Road Trip to Alaska- Help!

[jtmigrator]

Hello everyone-

I am in dire need of assistance. Please share your knowledge with me! I am moving from the Dallas area to Glennallen Alaska and with only about one month to prepare! The logistics are a nightmare! I have decided to drive with minimal possesions and buy cheap furniture when I get there. Anyway, here is the lowdown:

I am driving a 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.3 lt. V6 with a luggage pod on top and probably pulling a small Uhaul trailer (approx 1500 lbs loaded). I am leaving on or around the first of August and need to be there by the week of the 8th. Max transit time will probably be 10 days. My concerns are as follows.

I need to find a route that balances expediency, safety, and opportunity to see as much geological and natural beauty as possible. I would like to drive through some parks in the states like maybe Glacier in Montana if there is time and I definitely want to see a lot in Canada. I know there is too much to see in the amount of time I have so I am counting on you guys' knowledge and experience to pick out the best for me. I'm not sure where I want to enter Canada (in the east or west) because we might want to stop and visit some friends in Seattle on the way and I'm not sure what side of the Rockies offers the best natural attractions.

My specific concerns are for the safey of the vehicle regarding all the stress it will have to endure because of road conditions, inclines, climate, luggage and trailer towing etc. and also I am a bit concerned about the security of our property against the supposedly rampant car burglaries in Canada.

Thanks for reading all that and for any help and information you can provide to help make this road trip succesful.

P.S. we do plan on driving some very long distances the first 24 to 48 hours and whenever else it's necessary to expedite our progress north.

[PNW Judy]

That's a 4000 mile drive going the direct route so you're going to have some long driving days the whole way. Not just the first few days.

I've never driven farther north than Prince George, BC, so I'm no help with ideas on sights to see, etc.

I would suggest getting a copy of "The Milepost" which is an annual guide to driving to/from Alaska. My in-laws have used it to drive up there and it is invaluable. Full of tips. And, since it is updated yearly, it's current.

Oh, and coming to Seattle to visit your friends adds about 300 miles to your trip. With so many miles to cover already, I would hesitate to add this detour to your trip. Remember, driving up there will be slower than driving on interstates down here.

BTW, the route MS Streets & Trips suggested (however, this doesn't mean it's the best or the most scenic) is:

I-35 to Abilene
I-70 to Denver
I-25 to Buffalo, WY, where you will merge with I-90
I-90 to Billings, MT
Hwy 87 to Great Falls, MT
I-15 to Canadian Border
4 to Lethbridge, Alberta
3 to Fort MaCleod, Alberta
2 through Calgary to Edmonton
16 until it intersects with 765
765 to intersect with 43
43 to Valleyview, Alberta
34 to Grand Prairie, Alberta
2 to Dawson Creek
97 to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory
1 to Alaska Border
2 to Tok, Alaska
Glenn Highway - along the northern and western perimeter of the Wrangell-St. Elias NP to Glenallen

3920 miles, estimated driving time 81 hours. (That averages out to about 48mph...I have a feeling you will be going slower in some areas due to wildlife, road conditions, construction, so plan for longer to be safe.)

My...you sure have an adventure coming up!

[jtmigrator]

Thank you very much Judy! I really appreciate you taking the time to post that info. I already picked up the milepost but short of reading several hundred pages of "mile posts" I don't think it is going to be a very good aid in choosing my route- however once I have chosen a route I think it will be very helpful in fine tuning the planning. I guess I may need to leave sooner huh?

[PNW Judy]

No problem. Let us know how your plans shape up and then report back to us how your trip went. We love trip reports around here!