RVing to Alaska & Yukon Ep. 10 - Driving the Cassiar Highway & Icefields Parkway
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- On Episode 10 of our RVing to Alaska & Yukon Series we’ll bid a very fond farewell to Alaska and cross back into Canada and the Yukon, visit the beautiful Kluane Lake area, then head south on the Cassiar Highway and end with a drive down the spectacular Icefields Parkway.
We left Chena Hot Springs eventually picking up the Alcan headed east. The next morning we drove the section of the Alcan, from Tok to the border and further on to Destruction Bay - and area that needs to be given a lot of respect and driven cautiously.
From the border to Destruction Bay the road remains challenging and rough in places….but as you near the Kluane Lake area the road improves and the scenery is beautiful.
We spent 2 restful days at the Congdon Creek Yukon Government campground on the shores of Kluane Lake. We even got to see the northern lights here.
Another day of driving brought us to the Yukon Motel Lakeside Resort in Teslin.
It was now September and the seemingly endless daylight was gone. When we hit the road the next morning crossing the Nisutlin Bay Bridge, the longest bridge on the Alcan, it was around 6am, and it was the first time we’d driven in the dark in 2 months.
After a few hours we left the Alaska Highway and turned south on the Cassiar Highway. This is where you’ll find the often-photographed sign saying ‘South to Alaska’.
The Cassiar is 450 miles long and winds past mountains, lakes and rivers. Other than in a few construction areas the road was in good condition though it is a bit narrow with no shoulders to speak of.
After about 75 miles we came to Jade City. This jade mining operation is home to the TV series Jade Fever and all the jade they sell in their small store is locally mined and crafted.
From Jade City we continued south making this the longest drive day of our trip, through aspen forests ablaze in fall yellows finally arriving at Meziadin Junction and Meziadin Provincial Park.
This is a fairly small park with quite a few waterfront sites on a beautiful lake. It was also a park with quite a bit of grizzly activity…you even had to watch for them when you were out walking the dog.
We’d planned a few days here so that we could make the short drive without the trailer to Stewart BC and Hyder AK where we had purchased tickets to the US Forest Service Fish Creek bear viewing platform and we were going to make the drive to see the spectacular Salmon Glacier.
The road to Stewart is about 40 miles leading past the Bear Glacier and winding through a beautiful mountain and waterfall-lined fjord. And the town of Stewart was also incredibly picturesque. Now we hadn’t had cell service for a few days but right in the town of Stewart there was good coverage - and it was at that point that we got a call from home with some bad news that was going to mean ending our trip early. We immediately returned to camp, hooked up and headed out.
We finished the Cassiar and headed east on the Yellowhead Hwy towards Jasper. Late the next afternoon and just before the Alberta border we came to Mount Robson. This is a beautiful area of the Canadian Rockies with a nice provincial park. One of the park staff told us there was a group camping area with a beautiful view of Mt. Robson itself, especially if you wanted to try night photography.
Next morning it was a quick coffee….and back on the road headed for a very smokey Jasper.
We actually had reservations for Jasper National Park later that week but even if we hadn’t been hurrying, we wouldn’t have been able to stay there. When we reached Jasper we were told the National Park Campgrounds were being evacuated because of a huge forest fire that had cut off electricity to the park as well as the town.
When we arrived at the Jasper townsite there was only one gas station open, running on a generator.
We waited in a long line of RVs and cars and were lucky enough to get fuel. We learned the station ran out about an hour later.
From Jasper we headed south towards Banff via the Icefields Parkway. And while we wish we had more time to enjoy it, it was amazing.
The parkway is a beautiful road though the Rockies…every turn seems to have a new vista to take your breath away. And even though the blue sky was obscured by smoke from the forest fire we were in awe.
We stopped for lunch at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre and eventually made it to Banff where we enjoyed a nice dinner before starting what felt like the official start of our return home.
Our original plan called for us to spend 10-14 days in the Jasper/Banff area and even though we only had one day to drive through it, we realized how fortunate we had been just to experience - it was absolutely beautiful and just about any Alaska traveller can find a way to work the Icefields Parkway into their travel plan. We can almost guarantee you won’t regret it.
#AlaskaHighway
#CassiarHighway
#AlaskaRoadTrip
#KluaneNationalPark
#JadeCity
#JadeFever
#ExploreYukon
#Jasper
#Banff
#icefieldsparkwa
#roadtrip
I found the channel today and just finished binge watching the 10 episodes. What a beautiful trip you guys had. Thank you so much for sharing, looking fwd to future videos.
Thanks very much Mike, your feedback is genuinely appreciated!
I have binge watched your episodes. Great videos, photography and information.
Wow, thank you very much for your wonderful feedback! We’re genuinely glad you found them helpful and hope you have a fantastic trip and adventure!
We've been enjoying your Alaska videos very much and we find them very helpful as we plan our own Alaskan adventure. I wonder if I could ask you about the truck and trailer you use in your travels and how they have fared in this epic trip? Right now my wife and I travel with a Class C but are considering downsizing to something smaller, and hopefully easier to handle. I see that you are driving a RAM pickup, may I ask what model and engine size you have? Also, who manufactures the MiniLite trailer you tow? I've been looking at RAM truck too and when I asked the dealer about the towing capacity of the RAM 1500 Big Horn with the 5.7L V8 Hemi, I was told the towing capacity was only 6,740 lbs but when I went to the RAM website, it says the towing capacity for the 5.7L Hemi V8 is 11,310 lbs. So it's all very confusing. So I was hoping to see what you are using and the weight of the trailer you are towing. Thank you so much for your wonderful videos. We've watched so many on RVing to Alaska and find yours the most helpful! Take care!
Hi Al, our truck is a 2021 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi engine but it also has the 3.92 rear end which significantly increases towing capacity (to around 10,500 lbs). Where the 1500 Ram is a little lacking is payload capacity (how much it can carry), that includes passengers, gear and the tongue weight of the trailer - every truck is different based on the optional equipment installed (ours is around 1350 lbs I believe). Our trailer is a Rockwood Minilite 2109s that weighs around 4200 lbs and has a 550 lb tongue weight. We actually traded in our larger Rockwood to buy the 2109s so that it would make towing easier and make finding a site easier too. It was definitely the right decision for us and if I was doing it again I would even consider going to a 2500 series truck. While the 1500 had no problems with the little Rockwood, we were close to max payload. The Ram ran flawlessly. We had an oil change done just before we left, another when we reached Whitehorse and another in Fairbanks before making the long drive home. Other than that maintenance the truck needed nothing. The trailer did have a few things shake loose including a connector that sent power to the awning (I was able to track it down and fix), a tire pressure sensor dislodged (as seen in episode 4), and the burner shook itself loose from our oven...and of course we were constantly tightening screws. In fact, I recommend keeping a multi head screwdriver right in the trailer for that purpose so you dont have to keep breaking out a tool kit and just go around every few days and give any screw you see a turn. And finally, the Rockwoods (and its sister brand Flagstaff) are good trailers. Yes there are even better ones out there that cost quite a bit more, but there are many others that dont match Rockwood's quality. There is a youtube channel run by a guy called Josh the RV Nerd who's done 100s of reviews and might be worth checking out. I hope this information helps and that no matter what you decide, you have a fantastic trip to Alaska!!
@@TrueNorthCamping Thanks so much for all this information, it's very helpful and we appreciate!
Its our pleasure, thanks!
I binge watched for 2 nights watching this series. You guys did a fantastic job of videography and imparting very good information. I intend to go to Alaska, BC, and Yukon with my wife and our dog in 2026. As we appear to be of similar age, your advice was extremely relevant and helpful. Thank You for your sharing and work putting all this together.
Thanks very much Robert for that feedback. We created the series (and our other videos) in the hopes of giving back…so your comments really mean a lot. Have a blast planning your BC/Yukon/Alaska adventures!! And have an amazing trip in 26!
Love your videos!
Thanks very much Jason, we appreciate it!
I can't wait to go!!!!! Lots of great info, awesome videos. Question: when you crossed into Alaska, and then back into Canada, did you have to get rid of your Vegs, fruit?
Thanks very much Debbie. When we crossed into Alaska they specifically asked about firearms and firewood. Canadian agents asked about weapons, alcohol and value of goods being imported ( the latter because we were Canadians returning home). Neither border crossings had any questions about food nor was our trailer searched. We found both the US and Cdn agents to be polite, courteous and even friendly. We had passports at the ready and glasses and hats removed. Those first few seconds of interaction can make all the difference. Hope you have an amazing trip! Safe travels!!
Thank you for another great video about your Alaska adventure.
If you were to make this trip again, what would you do differently, and where would you visit again?
Could you talk about it in one of your upcoming videos?
Thank you!
Thanks very much! And yes, we will try to address your topic in Episode 12!
Hey guys. We have watched your videos and feel that we know you on some level. I have to say your videos are the best. You have inspired us and we will set out in about a month. We are retired living in Barrie. We sold our fifth wheel(s) and travel trailer a few years ago so our new rig is quite minimalistic in comparison, but it worked great in Gaspe and Cape Breton last year. We now have a new Alcan route mapped out, thanks to you. Anyway....thanks for your efforts and a job well done.
Quick question- do you think we need to buy a portable power device like a jackery with or without solar?
Be well.
Thanks very much for your kind words James, it is genuinely appreciated. And its a small world, we used to live about 1/2 hr south of Barrie before retiring. As for your question about a jackery, its hard to say without knowing what kind of camping you do. I can tell you that we had 380 watts of solar panels on our roof that kept our lithium batteries charged and we had no problem boondocking for a couple of days. The only time we used our small generator was when we dry camped at Denali for 5 nights. If we hadn’t had the solar capacity or generator, a jackery would have been very handy. We hope this helps and hope you have a fantastic adventure!!
We will strongly consider the jackery. THX We have a Leesure Lite trailer (250 lbs) that is very comfortable and is pulled by a 4 cyl SUV that I just built a full kitchen in. We can open the hatch and we are all set. No moving boxes and totes. We have an optional quick up clam tent we can connect to the suv so we can stay out of the sun, rain, cold or bugs to cook and/or lounge. Quick note: your best if award show was excellent . Well done. Time you you guys to head out and make more videos.....off you go!
Loved all of the 10 episodes, The Carrier Highway was special because of Jade City. Drove to Hydar and visited the Salmon Glacier. SUPER !
Thanks so much Denis. We missed the Salmon Glacier…definitely will be on our to do list if we’re fortunate enough to return.
My wife and I are headed to Washington to pick up our travel trailer next month from North Pole. We are considering taking the Cassiar Highway on the way down and the Alcan on the way back up once we have our travel trailer. Is this advisable?
As far as a route your plan makes sense to us - we took the Alcan up and Cassiar down, but it was later in the season. But We didn’t travel either route in May and know snow is quite possible and not all services may be available, esp early in May. There is a Facebook group called RVing to Alaska - Original that we recommend asking your question to - there’s likely to be folks there that have travelled those routes in the same timeframe you’re considering. Hope this helps. Enjoy your new trailer!
Thank you for taking me along on a wonderful trip to Alaska. The scenery was amazing!
Thank you Judy, so glad you enjoyed it!
how much would 200 dollars us money be worth in canada im gonna be coming thru canada and the yukon in may
Hi John, that changes by the day but currently it would be around $270 CDN. Enjoy your trip!
I have always wanted to see Mt Robeson.
We look forward to getting back there one day and exploring the area with a bit more time. It is beautiful.
Awe, I'm so sorry that you had to cut your trip short. We sure enjoyed the Stewart area ourselves (didn't see any bears at the Fish Creek viewing area though!). One highlight was that we actually saw a bear walking at the toe of the Bear glacier (which sadly was much larger then)!
IMHO, you missed an absolute highlight of our trip at the beginning of the Cassiar - Boya lake. It was actually our favorite part of our entire trip and many of my friends have said the same thing. Maybe next time!
I am just starting the logistics planning of our own trip. Hoping to see Dawson City this time and do the TOW highway. Won't have time to go too much further into Alaska sadly as can't get away that long.
How did you manage with the required health certificate for your dog, in order to enter into AK? Did you have it done before you left home or on the road there?
Very much looking forward to your next "highlights" video!
Thanks Yvonne, we were a little disappointed having to cut it short but as it turned out it was absolutely the right call. As for Boya we had heard from quite a few people who would completely agree with you and said it was beautiful - we decided not to stop there as it was Friday of a long weekend and we thought it might be hard to get into Meziadin arriving on a Saturday….so that was why we pushed through. As for Ranger, we had our vet do a complete written health report the week before we left and while it wasn’t on the official AK form it contained the same information. And as for Dawson City, we highly recommend it, especially if you’re even a little bit of a history buff. If you haven’t yet seen it it is Episode 3 of the series and the Top of World Hwy is in Episode 4. Have a wonderful trip!
@@TrueNorthCamping Thanks!
Are there any steep drop offs with no guard rails or otherwise scared sections for someone afraid of heights?
If you’re asking about The Icefields Pkwy, it does have a few ‘raised sections’ 😉 but it is a modern and well maintained road with guard rails and always felt very safe.
@@TrueNorthCamping Cassier Highway is what I was concerned about
@@rickringler5021 we found the Cassiar fairly easy to drive. It is relatively narrow with no shoulders but I do not recall any sections that someone afraid of heights would be overly concerned by. It was in fairly good condition with just a few construction areas. The Milepost also has a very good description of the Cassiar. Hope this helps.