Mud-on-the-tires Full-time RV Adventure: Alcan: Anchorage AK to Great Falls MT -- 25 Aug

9 stops, 2,435 miles

Anchorage AK…

We returned to Joint Base Elmendorf/Richardson and Blue Spruce RV Park for our stay in Anchorage. We had a list of responsibilities to take care of in preparation for what would be a 10-14 day trip down the Alaska Highway (AlCan) to Great Falls, Montana.

First, we took the truck in for servicing. Next, we had a long list of groceries and other incidentals to purchase. We had not been in a major shopping area in almost two months!

However, we also mixed in a little bit of fun! The first “Tooth” business opened in 1996. Named after Denali’s sister mountains, they quickly became Anchorage institutions. “They opened their doors that first night, and the city of Anchorage has pretty much been waiting, beers in hand, for an empty table ever since.”

For lunch, we went to the Bear Tooth Theatrepub and Grill. There were many changes in the 18 years since I took Arleen there on our first date. But it is just as great as it was then. After a delicious southwest flavor lunch at the grill, we watched Oceans 8 in the Theatrepub, while enjoying a “Gooey” chocolate chip cookie.

Then, for dinner we went to Moose’s Tooth and ordered four pizzas! We ate a few pieces each and the leftover pizza was good for three more meals. Not only do we have fond memories of Moose’s Tooth, it remains our favorite pizza.

Black Spruce RV Park on Fort Richardson. This was one of the most comfortable places we stayed at all summer. Pic taken 26 Jun 2018.

The Bear Tooth Grill and Theater was the site of our first date in 2000

You order on the left and enter the theater on the right. This aint no ordinary theater food! It’s gourmet Mexican Food, pizza, desserts, and micro brew beers. The place is usually packed.

Tables with seats form the rows. You put your cone on the table and someone brings your order. It’s a great place to watch a movie and enjoy good food. We used to go a couple of times a month.

The Moose’s Tooth started the local Anchorage “Tooth” franchise in 1996. It’s known for its fantastic pizzas and micro brew beers. Unless you go at odd times, expect to wait in line to get in. Back in the day we went here often, especially after a day of hiking, mountain biking, or skiing at Alyeska.

Anchorage to Tok AK…

From Palmer, the Glenn Highway is a very narrow, winding, pot-holed road. In addition, there was a lot of construction with long delays.

The highlight was seeing the snow-capped and glacier studded peaks of the Chugach Range, including 13,176 foot Mount Marcus Baker. Plus we saw the extensive Matanuska Glacier, that looked like a foil moon village glimmering in the morning sun.

After about 70 miles, the road improved for the rest of the way into Glenallen. We were hopeful about the Tok cutoff. We were so wrong!

The condition of the Tok cutoff road is horrible! For 122 miles we were subjected to a bucking horse ride as the truck plunged into deep frost heaves as the trailer mounted the apex of another. We stressed about the hitch snapping off any time. Our average speed through this section was only about 35mph and we slowed to 20mph many times.

To add to the misery, the Wrangell Mountain were shrouded in clouds, so they could not distract us from the wretchedness.

Matanuska Glacier

Tok AK…

We were very glad to arrive in Tok in one piece. We stayed at Tok RV Village. They are very friendly and helpful and greeted us with fresh homemade cookies! They had nice level, pull through sites with grass space between sites. Our 52’ truck and trailer barely fit but we did not have to disconnect.

Heidi, Dan, Sasha, and puppy, Xander, joined us shortly after we arrived, to add to the celebration of arriving in one piece. They camped next to us for a night.

Heidi brought several goodies from her garden, that Arleen helped plant back in June. Arleen fixed a great meal of salmon with the zucchini Heidi had just picked that morning.

We took several walks with the dogs. There was a great trail system right behind the RV Park.

Thursday afternoon we went to the legendary Fast Eddy’s restaurant before our good friends returned to Fairbanks.

It was fitting that Heidi and Dan came to send us off since they were the first to greet us when we arrived in Alaska in May. We’ll miss them.

We barely fit in our spot at Tok RV Village, but were comfortable. Like most places along the Alcan, folks stayed just a night or two before moving on.

We were so glad Heidi, Dan, and their furry friends visited us from Fairbanks! In the second picture is Xander at 2 months old and about 20 pounds. Now he is 8 months old weighs roughly 110 pounds.

Tok AK to Whitehorse YT…

Now we officially began our journey along the Alaska Highway. The portion out of Tok had a lot of road patches but was smoother than when we came through in May. It was bumpy near the border as before.

It was cloudy and raining at the start of our journey. I was grateful for the clouds while driving east in the morning. It’s easier on the eyes. Also, the rain was not too heavy.

Through the clouds we had glimpses of the termination dust that had fallen on Wrangell Mountains the night before… it was pretty.

Kluane Lake was churned into a froth by strong winds. The dust at the head of the lake was being lifted hundreds of feet and we were very concerned with the cross winds. Visibility was only a few yards as we crossed the bridge and shook considerably but we were fine.

Once we were past Haines Junction, the road was like new to us. We’ve both driven the Alaska Highway before, but that was 20 years ago. It was very scenic, especially when the clouds lifted in the afternoon to reveal the snowcapped peaks!

Approaching Kluane Lake. Note the fall colors and white-capped waves.

Strong winds whip up dust at the south end of Kluane Lake. The road goes through that. Visibility dropped to nothing and we shook considerably as we crawled along. Thankfully, it is was only bad for a mile or two.

The St Elias Mountains between Kluane Lake and Haines Junction were dusted with new snow.

Whitehorse YT…

We had made reservations the night before for Whitehorse High Country RV Park. It was good that we did since we got one of the last sites. They were full that night.

We got a back-in site. It was very long but narrow. Unfortunately, it is near a crossroads and we heard a lot of traffic at night.

The High Country RV Park was mostly cleared out Saturday morning by 10am. That night it was only half full and we did not have any neighbors.

We visited the Miles Canyon Suspension Bridge that crosses the Yukon River. In the Whitehorse area the Yukon flows through "The Thirty Mile" section and is classified a National Heritage River.

It is surprising how pretty the clear, aqua colored Yukon River is here compared to how brown it is downstream after several glacial flour choked rivers have joined it.

The flow through this area in July averages 13,000 cubic feet per second as compared to 470,000 at Pilot Station, 1,200 miles downstream! In Whitehorse we saw just 3% of what the Yukon is when it arrives at its destination near the Bering Sea!

At almost 2,000 miles long, the Yukon is the 3^rd longest river in North America. It has always been a principal means of transportation. It certainly undergoes a lot of changes on its journey from British Columbia, through the Yukon and across Alaska.

Near Whitehorse, the river narrows and picks up speed through the Miles Canyon. “The basaltic lava exposed by Miles Canyon originated from a low volcanic vent approximately 5 miles to the south.”

The Robert Lowe suspension bridge crosses the Yukon over the Miles Canyon. On the other side of the river is an endless network of hiking and cross country ski trails. We enjoyed a short hike around the area and along the river.

Next, we visited the Real Canadian Superstore. We wandered around looking at the different products. We had just listened to a radio program discussing choices in the United States compared to Canada. In Canada there are only 8 choices of Poptarts while the US has 27 flavors! In addition, they have odd names for things. For example, they call rest rooms, “wash rooms”. Yikes! We’re in a foreign country!

Nevertheless, as always, the Canadians were very friendly.

We stayed at Hi Country RV Park. We arrived shortly after 6:00pm and got one of the last sites available. It was a nice campground with high turnover. There was noisy vehicle traffic late into the evening and early each morning. It was not peaceful.

Whitehorse has an interesting history and an impressive trail system

Our walk route through the famous Miles Canyon along the Yukon River / During the Klondike Gold Rush rickety hand-made boats stopped here to be piloted through the dangerous rapids.

The narrow basalt cliffs force the current to speed up significantly

The Yukon River in this region is a beautiful green color (not captured well in our pictures). The bridge bounces quite a bit was you walk across it.

The Real Canadian Superstore was a good place for us to resupply

Whitehorse YT to Watson Lake YT…

There were a few traces of fresh snow alongside the road as we headed south out of Whitehorse. It was barely September. We wondered how white it would be by October.

The clouds covered the sky and hung low, remnants of the weather system that had gone through the night before. Again, it made for easy driving but unfortunately, it blocked what was probably nice scenery especially near Marsh Lake.

Throughout the 272 mile day we crossed the Teslin and Swift Rivers. We dipped briefly south into British Columbia before turning northeast into the Yukon Territory again.

The Canadian Mounted Police in this area might be suffering from budget cuts. We only ever saw a cutout of a patrol car… ha ha!

Late in the afternoon, the clouds started to lift and we were treated to some impressive scenery. The multi-colored buttes are an indication of the valued minerals that attracted miners over a century ago.

Even though mileage-wise it was not a long day, we ran into several areas of construction. The recent rain and snow had left the roads a muddy mess. We had cement mud plastered all over the truck and the trailer.

Spotty rain and low clouds through some pretty terrain

Crossing the Teslin River

Watch out for the police car in Teslin!

Another narrow bridge. This one crosses Nisutin Bay.

Empty, winding road near Swift River

Very pretty along the Rancheria River

Watson Lake YT…

We arrived in Watson Lake and the Downtown RV Park ready for a break. The RV park is nothing more than a large gravel parking area. Yet, the campground owner is very friendly and full of information on the local area.

Watson Lake is famous for its Sign Post Forest. “In 1942, while building the Alaska Hwy, it was common practice for the US Army of Engineers to put up a directional post at their camps. It gave directions and mileage to surrounding communities and various parts of the world.” Today, there are thousands of signs visitors have confiscated from their area of the world and posted at this old camp spot.

After a walk to and through the “forest”, we detoured to the local grocery store, just a half block from the campground, for a pint of ice cream. Since our freezer is full of salmon, we had to eat it all!

We spent one night at Downtown RV Park

The Sign Post Forest was started in 1942 and has over 77,000 signs. It’s pretty cool!

The place is like a maze

Watson Lake YT to Fort Nelson BC…

We woke up at 0700L to a temperature of 32F and frost covering the truck. We felt like we were trying to outrun winter. We quickly made our way through the last of the Yukon Territory.

High pressure was moving into the northwest Canadian region. Despite the chill in the area, it was a pretty day with just a few clouds.

This was our most scenic a day as we wove our way along the Liard and Toad Rivers and through Muncho Lake and Stone Mountain Provincial Parks. In addition, it was one of our best wildlife viewing days!

We saw about 50 bison, including a herd migrating up the highway. We also saw mountain sheep and caribou.

It was really hard for Arleen and me to just drive through such remarkable wilderness areas knowing that there were hiking trails just calling our names. We would have loved to make a lengthy stop, but continued on.

Yellow groves of aspen signaled the change of season. There were also a few Western Larch indicating that fall arrived.

Something else that stood out was a diesel stop with retro pumps at the Double G Station in Muncho Lake.

At the end of the day we celebrated crossing the halfway point between Anchorage and Great Falls.

Beautiful morning along the Liard River

We saw many bison this day. In this picture, the ladies & youngsters are on the left, & the guys are on the right

Caribou / Fresh snow and spots of fall color

Muncho Lake is a highlight along the Alcan

Muncho Lake

Rugged snow covered mountains and patchy low clouds

Somebody was getting a little crazy with the camera. We were impressed by the huge rocky alluvial fans.

I needed directions to operate these old fuel pumps. It was the most expensive diesel of the trip!

It’s very pretty. Just south of Muncho Lake.

The Toad River. It was so tempting to fish!

Empty winding road through the beautiful country

Our first snow of the season on 3 September

So glad the weather was nice and the roads were dry…it was a very scenic and pleasant drive

Tall mountains and large drainages. We love this kind of terrain.

Crossing the Tetsa River

Fort Nelson BC…

In Fort Nelson we pulled into the Triple G Hideaway with a few other folks that we had seen in Whitehorse and Watson Lake. The campground here is unique as it is laid out in a big circle. We felt like we were part of a wagon train as we pulled into a long pull-through, a spot in the outer circle. The nice spot allowed us to stay hooked up.

There is a good path and bridge from the campground into town. It passes by the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum so we perused the outside displays about the building of the Alcan Highway. Then we walked a few blocks into town and checked out the gas station layout to ensure an easy refuel early the next morning.

We spent one night at Triple G Hideaway. / We walked by the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum.

Fort Nelson BC to Dawson Creek BC…

The entire leg of the road from Fort Nelson to Dawson Creek is in British Columbia. We drove south, keeping the Rockies to our right and we only had occasional glimpses of the distant mountains. The most scenic part of the day was crossing the Peace River.

Thankfully, as we moved south, we left the harshest arctic areas and their associated perma frost in the rear view mirror. We experienced some rough roads for the first 60 miles out of Fort Nelson, but overall road conditions improved.

Despite that, there were still delays due to road construction.

There were moose crossing signs everywhere. And just to prove they were serious, a few moose crossed the roads ahead of us. Thankfully, we had plenty of time to react and were never in any danger.

There were more and more towns with increased hints of humans as we left the uninhabited Yukon behind. Another sign of civilization was the good cell phone signal we had most of the route.

Keep an eye out for big critters / There’s one!

The road curves away from the mountains and flattens out.

More construction. These stretches made our rig filthy.

Dawson Creek BC…

When we called to make reservations at the Northern Lights RV Park, we asked where the closest RV carwash was. She kindly directed us to Tubby’s RV car wash which was conveniently along our route.

We spent a good hour at the carwash. We teamed up, with Arleen grabbing the soap brush while I manned the power sprayer, and we washed away 1,500 miles of Alcan crud.

I think the kind folks at Northern Lights gave us an end sight since we were staying two nights. We were at the official end of the Alcan. It was time to take a bit of a break and disconnect the trailer.

Arleen managed to get laundry caught up. It was $5 a load. In Alaska it had been $6 a load. Of course that was $5 Canadian so that was like a nickel… ha ha!

We ventured into downtown Dawson City to have our picture taken at the Mile Zero post.

We poked our heads into the South Peace Historical Society building that is on the same corner. “The South Peace Historical Society was formed in 1952 to collect, preserve and display information related to the history of the Peace River area of British Columbia. The Society operates a museum in the former Northern Alberta Railways station, built in Dawson Creek in 1931.”

They had a great variety of displays from information on the history of the Alcan to taxidermy/wildlife displays to a snow machine that had been hand built by a couple of locals.

We watched the Historical Society’s movie about the construction of the Alcan. It had some original footage! It is amazing to hear the stories of what the workmen had to endure in that harsh environment to get the road to Alaska completed.

Next, we went to the local Safeway for a few groceries. It might look like one but this was not a USA Safeway. Our rewards card wasn’t valid… It was another reminder that we were in a foreign country.

We spent two nights at Northern Lights RV Park. Spaces were tight and traffic noise was bad.

We washed 1,500 miles worth of Alcan crud off before we set up / Dawson Creek is the official start of the Alcan

The Dawson Creek Museum had informative displays. This homemade snowmobile was interesting.

We enjoyed the museum

Dawson Creek BC to Spruce Grove AB…

The further south we got, the more signs of civilization we saw.

First, we crossed from British Columbia into Alberta. Soon afterwards, near the Smoky River, we were greeted by a black bear scampering across the highway! We still weren’t too far from the wild.

We started on a two lane highway, but by the end of the day, it was a four lane provincial highway with exits. However, it was laid out in sections and had buckles between. So we were back to getting rocked!

By the end of the day, the visibility was reduced due to smoke from wildfires to the southwest. Though Jasper and Banff National Parks were 70 miles to our west, smoky air kept us from seeing them. We’ll be back for the Canadian Rockies next summer!

Entering Alberta

It’s flat, straight, and there are four lanes!

See the bear? / That’s a big load of hay!

Spruce Grove AB…

We checked into Diamond Grove RV Park for the night on the edge of Edmonton. It is a huge but very nice RV Resort. They gave us a quiet end site with only farmer’s fields behind us. As we walked around, we saw that there were a number of year round residents. We think they’re crazy because it’s frigid in this area during the winter.

We spent one night at Diamond Grove RV Park. It was one of the nicest along our route.

Spruce Grove AB to Okotoks AB…

When we left Spruce Grove, we headed south for about 30 miles to avoid morning rush hour traffic around the Edmonton metro area, population 1,321,426.

In addition, we avoided Provincial Highway 2 through the middle of Calgary, population 1,392,609. Instead we took Provincial Highway 201 around the eastern edge of Calgary. There was still a lot of traffic but it flowed well.

Unfortunately, the smoke from the wildfires had worsened. Visibility was down to about 5 miles. We could barely see the Calgary skyline, much less the mountains, even though the city is less than 20 miles from the foothills.

The scenery today was miles and miles of flat farm fields and cows broken up by occasional towns.

We discussed the population disparity between Canada and the US. Combined the Calgary and Edmonton areas have 2,700,000 people. Meanwhile in the US, the closest population center with similar topography is Great Falls, Montana with a population of only 60,000.

Lots of traffic between Edmonton and Calgary

We took the long route around Calgary. It was smoky due to a rough fire season.

Okotoks AB…

We pulled into the Okotoks Lions Campground on the Sheep River for the night. We thought it would be nice and peaceful. However, it was a warm fall Friday and it appeared that a lot of families from Calgary had driven over to spend a pleasant weekend on the river.

We took a nice walk along the paths on both sides of the river and were able to cross on a few of the numerous bridges. The campground was perfect walking distance to a few stores in town. So we left the trailer hitched and walked to get a few groceries and an ice cream treat.

Once again, we were thankful we had made reservations the day before, because by 6pm, the campground was full. This was not our normal shoulder season crowd but by 10pm they had all settled and it was a quiet night.

We spent one night at Okotoks Lions Campground. We enjoyed a nice walk along the river and the fall colors. After dinner we walked to Safeway and each indulged in a pint of ice cream.

Okotoks AB to Great Falls MT…

It was our last day in Canada… Our journey was almost complete!

We had some rain showers early in the morning. Although it was still smoky to the west, visibility was better to the southeast and we could make out the West and Gold Buttes in the distant US.

The area we drove through was still flat with a lot of grain fields. As we neared Lethbridge, we left the four lane Provincial highway behind and headed southeast towards the Sweet Grass border crossing.

At the border crossing, we followed the signs for watercraft inspection. We’re never sure if this includes kayaks. Sometimes we are just waved through. In this case, the friendly Canadian did inspect them and asked detailed questions of when and where we had them in the water.

The crossing back into the USA was easy. After the border guard inspected our passports, he only asked if we were happy with our 2010 Ram. “Yes, we are happy with it!”

Kayaks getting inspected before we leave Canada / Entering the US

A welcome back message on the phone / The veterans memorial near Shelby MT

Great Falls MT…

In Great Falls we pulled into the Malstrom FamCamp. Bill, the campground host, warmly greeted us and directed us to the original campground on base which has a lower weekly rate. We planned to leave our little home there for 6 weeks which included a 5 week adventure to help our Mothers and visit our future home.

On Sunday we met our dear friend, Linda, at the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center on the Missouri river. “The self-guided exhibit hall's centerpiece is the two-story diorama of the portage of the Missouri River's five great falls.”

I learned quite a few interesting facts. I’m not sure about Arleen and Linda since they were chatting and laughing the whole time.

Next, we walked the river trail to Giant Springs State Park. “Giant Springs was discovered by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805 and is one of the largest freshwater springs in the country. The springs flow at a rate of 156 million gallons of water per day and the water stays at a temperature of 54 degrees. This is also the site of the Roe River, once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's shortest river.”

Finally, Linda treated us to delicious dinner at Borries Supper Club in Black Eagle. We’re thankful to Linda for dinner and for letting us have mail sent to her house. Also, during our absence she made sure we got a refill of propane when the temperatures in Great Falls threatened to fall into the mid-teens.

On Monday, we visited the Outdoor Recreation manager. Although, we were welcome to stay past the military campground’s 21 day limit, we would have to move to the new campground due to a scheduled renovation where we were.

We had a long list of errands to do to get ready for our 5 week trip away from our little home. First thing Tuesday morning, Arleen set out with a long list of stops.

After completion of her first responsibility, the truck only made a “tick, tick” sound and would not start. She called Good Sam’s. The Benski Tow truck quickly responded. The driver did a test and determined it was not the battery but the alternator.

Arleen got a tow to Westgate Repair across the river in Black Eagle. In a few short hours they diagnosed and repaired the truck. We were very impressed with their service. Thankfully the alternator conked out in Great Falls rather than some remote section of the Alcan!

Arleen was able to get back to her errand list and still managed to complete it all before the day was done.

First thing Wednesday morning I dropped Arleen off to do laundry, while I took the trailer to get a few new tires. Then we parked the trailer at the new Gateway military campground. Before we left it for five weeks, we made sure everything was secure. We were off to visit Arleen’s Mother.

We spent four nights at the Malmstrom Air Force Base FamCamp

Linda and Arleen at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls / Map of the grueling portage

Life size depiction of the portage / That looks like a fun conversation!

The three flags of the Lewis and Clark Expedition: The Fifteen Star Flag, The Indian Peace Flag, The Keelboat Pennant

An interesting diorama depicting how the crew got started and the boats they used

We had a very nice walk along the Missouri River and learned about the interesting geology

The Missouri River is on the left and Giant Springs is on the right. This freshwater springs is one of the largest in the country. It turns into the 200 foot long Roe River, one of the shortest rivers in the world.

The alternator crapped out in Great Falls. Thanks goodness it didn’t happen on some remote stretch of the Alcan!

Alcan adventure summary…

Budget: We tracked our expenses from Anchorage, Alaska to Great Falls, Montana. We spent a total of $1,800 on the road trip. About half was for gas and a quarter was for campground fees. The rest was spent on groceries, restaurants, carwash, laundry, and museum fees.

Bear Scat: On our journey through Alaska and back along the Alcan, we played the “Bear Scat Game”. Each time we spotted bear poop on the road or the shoulder, we yelled “SCAT” and pointed at it. I spotted 7 scat piles and Arleen spotted 4. Our theory is that when a bear crosses the road, it smells new odors and then marks its territory. The silly game kept us alert and we had fun with it.

Critters: On our drive back from Anchorage, Alaska to Great Falls, Montana we saw; 52 Bison, 23 Trumpeter Swans, 7 Mountain Sheep, 6 Caribou, 2 Moose, 2 Deer, 1 Porcupine, and 1 Bear.

Audio books: We listened to a total of three and a half audio books. They’re a good way to pass the miles especially when the scenery is endless farm fields.

Canadian money: The colorful dollars are now plastic. There is a rumor that the new bills smell like maple syrup.

Problems: We were very thankful to arrive in Great Falls! We celebrated no cracks in the windshield, no flat tires, no broken hitch, and no significant problems. The adventure went fairly smooth.

We did lose our sliding bathroom door. It came off the rail somewhere in the Yukon Territory. I was thankful when Arleen said, “You know we really don’t use it”. I quickly carted it off to the dumpster before she could change her mind! Our tiny little bathroom felt bigger after the 1.5 inch thick door was removed. We should have done that years ago!

The next five weeks…

First we spent almost a week at Ellen’s house trying to make changes to help her decreased mobility.

Next we flew out of Billings to Denver. Huge thanks to our dear friends, Anne and Ardie, for letting us keep our big truck at their house for three weeks. Thanks to Mary for picking us up at the Denver airport (again).

We spent two weeks sorting and organizing my Mother’s house. In two weeks the packers were there and the house was listed for sale. Now we are praying it sells quickly and she can find a new home near my sister, Nichole, and her family.

Next, we rented a car and drove to Pagosa Springs for five days to visit our future home. We met with the builder and he should break ground in July of next year. If all goes according to schedule, we’ll move into a stick house again in May of 2020. We will have lived in our Arctic Fox home exactly nine years. We look forward to the next chapter of our lives.

Then we flew from Denver back to Billings. After another week at Ellen’s house, we returned to Great Falls for another fun visit with Linda.