alaska 2015 - which route - again

[sljohnson1938]

I messed up my first post by using the wrong mileage, which in turn messed up everything else.

we are planning a trip to Alaska this Summer. I have been looking at two different routes.

Route 1 - depart home, Mt. Airy, NC, and go North up to Michigan to visit our two daughters and families and two new great grand babies. From there we plan to go North across the bridge up to the UP and highway US2 then West to Grand Forks, ND. From there we go West to Minot, ND then North on highway US52 in to Canada and Dawson Creek. Total miles Grand Forks to Dawson Creek is 1318 miles. Of which 305 are in the US and 1013 are in Canada.

Route 2 - same as route 1 up to Grand Forks, ND. Then US2 from Grand Forks to Sweetgrass, MT. then North in to Canada and on to Dawson Creek. Total miles 1565 of which 792 are in the US and 773 in Canada.

This means route 2 is 247 miles farther than route 1. Or 4 to 5 hours driving time. Fuel cost will not be that much different when you consider the difference in fuel cost in the US vs Canada. The big difference to me is the 5 hours (one way) driving time. A round trip doubles the above mileage and driving time.

Which route would you choose? I am leaning toward route 1.

Again, sorry about the first post.

[4X4Dodger]

This really seems to come down to Economics or Scenery (or Both)

Economics-wise the more miles you drive in the USA the cheaper the fuel.

I drive US Hwy 2, to and through Williston (ND Bakken Oil Fields) almost daily, sometimes as far as Glasgow MT and have no problems. HWY 2 in ND is 4 lane and very good. Traffic is not heavy by the standards of even most medium sized cities in the US.

However the same distance heading NW through Canada would be much more scenic. But more expensive on a per mile basis due to the higher cost of fuel.

In actual fact the stretch of HWY 52 NW of Minot is at least as heavily trafficked by large trucks as HWY 2 and it is only 2 Lane most of the way. This is a big border crossing for Train Crews and Truck Traffic and can take a while depending on Day/time.

Hwy 2 in ND cannot be classified as SCENIC by any measure of the word.

[sljohnson1938]

thanks, but because of the wife's doctor appointments we cannot depart until July. last year we had planned to go to Alaska again, but she had two eye operations, cataract, so we could not leave as planned. but, anyway thanks for the info. way back in the 1970's we drove up thru that area when we went to the Calgary Stampede. I do not remember the exact route, but I do remember Lake Louise because it was so beautiful. That was our first visit to Glacier and the first time our 3 kids ever saw snow and this was in July.

[Tee_Jay]

Try that route in the Spring to go north. There will still be ice and snow on the mountains along the Icefields, sort of why Glacier does not really open until July. The road from Jasper to Hinton to Grand Prairie will be all new, no expansive prairie views. Coming home via the Cassiar and south on Icefields the view will be completely different from the spring. The only road you will have seen before is Grand Prairie to Dawson Creek.

[sljohnson1938]

Tee Jay wrote:
Have you been up Hwy 93 from Missoula to Banff/Lake Louise? The the Icefields Parkway, Hinton, Grand Cache and Grand Prarie?

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no, I had planned to return that way, sort of. the plan was to return via the Cassiar Hwy, down to Lake Louise, then down thru Eureka, Mt. thru Glacier NP, across MT, ND then home.

I have heard that crossing ND could be tuff because of all the oil field work. Lots of truck traffic.

We have been to Glacier 4 or 5 times and really like it there.

[Tee_Jay]

Have you been up Hwy 93 from Missoula to Banff/Lake Louise? The the Icefields Parkway, Hinton, Grand Cache and Grand Prarie?

[sljohnson1938]

you guys I guess did not read the post. I said nothing about the Alaska hiway.
The entire post was about getting up to Dawson Creek. I have been there before and there is nothing getting to Dawson Creek that I have not seen nor care to see again. Once we get to the starting point (Dawson Creek) I promise I will move at a snails pace.

[PA12DRVR]

"The Alaska Highway doesn't care about time or speed. If you try to over-plan the journey, the enjoyment can quickly dissipate. Some 100 mile sections might take 5 hours of hard concentration, and other 100 mile sections will take only 2 hours.

Or there could be a washout or forest fire that closes the highway for 2-3 days, while you boondock the other side of where you hoped to be.

Take the route that intrigues you the most and toss the clock and calendars out the window..."

x2 or 3 or whatever. For this trip, an extra 5 hours driving (or for that matter IMNSHO) an extra 500 miles shouldn't matter that much. It's all about motivation. I took one trip (going south) when I was interested in getting to Seattle when I was bugged that it took me 72 hours. I took another trip (going north) when there was no reason to get to Los Anchorage and I could have easily spent 2 weeks (between Spokane and Los Anchorage) vs. the 10 days I took.

If you are taking this trip for the scenery and enjoyment, take the route most appealing and pay no mind to the time/distance.

[AlCar]

We went up through Michigan this summer, crossed over at Mackinac and followed the QEW through western Ontario, Skatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, etc. From Columbus, OH to Dawson Creek was about 2200 miles. Advice: Don't plan on so many hours of driving or so many miles a day as they will ruin your enjoyment of the trip. Allow plenty of down time to see the sights, observe the animals when you see them---which can be any where from a few minutes to a half hour or more (we did this a lot). We found CG's were not a problem in terms of getting a site for the night...a call the day before was all the advance notice for most and some we made just by driving up to the office and asking. The trip is scenery, animals, adventure, seeing things that are nor possible in the lower 48. We spent 70 days on our trip, didn't see everything and are planning to go back in a few years.

[Chiefelectusn]

5 hours? 247 miles?
In a trip of a life time I really do not think it matters.
As others have said-----
Detours, construction et al, etc might wipe that time very quickly.
Go, have fun, enjoy, look you might never get another chance and take your time.

[lonnie4801]

I have taken the route through Minot to Saskatoon twice; in 2009 and 2014. The hwy is good.

I have been on the hwy from Saskatoon to Dawson Creek 3 times; 2005, 2009, and 2013. The only bad section I have ever encountered is a 20 mile section just before you get to Edmonton; and it has been the same on all 3 trips. The surface is not pitted but the seams in the hwy make for a very rough ride. We travel it at around 40 mph. If they would just resurface it with a layer of asphalt it would be great.

However, there are always short sections of road under repair regardless of the route you take.

As mentioned before, if you are concerned about a few extra miles then you are on the wrong trip. Just take the one that looks most interesting and enjoy.

On a trip to Alaska the trip is as much the destination as Alaska. EXPLORE AND ENJOY.

[lizzie]

From NC we head north (Nashville, St. Louis, Kansas City,)to get on I-80 to head west but if you are starting from Michigan, either I-90 or US 2 will be better. We usually wait until Montana to cross into Canada to save on fuel costs. Please don't base any decisions on saving five hours of driving time. You may wind up spending five hours watching a bear or a sunset or making a detour around a flooded highway, It is a long and unpredictable trip, go with the flow. lizzie

[crabbin_cabin]

Absolutely -as friend Sue so wisely put it - TOSS the clock and enjoy the trip!!

[sue_t]

Gosh, if you're already counting hours then this trip might be a stressful one.

The Alaska Highway doesn't care about time or speed. If you try to over-plan the journey, the enjoyment can quickly dissipate. Some 100 mile sections might take 5 hours of hard concentration, and other 100 mile sections will take only 2 hours.

Or there could be a washout or forest fire that closes the highway for 2-3 days, while you boondock the other side of where you hoped to be.

Take the route that intrigues you the most and toss the clock and calendars out the window...

[2gypsies1]

I don't think you should be worrying about 5 hours of driving time. This is not going to be a short trip. 🙂

Pick the route that has the most interest to you and enjoy it.