How's the drive from Haines to Anchorage?

[JustT&Me]

Originally Posted by warptman

Just drive north and hit Highway 35 north to North Dakota and goto Winnipeg Manitoba and hang a left on the Trans Canada 1 until you hit Highway 16 and take that to Saskatoon Saskatchewan. From there stay on 16 and it'll take you to Edmonton Alberta and go west and hook up with Highway 43 and you will hit Grand Prairie Alberta. Not far from there you'll hit the start of the Alaska Highway at Dawson Creek. Just follow Highway 97, thats the Alcan until you hit Alaska.

Warpt - Was this in response to my question re: driving N. from TX, or one in reply to someone else?

If I go this fall, then I'd be driving from TX to Bellingham for the ferry. Not sure if I made that clear in my previous posting/s or not.

Thanks!

[tidelines]

I'm ferrying up on 3/21 to Haines, then on to Wasilla, THEN on to Fairbanks (family in both places). Made the drive same time last year from Wasilla to Washington (wanted youngest to experience winter driving in Canada) and the trip was fast, easy, and awesome as ever. Howsumever...if it snows, seems the Canadians don't maintain both lanes on those treacherous mountain passes and if you aren't used to sharing the pavement logging road-style with an oncoming semi, you might find those 20-30 years flashing by a lot more quickly than you'd anticipated. Overall, the drive is fantastic; daughter drove most of the way and without mishap (tho we saw several Canadians speed by only to catch up to them, wheels spinning in the air, upside down on the slick stretches), but the trip this month is purely for the leisure and, with the price of diesel, I'll forego searching for the cheapest pump at midnight. Taking a friend (and daughter again) up the water route as it's a new trip for him, then expect the leg from Haines to Tok will blow his socks off. He's planning locums work throughout the state and wanted to see southeast as well as mainland AK, so the combination of ferry and road is a good one. No matter which way you choose, it's all memorable. And it'll still be here when you decide to do it again. Happy trails. :-)

[Classic Satch]

Well, it's looking like the point is moot, at least for me. It's very likely that my wife is going to be accepting a position with a company that will pay for our move up there, including the vehicle. Hell, we won't even have to pack, they'll do it for us.

Thanks for the input Warptman and others.

[JustT&Me]

Originally Posted by Classic Satch

Well, it's looking like the point is moot, at least for me. It's very likely that my wife is going to be accepting a position with a company that will pay for our move up there, including the vehicle. Hell, we won't even have to pack, they'll do it for us.

Thanks for the input Warptman and others.

Congratulations! Safe & Happy Move...

[Classic Satch]

Originally Posted by JustT&Me

Congratulations! Safe & Happy Move...

Muchos gracias! (Living in San Jose, one has to possess a modicum of Spanish).

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by Classic Satch

Hell, we won't even have to pack, they'll do it for us.

If you have any antiques I recommend you packing them yourself. Most moving companies wrap breakables in newspaper only.

[fishkilla]

For "spring break" some friends and I drove from haines to anchorage. In march, the Yukon territory will still be frozen over, so it won't exactly be pretty, but it will be pretty empty. We put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator to keep our engine warm. kinda a funny thought, huh? A lot of the gas stations are seasonal too (ie may through sept) so you'll want to get gas whenever possible. i almost ran out once on an overnight excursion from haines to anchorage and had to sit in front of the pumps to wait for the gas station to open. no outside credit machines. good luck.

[rotorhead]

Don't know if I mentioned it earlier, but on our last trip to Whitehorse we found that US issued credit cards DIDN'T work at the pay-at-the pump terminals, though they would work inside. The problem is that a lot of stations in Whitehorse don't have anyone inside on nights and weekends, so you're out of luck. I don't know if that was a temporary thing or if it's still that way, but it's worth keeping in mind.

BTW, Whitehorse is the 'big town" around there, so it's probably even worse out in the sticks.

[ASpilot2be]

Originally Posted by rotorhead

Don't know if I mentioned it earlier, but on our last trip to Whitehorse we found that US issued credit cards DIDN'T work at the pay-at-the pump terminals, though they would work inside. The problem is that a lot of stations in Whitehorse don't have anyone inside on nights and weekends, so you're out of luck. I don't know if that was a temporary thing or if it's still that way, but it's worth keeping in mind.

BTW, Whitehorse is the 'big town" around there, so it's probably even worse out in the sticks.

There is a pump in Haines Junction that will take US issued debit cards.