Driving the ALCAN Highway

[cohoho]

Was going through some stuff and remembered got a couple questions from some folks about the drive from Alaska to here, so I figured I'd put together a photo outline of what we saw on the way down.  Hey it's winter and we got to have something to do...

[cohoho]

Some more as we went...

[cohoho]

And finally some more..............

[saylean]

Thanks for the pics...I want to drive that road...I am thinking I might do it this spring for the funk of it.

[Slider]

Nice!!! Makes we want to go for a drive!!!

[Skyvalhunter]

So was that a Spring time drive that you drove it? Drove up there in 1989 to go on a moose hunt out of Anchorage. Drove straight thru and from Everett it was 43 hours. I thought I was going fast but I had semi's flying by me like I was standing stil. I carried extra gas and spare tires but never had and problems with flat tires. But alot of the gravel road has since been paved.  It's well worth the drive everyone should do it.

[cohoho]

1 June 07, spring yes, just after snow was off the ground all the way down. Most of the main "Tourist Traps" weren't open yet, but plenty of gas stations and hotels, we camped a few times also.  The road is now 99% paved unlike in 2000...  except for the remote part of the trip, with a route all the way north through Chicken via Over the Top highway to Dawson that just opened two days before we crossed into Canada. Recommend the trip to anyone, excellent time frame and great views.  I hate to admit this but all the animals were in Canada and the best view too...
I might be driving back up this spring, taking a friends Air Boat that he is in the process of buying from Texas, keeping my fingers crossed that his purchase goes through, he'll pay for my trip both ways plus some extra for my troubles, and I'll be back for another spring bear hunt, a Halibut trip and King Salmon fishing for close to free.... Plus, I can finally bring down the antlers I promised someone on this site.... I know where they are at.... and it isn't in my garage....

[actionshooter]

cool pics, thanks!

[jackelope]

awesome pics, cohoho. i have wanted to do that trip for a long time. i even bought a copy of the milestone, but never got around to it, and the way things are going, never will.

[Head-shot]

Those are some really cool pics. That is a dream trip I am waiting to take. Just waiting till my boys are a little older and we don't have to stop to pee every hour. Thanks for sharing the pics my boys loved them...

[Michelle_Nelson]

Love the pic's!  That is one FAT Elk.  Looks like a cow with antlers!

[PacificNWhunter]

It's a beautiful drive, long but very beautiful. Drove up there with my Dad this summer, it's nice now that it's mostly paved! The first time we made the trip up there to see family the majority of the road was dirt

[sisu]

I've been over the highway 13 times with family, without family and once on my Harley. But the best trip for animal viewing was 2003 I believe it was late April. I don't now where the CD is right now but the pictures are similar to Cohohos. The weirdest experience on that trip was just outside of Haines Junction. I had pulled over to get a few hours of shut eye when I felt a presence and opened my eyes to see a bloody caribou gawking at me in the Subaru. Scared the crap out of me initially.

If any of you do do this trip please make sure you stop at the bakery in Haines Junction. It's located right across the street from the National Park headquarters. This is a must do stop. I am not a real fan of baked goods but this bakery is fantastic. Just ask the gas station guys where the bakery is that located close to the park headquarters.

Our family had so many experiences on the high way over the years. I can drive it and see in my minds eye the kids when they were wee ones, and teens. We found over the years that speed related to flat tires expecially on the chip rock surface.

As a suggestion if you are driving to Alaska. Make sure you go up one highway and down another that way you can see both.
Link on www.bellsalaska.com for Alaska highway is:  http://www.bellsalaska.com/myalaska/alaska_highway.html

link for Cassiar highway is:   
http://www.bellsalaska.com/myalaska/cassiar_highway.html

Cohoho, you have opened a bag of worms my friend. I could write volumes of these highways, adventures, and all the fun and games we had as a family on the trips.

Something I want to do is drive to Muncho Lake and spend say three to 4 days there doing nothing but fish. You ought to see the fish that come out of that lake! (lake trout, grayling, white fish, burbot)


I'm    ...dam I miss the Great White North sometimes

[cohoho]

Can't wait to see the pics and read the adventures....

[Slider]

Most people don't know how that Highway got it's name!!! It was named the Alcan because of all the empty Oil Cans lying along the Highway when it was built!!!