Has anyone here drove the Alaskan Highway? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 11-20-2005, 04:56 PM

Has anyone traveled on the Alaskan Highway in the last 10 years? I have family in Alaska and they said on was a PIA years ago but I don't know wnyone that has done it lately.

J. R. B. · #2 11-20-2005, 06:34 PM

I lived up there ten years ago. The brief time I was in Anchorage all I heard were horror stories about the Alcan. Everyone who travelled it said you better have extra gas and spare tires along. If your car survived the trip you saw some fine scenery and wildlife. When I went up there I flew as I had a job waiting for me in a remote mining camp. For two years I was a heavy equipment operator and camp machinist when they broke down. I loved it up there and still consider Alaska my home.

Uriah · #3 11-20-2005, 06:44 PM

Not yet, but it's on my list of things to do before I die.

kerry · #4 11-20-2005, 07:18 PM

I drove it to Ft. Nelson and up to Ft. Liard in 1989. I didn't find it to be any problem at all. Some friends of ours took their motorhome all the way this past summer and had no complaints at all.

#5 11-20-2005, 07:30 PM

I'm thinking about taking the family on a long road trip I think that would be fun, how long of a trip is it from conus to Alaska?

kerry · #6 11-20-2005, 07:36 PM

I had four days to get from Denver to Ft. Liard to pick up a floatplane. Made it to Ft. Nelson in three days, but it was a lot of driving. As I recall, I left Denver late one afternoon, got to just south of Montana. Made it north of Edmonton the next day and the third, got to Ft. Nelson. But it's been a while so my memory may not be accurate.

#7 11-20-2005, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry edwards

I had four days to get from Denver to Ft. Liard to pick up a floatplane. Made it to Ft. Nelson in three days, but it was a lot of driving. As I recall, I left Denver late one afternoon, got to just south of Montana. Made it north of Edmonton the next day and the third, got to Ft. Nelson. But it's been a while so my memory may not be accurate.

Cool I'm going to spend a couple weeks doing it. We are going to the ranch in Montana and then to Alaska....I'm thinking a motorhome but I think that a Suburban or dually and trailer would be best.

Palangi · #8 11-20-2005, 09:28 PM

Everything you could possibly want to know about driving the Alaska Highway is in this book:

http://www.themilepost.com/

Annual publication. Mile by mile description. Outstanding resource for that trip.

I drove it in 1980. 10000 miles in 3 weeks.

blackmercedes · #9 11-20-2005, 10:48 PM

Here's the C230, summer of 2003, outside Watson Lake...

Here we are at the "signpost forest" at Watson Lake...

North of Fort Nelson...

Outside Whitehorse on the way to Skagway...

blackmercedes · #10 11-20-2005, 10:55 PM

Entering Alaska...

At Skagway, at the ocean...

Construction...

Rancheria...

I've driven the highway many times, but hadn't been from 1985 to 2003. I found the highway highly improved with most poor spots eliminated and many of the sickly bends taken out. We had no problems whatsoever and even the gravel construction bits were tame compared to what they used to throw at us 20 years ago.

We're planning on going back again, and soon. The highway was fun and the trip a blast. It was great to be back in the Yukon and I miss it.

TX76513 · #11 11-21-2005, 09:31 AM

We did the Alcan in 1988 and it was excellent. Two things we learned; we undershot our itinerary each day getting in much later than planned. This was because there is some awesome spots that are must stop! Second, make hotel reservations - I don't know what were thinking, but it's not the big city. As said above the Milepost is the authority for Alcan travel.

william rogers · #12 11-22-2005, 02:13 AM

I drove with a friend in 88 ,we took his truck full of household good as he was planning to stay(I stayed 4 months was just divorced and loved every minute of the trip and the time I was there). Road was easy way back then .There is no way to discribe the beauty and size of what you will see.

A couple of not so good things are the gas prices in Canada lodging and food cost. hay trucks that pass you at autoban speed , and you sure don,t want to hit a Moose.............

William Rogers.........

oasis100 · #13 11-22-2005, 05:47 AM

What happen to that news about that bridge thats costing millions to build, a bridge to nowhere. I remember someone saying that they could buy everyone a learjet who lives on the island that this bridge is connecting to. I also remembered how outraged the senator was from alaska, when he was asked to give the money back to support the victims of Katrina.

mzsmbs · #14 11-22-2005, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oasis100

What happen to that news about that bridge thats costing millions to build, a bridge to nowhere. I remember someone saying that they could buy everyone a learjet who lives on the island that this bridge is connecting to. I also remembered how outraged the senator was from alaska, when he was asked to give the money back to support the victims of Katrina.

that's juneau are and not even close to alcan. i think it's still on though

mzsmbs · #15 11-22-2005, 11:26 AM

my old boss drove the highway about 10y ago. he said it was awesome and he keeps telling me to go and experience it. he went from IN to Yukon in 3 days.

he even found time to pan for gold.. with quite a bit of luck... he said he met prospectors that were prospecting as their "summer jobs" this is definately something i want to experience one of these days.. he also said he just camped along the way.. plenty of spots available.... lol