We went in 2013, the drive through the Canadian Rockies is awesome! Took the Alaskan Highway up to Dawson and crossed the river to get on the top of the world highway. Once on that road, take your time, it is all gravel and some people FLY down it, if you see someone barreling at you in a cloud of dust pull the the side and hope none of their rocks they are kicking up hit you. We had no problems with cracked windshields or flat tires at all, the key is take your time. Whats the hurry anyway? We found that the last 300 miles through the Yukon was boring, we didnt see a living thing and that includes a bird! BUT Dawson City is by far the coolest town I have ever visited! Dirt roads, old board walks the atmosphere is very soothing. We did all the normal stuff, stayed in Chicken alaska which is the first town you will come to entering alaska from the Top of the world highway, panned for gold there and found a little, Denali, Fairbanks hit em all, but aside from Denali the part we personally enjoyed the most was the Homer Spit. Alaska has some of the largest tidal swings there is and also Bore tides. When we were there I think the tidal swing was almost 28'. Be prepared for going slow though, the roads are a little bumpy, all toll I am sure we did well over 300 miles on gravel roads although some of the gravel roads are better than the paved roads. One thing about alaska, you generally have to backtrack to go to a different place lol. Enjoy yourself and take your camera, we saw a dozen bear in one day going through Canada around Banff.
Oh, and there is a coupon book you will come across for different trips and stuff, buy it, it will save you a bunch if you are doing any touristy stuff, some are buy one admittance and get one free.
PS: fill up every time you come to a gas station, its hard telling where the next will be that is open, plus the further north you go in canada the further up the price of gas goes. Dawson was almost $7 a gallon, got to chicken alaskan and we thought WOW we better fill up at $3.25 a gallon! lol forgot we were back in the states. If you come back on the Cassiar highway, the fill up at every station REALLY holds true. You will see people carrying gas cans on top or on the back of their vehicles and it is about 400 miles of nothing but you and the wildlife with the occasional gas station, although Jade city is cool and they let you spend the night in their parking lot for free.
Thor Forums
