Exploring Alaska

Growing up on the eastern shores of America I envisioned Alaska as a distant, remote wilderness filled with snow, bears and a few small native villages. Now I’ve traveled to and lived in far-off places around the globe, but I had yet to visit my 50^th state, Alaska. This last frontier needed to be explored, so I set out on an overland adventure in the EEXP, circumnavigating North America, which included the month of July exploring Alaska. What I found in our most remote and northern state were vibrant communities of hospitable people, huge mountains, a deep connection with the sea, tales of extreme wealth and extreme hardship, an outdoorsman’s paradise, a rich native culture, historical sites important to this great nation, and wildlife only rivaled by the big game preserves in Africa.

I didn’t do much planning for this trip. I sent out a query on social media, compiled a list of interesting suggestions, put them in order after looking at a map, then set out on that general route. The trip ended up being a clockwise path around the state, entering on the ALCAN and exiting on the Top Of The World Highway. On my list of must-sees were the Kennecott mines, the Kenai Peninsula, Denali National Park and, of course, the Dalton Highway. I planned to hit a few key locations and be as flexible as possible the rest of the time. Being flexible on an adventure like this allows you to truly dive into amazing experiences as they develop.

Wrangell-St Elias National Park

One of the first stops in Alaska, as you enter on the ALCAN in the southeast, should be Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (America’s largest National Park) and the Kennecott Mines. The unpaved drive into the park on McCarthy Road is remote and extremely beautiful, but doesn’t require anything other than a normal car to traverse. Wanting a full day to explore the town of McCarthy, the Kennecott Mines and a bit of the surrounding park, I found a quality roadside pull-out camping spot overlooking the Chitina River on the drive into the park. You should probably spend more time soaking in this unique and expansive place, but I managed to pack a ton of adventure into my one-day visit. Highlights included exploring the huge Kennecott Mine site, a hike to and on the Root Glacier, and finishing the day with cold brews at the Golden Saloon, the only bar in the tiny town of McCarthy. Access to McCarthy and the National Park is by footbridge only, across a small river, at least for non-residents. The campground next to the footbridge also charges for parking, so park free at the Visitor’s Center then walk the extra quarter mile to town and pick up the shuttle to the mine site. Better yet, bring a mountain bike and cycle everywhere, avoiding the cost of the parking and the shuttle altogether.

The highlight of the trip was by far the five-plus unplanned days spent exploring the town of Homer with new and old friends alike. I met up with some overland traveler friends in Seward and spent an evening at Exit Glacier, which included some parking lot BBQ and long-board skateboarding. We formulated plans for a run to Homer to chase some expected surf swell. While making dinner and camping plans roadside in Homer, a local noticed my rig, the EEXP, and stopped to chat. He had followed the build online and instantly invited us to join him for dinner, offered up his place for us to park and use the facilities, and gave us the grand tour of Homer and the surrounding area over the next five days. He even connected us with local surfers, who called us early the morning of the second day and invited us to share the waves with them for the only surf they saw all summer, which only lasted a few hours. Private boat rides, photographing dip-net salmon fishing, remote beach BBQs, the best local restaurants, and mountaintop sunsets ensued. Although the road beckoned, it was extremely hard to leave newfound friends and such an amazing place. Homer, and my new friends there, will have a special place in my heart for the rest of my days.

Besides Homer, the rest of the Kenai Peninsula is very much worth a visit. I was only able to scratch its surface on this visit, but got in some great adventures, met amazing people and camped in spectacular locations. The Kenai adventures started in Girdwood, which offers world-class mountain biking, both cross-country and downhill, and hiking in the summer months. A hot tip for taking in the views from atop the Alyeska ski resort in Girdwood is to hike up the mountain, then ride down on the aerial tram. The ride down is free, but you’d need to pay for a ride up the mountain if you didn’t hike. After getting my adrenaline fix in Girdwood, I checked out the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which is well worth the visit, as it allows you to safely get close to many of the animals you’ll encounter on your Alaska travels, all of which you really wouldn’t want to get that close to in the wild, if you value your life. I also made a point to visit the tiny town of Hope along the Turnagain Arm. It’s a beautiful drive out along Six Mile Creek, a great place to go whitewater rafting and kayaking. While the town only consists of a few tiny businesses, a small cluster of homes and a waterside campground known for its quality fishing and bear watching, the highlight is the 119-year old Seaview Café & Bar. Visit this classic establishment to throw back a few cold ones and soak in the history and natural beauty of the area. Along the road, and the Turnagain Arm, just outside of town, are also a ton of free camp spots. I’m not sure there is a better place anywhere to enjoy a sunset over the water. My time on the Kenai was way too short, as there are just so many sights to see, adventures to be had and quality people to meet.

Anchorage is where you should resupply on goods and services for your continued adventures across Alaska, and your planned travels in Canada. Fuel, food, oil changes and the lot are all cheaper in this big city than I found anywhere else in the state or Canada. It is also the only place to get some goods and services, like a special 4×4 part that I needed to repair my overland adventuremobile. The price difference is enough that I fueled up all my spare fuel tanks, bought an extra case of beer, filled the fridge with all the food rations I’d need for a few weeks of travel, got an oil change and even deep-cleaned my home on wheels. While you’re doing all the chores that life on the road requires, be sure to also check out the great local hikes, good dining and the window shopper’s dream that is Anchorage’s downtown corridor.

North of Anchorage you’ll find Denali National Park, home to Denali, the highest peak in North America at 20,308 feet. On your way there take Hatcher Pass, a beautiful scenic drive with great free camping opportunities high in the mountains. Denali NP is a unique place. There are no private vehicles allowed into the depths of the park, requiring visitors who wish to explore more than the entrance area to book a seat on one of the park’s old Bluebird school buses. I booked the super-early bus, which usually fills up fast, as the most wildlife is spotted from this first bus each day. I saw lots of bear, moose, elk and even some dall sheep. I was also extremely lucky, as on this summer day Denali was out in her full glory, the sky was devoid of any clouds, offering amazing views of the mountain throughout the park. This is a very rare occurrence; don’t be surprised if the mountain is at least partially obscured by clouds on your visit.

On the highway north of Denali, stop for dinner and drinks at 49^th Amendment Brewing. Be sure to get the giant pretzel appetizer to go with the quality beer. There are also a number of side gravel roads north of there with great camping opportunities as you travel toward Fairbanks for a quick resupply before heading far north to Prudhoe Bay on the Dalton Highway.

The Dalton Highway should be on every overlander’s bucket list. It is a 1,000-mile round trip with a wide range of road conditions through an extremely remote wilderness. While it can be done in a standard 2WD car, ground clearance and 4WD/AWD are much appreciated, and much safer, on some of the rougher sections of road, especially when the weather gets bad, which it does quite often up there. When wet, the road tends to turn to a sloppy, slippery mess. The Dalton is all about the journey, not the destination, as the oil field town of Deadhorse doesn’t have much to offer the traveler, except for being the end of the road, making it a special place to visit. The highlights of this route are the awe-inspiring views as you drive through the Brooks Mountain Range, the unique arctic wildlife sightings and the Arctic Ocean Shuttle to Prudhoe Bay, which allows you to get past the oil rig security checkpoints and dip your toes into the Arctic Ocean.

While I only barely scratched the surface of the majestic sights across the vast expanse that is Alaska on this month-long overland adventure, I was able to get a good taste for what the state has to offer the summer traveler. The breathtaking vistas, unique abundant wildlife and quality eats were captivating, but the extremely friendly people are what truly made the trip special. The hospitality, kindness and adventurous spirit of the Alaskan people will stay with me for a long time.  Unique experiences are always calling, and Alaska delivers. This trip was the perfect shakedown trip for my overland expedition vehicle, the EEXP, and a great way to kick off more overland adventures around the globe.

TIPS FOR YOUR ALASKAN OVERLAND ADVENTURE

Timing: July and August are the best options for seeing the most in a short period of time. Relatively warm weather, fewer bugs than in the spring, and less volatile weather than in the fall — all combine to maximize your chances of accessing the sights on your travel list.
Duration: Alaska is a massive state, requiring long driving days to get from place to place. I suggest no less than three weeks, but one to two months would be optimal.
Cost: Expect everything to cost 20-30% more than in the lower 48, and you should be able to budget well. You will find that prices vary substantially across the state on most goods. Major cities offer the best values, while high traffic tourist areas will have extremely inflated prices.
Food: While eating out is more expensive than you might be used to, there are many interesting and quality culinary experiences worth your time and money. If you enjoy fresh fish, especially salmon and halibut, it might be the best camp food value in the state, as it can be purchased at the local supermarket for incredibly low prices.
Flexibility: While planning is essential to accomplishing your trip goals, be sure to allow the flexibility to experience adventures as they present themselves. These impromptu experiences are the most rewarding, and what you’ll truly remember from the trip.
Vehicle: While just about any reliable vehicle can get you around Alaska to experience most of the major sights, a 4×4 with indoor living space will be the most capable and comfortable. Inside vehicle sleeping quarters will separate you from the wildlife, including the mosquitos. Be sure to have a good quality, full-sized spare tire, no matter the vehicle you choose for your adventure, as Alaskan road conditions are variable and assistance can be far away.
Lodging: Remote and “stealth” camping options are plentiful for the budget traveler. Hotels, B&Bs and paid campsites are also abundant and offer all the amenities you might want, but they come at a high cost.

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