Just finished 18 days, two ferries, and 2600 miles from Juneau to the Arctic Ocean. Long trip, no break downs, and nice to be back in the truck camper again.
We moved to SE Alaska two years ago, first living on an island with about 23 miles of roads, and now in Juneau, where we have about 40 miles of roads more or less. To use our camper on the road system entails a $500 ferry ride, so we don't really use our truck camper much anymore. We bought a big boat that we camp out of now, but we sure miss our truck camper days. This trip filled a big void in that regard. Just driving anywhere more than ten miles is a novelty, when you live in a place with very few roads that all dead end in the ocean.
Our "truck camper", the boat. Our "road system" in SE Alaska is endless, but it's all water. So we spend A LOT of money on fuel, zipping around here and there, visiting forest service cabins on the ocean.
Past time in Alaska, catching lots of salmon and halibut.
Day 1: Ferry to Skagway and drive to Whitehorse, Yukon.
330 am wakeup for a 7 hour ferry ride to Skagway up Lynn Canal.
We live in a rainforest.
With lots of glaciated peaks.
We spend almost every day on our boat, we didn't see this from the ferry, but I thought I'd throw it in here.
Arriving in Skagway, while it is inundated with cruise ships.
On a road longer than 40 miles!!!!
Made it to Whitehorse, Yukon. This time of year it gets dark at 1100 or so and light at around 0300 or so. It only got worse on this trip. Makes it hard to sleep.
Day 2-18 later....
We moved to SE Alaska two years ago, first living on an island with about 23 miles of roads, and now in Juneau, where we have about 40 miles of roads more or less. To use our camper on the road system entails a $500 ferry ride, so we don't really use our truck camper much anymore. We bought a big boat that we camp out of now, but we sure miss our truck camper days. This trip filled a big void in that regard. Just driving anywhere more than ten miles is a novelty, when you live in a place with very few roads that all dead end in the ocean.
Our "truck camper", the boat. Our "road system" in SE Alaska is endless, but it's all water. So we spend A LOT of money on fuel, zipping around here and there, visiting forest service cabins on the ocean.
Past time in Alaska, catching lots of salmon and halibut.
Day 1: Ferry to Skagway and drive to Whitehorse, Yukon.
330 am wakeup for a 7 hour ferry ride to Skagway up Lynn Canal.
We live in a rainforest.
With lots of glaciated peaks.
We spend almost every day on our boat, we didn't see this from the ferry, but I thought I'd throw it in here.
Arriving in Skagway, while it is inundated with cruise ships.
On a road longer than 40 miles!!!!
Made it to Whitehorse, Yukon. This time of year it gets dark at 1100 or so and light at around 0300 or so. It only got worse on this trip. Makes it hard to sleep.
Day 2-18 later....
trackhead wrote:c.traveler2 wrote:
Gakona Glacier, the road to the campsite near the glacier, is there a sign pointing it out or some indication that your on the right road and how far was the hike to the glacier from the campsite?
The side road is pretty obvious. I don't recall a sign, but you can't miss it. There aren't many side roads like that in AK. Hike to glacier was maybe 3 miles?
You can see the glacier from the highway, and the road is quite obvious.
Here's a couple of photos of the road I'm thinking of along the Richardson highway, does it look familiar?
Day 15: Beaver to Haines Jct
Sunny weather in the rain shadow of the St. Elias range. Warm temps and swimming in Yukon lakes.
Sunny weather in the rain shadow of the St. Elias range. Warm temps and swimming in Yukon lakes.
Day 13-14. Gakona to Tok.
Rain rolls in, views of the Wrangell's are obscured. A bit of fishing, and more rain.
Little skiff we paddled out near US/CA border. Caught some tiny trout.
Rain rolls in, views of the Wrangell's are obscured. A bit of fishing, and more rain.
Little skiff we paddled out near US/CA border. Caught some tiny trout.
Day 12: F-banks to Gakona
Best campsite of the trip, by far. Drove about four miles of semi rough road to camp near the Gakona Glacier. Then sprinted up to the base of it before nightfall. Unreal place.
Saw this twice, once in Delta, and in Coldfoot, where we had to wait a day for gas to arrive.
Ice caves at terminus of glacier.
Best campsite of the trip, by far. Drove about four miles of semi rough road to camp near the Gakona Glacier. Then sprinted up to the base of it before nightfall. Unreal place.
Saw this twice, once in Delta, and in Coldfoot, where we had to wait a day for gas to arrive.
Ice caves at terminus of glacier.
Day 11: Yukon to F-banks.
Made our way off the haul road and did a little (emphasis on little) fishing near F-banks. Caught a few small grayling, nothing compared to our 8-20lb salmon we catch, or 60lb halibut, but still fun.
Yukon river bridge.
Tiny grayling.
Camp just outside of F-banks.
Made our way off the haul road and did a little (emphasis on little) fishing near F-banks. Caught a few small grayling, nothing compared to our 8-20lb salmon we catch, or 60lb halibut, but still fun.
Yukon river bridge.
Tiny grayling.
Camp just outside of F-banks.
Day 10: Marion Creek to Yukon River Camp
Back at our favorite campground at Marion Creek and to do some $4/load laundry at Coldfoot.
Simpleton dirt lot camping at Yukon Camp. Not my favorite place, but it works.
Back at our favorite campground at Marion Creek and to do some $4/load laundry at Coldfoot.
Simpleton dirt lot camping at Yukon Camp. Not my favorite place, but it works.
