alaska trip 2016

[mikelutestanski]

Hello;   anyone considering an alaska trip this year?

     regards and happy bussin 
    Mike in florida

[TomC]

We'll be going 2017 in the truck conversion.

[luvrbus]

Not here we did that trip once   without a shot gun to shoot the dive booming skeeters 

[Gary LaBombard]

Part of my "Bucket List", been there, done that and will never even think of doing it again.  Too much beauty in the lower 48 to me.  ( 9 days one way at 300 per day to get through Canada alone) to get to Alaska.  That is a total of 18 days and not allowing stopping to see things if you have the energy after that long.  Happy Traveling, don't be in any hurry, bring much $$,  but not worth it to us ever again.  Take the Alaskan Cruise for best trip, and you get meals etc. and comfort, and see everything we seen as the ships go to every port we visited.  anyhow think it over, some of those roads are terrible I don't care what anyone says.  Just my 2 cents worth, stay below the Canadian Border to enjoy unless you have lots of time and many, many bucks.

[lostagain]

Takes a lot less $ now with the Cdn $ at 75 cents US.

JC

[Ed Hackenbruch]

 The new owner of my bus is going up to play music, i guess that he has been doing that for several years now.  He comes to Az. in the winter to play and he also plays a lot around the Portland area. 

[gumpy]

Take the Alaskan Cruise for best trip, and you get meals etc. and comfort, and see everything we seen as the ships go to every port we visited. 

Take the ferry, instead of a cruise ship. So much better than a cruise ship.  I don't know if I could afford to take the bus on the ferry, but it was awesome with the motorcycles.

We took the bus in 2005. 2 weeks up. 2 weeks there. 2 weeks back. Don't plan on any less time if you're going to drive. Otherwise it's just not worth it.

[oltrunt]

We took the ferry north in 1973 and spent from June until the second week in September living in and out of a then new Chevy Suburban 4X4.  We then drove the Al-Can highway back.  The only thing I'd change in that trip would have been to leave a week earlier as the rain and snow had started turned the highway into four wheel mud wrestling--not something I'd want to do in a bus!  That said, if you have good health, time and a few extra bucks, go for it as there is nothing else quite like the Alaskan wilderness.  Jack

[Scott & Heather]

Jack am I wrong, I think the Al-can is all paved now??? This trip is on our bucket list too.


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[Stormcloud]

Mike: 

If you are headed there ( and back ) again, your spot is still open here!

Mark

[billy6941]

After surviving over 250 trips up and down the Alaska Highway, both over all gravel and now with blacktop, I'd say that it's at least a month to 11/2 months to be able to see and do things. We've been driving this road since 1968 and it's not a novelty any more, just get on and get off as quickly as possible. Even though there's quite a big conversion on the dollar, Canadian gas and diesel is still terribly expensive. We regularly tour through the Yukon and diesel in Whitehorse is close to $6.00 a us gallon. Just a little musing, as we approach another super busy tour bus season. The ferry will be super expensive for a motorhome, so might want to take out  a bank loan, before you start......Bill

[chessie4905]

Every year we go to a presentation by John Holod at the annual RV show in Hershey, Pa. He has made many trips to Alaska via RV and talks about it. He says to expect about 12,000 miles round trip from Harrisburg, PA. He sells a couple of videos about RV ING to Alaska and what to expect. He also sells several others for various RV trips in the USA and Canada. The videos are very useful and also entertaining, as he has a very wry sense of humor. I would highly recommend his videos and or catching his presentations at national RV shows. Check his site for locations.http://www.rvadventurevideos.com/videos.php

[dtcerrato]

Hi Mike
We're heading to Alaska in May 2016. May stay as long as August. We'll be checking out Canada real good in both directions.

[luvrbus]

The Alcan was all paved when we went in 1995 or 96 if you care to call it paving that has to be the worst highway around. Buy your windshields before you leave so you will have them when you get home a crazy trucker passed us on one of the gravel patches and broke both windshields and 3 head lights and be sure the heater works, in June we were snowed in at the summit and don't worry about washing the bus till you get out of there  enjoy the trip 

[Gary LaBombard]

Ferry to Alaska is about $3500, ONE WAY from Seattle area for a 40" bus!! We decided not to use the Ferry that we could drive it for less!!  Not sure about that with the following information I am giving you. We paid up to $1.96 per LITER in YUKON, = $7.84 per gallon for Gasoline!  Friends we traveled with went from Pullman, Wa. with a prevost, 40', we traveled from Pullman, WA through Canada then into Alaska for several weeks. Then they traveled back home at a total of $7,000 for fuel mostly. We traveled over 6,000 miles further in total from Piedmont, SC, to Washington, up through Canada to Alaska on the Alcan highway and then back home.  We went over the (Top of the world highway).  He averaged (.065 miles per gallon on that part of the trip)!!  Mountain hills from 12-15 deg! This information is only to get you prepared for the unexpected. Top of the world highway is not a pleasant trip to make.  We spent $15,000 and traveled 12,500 miles round trip driving a jeep Cherokee pulling a 13 Ft. Fiberglass Scamp Trailer.  I will try not post any more negativity on this as I know how excited you might be to make this trip and nothing I can say will make you change your mind.  But I hope this negativity will help you be better prepared for expenses you can not believe, food, fuel, Showers in campgrounds are $3.50 for 3 minutes for example.  

Do not go with an old vehicle unless in perfect condition, parts are real expensive.  We ended up getting a complete brake job on our jeep cherokee as the dusty roads were like concrete dust on our brakes and ate them up big time.  The cost for all 4 brakes replaced, $1,000.  If you are making this trip from Pennsylvania etc. I advise you travel with $20,000 to see all you wish to see.  5 hr. boat trips cost up to $300 pp, jeep caravans to the mountains are $369 pp.  WE used $14,800 out of $15,000 we allowed to use.  NEVER AGAIN>  If you have deep pockets, then go for it.

Please forgive the straight information but this was in 2014, June - August 29.  
Again I just want to give you information to consider.  Not all Alaska is not worth seeing, we enjoyed many areas of it but it is a lot, I mean a lot of traveling and not to allow at least 90 days you will be short changing yourself to see all you can for the cost of this trip.
Gary