Alaska in June

Hi all,

I'm wondering if we could put a group together to fly up to Alaska this June?

The Salmon are running then as I understand it and the weather is pretty nice. I want to do the trip but since I have never done it, would enjoy doing it with others...for more fun and greater safety if there is a problem.

Doug...is this the proper way to initiate this kind of activity in RV's?

Ron Patterson
RV-4 - N8ZD
[email protected]
510-421-2316 cell

Ron,

My wife and I would love to go, but we can't do it until next year. I have a friend and his wife that would go too. He also can't go until next year. Maybe if you go this year you'd like to go again next year and you could show us the ropes. Have fun and take lots of pictures.

Sounds fun!

Have you started thinking about dates / destinations?

We can't do it this year but we're planning on it for next year.

I'll be looking forward to the trip reports.

I'm headed to Calgary (from Reno) for a family thing between July (not June) 9-16, then on to Atlin BC (150 km S of Whitehorse, YT) for a couple weeks. Could possibly be persuaded to continue to AK (I used to work there). Probably returning to Reno about end of July. Not sure if any of this would fit at all with your plan, but....

greg

look up

fred stucklen from ct in the white pages. he has a group going in june. thats all i know. good luck. keep us posted. someone should be in charged in documenting it here on the site. cant wait. turbo

I was planning a trip this summer with two other RVer's but family issues got in the way. I'm up for it next year.

Alaska

Hello,

If you do make to Alaska please look me up. I have a RV-9 and it would be great to meet other RV builders/flyers. I would be glad to help with arrangements and advice, where to stay, where to go, where to get fuel, where to find help,etc..

I have 18 trips between Alaska and the lower 48 in various aircraft, the trip is long but not difficult, it is just a series of long cross countries. Depending on where you cross the border you could make it to Alaska in 1.5 days if the weather is good. You could probably make the trip quicker but the hold up is customs, they don't work at night. If you fly the coast you don't even have to stop in Canada so no customs clearance is needed. But the trip through Canada is beautiful and the people are the some of the most friendly, helpful and considerate anywhere.

Since you plan on heading north in June you will have the benefit of the days getting longer the further north you go. Here in Anchorage it doesn't get dark that time of year.

Mike Ice
Anchorage, Alaska

Mike Ice said:

Since you plan on heading north in June you will have the benefit of the days getting longer the further north you go. Here in Anchorage it doesn't get dark that time of year.

Mike Ice
Anchorage, Alaska

Click to expand...

I have planned the trip on several occassions. Have a file on stops and optional stops and routes and places to stay. I mined the web for suggestions from folks with experience flying the "Highway". Was going to put it all together on a website after flying up there. Life has gotten in the way. Maybe next year.

Mike: Is that really your last name? Ice? It would make sense considering where you live. lol. take care, jack

Flight Planning Alaska Trip

Here is some info I got on flying to Alaska:

http://www.ak99aviationfun.org/flyinginalaska.php. This site details the main routes and has other good info.

A couple other sites are: http://www.alaska.net/~maeco/convweb/FlyingToAlaska.html and http://www.atlasaviation.com/aviationlibrary/flyinginalaska/flyinginalaska.htm.

The following are the waypoints we were planning on from Jacksonville, FL:

Day 1: KCRG KSNH KSTJ KRAP KGTF (1719nm or four 3-hour legs)
Day 2 and 3: KGTF CYQL (<-customs) CYYC CYEG CYZU CYQU CYDQ CYXJ CYYE CYQH CYZW CYXY CYHT CYXQ PAOR (<-customs) (1504nm)
Day 4?: PAOR PFTO PAGK PASP PAAQ PAMR PAHO PADQ (499nm)

You should make the trip in June, July or August because of weather.
I've made the trip one in a Piper Seneca. This time it'll be my RV9A.

It sounds like it is going to be busy on the Alaska Highway or (airway) this summer. Century of Flight is hoping on having a hundred airplanes registered for flying to the Yukon on July 17. http://www.johnlovelace.com/more/extended/Cross_Canada_Century_Flight.html Also our flying club has about 5 aircraft going up a week or so prior to the Century of Flight to Whitehorse, Dawson, and up for a tour of Alaska, and home, which I want to be a part of. I can't decide if I want to go on the North trip with the Flying Club, or go to Oshkosh with the newly painted 7 a couple of weeks later. I just can't swing doing both. Oh what to do..

Alaska is a dream trip for us, so count us in either this year (if plans get solidified soon enough) or next year. This trip to Whitehorse looks interesting, except I would hate to go that far and not continue on to Anchorage or Fairbanks.

Vic

I have done Alaska three times in the B-25 to the Elemendorf Airshow, and once to Ft St John in a Mustang. It is an easy trip and I highly recommend it. It is the most beautiful terrain in North America... Absolutely breathtaking, the people are very nice, and there is cold beer at every overnite!

If you never leave gliding distance of the highway, it is as safe as flying in the lower 48. If you land a half mile off the highway in the bog, you might not be able to hike to the road.

Plan some weather days and give up easily. Getting weathered in along the way and being able to sample the local culture is one of the best parts of the trip.... I have been weathered in at Ft Nelson, Whitehorse and Glen Ellen.... Every one of those was a great experience.

When you get to Anchorage, go to the F-street station and order the Halibut with lots of Alaska Amber.... The Halibut at Humpy's is good too, but I am partial to the F-Street. Eat lots of Halibut, it is wonderful... The salmon is good, but not that much better than what you can get down here, but the Halibut is just incredible.... Did I mention to wash it down with Alaska Amber?

Skagway is a great little down, 100 yrs ago it was nothing more than a bunch of miners and whorehouses, today it is tourists and whorehouse museums selling T-shirts... The airport looks interesting. I haven't landed there, we drove down from Whitehorse when we were weathered in there, and that is a gorgeous drive....

We are planning a trip in our Baron in 2011. Two couples, one way on the highway and the other way on the coast depending on the weather when we get there..... I can't wait..... I can't over sell the trip, it is truly incredible.....

Tailwinds

B25Flyer said:

...Eat lots of Halibut, it is wonderful...

Click to expand...

I have only been to Alaska once and it was a great experience, especially the trip to Talkeetna and K2 Aviation, that I had read so much about.

BUT.. BUT, what I always think about first is the Halibut and I'm not usually that much a food driven person. I think I mentioned this to another VAFer recently.

Now California has the same kind of deal, but there it is In-N-Out.

Alaska Trip

Ron, & all others interested,

I've got a group going to Alaska from Glacier National Park (Kalispell S27) on 6/17/10... Everyone is going to meet at S27 the day before departure. This will be my second trip to Alaska.
We're planning on taking the following route:
S27 to CYQL (Customs) to CYZU (Overnight) to CYQU to CYYE to CYXY (overnight) to ORT to FAI....
We're planning on many day trips from the Fairbanks area....
While I've suggested places to stay to the group, it will be everyones responsibility to make their own reservations for hotels & vehicles. I've put together a bunch of email messages outlining what you have to do to get through customs (USA & CA), what's required for survival gear, mountain flying, charts required, etc. The trip is planned VFR with fuel stops that all RV's with standard tanks (including the RV-9) can manage.
Anyone that is interested in coming along, please email me direct at the email address below. I will add you to the distribution list of emails....

Fred Stucklen
[email protected]

patterson said:

Hi all,

I'm wondering if we could put a group together to fly up to Alaska this June?

The Salmon are running then as I understand it and the weather is pretty nice. I want to do the trip but since I have never done it, would enjoy doing it with others...for more fun and greater safety if there is a problem.

Doug...is this the proper way to initiate this kind of activity in RV's?

Ron Patterson
RV-4 - N8ZD
[email protected]
510-421-2316 cell

Click to expand...

Alaska Trip

Mike,

We're planning on an extended stay in Fairbanks, but will probably try to get down your way also. If you have any suggestions where a group might be able to stay in Anchorage, email me direct. Last time I was there we stayed at a hotel right on Lake Hood. Great view of all the seaplane operations!
While in Anchorage we'll go to Talkeetna and do some mountain flying (weather Permitting again!). We'd also like to go over to Palmer up the Neigh Glacier and over the mountains back to Anchorage. The last time there we had several blue sky days and were able to do most of that route...
Where in Anchorage are you based? We'll probably go into MRI... with side trips to Kenai and Homer... We'd also like to travel (weather permitting) through the Ted Stevens High Way route back to Fairbanks. (SMU to GKN to CZO to TOK to FAI)...
Please email me direct at the email listed below so we can exchange contact info....

Mike Ice said:

Hello,

If you do make to Alaska please look me up. I have a RV-9 and it would be great to meet other RV builders/flyer's. I would be glad to help with arrangements and advice, where to stay, where to go, where to get fuel, where to find help,etc..

I have 18 trips between Alaska and the lower 48 in various aircraft, the trip is long but not difficult, it is just a series of long cross countries. Depending on where you cross the border you could make it to Alaska in 1.5 days if the weather is good. You could probably make the trip quicker but the hold up is customs, they don't work at night. If you fly the coast you don't even have to stop in Canada so no customs clearance is needed. But the trip through Canada is beautiful and the people are the some of the most friendly, helpful and considerate anywhere.

Since you plan on heading north in June you will have the benefit of the days getting longer the further north you go. Here in Anchorage it doesn't get dark that time of year.

Mike Ice
Anchorage, Alaska

Click to expand...

Alaska June 17

I think, since I initiated this, that the offer to join up with Fred Stucklen's group sounds like a great plan. At lease two others have said they were definately ready to sign up for a June 2010 departure, so maybe becoming part of Fred's flight is the way to go.

Fred, please put me and the other two "definates" on your email list and let us know how we can help with pre trip flight planning.

I could use a good deal of advice on how to pack/prepare for this trip, so any suggestions are welcome.

I would prefer to keep this trip to a 15-20 day adventure, so perhaps some of us can depart Fairbanks or Anchorage for parts south around the 27th or so. One place I remember from crusing alaska a few times is Haines. Home of the bald eagle and just beautiful. Thousands of them and a museum too. I'd like to plan a stop there.

Looking forward to it.
Ron

This is looking really interesting, and well thought out. Except, I can't take a month to do it. Is it possible to do in 7-10 days, and is there a group interested in that?

Vic

Alaska

Build9a, yes Ice is my last name.

B25flyer, I remember the B25 being here and it is a beautiful aircraft. Your right the trip North in the summer, especially June is an easy trip, as long as you don't push the weather. One other thing that might be mentioned is if it's a dry spring and early summer there might be forest fires. If there are forest fires there will be lots of smoke. Yep, Alaska Amber is pretty good and we have a couple of other micro brewers here in Anchorage that are darned good also.

Vic, A trip to and back from Alaska in 7 to 10 days is possible but I have been stuck in Whitehorse and Watson Lake for days. If you get is a hurry and push the weather it could get dangerous. IFR is always an option if your equipped and current. May I suggest that you enjoy the trip and not concentrate on the destination. That way if you make it great, look me up, and if not your not too disapointed.

Patterson, Boy are you ever right about the Eagles in Haines. We have them around here as well, I saw about 100 the other day at the land fill, not a pretty mental picture but hey it was cold, -18, and an Eagle has to eat. Flying the coast is a great trip, Anchorage to Yakutat is around 2.5 hours in an RV if your enjoying the view, put in a side trip to Valdez and it takes a little longer but then you get to see the Columbia Glacier. Near Yakutat is the Bering and Malaspina Glaciers, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaspina_Glacier, and it is hard to decribe how beautiful and immense they are.

bcam37, That trip from Homer to Kodiak is over a lot of deep, cold, open ocean. I tried to get there twice last summer but bailed out both times due to weather. When you get here and want to give it a try let me know and perhaps we can fly down together, us in our 9 and you in your 9A.

Anyone have any other questions about Anchorage or Alaska please ask. Always glad to help fellow travelers. I know I have appreciated the help I have recieved when I used to ferry planes and this is just a small way to repay those favors.

Mike Ice
[email protected]

I hear you, Mike. I will never push the weather. This is a trip to create life-long memories---positive ones. I'm sure we'll need multiple 16G cards for the camera! I know that 7-10 days can get into 2 weeks, which is doable. A month long trip could go longer, and that is just too long. Work gets in the way.

Vic

Classic Mistake - I found this after I posted!

YES, My wife and I ARE going!

I will paste my previous post in here-

Off to Alaska! My wife and I are planning to leave from Ankeny, Iowa on or about June 14th heading for Alaska. Thought I would see who has made the trip or lives along the general route and has suggestions for must see/do destinations. We have no definite schedule to keep and plan on at least 3 weeks and maybe more. If anyone along the way is getting close to first flight of a taildragger and wants some instruction in an RV-6 let me know

Some likely stops will be Regina to clear customs and stay the night, Edmonton, Fort St. John, Whitehorse, Palmer, Talkeetna.

Does anyone know if there is a pre-packaged chart kit for the Alcan section on up to Anchorage?

What other must have items would you take along?

The identifiers listed below can be copied into runwayfinder.com for routing and names of airports showing the planned route.

ikv; mot; regina; cxec; cxzu; CYDQ; CYXJ; CYYE; CYQH; CFY5; CYZW; CYXY; CYHT; CYXQ; PAOR; 6K8; Slana; PAGK; PAZK; PASP; PAAQ; PAMR.

My coded email address is : jdelveau a t m s n d o t C omm


I hope when we get back I can post a travel write-up with some pictures.

Alaska RV'ers

To all the RV's headed to Alaska this summer.

Let us Alaska RV owners and flyers know when you get here and we will try to meet up with you. I live in Anchorage but Fairbanks is just a short hop and I and others will fly up to see you.

The forest fire season is kicking in and a lot of smoke was in the valley yesterday. The smoke was pretty thick in some areas but still just confined to in the lower levels.

Mike Ice
[email protected]
907-344-4401
907-306-6733 cell