some tourists die doing that) and having a lot of outdoor adventures.  Easier and safer as a small group, for sure, though.

[BlackHatGuy]

“even hiking out to the Magic Bus”

They removed that recently, didn’t they?

[David Thomas]

Yup, because of the rescues, injuries and fatalities associated with it, they flew it out by heavy-lift helicopter.  The replica they used in the movie is in front of the 49th State Brewing Company in Healy, north of Denali NP.

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