Alaska 2009

[fisher205]

ALASKA 2009

In April I could tell this year was not going to be good business wise. Everybody is usually contacting us or we are in design for this year’s projects. The problem with this year was we that weren’t in either of those. I had already decided to move my office to my home and I was going to have to lay off my two remaining employees. It was not a happy time for me. I’m not an optimist nor a pessimist but a realist, a glass twice as big as it needs to be kind of guy. So with no workload, or employees I realized now was a good time to take the trip to Alaska that I’ve wanted to do for 25 years. My plan was to leave June 15th so that I could be as far north as possible for the summer solstice. That was all the planning I had.

As with most plans, life gets in the way. Besides moving my office back into my house I had a commercial building to get ready to lease out or sell, and Sherri my significant other (there has to be a better term) decided she didn’t want to teach in Gillette anymore. So we needed to get her moved back and our house there ready to sell. My vehicle for the trip would be my 15 year old Dodge Ram diesel truck with a 25 year old Alaskan Camper on it. I have taken it on many trips from Moab, the Cave Hills, and many trips to the Big Horns and Montana. I have a lot of faith in it and know it well. I have put it together to be a very simple rig yet provide basic comforts that I want. I had intended to do some improvements to the Dodge for the trip and had the parts here. Some Hella driving lights, some tow hooks, Lorenz springs, Thuren Control Arms and if I found a grill guard or heavy bumper install that. I had been steadily improving The Alaskan and I would leave it alone other than to start using a Britta pitcher to filter the water after adding chlorine to the water tank.

I just ran out of time to get any of the work done other than to buy a Britta filter. Driving lights? It’s the land of the midnight sun. Besides always be camped by 4 in the afternoon. Front Suspension? 190,000 miles and the stock suspension worked. Grill Guard? Don’t hit anything. 43 years of driving and only one deer, go with the experience. Tow hooks? The ones I had didn’t fit and left me with the most anguish. But I’ve been nursing that anguish since I bought this thing 4 years ago, another couple of months won’t change much. Just don't get stuck. The tires and wheels were new, so with a complete service, belts and hoses and away we go.

I did come up with a general route a week before I left. That was as far as route planning went. Trust to the “Milepost” Guide book Sherri got me for my birthday and which way the wind blew. My time line was to be home in 6 to 8 weeks. I thought of getting a new GPS, but decided that my old Garmin Vista would work. Besides I am a map and compass, moss on the north side of a tree kind of guy. I have had this Vista for ages and know it. Well the Vista died on the third day. Which side was it that moss grew? The one thing that did help was that my cell phone had a compass in it which I used on a couple of no sun days and there really aren’t that many roads to take a wrong turn on. Time to hit the road.

Trip Log

July 4th 2009

We left Spearfish at a little after 8 July 4th Sherri is following me in her car which we would leave with the dog in Missoula at her daughter’s while we spent a few days in Glacier National Park. We decided to stop in Belle Fourche,SD at the Hardees for a breakfast biscuit, There was problems right away. The counter staff was yelling at the cook staff about getting the orders right. So much for an early start. The next problem appeared when we needed to go through Belle Fourche. The Fourth of July parade was setting up and that was all we needed to help speed the process of leaving town was to get stuck behind it. Shades of Easy Rider crossed my mind… We were waved through

Well 2 miles west Belle Fourche we did get stopped and we had to wait for the pilot car to take us through a construction zone. We then were stuck in a parade of trucks that we to Broadus, MT and left them at the weigh station on the east side of town

We pulled into Broadus to find another parade lining up. This one was not shaping up to look good. Broadus on has only 2 streets and they were going to use them both for the parade. But again we were waved through and our journey continued.

Wyoming was green and. lush. Lot's of antelope fawns out. When we drove through Hardin MT the, Bighorn River was running full, as was the Yellowstone at Billings.

I lost Sherri at the rest area before Columbus when I decided not to go into it as we had agreed to do. She did. I didn’t know it at the time but her phone was dead. We were reunited in Columbus and on to Missoula we went.

It was very hot in Missoula. We went to watch the fireworks at the baseball stadium with her daughter and her boyfriend, but had the wrong night. We did catch the finale of the fireworks@ the Fairgrounds. Sherri and I stayed in the camper though I worried about the heat and noise. It was not a problem I was asleep as soon as I went to bed.
Start Mileage 195,470 End 196,051 *581mi
• All end miles corrected 5% speedo error

[fisher205]

July 5th

Sherri and I loaded up, left the dog with her daughter and took off for Glacier. We again got a late start (No parades to blame) but got up there midafternoon. At Polson, came around a downhill corner and a Highway patrol was sitting there. On came his lights. I didn’t think I was going that fast so I kept going. Here he came, so I pulled over and there he went to my relief. We came across him at a motorcycle wreck. Looks like a group of tourers on BMW’s and Kawasaki KLR’s. One of must have been not paying attention and hit a guard rail. It was very sobering.

Speaking of sobering we promptly found a little winery. We went in for a tasting and ended up buying a few bottles. They had a chocolate wine that is one of the best dessert wines I have had. They had an Osprey nest out back so Sherri and I played with the new telephoto lens.
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We got a camp at Fishcreek in Glacier Park and went to the evening presentation at the amphitheatre. The girl giving the talk could have been Harold from the Red Green show’s sister

July 6th

We moved over to Sprague Creek campground. In the afternoon we walked over to MacDonald Lodge and went to hike up the Sperry Creek trail. It then started to drizzle and lightening. We started to head back, and then got caught in a down pour. It completely soaked us. Sherri's raincoat kept her dry but mine sure didn’t.

Went back to MacDonald lodge and bought some firewood. We took the shuttle this time. Sherri fixed a good supper of rice mixed in a french soup. I tried to keep a fire going. Really poor wood we got at the store. We dried clothes.

It started to rain again. There was a couple camping next to us in a tent with young children . Sherri said she was not missing those days.

July 7th

We snagged a good camping spot next to Lake MacDonald. We then took the shuttle to Logan Pass visitor center. The shuttle was a good idea, between the road construction, and traffic, I wouldn't have seen much if I would have had to drive. We took another shuttle to St Mary's Visitor Center on the eastside. Saw a bear with two cubs along the way

On the way back we got off at Sunny Point and walked up to St Mary's Point and caught the shuttle back to Logan Pass. Huge Crowds at Logan Pass. Rode the shuttle back to Avalanche Creek where we had left the truck.

We then hiked up to Avalanche Lake to a spectacular view.
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We got back to camp and had spinach salad and a red pepper omelet. We watched the evening fall over the lake with a glass of the chocolate wine.
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[fisher205]

July 8th

We got an early start and got Sherri back to Missoula. The dog had been fine there. I was anxious to get going north again. It was bittersweet leaving Sherri but I was still ready to go. I drove to Polson and stopped at a Safeway and Wal-Mart, then continued north.

I drove through Whitefish and was looking for a place to camp. Ended up taking the Talley Lake road where Rick Cordes and I camped years ago. I just wanted a place along the road. The first spot was an old log landing that with the heavy clouds threatening I wasn't sure I would make if out of. Finally found a spot closer to Talley Lake. Cold night but never did rain. Missoula 196,390 End 196,534 151 miles

July 9

I took off early, saw all kind of places to camp on the way out. I must have been tired not to have seen them.

Crossed the border without any problems and went to Cranbrook. Found a great sporting goods shop with really helpful people. Went next door to a little coffee shop and used their wifi to check email.

I got confused coming out of Cranbrook and ended up headed west. I had totally missed the turnoff to the north just before town. Got turned around and headed in the right direction.

I drove to White Swan Lake. I got there about mid afternoon. Stayed in the Home Camp Provincial campground, Went out and fished for a couple of hours only caught a small one. The idiota in the camp spot next to me talked to past midnight. One of them had a really weird laugh. 196774 252 miles

July 10th

Left camp fairly early. The road in yesterday was terrible with potholes and washboards and then rain. The truck looks expedition like now. I stopped Lassiter Hotsprings. It was packed yesterday so I didn't stop. There was only one truck this morning. The springs look inviting but I decide to pass them up. I talked in the parking lot with a guy from Vancouver. He had just crossed Canada and was coming back. He offered to smoke a doob with him. Passed on that also and “hit” the road (pardon the pun).

I got to Radium Hot springs, Good visitors center. I bought a National Park pass and fishing license. I picked up some bread and beer. The guy at the liquor store and I got into a conversation about skiing. He highly recommended Revelstoke and the area cat skiing.

I got into Kooteny Park and was continually blown away with the beauty. I was headed to the town of Banff and possibly Canmore when I realized that all the traffic from the other direction was everyone getting out of Calgary for the weekend, so I'd better find a place to camp. The campground I had planned to camp in was closed. Lake Louise was a total mess for people so I escaped it and ended up at Mosquito Creek campground. Nice CG and the host was a volunteer who usually worked for Synfuels of Edmonton. The C. G. filled soon after I got my spot. I was farther north than I had wanted to be, Missed Banff and Canmore and had done no fishing. I did see a bear cross the road in front of me. It was too fast to get a picture.

July 11
Cold night last night. I did not want to get out of bed this morning. I left a little after 8 towards Jasper. The Scenery is getting more impressive with the glaciers. I stop at the ice fields but decide to miss the crowds and head on. Columbia ice fields are impressive.
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There are all kinds of rivers here. I try to fish one but its way milky and have no luck. I stop in Jasper at-the tackle store and a little Rasta Kid has some good info. Another guy is also getting info. On the way back to the truck I run into him. He's also an unemployed civil engineer fishing his way around and living out his Toyota Tacoma. He'd been to Spearfish when he broke his Acura and was there 3 days getting it fixed. Talked to him too long and the CG that I wanted to stay in and fish was full. I ended up almost out of the park at Pocahontas CG. I got a spot and then went-back to Rocky Creek to fish for a couple of hours. Nothing. Back to camp,

The guy across from me has decided to share his music with the whole C G. We're out in the woods. Why does he have to play loud horse**** music? He could have stayed home and done that. 197,114 (2 days I forgot) 357 miles

July 12th

It was fairly cool this morning and a heavy dew. I turned off the Yellowhead highway and went north to Grand Prairie on 40. A ski area right after-the turn off turned out to be the Athabasca Ski trails with a biathlon center, a jump and a luge run. This drive is beautiful
.
I keep it about 50-55 mph (80-90k ph) and the truck is getting almost 20 mpg. I at the same time saw a coyote and a raven cross the road in front of me just after Grand Cache. What kind of an omen is that?

I got to Grand Prairie and finally talked with Sherri. Back corner of the camper was loose so I tightened it down.

I stopped at Beaver Lodge at 2:00. The municipal campground has clean showers which I really need. Read for a little bit and then walked around town for an hour. Reminds me of a small version of Gillette... Maybe Williston would be a better example. I feel like I quit too early. Tomorrow I start the Alaskan Highway. I'm pretty excited to finally 'really" be on it. The trip so far has been pretty spectacular.

Notice the Canadians enjoy their power toys also. 4 wheelers, motorcycles and diesel pickups all over the place. Warm tonight and the rain showers this afternoon have it kind of muggy 197,343 241 miles

July 13th
I left Beaver Lodge at about 7:30 this morning overcast and cool. Stopped in Dawson Creek, got to use email there. Picked up some postcards, took the "mile zero’ picture. I also stopped at a Safeway there and got some more items. I am planning on going to Buckinghorse River today. I didn't need to worry about going to Safeway, there was another in Fort Saint John.
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Got to Buckinghorse creek and it was really muddy, the campground wasn't very good so I decided to keep going. It’s rained on and off all day, but it doesn't seem to clean the truck off. I filled with fuel at Buckinghorse. There was a huge man camp there. All kinds of natural gas work here. Fuel was $1.12 a liter which is about 11 cents a liter cheaper than regular unleaded. So fuel is about $4 a gallon here but about $0.35 gallon cheaper than gas.

The scenery so far has been pretty mundane lots of forest similar to driving in Wisconsin or Michigan. Actually it’s not bad. I think my scenery module has been over stimulated the last few days and can probably use a day of rest.

Saw a bear alongside of the road. It's the biggest black bear I've ever seen (like I’ve seen so many). It was lying down and looked like it was eating grass. There was too much traffic going too fast to stop for pictures. I drove onto Fort Nelson. Not much there and I kept going on. I tried to stop at some gravel pits that had been stocked with fish. Access was not good so I didn't fish,

I drove to Testa River. It was supposed to be good fishing for grayling and Dolly Warden. I fished for an hour and no luck. The river is pretty murky and I don't have clue to what I'm doing.

Today has been my longest driving since going from Spearfish to Missoula. I covered just over 400 miles today. But most of the drive was boring and didn't offer much opportunity to get out. The next area will be more interesting, with Summit lake and Liard Hot Springs. Also the scenery has improved since Fort Nelson. 197,726 402 miles

[kai38]

I'm looking forward to following your story to Alaska, have a good trip.

[teebes]

+1.

Looking forward to tons of great pics :lurk:

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Keep posting...By chance are you selling the rig now? I only ask because I was searching Alaskan's and saw an ad that looks like your set up.

[Rot Box]

Thanks for taking the time to post this I've really been looking forward to this one :wings:

Again cool truck and Alaskan can't wait to see more :coffeedrink:

[fisher205]

Thanks for the comments. The camper isn't for sale, at least right now. I can't really afford to replace it. I've only got to use it once since getting back and that was for the opening weekend of pheasant hunting.

[fisher205]

July 14

Last night 2 guys touring on a tandem from Cleveland pulled into the next space. They had both gotten laid off so just decided to go to Alaska. They had a solar panel on a BOB trailer with a frame and all their stuff packed in the frame for it. The solar panel charged a homemade 12 volt battery that they had in PVC tubes along the bottom of the bike frame. It powered 4 minimag lights that they had rigged with LED bulbs. I talked to them until dark. I started to get really cold so I went into bed. I then started getting the chills. Okay no problem turn on the heat. Problem the heat wouldn't come on. I put on a bunch of clothes, covered myself with towels in the sleeping bag and finally quit shivering.

This morning started slow. I fixed an omelet. Then tried to figure why the furnace wouldn't work. After tracing all the wires I found out the fuse was bad. So now I have heat.

I looked for a place to fish along the road but all the streams are still murky.

A lot less traffic now, I'm only going about 45 mph most of the time. I waited a long time for pilot cars as they chip sealed the roads.

I got to the top of Summit Pass and there were caribou in the road. Got past them and was checking out this pond as a possible place to fish when the brown rock in it moved. It was a bull moose feeding under water. I stopped and got some pictures and some more Caribou with calves.

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I talked with a guy from Texas who had spent the night there with a flat tire on his trailer. He'd been traveling for 7 weeks but was headed home.

I didn't drive far and there was some Mountain sheep in the road, Amazing Scenery but I
Still wasn't getting much of an opportunity to fish.

I finally got pictures of my first bear, He was young one along side of the road. I think they are eating sedges. Stopped and fished in the Toad River, Still very murky and fast and nothing...

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I stopped and got pictures of a bear with two cubs. At 4:00 I stopped at Liard Hot Springs. The campground was full but they allowed me to park in the day parking. I was parked next to 2 guys from Italy. One spoke very good English. They were from the Dolomites and were skiers, climbers and both retired.

On the other side was an odd trio of two older guys and a younger girl (30's). Couldn't
figure out the relationship. But the one guy was a heavy equipment mechanic ex logger who had a little farm that was totally off the grid. The older guy had the North American
Record for Sturgeon at 436 lb 10'1" long. They were from around Nelson B. C. and had been up salmon fishing with an Indian friend.

The Italian guy pointed out that this was the hot springs that Chris McCandles had stopped at on his way to Fairbanks. Well a short day today only 130 miles. A soak in the morning and then get going. 197,856 136 miles

July 15

Got up early and went and soaked in the Springs. Said goodbye to my neighbors and hit the road. Just drove through some incredible territory. I tried to fish a little but with no luck. I’m noticing a lot of places closed along the highway. Some are for sale. It sprinkled a couple of times. Saw a herd of buffalo. Buffalo in the Yukon… Stopped in Watson Lake and bought a Yukon fishing license. They had a good visitor’s center with helpful people and some good exhibits about the Alaskan Highway.

I decided to take the Campbell Highway north instead of the usual Alaskan Highway. Immediately hit a bunch of construction. There are not many people go this way. One of the flag girls said I was only the 6th person she had seen all day. I got out of the construction and basically had a gravel road to myself.

Stopped at Simpson Lake but the wind was blowing so hard there were white caps on the lake. Nice campground. I saw a bear in the road, but as soon as he heard me he ran into the woods. Drove on to Francis Lake but the campground didn’t appeal to me and I would need a boat to fish it. I pulled out and immediately crossed a nice stream Money Creek. I decided to camp along it. I caught my first grayling and few trout.
198,084 239 miles

July 16th
It was cold this morning and I didn’t want to get out of bed (kind of a recurring theme here). So I turned on the heat. I had started this journal using Microsoft Journal. It seemed it would be nice to be able to sit with a stylus and just write my journal. The reality was that it didn’t work as well as I thought. I couldn’t sit outside with it; I was going to have to send my notes as images. So I have been working at switching it from hand written to typed in MSword. I worked on that this morning before taking off.

I stopped at Finlayson Creek and fished. Caught 6, 12 inch grayling about the same number of 8 inch fish and I don’t know how many smaller ones. That kept me occupied for an hour. I went on and tried Mink creek. The fish would hit the fly but not take it. I then went to where the Hoole River meets the Peely. I fished that for a while. It was a beautiful spot and I had lunch there.

I went on to Ross River. I got fuel. It was a depressing town. It looked like a reservation town. There was ferry there and a huge suspension pedestrian bridge that was originally built for a Canol pipeline during the war.

I went to Faro and they have a great municipal campground with showers and a Laundromat. There is a young couple from Switzerland next to me. They have been on the road for 2 years. They started at the tip of South America Tierra del Fuego and drove up to Prudhoe Bay. They are now heading back towards California.

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This is a strange town. It was a modern mining town that closed down in 1998. Half the town is empty buildings and the rest have been fixed up with flowers. The remaining people take care of the place and it is really pleasant staying here. It has a 9 hole golf course through town and people were playing at 10:30 at night. It has nice municipal buildings, and school but no gas station. That burned down two years ago. But a shower felt good and I am getting some clothes washed.

July 17

I did some more editing of this log this morning, and downloaded my camera. I went over and paid for my camp site since they weren’t open last night. They have a great interpretive center. The lady told me about the town. I washed some more clothes and put some from last night in the dryer. I decided to have a big breakfast and clean out the camper. It’s getting close to lunch and the visitor’s center has wifi so I’ve decided to stay another day.

I went to check my clothes and a lady is doing her laundry. I talked with her a bit and find out that her husband was at the South Dakota School of Mines the same time I was. I think I remember him. He was working at this mine after graduation. He then stayed here as the public works director after the mine closed. They are now in Whitehorse bur have some land nearby.

I went to pay for another day and was told I may be staying longer. There is a forest fire and they’re afraid it may jump the road.

July 18

It was another cold night and I was slow getting out of the sleeping bag (definitely a trend going on). I filled with water and left Faro. The Swiss Couple are staying another day. They are taking a break from the road and really like staying in Faro. I found out I couldn’t have left yesterday anyway. The road was closed because of the fire. I never did see the fire, but the smoke was pretty bad. I saw 3 bears along the road. Two scurried off into the bush as soon as they heard me but the third one seemed quite content in his grazing.

The smoke from the fire has put a haze on everything. I didn’t take many pictures. I stopped at one creek to fish, but it wasn’t that good. It looked better from the road.

There are lots of tour buses now. At the overlooks all of them seem to be filled with Germans. There is a lot more traffic now that I am on the Klondike Highway. It has about as much as the Highway to Faith SD. It seems like a lot after the Campbell Highway. I was disappointed in how little wild life I saw along the Campbell Highway, but I actually enjoyed getting off the pavement and driving gravel roads again. I just feel more at home on them. I do wish I had brought along a boat of some kind. There would be a lot more fishing opportunity with one. But I’m not sure some of these small lakes have much for fish if they haven’t been stocked.

About 4 this afternoon I decided to camp at Moose Creek. There was supposed to be good grayling fishing here. Well creek access is hard due to brush and the bottom is muddy, but the mosquitos are the worst I’ve encountered. Note to self. If the guide book mentions that repellent is needed, don’t stay there. I went back to camp and started a fire. I’m the only one in tenting area. Some guy’s on KLR 650’s set up for touring pulled though but didn’t stop. They saw me and my rig and probably heard a banjo sound track in the back of their heads. 198,507( forgot to record for a few days) 423 miles

July 19

Way warmer temperatures last night. I didn’t even need the sleeping bag. It’s still real smoky. I took off a little after 8. The next two creeks had way better access and I could’ve camped for free. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. If I had kept going I probably wouldn’t have found anything.

I got out of the smoke and drove into some fog. Light sprinkles. The upper Klondike looks as though it maybe good fishing. But I’ve decided to get on up to Dawson. The tailings piles from dredging are incredible. They basically dredged the whole valley.

I get into Dawson and they are still having their music festival. That means that there are a bunch of young drunk kids running around. Since I am neither (young or drunk). I check my email and get one off to Sherri.

I decide to get out of town. I take a back loop that goes through where the richest placer creeks were. They have a tour through the biggest dredge that I did take. The amount of material it could move a day was incredible.

I went to the market and they had some locally grown lettuce. I pick up other food stuffs and grab the ferry across the Yukon to a Provincial campground over there. The ferry ride is pretty cool and free. I got a camp site, fixed supper and then went down to where there is a graveyard for the old paddle wheelers. When they quit using them in the 1920’s they just beached them here. They are pretty deteriorated and getting overgrown, but it is still interesting to see them.

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It’s 10:30 (still daylight) and the concert is still going. I hope everybody is burned out and ready to go to bed. Not come back and keep partying. I’m ready to head it in.

I plan on spending a little time in Dawson (means I get to ride the ferry twice) tomorrow then heading for Chicken Alaska. 198,650 150 miles

[KEENO]

Great trip report Fisher205....

You inspire me to complete my 1968 Alaskan restoration and put it back on my 17 year old Dodge/Cummins and head North!

Thanks.... KEENO:)

[fisher205]

July 20

It’s a little cool this morning. With a large lunch and supper, I decided to forego breakfast and get something in town later. I packed up camp and was sitting in the line for the ferry when I got to thinking that there wasn’t anything I really wanted in town except fuel. I had enough fuel to make it to Chicken AK or Tok if I needed too. So I wheeled out of line and headed west. Driving the Top of the World Highway is nice. It’s pretty much a gravel road with a few paved spots.

I had a guy drop his motorcycle (BMW GS1200) in front of me. He had passed me earlier and then stopped and was turning around to get a picture when his bike fell over. I stopped and helped him pick it up. The traffic on this road is horrible; I bet I met 5 cars in two hours on the way to the border.

The border crossing was quick. A tin shed on the top of a hill in the middle of nowhere. I think this is where they send the Border Patrol guys that screw up. I actually liked the spot. You could see for miles. But pretty windy and cold. The road got worse from there. It was like driving Higgins Gulch road above Crowe Peak.

I got to Chicken and bought fuel. $4.35 per gallon. This was as much as the highest I paid in Canada. As I was driving off, the clerk came running out, flagging me down. I didn’t think I had left my credit card, Hope it was good. Nope he was from Spearfish and we chatted about home.

I went to the downtown Chicken had a piece of pie and used their internet to check my mail. Headed on to Tok. I got my fishing license ($80 for 14 days) then talked to the girl at Game and fish about area fishing. I drove to Moon Lake and was going to camp but didn’t have the correct change. I wasn’t going to give them anymore after paying the $80 for fishing. So I headed down the road a ways.

I came across an RV with a flat tire. It was a father with his 3 grown daughters, doing a father-daughter trip. The RV had no jack or lug wrench. They had rented it in Anchorage and couldn’t get the guys to return their call. While we were changing the tire, the guy texted back that it didn’t have a jack for liability reasons. Loaned them a jack, lug wrench and helped finish changing the tire. Then I drove another ½ mile to a turn off next to Yerrick Creek. Set up here and called it a night. 198,846 206 miles

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July 21

It was another cool evening. But I did get up and got going. Nothing too exciting on this trip. I stopped by Delta Meats and bought some reindeer sticks and some jalapeno and olive summer sausage. Finally talked to Sherri and we got an offer on the Gillette house. It’s low but we figured out a counter offer.

I was going to stop in the North Pole and have a cup of coffee. There was construction and I was always too late to exit by the time I saw it. I ended up driving through Fairbanks so I just went got fuel at this truck stop north of town. I was going to get propane also, but it still felt pretty full. So I didn’t exchange it. The girl at the truck stop wasn’t too into her job and seemed more interested in flirting with the two truckers in front of me. Forever to get out of there.

I’ve decided to head up the Haul Road (also known as the Dalton Highway). At least to Coldfoot. We’ll see about Prudhoe Bay. I am leaning towards going so pushed to past the Yukon tonight.

Stopped at the BLM visitors’ center at the Yukon Crossing. A couple was working it. Almost seemed like they were to busy reading their books than to talk to me. I don’t think I would have gotten any of the brochures from the guy if she hadn’t prompted him. He barely looked up from the book he was reading and acted annoyed that I would be so rude to even talk to him. So back on the road.

The BLM “campsite” 5 Mile is a big parking lot with a privy. I decided to set up here anyway for the views to the south. Nice breeze to keep the bugs away, but pretty warm out. Two guys are hiding in their tent to get out of the sun. They are riding their bicycles. Well get up early tomorrow and see how many miles I can get put away. 199,150 319 miles

July 22

Woke up at 4:30 because of cold. I didn’t get the sleeping bag out, because it was so warm last night. Not that cold now, just uncomfortable to sleep. So start coffee and decide to go all the way to Deadhorse. I’m up early for a start. So GO.

It’s getting cooler with a light rain shower as I am getting ready. It sucks to be riding a bike now. Well the trip to Deadhorse is an ego thing, just to say I did it. But as every mile progresses I get into more and more breathtaking country. It’s like having the Teton’s on one side of the road and the Rockies on the other side. I note numerous streams that I’ll want to check out on my way back. The road conditions are all over the place. They range from good gravel to really bad chip seal. My speed varies from 35 to 50 mph. I usually run 40 to 45. It just seems easier on the truck and I’m not in that big of hurry.

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The scenery is great. What can I say? I try to get some pictures but it’s hazy out and I don’t think they are very good.

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I don’t see much for wildlife except for a White Ptarmigan and finally after I get out in the tundra, I see some musk ox.

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The wind starts to get pretty hard as I hit the tundra. Of course it’s right in my face. Some delays for road construction. As I get closer to Deadhorse, they are really applying a lot of magnesium chloride and the truck is getting drenched in it. Meeting a lot more trucks as I get closer.

Deadhorse is pretty industrial and the wind was cold. Since it’s coming right off the Artic Ocean I guess it doesn’t have much time to heat up over the ground. There isn’t much for wind breaks there either. I fuel and call Sherri. We had a counter to our counter on the house. It still isn’t close enough. We put another counter back. This is as far as we go.

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I then get out of Deadhorse. I drive 100 miles south to get by some of the worst of the construction. I am parked beside the Sag River. The wind is still cold. I turn the heat on in the camper.

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With this wind I can find almost every leak in this old camper. It’s still warmer than a tent. I can hear all the truck traffic on the haul road and the river and the furnace. But I am tired. I drove almost 450 miles of gravel roads today and took lots of pictures. So time to go to bed.
199,579 450 miles

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

I'm digging it. Paints a more realistic, everyday (Down to earth) picture of overlanding in Alaska.

[conifers4]

Subscribed:elkgrin: Can't wait for more.

[elmo_4_vt]

Very nice... Must me an awesome adventure to finally be doing it after waiting so long. Good job.

Don

-

[fisher205]

July 23

I awoke to the sound of rain. I woke up at 2:30, thought it was time to get up due to the light, woke again at 3:30 and 5:30, finally I got up at 7:00. It was lighter earlier than now. Stayed warm with the sleeping bag and the heat on it’s lowest setting. Later I talk to a trucker who told me it was 34 degrees in Prudhoe this morning. A heavy cloud cover is hanging just over the valley. Some coffee and oatmeal and hit the road.

The road is just drenched with magnesium chloride and the rain is making it really mucky. I drive through the clouds going up Atigun pass. It’s a beautiful view with the sun above and the clouds below. I talk to a guy riding an 800 BMW from Las Vegas. This seems to be the Ultimate Road Adventure for them, because there is a lot of motorcycles. I stop on the other side of the pass for pictures also. It was too cloudy yesterday to get good shots. While I am standing there a couple rides up on another BMW GS1200, turn to pull in and he drops it in the middle of the road. I run over and help them get it out of the road. Just then a truck comes flying over the pass. A few minutes earlier he would have smucked them.

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Down in the valley I keep stopping for photos. My limited photography ability just cannot capture the majesty of the Brooks Range. I stop and have lunch then fish in the Dietrich River. Just some very small ones. I decide to head down river for some larger fish (seems logical doesn’t it?). No luck, but I don’t get to fish long when it starts to rain. I head back to the truck and get in just as it starts to pour. I drive to Coldfoot in the rain.

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Once I get there I go to the BLM visitor’s center and hang out while it rains. They have some nice interpretive stuff. I take off as the rain quits. I get quite a ways down the road and think about setting up camp, but it starts to sprinkle again. I end up going down to the Artic Circle BLM campground. It’s under construction. Glad their not charging for it yet.

Looks like another storm coming in from the west. I think I’ll read a little and go to bed.
199,770 201 miles
July 24

I am heading down the road for Fairbanks. Pretty unexciting trip except the road goes from smooth to really rough. There is not much for a happy in between. Stopped at the Yukon again, but didn’t test the information people this time.

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. I stop in Fairbanks at Safeway for some food and fuel. Then get a regular RV campground. I get a shower and do laundry. It’s a rip off. I am uncomfortable around this many people and actually feel lonely for the first time this trip. I am also pissed because part of the reason I stayed at this place is that they have a car wash. The truck is totally pigged out from the mag water, mud and gravel roads. If you even get near it, the dirt jumps off of the truck on to you. Any way the high pressure doesn’t work and they still want $8 to spray the truck off. So the truck stays dirty until I find a real car wash.

My one washer (of course it’s the one with the sheets) doesn’t start right. It’s because I’ve pushed the “hot” setting and they don’t allow that. Now how in the hell can someone ethically charge $2 for a cold wash. I could have beat them on a rock in the creek and got them cleaner. Then it’s $2 for an hour of drying. Now none of loads take an hour. So I start my synthetics and then throw the sheets and towels in there. So I feel only semi totally ripped off. 199,957 196 miles

July 25

I get up at 6 and go for a walk. It’s impossible to walk along the river. I get back and have a long talk with my brother Scott while I fix breakfast, do the dishes and fill the camper with water (it was a long talk).

The wifi is soooooo sloooooow. I give up on it. I go and check the device, it has a crank on the side of it. Time to get out of here!!

I hit the road around 11. Dink around on my way to Denali. Missed a turn going into Anderson and ended up at the Clear Air Force Station. The sergeant that was guarding the gate was friendly. I don’t think he’d seen anybody for awhile, because he was telling me all about the area. He was better than the tourist information booth I finally get away from him and head towards to Denali. I didn’t intend to get there today but not that much to hold me up on the way.

The campgrounds in Denali are full, but the reservations guy recommended a place down the road. I go there. At least the campsites aren’t piled up on each other like the entrance and it’s near the river. The river isn’t that good of fishing. So I hangout here for a day. The odometer turned over 200,000 miles today. 200,091 141 miles

July 26

I get over to reservations and set up to move into Teklanika campground on Monday morning. It is the only way that you can drive your camper into the park past Savage Creek. It requires me to stay there for 3 days, but it saves an hour each way on the bus and is the most reasonable way to spend a few days at Denali. I will stay at Riley Creek campground tonight. A couple I met at Dawson City from Colorado is at the Mercantile. We compare notes on the trip so far.

I set up at Riley Creek at 11 this morning, fix some lunch and read a little bit. I then walk up to the visitor’s center and check that area out. I ride the free shuttle up to Savage Creek turn around. There is a 1.5 mile loop so I walk it. At about the ½ way point I come across a Dall sheep. He is at a mineral lick along the trail and doesn’t seem too ready to move. I go around and get a few pictures of him. I get back to the trailhead in time to catch the bus back to the visitors center.

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A quiet evening in the camper.

July 27

I stop and get a shower and few supplies (beer) before heading to Teklanika Campground. I can’t cross the Savage turnaround until 10. It’s 10:20 when I clear the checkpoint. I stop and film a caribou and drive slowly. I don’t get camp set up and lunch finished until 12. The bus leaves at 12:10. I won’t make it. I could catch an hour later one, but I wouldn’t be home until 9 tonight. I try hiking around here but the Teklanika River is over my boot tops and I really don’t want wet feet. I try the road, but it really doesn’t appeal to me. I head back and charge the camera batteries, start some beans, and edit some photos. I’ll start getting some things together for tomorrow; it will be a long day.

I run into some people from Sturgis. They are 4 spaces up from me. I talk to them for a while. They invite me over popcorn later.

July 28

Catch my bus, it’s pretty full, but I catch a window seat in the back. A high school kid slides in next to me. I very quickly realize why this seat is empty. It has the wheel well in it. Probably wouldn’t be bad if I was only 6 years old. The kid next to me is a young tormented artist who knows everything and his mother thinks is precocious. After looking at his sketches I realize why he is tormented. If I was his mother I would encourage him in to another line of work. This is going to be a long trip.

The other people around me are a family of brothers and sister traveling from their nephews wedding together and stopped off to see Denali. The one guy spots all the wildlife. He has a great eye. I told him I needed to take him hunting. We spot some grizzlies and of course caribou. The bus had got to see a wolf before I was picked up. I get some good pictures of Denali. It’s cloudy around it, but the wind blows some good openings. It is a majestic mountain.

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The kid and his mom get off at Eielson Visitor Center. Got some leg room! By the time we get to Eielson the wind has switched directions and is blowing smoke from the fires to the west and limiting visibility. I get a few later views of Denali, but they aren’t real good.

I find the end of the Muldrow Glacier is interesting. I wouldn’t have known it’s a glacier if it hadn’t been pointed out by the driver. Our driver Mike Reifle was real knowledgeable about the whole trip and seemed as excited as we were to see animals. Anyway the glacier is so old by the time it gets to it’s terminus that it has grass and brush growing on it. You can’t even see the ice.

We go on to Wonder Lake (name is from two miners discovering it after being in the area numerous times says “Wonder why we haven’t seen this before”). We see the reflecting pond where Ansel Adams took his famous picture and then on to Kantishna (I love that name). Just an old mining town that includes some privately owned property. Kind of interesting. Two guys get off at one of the lodges. I decide to move up to the front spaces that they vacated.

The ride seems to go back a lot faster than we went out. Everybody is not as excited to look at caribou any more, but we do stop for a swan and couple of more bears. The ride is a lot more comfortable in the front and I can see a lot more.

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We get back a little before 7 and I hurry and eat to see the ranger presentation on moose. A good talk and a lot of fascinating facts given that I did not know (like I’m a moose expert). I go back to my camp site and talk to the neighbors for a little bit. They have sold everything but their pickup and camper and are moving to New Zealand. They are touring the US and Canada and then will sell the camper and pickup prior (hopefully) to leaving.

July 29
I awoke this morning to the camper being rocked by the wind. At least I hoped it was the wind and not a bear. I had planned to hike up at Eielson Center, but it was very windy there yesterday and today would be worse. I also thought about the bus ride and rolled over and went back to sleep. I got up made some coffee and a large breakfast, did some work on this journal and the photos. I then did some dishes.

I can’t stand it anymore, so go out and catch the shuttle to Toklat River. We see a couple of bears and this bus is way nicer than yesterdays. I catch another shuttle back and we see a red fox. It just sat along the road and let us photograph it. If it had been back home I would worry about rabies.

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I walk the mile back from Teklanika rest area to the campground. I walk with a couple from Ontario. It turns out they are camped next to me.

July 30
Last night I managed to run the batteries down in the camper. I’ve been meaning to defrost the fridge anyway. The refrigerator will shut itself down if the batteries get too low so that you don’t ruin the batteries. I had figured it could run 4 to 5 days without charging. So I was surprised when they went down in three days. But when I really thought about it I realized it had been close to 5 days with only a short drive to Teklanika. I had also been using the computer a lot and charged the camera.

There had been a large chunk of drift wood in the fire pit that the previous campers had left. I had gotten a lot of it burnt the night before last, but decided to burn it all last night. At 11:30 we had total consumption. I then couldn’t go to sleep. It was hard to get going this morning. It was a beautiful calm sunny morning at the campground. I started back and got over the Teklanika divide it got windy and smoky. Just before Savage River I got to see a lynx cross the road in front of me. It had something in its mouth but I couldn’t tell what it was. There was a bunch of young Ptarmigan nearby and I wonder if the lynx got their mother. It was too quick to get a photo.

I was going to fish Savage River since it is not glacial melt, but the wind and the smoke was horrible. There were people wearing masks for breathing there. So in other words, I kept going. I got back to the main area and took a shower, refilled the rig with water and then went out to the Famous Denali Salmon Bake. I had a baked salmon sandwich and Oosland amber ale. Both were good. To the south I go.

Drove to Troublesome Creek and camped here. I fished the creek and no luck. They would hit the fly but not take it. I fixed a sandwich and am now having one of the best Indian Pale Ales I have ever had. It is from 21st Amendment Brewing and it is in a can no less.

Tomorrow I’ll check out Petersville, Talkeetna and then on to Wasilla. I’ll try to get my oil changed and truck washed there. I am going to hang out in this area and then head down to the Kenai Peninsula after the weekend. 200,261 179 miles

July 31
There was a hard rain last night. A lot of road noise so I didn’t sleep well. Got up fairly early anyway and got going.

I checked out Petersville road. There wasn’t much to see. Denali was clouded in so couldn’t see it. I drove over to Talkeenta. It was full of tourists and no place to park. I drove through and didn’t stay. Tried to go down to a lake but didn’t see the sign so drove on down to Wasilla. I got to the bank and also got a haircut. I also stopped and got some groceries. I camped south of town at Lucille Lake. It was lousy with dirty bathrooms and no care given to the campground. There is some white trash “living” at the other end of the campground that seems to think a normal tone for conversation is a screech or a holler. I need to get to camping back in the wilds again. It really bugs me to be in town again. I think I am getting more antisocial than usual. 200,452 276 miles

[locrwln]

I'm digging it. Paints a more realistic, everyday (Down to earth) picture of overlanding in Alaska.

No kidding. This has been great. My wife and I are heading up there next year, unfortunately, we won't be able to go until September. We are going to be on the end of the "season" for Prudhoe bay, but that is part of the adventure. Plus we only have three weeks to do it in.

Much like you, we will be in our F350 PSD with our 10' Lance camper. Should be fun.

We both really enjoyed your write-up so far. :wings:

Jack

[mph]

Well done...Great report and pictures!!!

[Funrover]

Great report, and so many great pics!

[Martinjmpr]

Yes, AWESOME report. :26_7_2:

One of these days I will do this...:elkgrin:

Wife and I are going to Alaska next year but we will cruise up and fly back. My hope is that she gets bit by the "alaska bug" and either agrees to the drive (not likely, she's not a road trip person) or at the very least, agrees to another trip where I'll drive up and then meet her in Anchorage, and we'll tour a bit on our own before I send her back on a plane and I drive back myself.

[canadianjk]

Great reports, I don't know that I could ever get sick of reading peoples trip reports and looking at photos. I get a kick out of reading about people that are passing through Grande Prairie and Dawson Creek, I really take for granted where I live and the fact that I get to drive these roads daily. It motivates me to get out and explore more.

[fisher205]

August 1

Some jerks pulled into the campground at 3:30 in the morning. 40 some places to park and they pull in next to me, then leave. I pack up early and head north of town on the Lil Susitna River. It took me a while to find it. The state troopers are also the conservation officers and I get checked and told that the little Su is closed to Salmon fishing. I fish for trout and Dolly Varden without success.

I go back to Wasilla and wash the pickup. I then go to the Alaskan Transportation museum. It’s done by volunteers so isn’t very professional but still pretty interesting and fun place and well worth a visit. Well worth the visit. I stop by McDonald’s so I can use the wifi. It’s just an access thing that you have to pay for. I don’t think I’ll be going back to McDonald’s anymore (isn’t there song called that?).

I go back out to the spot that I fished at this morning. It’s a beautiful place and a few miles out of town so I think it should be quiet. I swear this place is busier than grand central station. There have been kids riding their 4 wheeler through the creek. People coming and going. I was afraid it was going to be the Saturday night party spot. There is someone up the road either breaking wood or shooting a 22. This place is crazy. I guess I’ve got to get farther in the country. 200,460 8 miles

August 2

My fears last night were realized. It was the kid’s party spot. I think there were at least 3 parties going on around me. Each group was competing with the volume of their music and everybody yelling or screaming over it. I packed up and headed to town. I soon found out Wal-Mart does not allow overnight parking at their store. I ended up back out at Lake Lucille. I was now the jerk pulling in at 3 in the morning. But guess what? There is a group of guys still up, drinking and yelling. They didn’t have music and I was so tired I was able to sleep through it.

I talked to Sherri and Stella this morning. They were driving back from Lawrence KS, so had a long day in front of them. I stopped by the visitor’s center to check my email. The lady in there was very talkative, since I was the only one that had stopped in. I never did see Sarah. Anchorage wasn’t too bad to get through and most of the drive towards Seward wasn’t too bad. There was a wreck just past Girdwood that I had to wait on. I think a kid lost his boat trailer on a corner and it had spun him around.

I camped at Ptarmigan Campground. I got set up and took a little nap. The two guys camped next to me were brothers from Arizona. They’ve been on the road for 2 months just fly fishing all over. They were a couple of characters. It was like listening to the Mackenzie brothers when they retire. Anyway they had some good practical suggestions on the fishing and some good stories. They’re headed to Valdez in the morning. I may catch up to them in a couple of days. They’re planning on taking the ferry from Valdez to Prince Rupert. 200,687 238 miles

August 3

I got a good night’s sleep for a change. I head to the Kenai Fjord Park first and hike up to the Glacier. I am following a dad and his 5-6 year old son. The kid says” dad all we do on this vacation is walk around and look at stuff. When are going to do some hard math? “ the dad and I both crack up and the dad says” what kind of hard math?” The kid replies” You know like 200 plus 200” Kids keep it interesting.

I drive into Seward and go to the Aquarium. They have some good exhibits and the animals, birds and fish are mostly rescue items. Their job is to continue to research how the Valdez incident is affecting the sound.

I walk around town and the harbor for a while. I enjoy being in Seward. I think it would suck on a weekend, but fairly quiet today. I got a halibut taco. It just wasn’t as good as my own. I then headed towards Homer. I stopped about 45 miles from Seward at Quartz Creek to camp and fished for a couple of hours with the usual lack of success. It’s real interesting to watch the red salmon come up and spawn. I accidentally snagged a couple of them, but they broke off. It was kind of exciting for a few minutes.
200,770 87 miles

August 4

I got up fairly early this morning and head out. I stop in Soldotna and do laundry. It starts to rain as I’m finishing up my laundry. The wind and rain keep up all the way down to Homer.

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The rain let up a little bit and I’m set up camp out on the spit.

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I walk over to the boardwalk and look around. There is a sea otter swimming around the docks. Actually it is just floating on its back grooming itself. I watch it for a while then while I was walking away another sea otter came swimming by. I have a couple of beers at the Salty Dawg. While I’m there I have a good conversation with one of the locals about beers, fishing, bird hunting and hunting dogs. All things of importance. I then have supper at a grill on the docks. Good meal. I head back to the camper and watch the tide go out.
200,922 160 miles

August 5

Rain is coming down when I wake up. I lie in bed and watch the sport fishing boats go out in the channel. I get up, have a quick breakfast and decide to use a lull in the rain to get going.

I had talked to Sherri’s brother last night and I will try to meet up with him and their dad over by Whitehorse Yukon in a few days. We might be able to fish together over there. We’ll play phone tag for a few days.

It’s drizzling on me all the way to Soldotna. I stop in and get a shower at the Laundromat.
Clean clothes and a clean body I feel pretty human again. It’s still raining most of the time and very overcast. I decide to head on through Anchorage and then accidentally go on through Palmer. I should find a place to change the oil in this rig. I get a little longer drive in today. It wasn’t pleasant to stop and do anything and I couldn’t see much due to the low clouds. I come close to having a wreck today. A double truck was swinging wide for a corner in Anchorage and I didn’t even notice it. I just about got “pinched” at the apex of the turn. I have cussed a few boneheaded drivers on this trip, but was I the one this time. I really pissed the truck driver off. I felt really stupid. I usually stay very aware of these types of situations.

I stay in a pleasant state campground called King hill. It’s finally stopped raining so I get a little walk in and clean the camper out. I will head for McCarthy/Kennicott tomorrow.
201,215 308 miles
August 6, 2009

At 3:30 in the morning I awoke to the sound of rain. It was still raining when I woke up the second time at 6:30. It was pretty chilly and damp feeling so I turned the heat on (I fixed it again yesterday) for a little bit and started the morning coffee water and went back to bed for a little bit.

It’s foggy out and light drizzle coming down as I packed up and took off. Visibility is down to a ¼ of a mile or less most of the morning. There is no sense is in stopping at all the viewing areas. I stop in Glennallen and return a phone call from a friend of mine in Anchorage. We had missed each other when I went through. I’ll call him when I know I’ll be in Valdez and he might fly over. The weather starts to clear up while we are talking. I stop near the Tazlina River for lunch. It is flowing pretty fast. I then stop at the Wrangell-St Elias National Park visitor’s center. They have a good introductory movie and some nice exhibits.

The day is turning out pretty nice. I head down the Edgerton-McCarthy road. There are some beautiful views of the Copper River. At Chitina I start on the McCarthy road. It was originally an old railroad line that served the Kennicott Mine. It’s pretty narrow and rough but not any problems; that is until I got to the Kuskulana River Bridge. It’s an old railway trestle that has been converted to a car bridge. It’s one lane, 525 feet long and 286 feet above the canyon. I don’t know which was worse. Looking down or driving with my eyes closed. I survived it.

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The superlatives have all been used up by now to describe this area. There are the ever present fires so with the smoke I don’t go on total scenery overload. I find a nice place to camp about 30 miles from McCarthy.

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I’ll go on to it in the morning and take a look around. I will probably catch one of the rides up to Kennicott mine and look at it also. I might get a glacier hike in also. We’ll see how the day goes.
201,525 208 miles

August 7

I woke up to a light rain again. I drove into the parking area west of McCarthy and walked the mile into town. I caught a shuttle up to Kennicott and hiked around there. It drizzled and light showers the whole time. I couldn’t see the mountains at all and could sometimes see Root Glacier a little. I decide not to hike up to the glacier. It is raining pretty hard and the trail is brushy with a lot of bears. All the bears are coming to this area for the soap berries. One of the trails the locals call “bear alley

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The rain lightened up and I decided to take the old wagon road back to McCarthy. It’s a 5.5 mile hike. The rain quit by the time I get to McCarthy. I walk back to the truck and decide to head out. There is another music festival here and a lot of young enthusiasts are coming in.

I drive all the way out to the Richardson Highway and go a few miles towards Valdez before camping. I get to see a cow moose and her calf. This is the first calf I see. They are really ugly. They are all legs and head. It’s like a moose head with 4 legs sticking out of it. 201,525 118 miles

[zukrider]

Jealous! i am having a hard time deciding which of your pics i am going to use as a screen background! very nice.

thanx for the story
joe

[fisher205]

Sorry I'll try to post more later today. The flu has had me down for a few days. - Brad

[fisher205]

August 8
I awake to rain and fog again. Head towards Valdez but can’t see much due to the fog. There are some great looking mountains somewhere nearby, at least from what I can tell of the bases. I do have a good view of Worthington Glacier and hike up to it. It clears a little over Thompson Pass but I still can’t see the tops of the mountains. Lot’s of waterfalls going through Keystone Canyon. It’s sprinkling again as I get to Valdez.

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I go out Day Road to the Pipeline Terminal. Two tankers are out in the port. There is a hatchery along the road. It was built for Salmon that used to go up a river that was dammed for hydro power. The salmon are stacked up clear out in the bay trying to get up this stream. I had seen the reds in the stream spawning but those are the few that had made it all the way up. This is all the pink’s just starting out. It actually is pretty amazing to see. There were bear warning signs all over, but I didn’t see any. This place would be a Bear’s buffet for sure. People were just reaching down and pulling salmon out with their hands.

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I am staying in a commercial campground for the shower and internet. I am camped next to motorcycle riders from Florida and Kansas. The guy from Kansas has been about two days ahead of me the whole trip when we compare notes. He has a blog at www.derek.motoks.com. Hopefully it clears off for tomorrow.
201,614 93miles

August 9, 2009

It’s raining again when I wake up. I turn on the heat, start the water boiling for coffee and crawl back in bed until the water is ready. I drink coffee and use a good internet connection to catch up on email.

It looks like it’s going to burn off the fog and I decide to get going. I like Valdez but there are just too many people around with a fishing derby on. I stop at the grocery and get going about 10:30. A quick stop at Valdez Glacier but it’s not marked out very well and starts to sprinkle again. So I hit the road.

It rains the whole time. So much for it burning off. That was some wishful thinking. At least today I can make out the mountains in the mists and clouds. I decide to stop at the Tonsina River Lodge. I don’t feel like putting up the camper for lunch and I am ready for something hot. The lodge is run by some Russians and I don’t know what I ordered but it was meat and vegetables served over some fried potatoes. It was pretty tasty.

I drive up the north side of the Wrangell-St Elias Park and go back on the Nabesna Road. It is raining and the road is pretty muddy. I go almost to the end and camp. You have to do 3 creek crossings to get back here. None of them are very deep. There are a lot of people around. I guess one of the sheep hunting seasons starts tomorrow. It’s still raining and I have the heat on.

August 10, 2009

It rained hard and the heat came on a few times last night but I awoke to sunshine this morning. There is a fresh dusting of snow on the higher elevations. This just helps magnify how big these mountains are that surround me. It was frustrating last night driving in here. I could feel these mountains around me but couldn’t see them. This morning’s sun reflecting off of the snow is great. I find myself taking lots of photos.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-13107.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-13113.jpg

I drive to the end of the good road and find an airstrip with a lot of planes. There are charter flights available, but I think a lot of these planes may be for the sheep hunters.

The road out is not bad. The stream crossings are up a little but still easily navigable by a go cart. The Tok Cut off is pretty new but has frost heaves. I still make good time to Tok. I find a good hot spot and take care of some banking business. A quick check of email and find out the friends I was going to meet in White Horse are all ready there and heading to Dawson. They will be in Tok tomorrow night. I guess I’ll hang here for a day.

I go find a place to get my oil changed, wash the truck and go to Tok RV and find a knob for the front screen. The guy also gives me some hydraulic fluid for my lifts. A really nice guy there. I go and stay at the Sourdough campground. When I was at Denali some people camped next to had liked it. When I pull into the spot the same people are near by.
201,939 (2 days) 341 miles

August 13, 2009

I haven’t kept this up for a few days. The Sourdough Campground is very 60’s style without much updating. It had nice private spots though. I got an email that Dick and Rick wouldn’t be in Tok for another day so I decided to leave without seeing them. They had wanted to fish with me, but the fishing around Tok wasn’t that good.

I took off for Haines and made it to Lake Kathleen B.C. The St Elias Mountain Range to my right was great company headed south. Kluane Lake is immense. I stayed at a provincial park next to Kathleen Lake.

I took off for Haines the next morning. It was partly overcast. Which means the clouds only partly covered the mountains. The road was the best of the whole trip and nobody was on it except me. I started to wonder if something happened that I didn’t know about, because I saw less people than on the Campbell Hiway.

I got into Haines and wandered around. I checked the ferry and found I could catch one tonight or early in the morning. I decide to opt for tonight. I spend a few hours up at Chilikot Lake watching the salmon fisherman before going down to load on the ferry. This is big excitement for a Midwestern boy.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-13202.jpg

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http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-13226.jpg

I decided on the ferry because: 1) I wanted to ride on one and 2) it saved me almost 400 miles of driving. The ferry is only 15 miles from Haines to Skagway. Anyway it was fun. It took longer to load the boat than to go to Skagway. Now the problem with the late ferry is finding a place to camp. All the campgrounds are full and you are searching with a ferry full of campers also looking for a spot. I am sure some people were smart enough to make a reservation. I am not one of those. I end up sleeping at the Chilikot trailhead when I couldn’t find the Dyea Park campground. I found it the next day. It had an awful small sign for tired eyes at night. It was smaller than the No Camping sign beside where I slept the night before.

This morning I got up early and walked up the Chilikot trail a little way. Fresh bear scat at the trail head.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-13227.jpg

I then drove over and checked out the old Dyea town site. There is not that much to see anymore. Its history is interesting though.

I can look down at Skagway as I pull into town and there are 4 cruise ships in port. It is crazy in town. I actually enjoyed the people watching for a while before I left. There is a frantic energy with everyone. They have only so long to look before they have to get back on board. The tour people here the most rude I have run across. They act like they own the road with very little courtesy to other drivers. Half of the time they are parked so you can’t see that there is point of interest signs, and even when you do they are parked such that they have taken up the whole parking area.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-13231.jpg

It was another scenic drive (see numerous other previous superlatives) to Whitehorse and I am doing laundry and showering. 202,506 595 miles

[GTABurnout]

Looks like a good time. I hope I have the time and ability to do this type of trip one day.

[02TahoeMD]

More please??

[Rot Box]

^what he said!^ :drool:

Excellent writeup and pics I can't get enough!

[fisher205]

August 14, 2009

I get a really late start out of Whitehorse. I have trouble with the internet connection and getting some email sent. I then check out the old paddle boat, but it was a guided tour and they were all full until after lunch. I then went to the grocery store to stock up. I can’t seem to find anything in it and it is huge. Time again to get out of town.

Pretty much straight driving through some nice country. 6 weeks ago I would have been really excited about it. Now it’s just nice. I turned south before Watson Lake and I am heading down the Cassiar Highway. Stopped at a rest area and ran into this old guy that I have kept running into since going up to Prudhoe Bay. Him and his wife are in their 80’s and drove their 40 foot motor home all the way to Prudhoe Bay. It’s his 6th time up there. I had run into them again in Haines and we talked awhile there. He had told me then the trick was to take the early ferry because I wouldn’t find a place to camp, but I had already bought my ticket. He told me they rarely ever stay anyplace they have to pay for. But anyway they were heading back to their home near Bend OR, so they could get ready to go south for the winter. I have enjoyed talking to him over the miles. Tonight I am camping at Boya Lake.
202,807 316 miles

August 15, 2009

I woke up fairly early and get out of the campground. Its overcast and I decided last night not to go to telegraph Creek. I put the miles on to Meziadin Lake and will stay here tonight so I can get the morning light on the Glacier on the way to Hyder. I will check out the bears and maybe come back and stay here tonight.

I saw two black bears on the way down here. A small one was too far away and crossed the road too fast to get a picture. The second one was only a little farther up the road and stayed around a little bit to pose. It then acted annoyed and headed out into the brush. It was another day of driving through large mountains that I can only see the base of. Its late afternoon and I am waiting for the wind to die down so I can fish.
203,090 297 miles
August 16, 2009

The wind never did die down enough to fish last night. So I went to bed fairly early. It’s weird to have it be pretty dark out. The combination of being farther south and later in the summer is giving some shorter days.

I got going early again so that I could get morning sun of the Bearfoot glacier. Believe it or not… it’s overcast again. I got some good pictures of the foot of Bearfoot glacier. I drive through Stewart and Hyder. There isn’t much to see, but they seem to be agreeable towns in my way of thinking. I see the people from Texas that I met two nights ago in Hyder and talk to them a little bit. I head on up to the “bears” walkway and find out none are feeding right now. I talk to Karl from Jackson Wyoming. He has a new Alaskan and comes out every year to watch the bears. I find out there is like bear groupies that come out all the time and know all the bears and have given them names. They can tell you about the bear families and what has happened to the bears. Karl says that there were two young bears in this morning. They are 4 year old brothers and that they spent more time wrestling than fishing. Evenings are the best time for me to catch them.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17021.jpg

I decide to head up to Salmon glacier. The road turns into a narrow windy thing with huge drop offs (1000ft). It looks like the death road from Brazil. The only thing good is that you drive into the clouds and you can’t see over the edge anymore. You can barely see the road. I stop at the summit viewing area and stand around with a bunch of other people in the cloud. There is a guy (The Bearman) that is selling DVD’s and post cards of the glacier and the bears that he took. He tells me to keep going on the road and it will drop out of the cloud shortly. There will be good views of the glacier.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17037.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17086.jpg

So off I go though the clouds with a 1000 foot drop off on one side of the road. But it’s not far and does clear off and the drop off is only 900 feet. The glacier is interesting. So I keep driving on the road and come to a valley with 4 smaller glaciers and breathtaking views. The road drops into the valley and dead ended at a washed out bridge. I spend the next 2 hours over there. I then screwed up my courage and started back to the cloud in the sky road, but not before taking a side road that cut in above the glacier only about 300 feet above it. The road got narrow enough that I got out and walked. It was blocked by land slides farther up.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17056.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17081.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17084.jpg

I got back to the summit and the clouds had lifted above it so that I could see the Glacier and I found it was really 1500 feet down. I was nervous driving all the way down.

I got to the bears and they had shown up right after I left earlier and left just before I came back. I went to town to the “Bus” for some sea food. I had lots of people recommend it. So I met Diane the owner and Deb her helper and had some halibut. Also the two guys I had camped next too in Homer were there.

I went back up to the bears and the brothers showed up while I was there. It was like movie stars were coming. People were announcing them. Everyone lined up along the viewing platforms to see them. Well the bros put on another show. They spent most of their time fighting and playing than fishing. I think about half the fish they caught were used more to tease each other with than to eat.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17091.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17126.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17144.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17165.jpg

Anyway as you can tell from this post it was a long and eventful day.
203,198 113 miles

[HMR]

Thanks for the GREAT story and pics!

Looks like I missed you by 6 weeks. Wish I could've bought you lunch and drooled over your camper.

http://wileyp.smugmug.com/photos/587687025_shzYa-M.jpg

[Ford Prefect]

awe those bears are DANCING! How presuous!

haha

Very cool shots, and congrats one being able to see such things. Looks like great fun.

(though I am honestly a little nervous about seeing bears of any size that up close and personal... )

[fisher205]

HMR,
Good photo of the bus. I didn't get any photo's of it and it was probably the best food on the trip. Thanks for the comments.
Some more pictures of the bears.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17160.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17109.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17123.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-17122.jpg

[AlabamaDan]

Really enjoying your journal. Keep them coming. Interesting people take the same photos on their journey. Live your dream man and enjoy the road.

[Red Zebra]

Really enjoying your journal. Keep them coming. Interesting people take the same photos on their journey. Live your dream man and enjoy the road.

+1 !!!

:lurk:

[rctr03]

great report! keep it coming.
jimmy

[fisher205]

Sorry I took a few days off for pheasant hunting.

Thanks for the comments. I hope this wasn't the trip of a life time because their is just too much yet too see.

August 17, 2009

I am sitting next to the Buckley River in Smithers, B.C. municipal campground sipping on a beer while I update the log. I plan on going fishing for pink salmon in the morning before taking off.

It rained off and on all night last night and was heavily overcast this morning. Today started early so that I could get over to fish creek and watch the bears. There was an older female there and the “bros” were down stream. All the pictures I took were bad. The light was low and so the shutter speed was too slow. I set the camper up in the parking lot and downloaded the 250 pictures I took yesterday. I did some other filing of photos and then went to check the bears again. There wasn’t much happening so I just sat around in the rain and talked with some of the regulars. I can easily see myself coming back up here. A little after noon I went back to the bus for lunch before I left. Diane was smoking some fish so was late with lunch. I had the chowder today and some grilled Coho salmon. Both were excellent. I was going to get a togo cup of the chowder. It was still raining at 2:30 as I left town. The water falls that come off of the hanging valleys were fantastic.

The drive to Smithers was uneventful. Just some rain showers off and on, and one small bear for wild life. It was strange to see fences along the roadway. There is a lot of haying going on around here. There have been some ranches in Alaska but I didn’t see as much. So to see agricultural stuff all around is different. The campground here is nice. One of the guys at Hyder (Karl from Jackson) told me about it. He stays here a lot and told me about how the manager Joe Kennedy is such a great guy and he was right. Anyway another very pleasant day. 203,400 212 miles

August 18, 2009

I got up this morning and fished for a couple of hours with no success. I made a good breakfast, went to Safeway and hit the road. A lot more traffic on the road and I now run the speed limit and have to quick gawking as much. This is pretty country with lots of rivers. St George is large. I skirt the edge of it but still get caught in a snarl of traffic. It’s about the same size as Sioux Falls. Canadians don’t believe in freeways. That may be good though.

I got to just south of St. George and stayed at a little campground. It’s a private one along the Fraser River. I thought it had an internet connection but they wanted an additional 3 dollars for that. I did get a long hot shower in. I also cooked some new potatoes that they had in at Safeway. The owner of the campground said that the fishing is poor. The water temperature is up 8 degrees above normal. This is the first time that I have worn shorts in a month. It is pretty warm here tonight.

There is a boat going slowly back and forth across the river. I couldn’t figure out what they were doing. I thought they might be trolling, but they were on the wrong side of the boat (since when does that matter, right Steve?). I then noticed the survey grade GPS receiver they had mounted on the boat. That they were running transects then made sense. I wonder if it made a bottom sounding at the same time as it took a reading?

A guy pulled in next to me and parked, went to the river, jumped in a boat and took off. An hour later he came back. He had been fishing and had about 4 big salmon. I asked him about it and he had a gill net down stream and was catching sockeye. They are about over. He said rod fishing wasn’t that good here without a boat.

August 19, 2009
It was warm last night. I had the camper opened up and didn’t need the sleeping bag until early this morning. A lot of highway noise and Canada sure has a lot of trains…

The fisherman was back this morning with helpers. I think his boy looked to be about 11 and the girl was about 6. You could tell the boy had helped before and the little girl hadn’t. The boy would patiently move her out of the way as they loaded stuff and then helped her get into the boat. They had a large king salmon when they got back. It was a late straggler.

I stopped at the visitor’s center at Quesnal and use their wifi to check email. There was nothing too exciting in it. As I dropped farther south it became more arid. It really reminded me of southwest Wyoming. It is filled with huge lakes. I wanted to go to Kamloops area to camp and to fish a stream east of it. Well every campground was full.
I should have found camping earlier but I wanted to get to this area. I finally found a campground at Pierre’s Point near Salmon Arm at 8:30.
204,055 (2 days) 688 miles

August 20, 2009
I found out why the campground wasn’t full a short time after getting set up. A CN train comes by about every 2 hours. I think this was their main east-west line. Not a very restful sleep. So I got going fairly early this morning. I stopped at a couple of the wineries and do some tastings. I mainly take photos and see what they are doing with them.

The Okanangan Valley is full of Winery’s, orchards, huge lakes, and people. It also seems to have a lot of ski areas. I didn’t realize how big most of these cities were through here. Kamloops and Kelowna are at least 100,000. The other towns range from 1000 up. It is hard to tell when you are leaving one town and entering another. But every campground is full. I think everybody is having their last fling before school starts.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-22062.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-22057.jpg

I push on to Nelson and it seems to be a decent town. It’s a little bigger than Spearfish. Also the…. (wait for it) the campgrounds are full. I decide I am headed home anyway. I end up going to Salmo. It has a municipal campground with showers and even better yet… A place to camp. 204,390 352 miles

August 21, 2009

There was some thunder and a light rain last night. I got going fairly early this morning. I decided to get going home. I want to get a day with Sherri at home before she goes back to work and I need to get some things done there too. So with a nose for the barn I let the old Dodge have its head and we are going home.

The only problem is we have a lot of beautiful country to go through yet. It is great country all along the base of Canada. I will have to go back to the Crow’s Nest Pass Area. It was really strange to break out on the prairie again. The wheat was being harvested, hay was being put up must be getting closer to home. There were huge banks of windmills along the ridges south of the highway in Alberta. I guess just having gas and oil isn’t enough for Alberta. They’re trying to get the wind too. Good idea.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-22073.jpg

I did do a quick drive into Waterton Lakes before crossing back to the good old USA.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-08-22074.jpg

I have been ready to go home for a few days now. Anyway ready to see Sherri, so that when I decided to push to get home a day earlier I was really excited. But when the Border Patrol said welcome back to the US Mr. Ellis, it struck me that this little odyssey is almost over and I'm not sure I am ready for that either… But darn it the Dodge has the bit in its teeth and we’re headed home.

I fueled and grabbed a burger in Great Falls. I looked to the south and could see huge thunder heads and lightning. A bit of de-ja-vu. It was just like this last time I was in Great Falls in 1991. Anyway I was racing it to the east for awhile and then I had to turn south into it. I have been into a lot of overcast and rainy days on this trip. But I never did see anything like a prairie thunderstorm. I was talking to guy in British Columbia, and he told me about driving through South Dakota and getting caught in one. He said he had never been so scared in his life. They sure can be intense looking.

I found a place to camp north of White Sulphur Springs. It’s another late camp in the dark and rain. Luckily my cell phone has enough battery left to light so that I could do the padlock on the camper. Teaches me put the flashlight back in the cab. I will be home tomorrow. So tonight is my last night in the camper, at least as far as this trip goes. I will do an epilog to finish this once I get home. I don’t want to jinx anything now.
204,928 565 miles

August 22, 2009

I awoke to a sunny morning. I didn't sleep well last night. Maybe it's the last night on the road thing. This is my first time driving through the Belt Mountains. It’s not very touristy here and I am enjoying the road. I go on into White Sulphur Springs just to see it. I try to remember it as Ivan Doig described it in “This House of Sky” but my memory of the book is pretty faded. I head back up and catch US 12 east. It’s not long before this is one of worst roads I have driven on the whole trip. At least as far as a National Highway goes. It may be paved but I think the Campbell Highway was better. It eventually improves and I get through Billings. I stop for a late breakfast and get panhandled going into the fast food place. I am now on I-90 then 212 home. I think both the truck and I have run this so many times we can do it in our sleep. Which maybe good as tired as I am. I got home about 3:30 and it’s good to be back. 205,362 456 miles

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska0001.jpg

Epilog

Total 10,386 miles, and glad I did it. I came back to all the things I didn’t get done before I left and all that accumulated while I was gone. The truck ran fantastic. The only thing that broke was two springs in the driver’s seat and that did start to affect my posture and comfort. The items I didn’t get done to the truck before I left weren’t needed. I still will look at adding driving lights, a grill guard/ bumper and definitely tow hooks and maybe get the Dodge so that I drive it instead of herd it down the road.

The camper was a different story. It was rough when I bought it and my years off road adventures in it haven’t helped. Some of the problems are; 1) the front cab over area sags about a half inch. This allows bugs to get in while driving. It is unpleasant to climb into bed and find a bee there. 2) The cab over area also does not seal very well. 3) The back door is now loose in its hinge and sagging. I can’t figure out how to tighten it. 4) The left rear corner is hanging up when lifting or lowering and it seems to need continual tightening of the many screws holding it together. 5) The thermostat needs to be replaced. 6) The dry rot that has a huge effect on the stability of this camper. But you know for being 25 years old, neglected and abused it held together and provided shelter. I never got wet and always felt secure and comfortable. The Nova Kool refrigerator worked great and shut down as it was supposed to when the batteries were low. The furnace worked well also when the problem with the thermostat was figured out. My system for filtering water was a bit cumbersome but worked. It does need some refining. I also need some better reading lights. The LED’s don’t seem to draw bugs and don’t use power.

I feel validated in my ideas about creating a “simple” dependable camper. After 7 weeks of living and traveling in it I do see things I would like to change or improve and will start on them when time, money and opportunity lets me. But even with these issues it is setting in the driveway and I can have it ready to go in about two hours including grocery shopping. I would take it on the same trip again right now as it sits (well maybe fix the seat).

Some things I learned on this long of a trip are:

•Take a day or two off from driving at least once a week. I think you need to catch up to yourself. You may not be working but you are going through a lot of changes and it does feel good to just quit moving.

•Campgrounds especially in National Parks or high frequented areas, have a spot not later than 2 in the afternoon. It's a lot more fun looking at scenery, not for campsites.

•There are interesting people on the road. If staying in a Campground be sociable. I mixed my stays between in the bush and campgrounds. Some of it was because I was traveling alone and got tired of talking to myself, but I found out about a lot of the places that I enjoyed the most by other travelers telling me about them.

Thanks for reading.

Brad Ellis

[TangoBlue]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Very motivating.

[4 play]

Thanks for sharing your dream trip with us. For I too would like to complete my dream trip.Which is pretty much the same trip as you followed.

[Rot Box]

Just reading through your story again :coffee: I guess I didn't realize you went solo.

I like traveling alone for the most part. I find that it is very peaceful and it helps me get clear my mind.... or loose it it all depends :elkgrin:

Thanks again

[RedDog]

I like the shot of the windmills on Cowley Ridge. Here's my Jeep at the near identical location.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/DogofRed/AlbertaFoothills.jpg

[wyorunner]

Thanks for the awesome trip report, I cant wait to do my own in a couple of years. I am doing a similar trip north in the summer months of 2011. Not exactly sure on everywhere im going, just know that I am going, and i have 6 months to do it.

Turner

[MATTY291]

Great report. Thank you for doing it. Great pictures. Post more if you have them. I want to go on a trip like this bad. Thanks for the ideas & tips.:victory:

[rustyjames]

Awesome!!!!!!

[stevenmd]

Simply amazing.:)

[Jean-Seb]

Beautiful ! I'm looking forward to doing a similar trip myself. Glad you enjoyed it ! I enjoyed the pics. :D

[fisher205]

Thanks for the comments, and I'm glad to share it with you. The saga of the bad furnace thermostat continues.

I was cleaning a some pheasants Sunday night and could hear a clicking sound coming from the camper. It was the furnace trying to ignite. Everything was "supposed" to be off . The thermostat indicated it was off. The camper hadn't been used since mid October when I used it for opening weekend of pheasant hunting. So it has killed the batteries. We've been only having highs of 10F so no work has been done on it. - Brad

[SWbySWesty]

Excellent write up! I like the log feel of it. Had to leave a note since I read the whole thing!

[karimik]

fascinating trip! how does it feel to be back?

[Carlyle]

Thanks for the awesome write up Fisher205! I just finished reading from start to finish and I'm now dreaming about Alaska/northern BC and how to get the time off work to spend a few months to do the trip.

A few points:

Where is the best fishing?

Its' awesome that your Alaskan is twenty five years hold and still in one piece, so many campers out there will never last ten years, let alone twenty five years.

Consider Hella map lights for reading, they are slick.

Will you email some of your pictures to me?

You should do an article for truck camper magazine, they would love to hear from you.

If you want to splurge, Atwood makes a digital thermostat you can set and walk away from at 55 degrees. A catalytic heater would also make your life easier as it has no power draw on your batteries.

Any good ideas on insulating the cabover? I'm considering a snap on insulating strip or just a long sock along the edge. Your thought?

Thanks again

Carl

[XXXpedition]

brings back memories :-)
just looking at your map makes me think of our trip...

[fisher205]

Kari, It felt good to be back home. I wasn't ready to even do a long weekend over Labor Day of camping. It's now been 4 month's and I did one weekend of camping and really ready to do another trip. Must quit reading the travel section of the forum.

Carl, If you shouldn't ask me about the best fishing. I obiously didn't have a clue. Late in the trip I did find the book "Highway Angler" by Gunnar Pedersen and it was a good reference. If your there duing the Salmon runs I would recommend getting some egg patterns for the Rainbows and Dolly varden. I was using Royal Wulf and Coachman on the Grayling in the Yukon.

I will check out the Hella map lights. I am currently all fluorescents.
I'm not familiar with Truck Camper Magazine. will have to check it out. Most of the time the truck camper guys seem to be more about slideouts, and comfort camping (not that I have anything against comfort). But my rig is somewhat spartan on purpose.

The current thermostat is an Atwood. I am looking to go lower than 55. If I can conserve fuel I can stay out longer. I had an Olympia 4 but pulled it out due to worries over CO buildup and moisture. It also was slow to heat the camper up.
I am thinking about reinstalling it as a supplemental heater. With as much air as my old camper leaks, CO probably isn't an issue. How has yours been for fuel usage?
The newer Alaskans are sealed up much better than mine. I redid my insulation after looking at one of the newer ones. But I used some of the foam that goes around window mounted air conditioners to stuff in the side gap. You should be able to find it at any hardware store.

We should start a ideas for Alaskans thread since there are getting to be a lot of them here. Especially older models.

XXX glad you enjoyed, After reading your blog I was ready to go buy a Cherokee and start traveling. - Brad

[skysix]

We should start a ideas for Alaskans thread since there are getting to be a lot of them here. Especially older models.


x2

[LTFJC]

Great write up! i hope to make it back to AK some day soon..

[comrad_zeelaagee]

what a beautiful trip. i could only imagine doing something like this sometime in my life... maybe when the boy gets older i'll do it with him.

thank you for sharing!

[Jferg]

A great read. I remember my trip to the Yukon and Alaska of 30 years ago. I am off to relive that trip again this June. I'll be travelling up the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean rather than the Dalton Highway.

[Rot Box]

I am off to relive that trip again this June. I'll be travelling up the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean rather than the Dalton Highway.

Please take many pictures and share it with us! :wings:

[Jferg]

Please take many pictures and share it with us! :wings:

I plan on taking my computer with me so I can download my pictures off my camera and then e-mail the pictures home. Is there any particular way pictures have to be uploaded on to this forum?

[briones76]

Awesome writeup! I can only imagine about taking a trip like this. One day I will though. Thanks for the great stories and pictures. I leave for my 1st big trip this summer to the 4 corners and hope to do some fly fishing myself while im out there. Thanks again

[mnfeo2]

Very nice write up! Hopefully Ill be doing the same thing this year.

[C-Fish]

Excellent journal of your encounters...I have been to AK three times on business. Each visit was one week.

I logged ~1400 miles each trip on the rental car just to take in the amazing scenery AK has to offer. I visited in June/July for three summers (2001, 2002, 2003).

I WILL make a trek like yours someday.

Once again, thanks for your recount, it brings back some very nice memories for me...:ylsmoke:

[Explorer 1]

In the summer of 1973 I spent 3 months in central Alaska as a construction worker, Ambulance driver and jail warden. Was able to visit some of the spots you went to. I'll try and did up some of the old photos, scan them and post them so you can see how much has changed.

The road into McCarthy and the Kennicott mines was a real challange with several deep river crossings. The final crossing just outside the town was where we had to park our vehicles and pull ourselves across the river in a small cart suspended by a single steel cable and two pullys. :Wow1:

Thanks for sharing so much personal experiences and great photos,

Fred
Explorer 1

[Co-opski]

In the summer of 1973 I spent 3 months in central Alaska as a construction worker, Ambulance driver and jail warden. Was able to visit some of the spots you went to. I'll try and did up some of the old photos, scan them and post them so you can see how much has changed.

The road into McCarthy and the Kennicott mines was a real challange with several deep river crossings. The final crossing just outside the town was where we had to park our vehicles and pull ourselves across the river in a small cart suspended by a single steel cable and two pullys. :Wow1:

Thanks for sharing so much personal experiences and great photos,

Fred
Explorer 1

They took out that old hand tram and put in a foot bridge now. I bet it was cool to see in the 70s!
You must have been doing some pre-pipeline construction work?

[timaus13]

Magnifcant report I enjoyed it More thna words can say.

Would love to goto Alaska one day.

Cheers

Tim AKA Gadgets:victory:

[yellocoyote]

This is a fantastic read and photos!

I am also just beginning to do the research and planning for what I hope to be a 2012 trip to Alaska. Unfortunately I'll only have 3 weeks to do it. But it's posts like yours that will be very helpful in making preparations.

Thanks again!

[Explorer 1]

Found these of what the trip to McCarthy was like in 1973. It was a two day journey back then from Glennallen. Back then Glennallen was just a small point at the crossroads.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/Glennallen.jpg

We traveled in two vehicles, much of the time standing in the back of a flatbed ( I was much younger then). We camped in the open along the way.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/stuckonriver.jpg

At one crossing we stalled and fortunately there was a parked Bulldozer nearby that one of the guys knew how to operate. He then pushed us across and parked it where he found it.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/Beingpusheracrossriver.jpg

One river crossing we had to drive across the old Railroad trestle. I chose to walk across instead of being a passenger!

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/riverincanyon.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/rrbridgeandcreek.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/onrrbridge.jpg

The final river coming down from the glacier at McCarthy we had to pull ourselves across in this cart.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/Crossingriver_xF8FF_2_fst1.jpg

At the time I thought little of the adventure, just another day in Alaska!

Thanks and hope you enjoy the old photos,

Fred
Explorer 1

[Jean-Seb]

Wow ! Great pics !

[Jferg]

Thanks and hope you enjoy the old photos,

Fred
Explorer 1

I certainly enjoyed those old photos. Thanks a lot.

[Explorer 1]

They took out that old hand tram and put in a foot bridge now. I bet it was cool to see in the 70s!
You must have been doing some pre-pipeline construction work?

Your right the pipeline was in it's holding stage at that time. I remember just east of town before the "Hub" you could see as far as your eye would allow a cut in the trees about 15 -20 feet wide where the pipeline was supposed to go someday. I also remember all the bumper stickers on cars and trucks that said "Sierra Club GO HOME!"

My construction was building Alaska Bible College at the time it was just a few rooms behind the hospital. We completed the first wing of their builidng before we left for the "lower 48" at the end of summer.

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1

[Rot Box]

This is such a great thread! I catch myself re-reading it every now and again :elkgrin:

[Ford Prefect]

Funny, I was just re-reading it myself. Very nice thread.

Also, Fred, thanks a lot for your photos and input! Very neat to see the old stuff.

Brian

[fisher205]

Thanks for the comments and the old photo's were great. I used to keep keys for Cat, John Deere and Clarks equipment on me just to borrow something if I got stuck. It did come in handy a few times.

I had a bad realization yesterday. I was going to post a couple of pictures of the current condition of the bridges Fred crossed and I seem to have lost all my trip pictures. There was about 2500 of them ( I didn't bore you with the 1000 pictures of glaciers. I was saving that for when company came over). Of course I hadn't backed them up. I changed them from my laptop to another computer, so I'm hoping they are just misfiled.

I've got the main pictures still on Photobucket.

Life has changed dramatically and I am busy with work and may have to staff up again. But the wanderlust is getting pretty bad again.

Thanks again for the compliments.
Brad

[Explorer 1]

I was digging through a old drawer and found a few more old pics of my time in Alaska in 1973. Hopefully you'll enjoy these too! I can't believe It was over 37 years ago I was there!

Maybe you recognize some of the places.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/Manglacier.jpg

Mananuska Glacier

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/Yellowtruck.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/Mayoringreenconv.jpg

FRED RUNGREE DAY Parade in Copper Center

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/glennallenlookingwest_2_fst1.jpg

Glennallen from the HUB

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/fishwheel.jpg

Fishwheel on the Copper River

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/davestradingpost.jpg

Dave's Trading Post on the way to McCarthy

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/McKinleyroad2.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q41/fredsjeep/McKinleyroad.jpg

Road to Wonder Lake

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1

[SavageSunJeep]

THANK YOU for a great report...I will use this in my planning...:)

[fisher205]

I'm glad you can use it. the only problem for me is reopening this thread and seeing Fred's old pictures. I get all nostalgic, and I wasn't even there back then.
Brad

[fisher205]

One year later.

Little strange this morning, thinking of a year ago and the excitement to get going, the impatience of waiting at a slow fast food place and a construction zone. Just that feeling of let's get going.

This morning I'm sitting, sipping a cup of coffee and contemplating building trellis's for my tomatoes. The Alaskan isn't even sitting on the truck.

A year ago I had laid off my staff, put all my office in a storage unit due to no work. I have now set up a new office, restaffed and working 6 days a week. It has been a weird year.

Enough of my musings and I'm hoping everyone is having a safe and fun 4th of July.

Brad

[stkshooter]

Brad

Great read, enjoyed it!

I traveled all over the U.S. and Europe for years when I was younger and now live in FL. Family life and a few buss. ventures later, I'm getting that travel bug again but it's hard to cover enough ground over 2 wks. vacation, so I use it for hunting season. As you mentioned always wanting to take this Alaska trip, I have bird dogs now and want to hunt Pheasant in S.D. and was wondering if you could offer up some PM info. I use a conversion van for camping and try to keep it simple only staying at campgrounds every few days to clean up. We have lots of public land in FL where I hunt and was hoping to do the same in S.D. but as you know when on a time schedule and budget, you don't have enough time to spend your vacation scouting or pay a guide for a week. You have to rely on the locals for insider info.

I plan to hit Arkansas for some duck hunting and maybe deer then up to S.D. for a week of pheasant hunting. I have a GSP NAVHDA UT prize one dog which I plan to use for these hunts but would be willing to leave him in the box if able to hook up with some locals with good dogs. He is a great Quail dog but only been worked on pen raised pheasants may require small learning curve.

Any tips for a hunt in 2011 ?

Thanks
Jon

[oryxexpeditions]

I was digging through a old drawer and found a few more old pics of my time in Alaska in 1973. Hopefully you'll enjoy these too! I can't believe It was over 37 years ago I was there!

Very cool pics. Potential old school expo rig in one of them. :) Thanks for sharing those. Love the signature quote too.

[fisher205]

Jon,
Thanks for the comments on the trip.

I was pheasant hunting yesterday. The western part of the state where I live isn't known for it's pheasants, but I usually still get out once a week. Two of us hunted for over 4 hours with only 1 pheasant and a grouse for each. But when you find yourself chasing 2 dogs, 20 roosters pell mell across the praire and laughing your head off you know it's still a good day.

I go back to the central part of the state at least a couple of times of year There is a lot of walk in and some areas to either free camp or statecampgrounds camp especially along the Missouri river. Will pm you about some locations. Your dog should do well if you can hold him within range. Pheasants prefer to run and are fast (See comment above about running).

I usally can get away for a day or two of hunting with very little arm twisting

[RusherRacing]

As for public land the best is in Central SD like "fisher" stated. I always liked the public land around Reliance, SD. Thats probably where I am heading this weekend.

East River is harder to hunt this year than normal especially on public land. The slews are all flooded making it impossible to hunt them.

You can get a book that shows all the back roads and public hunting ground once you reach SD. I think it is put out by the game fish and parks - I always pick up my copy from Cabela's in Mitchell.

I am not sure when you are planning on coming up but the public lands do get a little over hunted. I know of some private ground that has tons of birds but they charge...

You could roadhunt if the public land isn't producing.

I also have (my inlaws) a farm east river north of Madison, SD but we have very few birds this year and most of the good pheasant areas are flooded...

[BEVAN]

This is the first thread I read through on expo...one of the things that made me join..

[Touring4x4]

Great story, great photos, awesome trip. Thanks for sharing. :victory:

[Jim1960]

The one thing I have learned is: If you are the only camper in a wide open area, the next camper will always park right next to you.
I can't begin to tell you how many times this has happened to me. It's like they feel safer huddled together for safety

Great trip report. Maybe some day I'll be able to follow in your footsteps.

[BobA]

Great writeup and pic's,thanks for sharing.

[AATA]

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/fisher205/Alaska%202009/Alaska2009-07-25153.jpg


Hopefully I left the right picture, so can somebody educate me on what these trucks are used for? Are the used in the oil fields? If so, for what?

It should be a picture of the trucks with the huge tires on the second page in I think Deadhorse?

thank you!

[vevans]

We lived in Calgary Alberta for a while and my wife worked in the office of a company called Canadian Foremost. They made vehicles like these for travel over the tundra for oil exploration, drilling and site restocking. The large terra tires allow the vehicles to "float" over the soft ground in all types of weather.

They are in use in the "northlands" all over the world.

My wife just reminded me that they also shipped vehicles to desert areas in the middle east for use on desert sands.

I like to read travel logs like this to Alaska because we too along with 11 other RV's traveled from Phoenix to the arctic circle, around Alaska and British Colunbia for 100 days in 2004. We traveled about the same 10,000 miles. We did it early in the season before the tourists and large travel clubs. We wee back home by mid July.

Had a great time and it is on my bucket list to do again.

If it is your dream to do this, don't put it off too long. Life is for the living........

[shultzie]

Thanks for the write up and the great pics....I love to see people going out and living there live's to the fullest!! :victory:

[Creature]

Great report!
I see you are from Spearfish, one of my favorite places to visit - love the deep fried pickles at Sanfords!

[71WarWagon]

Awesome write up!! My wife and I have been talking about doing a trip just like this with our kids for a few years. Its very interesting to see and here about the exact same trip we were planning and gave us some insight into what to plan for.

The only thing I wanted to clarify is that the gentlemen/ women that work the "burger window" at the US Ports of Entry are NOT Border Patrol Agents. Though they may secrectly want to be and though they may work under the same branch of Gov't( diff. division), they are not Border Patrol Agents. Office of Field Operations ("smurfs") man the POE's, Border Patrol agents have a responsibilty for all the backcountry in between the POE's. Just wanted to clarify that.....lol.

[JLink]

Thanks for sharing this journey. I would really like to take some time off and take a trip up there.

[maxingout]

I have done the inside passage, but not the land route. I look forward to making the trip on land. The wilderness is simply awesome in that region of the world. The photographic opportunities are unlimited, and I can hardly wait to make the trip.

[Stoneseeker]

Thanks a lot!
The new and older pictures are very special, back in the youth ;-).
These trip makes me running brain...
The 2 year trip about the young people from switzerland
is a very good idea...

All the best:camping:

[jrfII]

Read it, loved it, will read it again! Thanks for sharing.

[4x4x4doors]

I just found this thread and loved it. Thanks for sharing your trip and notes along the road. Although it's been a while, I hope you'll see this and know its still appreciated.

[Anu]

Just found this thread. Beautiful pictures. :clapsmile