Alaska 2023

[Uncle Phil]

Questions - As I look at planning another Alaskan ride for 2023 I have questions.

1. Is a stop at Homer worth the trouble?
2. Is a stop at Whittier worth the trouble?
3. Is a stop at Valdez worth the trouble?

Are they all just 'towns' or are there things to see there and along the way (especially history and such)?
BTW, I don't drink and party so that aspect of it is of no interest to me at all.
What say ye for those that have been there?

 

[wbgva_roadkill]

Uncle Phil,

When I visited Alaska in '91 we drove down the Kenai peninsula to Homer. It's a long drive but the small towns along the way are interesting and I enjoyed watching the log skidders launching and retrieving fishing boats on the Cook Inlet. As far as Homer goes it's an artists haven with the beach and eagles, kind of an end-of-the-road place, offbeat, touristy but not as offbeat/strange as I found Talkeetna (near Denali) to be. In hindsight I wish I would've taken the boat over to the island town of Seldovia.

I've not been to Whittier or Valdez.

John G.

 

[skidlid1300]

Interior Alaska like Talkeetna for me was eclectic and cool. I have a cousin who has lived there for 35+ years. Mountain climbers for all over the world stay there to scale Denali.
I was there in 2006, stayed with my cousin. Skeeters can get quite thick in summer, luckily, I was there in winter.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I've been to a good part of Alaska via a cruise and 3 motorcycle trips. The cities I've listed is where I've not been and I am interested if they are worth the miles. From Nashville, it is 2,400 miles just to get to the 'beginning' of the ALCAN (Dawson Creek).

Uncle Phil - Alaska 2004

www.unclephil.us

Uncle Phil - Alaska 2012

www.unclephil.us

Uncle Phil - Canada 2013

www.unclephil.us

 

[amorley]

The Canadian border is open now to non-Canadians to transit directly to Alaska. You are not allowed to stay in Canada for more than the days required to directly do the transit. A couple of US citizens have got into serious trouble for stopping and touring around Banff while supposedly en-route from Alaska.

I enjoyed Homer. Tried to get a flight out to photograph the Brown bears on the shores of the Klamath River but they were all full.

The ride through the tunnel to Whittier is fun but the town itself is just a fishing and ferry town. I had thought of taking the ferry to Whittier from Valdez but the schedule did not work for my 2017 trip. I have not been to Valdez.

Have you been to Hyder? If not, it is definitely worth the diversion off the Cassier.

Alaska

Take the Top of the World Highway, 150 miles of dirt road, from Dawson City in the Yukon to Tok in Alaska. Continue on to Anchorage and then down into the Kenai Peninsular visiting the coastal towns of Homer, Whittier and Seward. Turn north through Denali National Parks to Fairbanks and...

www.texasmorleys.com

 

[Uncle Phil]

Been to Hyder three times - Stayed there once then started staying at the King Eddy in Stewart.
I've ridden up to the Salmon Glacier past Hyder on the construction road two times on ST1100s.
Sounds like Homer definitely is on the list, Whittier if I can get a ferry from Whittier to Valdez or vice versa.
Trying to figure out a ride so I can to the Haines/Skagway ferry again (got do the Haines/Haines Junction ride again!) and the Whittier/Valdez ferry is a bit of trick since they don't run every day.






And my favorite Hyder shot (with a little moving bear fur in the background)-

 

[Gerhard]

There is the option of taking a ferry from Washington State to Alaska. Cherie and I took a ferry from Prince Rupert to Vancouver Island and it was a beautiful trip, our ferry met one of the Alaska ferries and they had people camping on the deck with tents.

 

[Uncle Phil]

There is the option of taking a ferry from Washington State to Alaska. Cherie and I took a ferry from Prince Rupert to Vancouver Island and it was a beautiful trip, our ferry met one of the Alaska ferries and they had people camping on the deck with tents.

I've looked at that but it looks like a lot of days on the boat with a lot of stops, depending on where you are going to end up.

 

[ArTravlR]

One item to look for are Ice Age relics. Mastodon bones, ivory are common per the YouTube videos of Alaskan hydrologic mining. I picked up a petrified walrus tooth on the beach near Juneau in 08. I took the Marine Highway to get to Haynes. Best part of the ride up there. Then back through Alberta, Glacier, Hwy 2 in Montana. Enjoy your ride.

 

[TerryS]

Tried to get a flight out to photograph the Brown bears on the shores of the Klamath River but they were all full.

Alaska

Take the Top of the World Highway, 150 miles of dirt road, from Dawson City in the Yukon to Tok in Alaska. Continue on to Anchorage and then down into the Kenai Peninsular visiting the coastal towns of Homer, Whittier and Seward. Turn north through Denali National Parks to Fairbanks and...

www.texasmorleys.com

What were the Brown bears full of? Tourists?

 

[Verizoncellular1]

I'm considering my first ride up there next year. So far only been there on a cruise.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I'm considering my first ride up there next year. So far only been there on a cruise.

See my links in Post #4 - might give you some ideas of places to go.

 

[Uncle Phil]

One item to look for are Ice Age relics. Mastodon bones, ivory are common per the YouTube videos of Alaskan hydrologic mining. I picked up a petrified walrus tooth on the beach near Juneau in 08. I took the Marine Highway to get to Haynes. Best part of the ride up there. Then back through Alberta, Glacier, Hwy 2 in Montana. Enjoy your ride.

Where was your departure point for the ferry and how many days did it take?

 

[Uncle Phil]

And I might add the prettiest ride up in that area to me is the Haines Junction To Haines run -

Uncle Phil - Videos

Uncle Phil - Videos

Uncle Phil - Videos

Uncle Phil - Videos

Uncle Phil - Videos

And hopefully a ferry ride across to Skagway.

 

[MaxPete]

That sounds like a great trip UP - but as you say, it is contingent on the border being open (which is certainly is not right now).

As for the "transiting Canada to Alaska" thing - definitely do not mess with that. The horsemen (RCMP) are watching for US plates and they will jump all over you with fines of $1000 and more if you step out of line. I'm in the middle of Canada in Ontario (across the river from Detroit) and we hear a lot about Americans being stopped and fined for not following the rules - and there are no arguments about it. They really aren't kidding about this stuff.

Anyhow, I sure by next summer that things are back to normal - on both sides of the border.

Pete

 

[TRNewtown]

Two years ago I took a month long excursion in an RV from Seattle ending up in Anchorage. Homer was a highlight. It offered opportunities for a half day sightseeing boat ride and a fishing trip where I caught two halibut. Denali was also worth the visit. In early May I was able to try snowshoes for the first time. The wildlife was amazing - bald eagles, bears, moose, otters, ...

 

[Uncle Phil]

Normal? I don't know if we will ever see 'normal' again ...

 

[Uncle Phil]

Two years ago I took a month long excursion in an RV from Seattle ending up in Anchorage. Homer was a highlight. It offered opportunities for a half day sightseeing boat ride and a fishing trip where I caught two halibut. Denali was also worth the visit. In early May I was able to try snowshoes for the first time. The wildlife was amazing - bald eagles, bears, moose, otters, ...

Been to Denali Park (twice) and was sort of underwhelmed. The best view of the mountain is here at the Southern Viewpoint (not in the park) -

Uncle Phil - Alaska 2012 Day 11

 

[amorley]

...
Trying to figure out a ride so I can to the Haines/Skagway ferry again (got do the Haines/Haines Junction ride again!) and the Whittier/Valdez ferry is a bit of trick since they don't run every day.
...

Yes, the Haines/Skagway/Whitehorse/Haines Junction circuit is definite “must do”!
Doing the Whittier/Valdez ferry is a challenge because of the limited schedule and also because of the limited accommodation in Valdez.

When I go to Alaska again, it will be on a dual sport as I want to ride all the way up the Dempster to visit Tuktoyaktuk again.

 

[Uncle Phil]

What I am trying to sort out (which I can't really until the June/July/August ferry schedules are posted) is the order in which I 'visit' the ferry ports and in which direction. Right now, W-V is Thursday, V-W is a Sunday, S-H/H-S are Tuesday/Friday. I do now plan on spending an extra day in Homer for some
'off the bike' sightseeing because of all of the good responses about the town. If I can't make the ferry, riding from V-W is only around 360 miles. To me, the Haines Junction To Haines is not to be missed!