Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The Alcan Highway?

A family friend helped build it about the time I was born.

Any here drive the route?

Only seven times.

Last one was July 2005.

It's a great trip, just don't be in a hurry or you'll miss some really cool stuff.

Ed

Just once, but enjoyed it. Liard Hot Springs and Kluane were memorable

Drove it early this summer. Beautiful trip.

I drove all over it back in 1973. My buddy and I wanted to live like Jeremiah Johnson, we drove up there to Manson Creek, and we also went to Ft. Nelson and elsewhere.
In fact, we wound up flying into the wilderness in a bush plane with a wild-ass, famous bush pilot named Midnight Jim Anderson.
We drove up to Jim's house. Instead of a car, he had a Cessna in the driveway. His house was right on the Alcan Highway.
There was no airstrip.

I asked Jim "Where the hell do you fly from?"
He said, "Right off of the highway."

He wasn't kidding he took off right off of the gravel Alcan highway. Google Jim up he was quite famous.

I have driven it numerous times in the last 25 years. It is mostly just another paved 2-lane highway as far as construction. It is constantly undergoing maintenance repairs because of frost issues so be prepared for some short streches of gravel, but it is as good or better than most 2-lane state highways in Idaho and Montana.

The trip itself is worth taking though, lots of great scenery. I am surprised at how quickly things have changed on it though, when I drove it the first time in the mid-90's there were quite a few of the old original business still open, it seems that each trip there are fewer of them. There are enough services that the old days of needing to take along extra spare tires, extra fuel, etc is no longer necessary, although I still do it for peace of mind and having extra fuel gives me the option of shopping for fuel prices which are high in BC.

drover

July 1995. 3756 miles in 2 days and 21 hours.

I drove up the Alcan in the early 1980s with a railroad buddy. We made miles, but it was still a wonderful trip, only about 200 miles of gravel left at that time. Wasn't quite as scary as the "conventional wisdom" made it out, but it still killed two tires (we had spares) and our rock grate saved the windshield at least twice.

But yeah, it's worthy. I hope to do it again in this lifetime.

At least a dozen times. First being April 1977 when only about 80 miles was paved and I was lucky to make 400 miles a day. Last time was April 2013 driving a 35 foot motor home pulling a 16 foot long trailer.

Yup, 3 times, 1966, 1968 and 1971. It was 1200 miles of gravel then. Lost my windshield every time. When I finally hit the pavement coming down in 1966, I wanted to take a picture of the transition to pavement but is was so smooth and quiet I had a hard time stopping! Two times we had a teething 6 month old with us. Not fun. It's a wonder the kid didn't get pitched out on the side of the road.

My brother and I travelled with my grandparents from our home in Taylor to Fairbanks and back. This was in 1959 and we were travelling in a 1953 Buick Special. At that time, it was gravel road from Taylor to the Alaska border. This was quite an adventure for a ten year old kid. GD

Drove it again last year, great trip. Take time to smell the roses.

Richard
I’ve lost count of the number of times. First time was in 1976. Most recent was 2017 - down and back.

Not completely true. Went the Cassiar both ways. 😁

I really enjoy the Cassiar more than the Alaska Hwy.

drover

Been over it 14 times. Started in 1968 and last time in about 2005. Was all gravel as other stated. Fastest trip I know of was my brother from Fairbanks to Bottinreau N.D. In 49 hrs by himself. 1969 ford galaxies with a 429. Ed k
Gonna go againn next summer if possible.

No pictures?

Interesting, my buddy lives in Baldonnel, we did the trip a few times, one was to see friends in Whitehorse, then one trip was to Dawson city then top of world Hwy to Fairbanks, every trip we did at least one stop at liard hotspring and kluane.

Never have and more than likely will not, just getting too old for that grueling of a trip. My grandfather did tell some stories about it, though. Said it was real hard work. He worked on it for about 3 1/2, or so, years. Just so happens there is about 4 1/2 years between two of my uncles.

This is one of those bucket lists things for me. Growing up in the late 60's early 70's it seemed Outdoor Strife or Field & Scream or one of the other hook and bullet mags always had a summer series "driving the ALCAN". It sounds like it was quite a bit more sporty back then but still a slide in camper and a truck full of fishing rods and the road would be a fine way for me to spend a summer.

We'll see. Certainly not giving the idea up yet.

I did it in June on my motorcycle but turned off in Whitehorse and went north to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean .

Do yourselves a favor and travel early mornings or evenings. Very little traffic except trucks and the wildlife really comes out. Fort St. John to Watson lake was probably my favorite leg.

I also have relatives who did a lot of construction on the Hwy.