Anyone ever driven to Alaska?

wow. such a riveting review. would read again

i was wondering if there's any 'rental' places in seattle that will let you dump the car off then take a ferry or jet back home.

i think the trip up would be fun..but maybe not so much the return trip.

I flew up to Ketchikan when I moved to Alaska for a while back in the 80's. But while i was there I knew of two brothers who had loaded everything they could fit into a 66 Volkswagen bug they'd cut down into Baja and drove from North Alabama to Vancouver, BC where they caught the ferry to Ketchikan. I can't remember what all they had to say about it though as this was like 30 years ago.

I drove from Memphis to Denver once. Kansas sucks but hitting the rockies was nice but scary driving. Be fun to drive from LA to NYC not sure about Alaska.

quote:

---

I drove from Memphis to Denver once

---

took my 2 kids out west a few years ago. we hit 18 or 19 states in 10 days. our schedule was something like this

day 1 - nashville to amarillo
day 2 - amarillo to strawberry, az
day 3 - strawberry to kayenta, az
day 4 - kayenta to Paonia, CO
day 5 - payonia (hung out with friends)
day 6 - payonia to idaho falls
day 7 - idaho falls (2 day at yellowstone)
day 8 - idaho falls to Deadwood, SD
day 9 - deadwood to springfield, IL
day 10 - Springfield to nashville


it was a blast; even though you're looking at probably 7 or so hours a day in the car, i would get the kids up at 5 am and they'd sleep until 11 or noon..and wake up in a BRAND new place. i drank *LOTS* of coffee so i didn't mind the miles but it was totally worth it. i was runing high on adrenaline the whole trip.

we spent time in canyonlands, zion, grand canyon, painted desert, bryce canyon, yellowstone, grand tetons, badlands, mt rushmore, devils tower and a bunch of other tourist traps.

great trip..great memories. the best was AZ & utah and going offroad on the indian reservations and driving for miles over the desert lost from all human contact.

A guy I know bought a beater SUV (mechanically sound, but nothing to write home about), drove it to Alaska, sold it and flew back.

quote:

---

Be fun to drive from LA to NYC

---

not really at all. i have done it.

quote:

---

I don't know if you can still do this, but my cousin lived in Alaska about 10 years ago, and said that you could buy a 4x4 SUV, drive it up to Alaska, then sell it, and make enough to pay for your entire trip up there and your flight back

I don't know if he was full of shite, but I was very close to trying it one summer.

---

This is true with Colorado as well. 4x4s are at a premium up there and 2x4 trucks don't sell. You can drive up with a 4x4, sell it, drive back with a 2x4 truck (I bought a Tacoma for like $3-4k less than Value) and make a good bit of money.

Not sure how much time you have, but if this is an extended trip maybe considering taking the Ferry north from Bellingham and driving back. You can take the Ferry to Haines or Skagway, AK and catch the highway up in the Yukon, or take it all the way to S. Central as there is a ferry that does cross gulf trips once a month.

The highway has been straightened and paved, it's a fairly easy ride these days. Not like the old days when you needed a couple of spares and survival supplies just in case. Might also consider taking the Cassier Hwy to connect to the Alaska Hwy, it's the more scenic route, unless you're planning on doing the Canadian Rocky parks. Make sure you visit Liard Hot Springs on the Yukon /BC border.