robanddi
Burton TX USA
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Joined: 08/11/2003
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We have driven to Alaska four times and plan to go again this year. We did it twice in 33' gasser and twice in our current 34' DP. We always brought a toad (first a Jeep Wrangler and then Avalanche).
I won't promise we never got a ding (but the big ding which required replacing windshield occurred on winter trip to New Mexico); however, I urge you to reconsider about getting a smaller rig.
First of all, both in Canada and Alaska there is ample opportunity for dry camping (sometimes it is the only realistic choice). Larger fuel tanks give you cruising advantages; we can go 1000 miles on one tank. Big fresh water tank and large black and gray tanks extend boondocking capabilities. We can go 5 days with both of us showering every day. (We were pushing it to dry camp 2 nights in the gasser ... main draw back was the gray water tank size.)
I would also add we have driven most of the Alaska roads you can drive to in the rig. We did not drive the haul road nor did we do the Denali Highway (Hwy 8 we could have done but elected to drive the toad). We did the Top of the World 3 times and will do it again (skipped the year with the horrible fires). We did get dirty and in 2006 in Valdez it took us 4 hours to wash the DP and toad (campground let you do it in your campsite).
Since we go for the summer (3-4 months) storage capacity is very important to us. The Avalanche has been a real blessing since I can store extra stuff in the bed of the truck!
Enjoy!
Diann
P.S. Don't let people tell you Alaska is the trip of a life time! When you go it is so easy to get hooked and you want to return year after year. We have alternated between Alaska and Newfoundland since retirement in 2000. We put 55,000 on the gasser and over 96,000 on the DP and we aren't full timers.
P.P.S. We both strongly recommend a toad. We took it part way up the haul road (we did a fly/drive excursion to Prudhoe Bay ... I highly recommend that). We also went on more back roads than I can recall - the best being beyond Salmon Glacier past Hyder. The toad is invaluable once you are camped for getting around, buying groceries, etc..
* This post was
edited 01/19/08 08:16am by robanddi *
Robert & Diann
2001 34' Foretravel U270
2004 Avalanche
Burton TX
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RRUGG
Newaygo, MI,USA
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Joined: 08/08/2003
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On our first trip to Alaska we got a broken front window on our TC. It happened in Montana. On our second trip I backed into a wood timber retaining wall and knocked one of the rear TC jacks loose. On our third trip nothing happened. Neither of the above incidents had anything to do with the roads in Alaska or Canada. You are not going to a third world country. We did NOT carry extra spare tires or extra fuel, did not have one of those stone shields on the front of our truck. We did get out outfit dirty.
RRUGG
2008 Dodge 2500 QC 4x4 SB Cummins 6 speed auto 3.73
1997 Holiday Rambler 29FK travel trailer
2006 Summit 22RB travel trailer
2003 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport
Bob & Grace professional retirees
Good Sam life members
Camped in 49 states. Missing Hawaii.
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robanddi
Burton TX USA
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Joined: 08/11/2003
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One more thing re toad. We do use Blue Ox tow bar with the 'rock shield'. We have never had a ding on windshield of tow vehicle when it was in tow. I think the paint job on the jeep was inferior 'cause it seems we did get some chips on painted grill which I fixed later with touch-up paint.
Diann
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hwybnb
Southern California
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Joined: 05/02/2001
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crickeydog wrote:There's no way we'd pull our 5'er to Ak. and back and get it beaten up. What makes you think it will get beaten up? Nobody that has posted based on actual experience has had a problem.
I think a lotof misconceptions about Alaska comefrom people that did the trip long ago. Qn the way up there for out trip I met a gentleman that was hauling several spare tires, because he said that in his previous trip he had ruined three of them. I asked when that was and he named a date that was 15 years in the past. The roads have improved a lot since then. I expect he never used those spares.
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sue.t
Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
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Joined: 08/05/2004
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crickeydog wrote:There's no way we'd pull our 5'er to Ak. and back and get it beaten up.
We pulled our little fiver to Yukon and then over many hundred miles of gravel road while there. Not the roads more commonly travelled by visitors (which are all paved) but on roads that are more remote and secluded.
The fiver didn't get beaten up. It did get dusty. And despite having new tires on the fiver, we did get a flat towards the end of the gravel portion of our trip.
And we saw some wonderful sights and spent days on the road in awe of the grandeur. Planning another trip to Yukon/Alaska in June 2008.
Thank goodness the fiver will get dirty again!
sue t.
Pictures from our many RV Adventures to Yukon & Alaska
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foldowncandy
Illinois
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Joined: 01/19/2008
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We are going to Alaska in August. We bought a truck camper (fold down style) and will drive it instead of our mini-motorhome. Ease of manuevering first, gas prices second, accessibility third. Since we love camping in a tc anyway, will probably keep it when we get back, but could sell it if we wanted. Bought it used for the same money it would cost just one of us to take a 14 day cruise and we will be gone 6 weeks. Wow!
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arnko37
Port Charlotte FL
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Joined: 08/25/2003
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We already bought a small TT for our trip this summer to Alaska for three months.We have a diesel p.u. to pull it that gets 13 1/2 towing. Our class A and new toad is staying home. Three reasons for t his, not getting our new toad dinged and we will save enough in fuel to pay for the TT. Also getting around and into more remote places easier. The TT is a 1995 Sunline 20 ft that only needed cosmetic improvement. We have it finished it and was a fun project.
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foldowncandy
Illinois
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Joined: 01/19/2008
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Lucky you live in Florida where you can work on your camper during the winter months! It's been 9 below here this week and snow everywhere. Ours needs the screen windows worked on, but will have to wait for spring. Let's see.....that's only 2 months away! Yeah!
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cowboy66
Ar
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Joined: 05/27/2007
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We put a pickup camper on our truck and took the ferry up and then drove all over and drove back had no trouble and a great trip.
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elh0146
Sioux Falls, SD
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Joined: 01/13/2002
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hoffman2kp wrote:We have a 2005 Meridian 36 ft that we dearly enjoy but too many stories out of Alaskan trips have prompted us to look at buying a Navion or View smaller Class C to make the trip. Are we being too concerned about getting our coach beat up?
The Alaska Highway as well as other paved roads in Alaska are good two-lane roads, equal (and in some cases, better) than any two-lane road in the lower 48. As long as you drive for the conditions -- meaning going slow through construction and over frost heaves, you shouldn't have any problems.
That being said, I can certainly see one BIG advantage in going to Alaska in something like the Navion or View, and that would be paying less in fuel. But...are you going to have any use for the smaller rig once you get back? If not, you may pay more in purchasing such a rig than you'd spend in fuel costs taking your larger rig.
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