The
Milepost 2008 ,
edited by Kris Valencia
2008 marks both the 50th anniversary of Alaska's
statehood and the 60th edition of the king of highway guides.
The Milepost 2008, edited by Kris Valencia, is the
road trip bible for anyone intending to drive to Alaska or
through the four Canadian provinces along the way from the
northwestern United States. The Milepost provides mile-by-mile
descriptions of the roads and scenic attractions, making it
ideal for all travelers to this spectacular region. Megan
Edwards found the 2007 guide to be especially helpful when
she visited Anchorage late last year and when she was planning
her trip
down to Seward.
I have been reading and reviewing these annual
guides for several years and the astonishing thing to me is
that although the total page count stays roughly the same,
the editorial group behind this guide manages to add several
pages of new content each year. Flipping between the 2007
and 2008 editions, I was struck by the many new photographs
appear in the 2008 volume. I don't know what the exact count
is, but there are well over 500 color photos and 100 maps.
I did notice that they have added one more "Basic Itinerary"
to the line-up. Route 4 covers a loop through Campbell, Cassiar
and along the Yellowhead Highways. As in past years, there
are three "special feature" topics, one on the availability
of highway lodges, a series of articles on statehood celebrations
and a very funny article by Ken Coates who owns up to being
the number one "thief" of the famous milepost signs
along the Alaska Highway.
Each year, The Milepost's field editors
drive all sections of the roadways described in the book and
provide current information about road conditions. This year,
thirty major routes are profiled and itineraries for sixty
side trips are provided. The field editors also seek out new
and out-of-the-way discoveries of the sort that make road
trips so memorable. Every traveler to the far north ought
to read the first forty-seven pages of The Milepost,
because the detailed information provided there covers just
about every topic needed for planning a road trip to Alaska
and the Canadian provinces. Included are excellent overviews
about vehicle preparation, insurance issues, road conditions,
mosquitoes, bear and other wildlife viewing, time zones, sled
dog tours, and just about everything else you ever wanted
to know.
One of the best things about The Milepost
-- and an excellent reason to buy the latest version -- is
that it includes detailed updates about changes in the roadways
each year. Alerts printed in red provide information about
truck lanes, caribou crossings, improved sections of highway,
and changes made since last year. A very cool addition to
this year's book is a section at the front that outlines four
itineraries. Each route is a loop covering some of the most
spectacular parts of Alaska and the Alaskan Highway. I recommend
purchasing this year's guide for these itineraries alone.
They are outstanding.
The Milepost 2008 has expanded coverage
of ferry and ocean cruising options for the Inside Passage,
as well as expanded information about the Alaska Railroad's
"GoldStar" service. These special trains are equipped
with glass-roofed viewing areas that offer riders an elegant
platform from which to enjoy stunning Alaskan scenery. The
"Crossing the Border" section should be required
reading for any traveler intending to explore the region.
One of the places described in The Milepost
that I would love to visit is the Wrangell-St. Elias National
Park. Wrangell, which covers 13.2 million acres, is the largest
national park in the United States. It features nine of the
16 highest peaks in the country, a 300-foot waterfall, and
two canyons that are said to exceed the size and scale of
Yosemite Valley.
The Milepost 2008 -- once
again -- paints an enchanting description of America's last
frontier as it provides all the real-world information necessary
to make an Alaskan road trip dream come true.
Mark
Sedenquist
4/11/08
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