The Different Routes to Alaska

[Rider Rick]

Hi all, I am starting to plan the route to Fairbanks for this June, and the initial GPS routes (and AAA trip suggestions) take us due north from Oklahoma through the Dakotas and then going northwest across all those Canadian kilometers (Sask, Alb, BC) until crossing into AK (3609 miles). There is also a route that goes up through Colorado and Wyoming and Montana and then into Canada (3770 miles). Both of these routes never get further west than central Montana being crossing the border. Using Mapquest as a casual mileage indicator.

With all due respect to Canada and its beauty, are there any decent routes that follow the US over closer to Washington (Spokane) or Idaho before heading up into BC? I've heard a few say vaguely that the roads from Idaho or Washington are not as nicely maintained that far west, and more sparsely populated with traveler-friendly resources. It does work out to further distance, but those places along the northern border of the US are places I have never been, and would like to see. Mapquest has a hard time finding a route, and its initial suggestion before it stops is across that range of mountains in BC. We are coming back via Whittier Ferry to Bellingham so probably won't want to go all the way toward Seattle and then up.

Just looking for some alternatives to the two routes I've seen so far, thanks.

[Airman]

I ran the map on Google maps and found a couple routes from Spokane to AK. I have made the trip from Billings MT to Spokane several times and I like that route, but the southern route using I-80 from Denver to Salt Lake looks more interesting. I don't think there's a bad way to get to Spokane, but you'll have to deviate from those planned maps.

[Rider Rick]

Thanks for the tips. I've read so many AK logs from folk that it is running into one big, blurry recollection, lol. I'm thinking it may be a little cheaper and more comfy to run along below the border until the last practical moment and head north through BC toward Fairbanks, but don't know this yet. I've also read that after a few days going through Canada all the stupendous scenery also turns into something sort of vague and you are just wanting to get through it . We'll see. I'd personally like to spend my time and money seeing sites in the US but we are still chewing it over.

[Caol]

Might I suggest get to Missoula, MT then turn north on US-93/BC-93?

Kyle

[angellr]

Have not done this myself, but I hear the trip up through Montana; Calgary is the best route. From other's experiences, the most treacherous part of the Canada drive is the wildlife on or crossing the road.

Would be alot of fun and wish you well in your journey this summer.

[Rider Rick]

Have heard that myself, so we are definitely discussing our spacing, etc. Plenty of deer down here, too, so I am used to keeping watch along the edges of the roads. I've heard multiple people say the route up through Calgary and on over to AK is a pretty nice, solid ride. At least on a topo map it looks like it might not be as mountainy. Thanks for the tip.

[Caol]

Yup, Hwy-93 goes right up the spine of the Rockies, so the roads are not the quickest. 93 is in pretty good shape, but if you head north further west, (Idaho/Spokane WA) they're not bad but there are fewer places to pass logging trucks and the like. Once you're in BC there aren't many options to head towards Fairbanks. There's Hwy-97, which is a very pleasant ride, up through Prince George, as you're in the middle of a wide valley, but I have no idea what the roads are like from Prince George north.

And once you've left the prairie super slab close encounters with large herbivores of many descriptions are entirely likely!
(moose, bison, deer, elk, caribou, cows, steers, mountain goats, big horn sheep, chipmunks, ground hogs, gophers, squirrels - to name a few! )
And lets not forget the tree hugging two legged herbivore that stops in the middle of the road to take pictures of the aforementioned four legged variants!

Whichever route you wind up on, have a good time and keep the shiny side up!

Kyle

[sweatmark]

Travel to either Great Falls or Kalispel, then take corresponding route into Glacier National Park and West Glacier, then Going-to-the-Sun Road to exit park and head north towards Calgary.

From Calgary, follow 1 then 93 to Jasper National Park, then either head west to Prince George and 97 to Dawson Creek, or north from Jasper along smaller roads to Dawson Creek via Grande Prairie. Cannot comment on conditions of the latter route, but have ridden the Jasper/Calgary/Glacier route and recommend the segment.

It would be a shame to miss these epic parks if riding through the region.

[Rider Rick]

The Glacier route sounds pretty neat, I will have to see what our schedule is to get to Fairbanks. My bud had initially positied a very optimistic timetable , and I know racking up 500 miles a day on flatland is not the same as trying to do that much in twisty, mountainous parts. Thanks!

I haven't seen anyone say they are gonna take the AK challenge this summer so far...was hoping we could ron day voo with someone up that way, say at Watson Lake, etc, or Dawson...not sure we can make that DusktoDawson shindig but it sounds fun