Flying to Alaska

[bagarre]

..from Maryland.

I'm planning to fly 81D across the US and into Alaska next year. I think sometime in September so I have a good while to fly behind the new motor.

And by Alaska, I mean I have no idea where I am going but I want to fly there.
Looking for ideas, advice, pointers...anything on a 4 week trip for a daytime VFR pilot heading into the last frontier.

[wingnut]

I always thought Rudy, McCarthy...................... would be an interesting places to go. Stop by Mena AR and pick me up. I don't weigh much. You can ratchet strap me to a lift strut and never know I was there

Edit to add..........I don't eat much, and you have a mechanic along. Small price to pay for quality beer

[moss farmer]

Are you planning on going up the coast or going by way of the trench? It makes a big difference in gas and time.

[pdb]

I am not a huge fan of the coastal route at any time but especially not in September. From back east, the best way is to head up towards Montana and work your way up towards Prince George, BC. From there, you have three routes from which you can choose depending on the weather. September can be the best time to visit but we can have some rain.

For a description of the route, see this thread. http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... f=5&t=1649

What I didn't mention in the thread above is that there is a very neat side trip to take which is to visit Dawson City after leaving Whitehorse. The entire town is a Canadian national park and very nice to visit. It's best to check what will be open when you are there as the town rolls up after the tourists leave,

Once you cross the border in Alaska, there are too many places to go. Some folks like Fairbank for a day. Then head to Manley Hot Springs for an evening, then head down to Talkeetna and absolutely spend a day flying around McKinley. After that, head down to Anchorage and on to the Kenai Peninsula. Seward has deep blue ocean water and glacial fjords. Cooper Landing has fantastic rainbow fishing, then head down to Homer or Seldovia. If you have more time and money, you can head west towards King Salmon, Illiamna, or Dillingham.

Maybe you need to plan two trips....

[bagarre]

Are you planning on going up the coast or going by way of the trench? It makes a big difference in gas and time.

As of yet, I have no idea

[170C]

You need to talk to Richard Pulley (170 president). He has lots of experience flying back and forth to Alaska from Texas and I am sure he can give you a lot of good advise.

[DaveF]

I flew to Alaska via Lethbridge, Ft. St. John, Ft. Nelson, Whitehorse, Northway, Fairbanks. We went north to Bettles and Anaktuvuk Pass, and south to Homer. We hit Denali, Chena Hot Springs, Cantwell, and Fairbanks in between. My next trip will be to the west. As big as Alaska is, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised how small it seems once you're there, after flying all the way from Maryland.

[bagarre]

Is there a better time of the year than September to do a trip like this?

[pdb]

David,

When you come depends on what you want to do. Anytime after Memorial Day through June/July
is usually the best flying weather, warm weather, and the longest days and would be best for general sightseeing.

If you are interested in fishing, king salmon start running in May, followed by reds, them silvers in late August. A rainbow fishing gets better all summer until freeze up. More detail is found here. http://www.mysticfishing.com/faq.html Ocean fishing is good anytime. Gray whales are migrating around Seward in late March through mid April. Bears can usually be seen around the streams whenever the salmon are running.

September can be great and the crowds have diminished but it can get a bit rainy. It's my favorite time to get out but as a local, if I wake up and it's raining, I just go back to bed. Hunting season begins in late August depending on the species and location.

Don't expect to see the Northern Lights in summer, it's too bright out until the very end of August.

[blueldr]

Akaska's an easy trip from Maryland. Take US Highway 50 west out of Ocean City,MD, and follow it west to I-5 Hwy. in CA, turn right (that's north) to Weed, CA., bear right on US 97 and continue on up through Canada to Dawson Creek B.C., turn left on the Alaska Highway and follow it to the end. Stop before you run out of land.
Navigation is easy if you know how to do it.

[DaveF]

Is there a better time of the year than September to do a trip like this?

I went in June, and it was great. Warm, pleasant weather and very long days. 24 hours long above the Arctic Circle.

[Larry Holtz]

I flew to Alaska July 2007. I had never been there and but had wanted to go since I was 8 years old watching all those B-17's, P-38's and P-51's headed north over our farm north of Great Falls during the war. BL was probably at the controls of one of them. Did'nt have a clue to where to go so did a google earth and found a landing strip next to a Glacier. That was McCarthy. Spent a week in the area hiking and flying. Spent a week in Ankorage touring around the Kenei, then North to Talkeetna for several days flying the Glaciers on Mt McKinley.
I flew out of Seattle and took the inland route picking up the Alaska Hwy at Fort St John. Didnt trust the costal weather to take that route. Trip of a livetime.

Larry

[blueldr]

On my last trip to Alaska, in 1995, I went up via the inland route and planned to return down the coast. When I refueled and had lunch at Northway, another pilot and his wife shared a table with me in the little resturant. They were northbound and had come up the coast. I asked him about the weather and he allowed as how "it wasn't too bad; about 400 and 3 to 5 all the way." He was a retired airline pilot flying a Mooney. I allowed as how I might as well go back down the trench!
Four hundred and three aint for me!

[edbooth]

Have been up there three times, once in the 170, once commercial airlines and once pulling a 30 foot travel trailer. Flying the 170 and camping with the trailer were great....going by airline...not so much. Would love to fly the 170 up there one more time before I check out.

[bagarre]

Maybe we should try and coordinate a 170 armada to the North.