You do better to get your Canadian $ @ Canadian banks.
US banks tend to charge larger transaction fees.
& yes, major credit cards work in Canada, but they have 'exchange rate fees' for each transaction.
What you might need cash for is campgrounds or purchasing something from an individual, let's say a roadside vegetable stand, a fish from the fisherman at the wharf.......
Tenting in Alaska, you are braver than I. We are not exactly at the top of the food chain there. Plus it RAINS in the summer. A lot in the south (Anchorage), a bit less in the north (Fairbanks).
The requirement to have a certain amount of money ($300) was in effect for a number of years. Not sure when they dropped the requirement for it was at least 30+ years back. On my first driving trip to Alaska in 1962, I remember having to go in the office at customs and count out my money on the table for proof to the officers. No such thing as a credit card except for a gas company one for me at the time.
Had to do the same, "show the money" on my trips in 1964, 65 and 69. I was living in Alaska from 1964 on, but on my return trip back to Alaska in 1969, I didn't have the required amount needed to get across the border. So having grown up on an Oklahoma ranch, I could do lots of types of work, none particularly well, LOL, but I got a two week job, helping to build a saw mill in Montana. I slept in my tent, watched my spending and at the end of two weeks I had the money and was allowed to cross the border to go home to Alaska.
Some of the old myths die hard and this is one of them, along with the condition of the Alaska Hwy. The last few trips I have used more cash than in the past. I stop at the first ATM machine, at a bank, at the first Canadian town I come to and take out $400 in cash. Do the same both directions. I use a credit card for fuel, major grocery purchases, tours, events, etc. The cash is used when I run into some where that the "machine" isn't working and cards are not being accepted, which happens at times, for dropping in the pipe at some provincial parks, for a stop at a fast foods place or a bar. The ATM charge is the same, whether I take out $50 or $400. I stopped using my debit card a few trips back other than to run it as a credit card where I don't have to give my pin number. Just more protection on a credit card than a debit card from fraud, etc.
One of my favorite campgrounds on the Alaska Hwy, Cottonwood RV located on the shore of Kluane Lake, only takes cash, no cards. If I end up having more cash when I get ready to cross back into the lower 48, I will use it up for fuel purchases the last day or two before reaching the border. Last summer, I ended up bring about $40cnd back with me but a good excuse, if I ever needed one, to return to Canada to spend the $40. LOL
joe b.
Stuart Florida
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
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Alaska-Colorado and other Trips posted
"Without challenge, adventure is impossible".
FreeLanceing wrote: I am looking at a trip up to alaska this summer. I cannot decide to bring my truck and camper or just take a harley and tent. With the price of fuel and my quest for adventure I am leaning toward the Harley. I recall reading somewhere that your are required to carry a certian amount of cash when traveling through canada. As I recall you need enough to get you past an emergency. Am I rememebering this wrong or is there such a thing and how much do I need.
I rode it on a motorcycle and used a tent every night. It was 1962 and gas cost was around 50 cents per gal U.S. money. The road was gravel in those days. I had a Honda 305, I'm not sure a Harley would make the trip that far and back even today.
Why are you not sure a Harley would make the trip?
Biking to Alaska would be my choice as long as you can handle the frequent rainy or drizzly days you may encounter. We ran into SOME moisture about a third of the days on our trip in 09, both Canada and Alaska. There is absolutely NO shortage of great boondocking camp sites along both the Cassiar and the Alaska Highway or in Alaska itself. We camped beside lakes and stream or at roadside pull outs the vast majority of our two month long trip. Had only about a dozen days in an actual campground.
AS for the cash issue, I carried $50.00 (just enough that if I needed an overnight in a campground AND as some do, they don't take plastic, I was covered. I had the same $50.00 when I crossed back into the lower states again.
Good luck and enjoy the trip / Skip
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stubblejumper wrote: Curious as to why you don't think a Harley would not make it.
Roads are pave 99% of the way, Harley dealers along the way if repairs needed ????
I guess if they have a lot of repair shops along the way one might be able to make it with a Harley. We had to drive 50 miles between any stops back then. We had a chain go bad and had to take number 40 chain off a log tighter to keep going.
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RoadLife wrote: Tenting in Alaska, you are braver than I. We are not exactly at the top of the food chain there. Plus it RAINS in the summer. A lot in the south (Anchorage), a bit less in the north (Fairbanks).
We went so long with out a bath, the bears didn't even want to eat us.
joe b. wrote: On my first driving trip to Alaska in 1962, I remember having to go in the office at customs and count out my money on the table for proof to the officers. No such thing as a credit card except for a gas company one for me at the time.
Had to do the same, "show the money" on my trips in 1964, 65 and 69. I was living in Alaska from 1964 on, but on my return trip back to Alaska in 1969,
Joe
I love the history stories of your trips up and down the Alaska over the years. Any chance you could share some pictures of days gone past as well as presents road conditions, may give people a better idea of how good they have it now, as well as be interesting to see.
Soup
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