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RE: Alaskan Marine Highway Experience?
MILEPOSTS has been the best paper reference for Alaska trips for years. Lots of ads, but also detailed, and generally upto date travel info.
I may be wrong on this, but don't think you can get to Glacier Bay by ferry. The state ferry runs from Haines and Skagway in the north to Juneau, and places south - evenually to Washington. Glacier Bay is not close to any town, nor on the way between any.
Nost visitors see Glacier Bay from Cruise ships, which start in Seattle or Vancouver. Mileposts (and local ads) should guide you to shorter excursions, by air or boat (as passengers) from the northern ferry towns.
A ferry that get's closer to tidewater glaciers crosses Prince William Sound, Whittier to Valdeze. There may also be local excusion boats from these towns.
Again, review Mileposts (or equivalent) before putting too much effort into planning your trip around Glacier Bay itself. Also check out the park's own web site, paying attention to dates it's expected to be open to boats, etc. If there's too much floating ice, boats won't be able to get anywhere close to the glaciers.
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paulj
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09/20/23 03:37pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Brookings to Medford
Currently google maps detours off 199 at Patrick Creek, taking a forest service road across the state border. I think there's a another thread about some fire closures here.
As far as Patrick Creek 199 is easy, following a broad river valley. Beyond there it, when open, the canyon becomes narrower, and the road curves more. Whether that's actually bad depends on your size and experience. 199 uses a tunnel to cross the top, so avoids the worst of climbs and curves.
A good alternative is go north to OR 42 doubles the miles, but with the current detour doesn't take too much longer. And no significan grades or difficult sections.
In Del Norte County, State Route 199 has 1-way traffic control with pilot cars leading traffic from Patrick's Creek to Collier Tunnel - Due to a wildfire - Expect 1 hour delays.
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paulj
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09/06/23 07:54pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Billings Montana to Great Falls via Neihart MT ?????
I drove 89 throug Neihart some 20 years ago. I thought it was a nice scenic interval in an otherwise flat and open route. But I was in a SUV, so can't say whether it's too steep/curvy for an RV. Google maps has tools to explore that yourself - zoom, streetview, even the bike routing gradients.
Routing progams don't choose by easiest - unless you have some sort of rv/truck option. Usually the choice is based on time - distance and estimated speed. Sometimes a mountainous route may have a slower estimated speed, but I think that's more based on road type than some sort curve or gradient measure. The route through via 89 is both longer and shorter.
Atleast on a full computer interface it's easy to explore alternative routes - just drag a point.
(The gradient option for bikes isn't much help here; it recommends something totally different, using a lots of local roads rather than the main highways.)
Kings Hill Scenic Byway
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paulj
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08/27/23 06:26pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Burns, OR to the coast
According to the official Oregon Tripcheck, only 242 is closed due to fires - any you don't want that with an RV anyways.
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paulj
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08/21/23 06:47pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Highway 89 in Utah
I have the eBook version (east/west combo) on my laptop and never plan a trip without it - especially in mountainous states:
The Mountain Directory
....
Rob
When people advertise the Mountain Directory for specific route questions, I wish they'd just post or summarize any relevant notices. For example on the 89/9 they might warn of a tunnel with height restrictions through Zion NP. Or grades on the alternative US 14 to Cedar City. Or lack of any notices for US89 itself.
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paulj
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08/17/23 12:03pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: East glacier at Highway 49 to Two Medicines CG
464, Duck Lake Rd is the easy, straight and flat route from Browning to Babb and St Mary.
Years ago I stayed at the St Mary KOA in Sept without reservations.
I haven't driven it, but 49 between E Glacier and 89 appears to have zig-zaggy ridge crossing at the north end.
Yes, 89 is twisty enough to be tiring at the end of day even in a car. According to the state dot, they are finishing up widening and straightening some of this. It is the main road from the east into the park.
Google street view, the underpass on 49 right off of 2 is signed at 13', (12'8" in a newer photo)
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paulj
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07/28/23 11:55am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Hyw 199 from Grants Pass to Crescent City California
The highest point near the state border is a tunnel. Then the California side follows a major river, curvy but no significant grades. Just stay in your lane and give logging trucks and semis space. Closer to the coast you get into redwoods.
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paulj
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07/22/23 07:02pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Willamette Valley to Whidby Island
Living just north of Seattle, I like to make a loop on the Island. Using the Mukilteo ferry one way, and the Deception Pass route the other. Port Townsend is another option, but that ferry is smaller and not as frequent - and reservations are encouraged. But it does put you right into the middle of the Island.
So in part the choice depends on where on the island you are headed.
Yes, it is nice to avoid the urban freeway driving by leaving I5 at Olympia, but the Kitsap roads are mostly 2 lane, except around Silverdale.
If time matters, and you aren't aiming for the south part of the Island, staying on I5 (or 405) to WA20, and taking the northern non-ferry route probably is fastest.
Speaking of the north route, I often like to take the slightly slower and more scenic route via La Conner (with a meal in town).
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paulj
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07/20/23 04:53pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Ohio to Wisconsin
The usual advice is to accept the urban traffic on I80 across the south side of the Chicago metro area, and then head north on I39 (or may for SW WI, maybe further west). You have to go quite a ways further south to avoid suburban roads.
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paulj
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05/03/23 09:21am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Arizona, lots of great routes... roads, not so much
Flagstaff weather prediction is a low around freezing, and chance of rain or snow Thursday. I don't think that's optimal pothole patching conditions.
https://azdot.gov/adot-news/adot-crews-moving-quickly-address-pavement-damage-storms
https://azdot.gov/news/i-17-pavement-improvement-project-starts-again-south-flagstaff
https://azdot.gov/news/governor-hobbs-joins-adot-announcing-505-million-investment-road-repair
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paulj
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05/01/23 09:26pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Yellowstone closed roads?
Here as in Washington, if it isn't National Forest, it's going to be open range land, with relatively straight and flat roads. Google Maps terrain mode gives more details.
Most questions about the area have to do with crossing from east to Yellowstone. For that the Big Horn Mtns are the main concern, with US16 easiest, US14A hardest. And going into Yellowstone, there's climb west from Cody, and another seasonal drive NW to US212 and the NE entrance.
And south of Termopolis the highway goes through a canyon, with at least on tunnel.
Otherwise, I think wind will be more of an issue than grades or curves.
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paulj
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04/04/23 01:42pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Yellowstone closed roads?
Are you asking about roads within Yellowstone, or state roads going around it. The big flooding news last year was on the north side of the park, the north entrance through Gardinier, US89. That was washed out in many places. I haven't kept up with repair or reroutes. Maintaining access to Gardinier and Cooke City is a winter priority.
I also recall flooding images around Red Lodge on US212, but I don't think that was severely damaged. US212 is closed for the winter, with a late opening.
The Google Maps closures in the park mention either April 5 or May 26 for opening. Other than 212, I don't see any closures outside the park.
ON the park's road conditions page the only mention I find about flood damage is
Northeast Entrance Road (Flood Recovery)
Location: East of Tower Junction between Lamar Canyon and the Northeast Entrance
Access: Expect up to 30-minute delays beginning early summer 2023 through fall 2023.
Improvements: This project includes the completion of work to address flood-damaged areas of the Northeast Entrance Road. Construction will include completion of a two-lane realignment in Lamar Canyon, paving a second lift north of the Trout Lake Trailhead, stabilization of streambanks adjacent to the road, and work in the Pebble Creek Campground and Warm Creek Picnic Area. Additionally, some guardrails, culverts, and other drainage structures will be replaced.
The rest looks like the usual winter reopening details.
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paulj
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04/03/23 09:43am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Page AZ to Flagstaff
Several years ago there was a landslide on US89 that blocked the climb north of the US89alt turn off. While that was being repaired (over a year if I recall correctly), the Navajo route through Lechee was paved and made available as a detour (instead of the much longer detour via 98).
Google "chooses" routes more on time (that is distance * estimated speed), not on quality. So yes, if this is shorter, and it applies the same estimated speed, it will recommend it. That doesn't mean you should follow that.
From the streetview at the Sinclar gas station at the south end, people are still using this 'detour'. But there is a "watch for animals" sign right away - that is free range cattle. That's probably more of a concern if driving it at night.
Google has multiple years of streetview images for 89, but only part of IR 20 (from 2019). IR20 is clearly a lesser route, with narrower shoulders.
2013 item about paving N20. I forgot that it was that long ago!
https://azdot.gov/adot-blog/state-transportation-board-approves-funding-shorter-us-89-detour
https://azdot.gov/node/8417
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paulj
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04/01/23 10:28pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: California Highway 20 or 299
A quick check of Oregon Tripcheck does show widespread 'chains or traction tires', especially I5 border crossing, but also elsewhere. Even a few hills on 101. So using 20 to get to 101, and staying on that to Washington is the best way to avoid those, at least for the next few days.
Seattle area has predicted snow showers without accumulation Sun, Mon, Tues AM.
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paulj
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03/31/23 10:58pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Vancouver island and Prince Rupert to Jasper.
Some more details on the ferry schedule. This was in May 2003, with Port Hardy departure around 6pm, 3 stops during the night, and arriving in PR late afternoon. Our ride to HG was the next evening around midnight, arriving with the morning mists. We got a cabin for both legs, but not for the daytime return ride from HG.
We got to Port Mcneill in the afternoon, and took the ferry to Malcom Island, and camped on the north shore. That was a nice ocean view campground with hiking to the point. The only downside was some local kids partying in the evening. Besides some history at Sointula (sp?), the island has some nice hiking, with cute locally painted signs.
The ferry also serves Alert Bay, with more history and culture sights, but we didn't stop there. It may also be a cruise ship stp. Since the ferry didn't leave until the evening we spent time hiking at Fort Rupert.
While I believe there's a RV park near the PR ferry terminal, I opted for the nearest Provincial Park (which had just opened), Prudhomme Lake. That was the first a nearly constant week of rainy nights. We toured Terrace and Kitimat, with short hiking at Lakelse. And Greek restaurant in Terrace (don't all BC towns have a Greek restaurant, as well as Canadian-Chinese?).
On the return we drove straight to Terrace, and got a motel for showers and laundry (and a tire patch at Canadian Tire). On the earlier return trip from Alaska we did the full tour at Ksan, but this time just spent time viewing the rapids.
It used to be that the summer ferry was nonstop and only 12 hr; now it's 16hr with one stop, leaving PH 7am, and arriving 11ish. For that I've probably try to get reservations at private campgrounds near both terminals.
Our return from Haida Gwaii had a bit of schedule change. For the first part of the week we camped on the north shore near Tow Hill, the second part as near Village of QC, with several day trips. A ferry employee stopped by in the evening and said we needed leave a day early. There was a delay in bring in a summer boat on line, so they had to juggle the schedule, and continue to use the Queen of the North (yes, the one that later sank) for this run. So we had to pack up early the next morning to get to the Skidagate terminal and wait. I think this was Victoria Day.
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paulj
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03/23/23 10:04am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Vancouver island and Prince Rupert to Jasper.
I hadn't thought about your charging needs. I've watched some electric youtubers, including one group that took a Ford Lightning on the Dalton in Alaska. My earlier cars where a 84 Trooper II, a S10 pickup, a 1st gen RAV4, and now a Honda Element. Mostly it's been tent camping, with some nights in the Element. Cape Scott was a short backpacking camping hike.
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paulj
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03/21/23 10:31pm |
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RE: Vancouver island and Prince Rupert to Jasper.
There's lot to see and recommend; may be it'll be easiest to enumerate my trips
1980s - Sunshine Coast (kayak Sechalt), Powell River, Comox, Tofino (beach camp), Victoria, Port Renfrew (Botanical Beach)
- With trailer sailboat, Nanaimo, Campbell River, Kayokot Inlet
- return from Alaska via Stewart, Terrace, PG, Jasper, Banff, Calgary
1990s - Powell River, Campbell River, Strathcona PP, Victoria
- Carmanah PP (major gravel road)
- Gulf Islands, esp. Ruckel PP on Salt Spring
2000s - Campbell River, Ralph River (Strathcona), Port Hardy, Cape Scott (gravel), Little Quilcene
- Port McNeill, Malcom Island, Port Hardy, 24 May boat to Prince Rupert, week on Haida Gwaii, PR, Terrace, PG, Wells Gray
- Williams Lake, Bella Coola, and back (lots of gravel).
- Englishman Falls PP, Mt Washington Ski area hiking, back roads from Comox to Port ALberni, Bayfield, Carmanah, Gordon Bay, Port Renfrew, Victoria.
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In a sense I could pick almost any provincial park on the Island and find good camping and hiking. But trying to focus on Parksvile and north. Originally the drive north was a bit slow, but scenic along the coast. Now its freeway all the way to Campbell River.
There's lot to see around CR - Elk Falls PP, Strathcona PP, Quadra Island.
The next leg is through more remote working forest, with a scattering of Rec Sites and PP, but not a lot of sights close to the highway. Little Huson Caves is worth a stop.
At Port McNeill you are back at the coast, with a short ferry ride to 2 nearby islands, and other coastal fishing resorts. Closer to Port Hardy, there's nice beach hiking at Fort Rupert.
When we drove this in May, the run to Prince Rupert had several stops and took 24+ hrs; summer run I believe is 12 hrs. We had a small dog, who tolerated the long ride, but didn't enjoy it.
An alternative to PR would be Bella Coola; that's a shorter ferry, and over all I think the BC area is more interesting the PR (unless you go out to the Islands).
Between ferries at Prince Rupert we drove inland to Terrace, and south to Kitimat - that's industrial, but there's a nice big lake on the way.
Further inland on 16, New Hazelton and Ksan Village/Museum is worth a stop.
There's probably more to see along 16, but both times I drove it, I was pushing to get beyond Prince George, so didn't look too much at sights.
Anyways, it's been fun taking a mental inventory of many trips up there. I don't know if we'll get back to BC any time soon.
(p.s. this thread might be moved to the Canada/Alaska section, where Canadians may be able to add more)
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paulj
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03/21/23 09:36pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Hwy 89A in Northern Arizona
89A has two distinct sections. The early replies assumed you were talking about the southern one, heading out of Sedona. The northern one crossing the Colorado is quite different. It does climb and curve more than 89 through Page, but it's still ok for big rigs.
From Google Maps terrain mode I see that Kanab is 5000ft, Jacobs Lake is 7800, and Marble Canyon 3600 (and north rim is 8200).
The problem stretch from Sedona, heads north up a canyon, then quickly climbs out of in a series of tight turns. I17 climbs the same amount, but with more distance and less curves.
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paulj
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03/16/23 10:36am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: hwy 140 from Merced to Yosemite...any advice?
Not too long ago there was another question about driving to Y. That poster didn't like the long down hill on the 120 route. He seemed to be ok with the new Priest Grade up, but got hot brakes on the downgrade.
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/30375639.cfm
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paulj
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02/12/23 06:46pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: hwy 140 from Merced to Yosemite...any advice?
Not too long ago there was another question about driving to Y. That poster didn't like the long down hill on the 120 route. He seemed to be ok with the new Priest Grade up, but got hot brakes on the downgrade.
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paulj
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02/12/23 06:27pm |
Roads and Routes
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