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A few answers
Posted by Garion33 on Dec 12 2005
Bill, I can't speak from first hand knowledge about driving the ALCAN, but have heard it is very drivable with planning. Not everything will be open like it would during the summer. Get a copy of The Milepost and it will outline which gas stations/hotels are open in the winter. As a military member, I know several folks who have driven it in the winter and made it just fine. The Milepost is a key peice of reading.
I have taken the Alaska Marine Highway System (ferry) twice in December on trips to and from Alaska. We caught the ferry at Bellingham, Washington and took it to Haines, Alaska. It was a decent ride with some rough water at times. The ferry is boring to some (I enjoy watching the great scenery), so you may want to bring a good book. If you are looking at saving some money (if you are by yourself), don't rent a cabin and sleep in the forward lounge in your sleeping bag. There are showers availabe for use in the public bathrooms. I traveled with my family, so I paid for the cabin with private showers. You can get more info about the ferry system at the following web site: www.akmhs.com. ; The ferry restaurant is expensive, but you can bring a cooler full of food to help offset the cost. We did that for lunches only, but I saw many folks eat all of their meals out of their coolers.
Campers are always a good thing to have for fishing/hunting, so it's good that you're bringing one. I have driven from and to Haines in December and the roads have been good, even with bad weather. I assume you are driving a 4X4? We drove on roads that had 6-8 inches of snow on them prior to the plows going through. I never felt worried or nervous. I would recommend extra gas as well as a survival kit for a "just in case" type scenario. I saw wolves, caribou, a few moose, and even a wolverine on my last trip through Canada. It is a beautiful drive from Haines, through Canada, and back into Alaska.
Ensure you research current requirements if you are going to be carrying guns through Canada (I assume you are). Have the required paperwork filled out in triplicate prior to arriving at the border, pay the fee (around $35 US dollars the last time I went through), and press on. Use your credit card for most purchases as you get a better exchange rate that way, though all places will take US dollars.
The Kenai area does not get exceptionally cold, so for normal winter wear, good Columbia or North Face gear is great. As far as hunting for a non-resident, black bear is what you'll be after in the spring.
Look in the archives for more info. Some of these same topics are covered. I'm sure other, much more knowledgable folks will post more info to help you out.
Hope this helps and Good luck,
Dave
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