I am starting to plan a trip from Minnesota to Alaska for summer of 2027. Looking at a few different routes and one of them is via Yellowknife to Anchorage.

Looks tough to get fuel in between those two places.

I can take an extra 60 gallons worth of cans in my floats and just land somewhere and dump it in if needed, but would prefer not to do that if possible.

Norman Wells looks like a good first stop from Yellowknife.

Dawson City looks like a logical place to stop for the second one, but there is no “seaplane base” there.

Anybody done it?

Do you have a particular reason for routing through Yellowknife? Seems a bit out of your way.

I think fuel can be arranged at both La Ronge and Buffalo Narrows in Northern Saskatchewan, though you’d have to make contact with some locals there to line it up. Same with Parker Lake in Northeast BC (near Fort Nelson), Watson Lake and Whitehorse. None of these places will be as convenient as just docking and calling for the fuel truck, but there aren’t many places left like that. Yellowknife is the exception in that regard.

Edit: But Yellowknife has some real advantages. Fuel available at the docks and food and accommodation close by. If you’re through there in July 2027 they may be hosting another fly-in that year. Always an enjoyable event.

Sounds like an awesome trip though. Enjoy!

Cheers.

Mike

Dawson City does have a great seaplane dock, and you can walk to town with cans for your ethanol free fuel.

As noted, Yellowknife has fuel at the float dock, and Steve at Ahmic is a great host. Norman Wells seems like the long way around...I'd aim for Watson Lake instead. No problem for a 185 with 78g tanks, and if the weather is cooperative, it's a beautiful flight over Virginia Falls and Nahanni National Park.

I helped a buddy take a f19 on straight floats from New Hampshire to MI, then on to Soldotna. I've been meaning to write a thing here about it but obviously have not. I can get the places we stopped in a couple weeks. Out of country now. Its a good trip

nickelb wrote:Dawson City does have a great seaplane dock, and you can walk to town with cans for your ethanol free fuel.

But if you need avgas, the airport is 26 kilometers from town and the dock....

Many moons ago, when I was in Kodiak, two Canadian 180s showed up one summer on the island. They stayed in one of our public use cabins, and I stopped to visit. They were from Nova Scotia..... First question I asked: "What route did you fly?" One of them was an early 180 with small tanks, the other had the big tanks. They went through their flight planning routine, and it was impressive. There were a couple lakes out in the prairies they landed, and farmers met them by pre arrangement, drove them into town for gas, etc.

They were back the next summer and the next. Their families met them in Anchorage, coming in by airline. I can't imagine the amount of planning and phone calls they made....this was pre internet as well.

Good luck, sounds like an adventure, for sure.

nickelb wrote:Dawson City does have a great seaplane dock, and you can walk to town with cans for your ethanol free fuel.

I should have specified I need 100LL and will be flying a 185.

Belloypilot wrote:Do you have a particular reason for routing through Yellowknife? Seems a bit out of your way.

It’s only about 100nm more than a direct route to go via yellowknife and it gets me around the big mountains nicely.

I always wanted to see the big lakes of the north (Athabasca, great slave, great bear) and might spend some time around there.

Boreal1 wrote:Norman Wells seems like the long way around...I'd aim for Watson Lake instead. No problem for a 185 with 78g tanks

What route would you take from Whitehorse to anchorage? It’s 437nm in a straight line, but some big mountains in between.

This is one route I came up with, looks like you can get 100ll on the water at all of these with some prior planning, with the exception of possibly Dawson City.

Not sure I’d count on Uranium City (CKG6) but I’m pretty sure Stony Rapids would work. But I seem to recall the guy at UC has a 100LL truck so maybe he’ll bring it to you. Not sure.

If it were me on departing Yellowknife I’d pick Fort Simpson, Watson Lake, and Whitehorse, but that’s just me

Always call ahead no matter what the CFS says. Especially if there’s fire activity going on.

Where would you stop after Whitehorse? Looks a bit tight to anchorage from there especially if there’s any headwind.

Ross4289 wrote:Where would you stop after Whitehorse? Looks a bit tight to anchorage from there especially if there’s any headwind.

Good point. It’s about 90 NM further from Whitehorse so not sure how that fits with your range capabilities. Looks like you are trying to keep legs under 400 NM. Whitehorse should be easier to get fuel though. I think. And more options between there and Yellowknife. If you were inclined to take a coastal route you could head south to Haines I suppose. Probably a game day decision based on winds and weather.

One advantage of routing through Dawson City is both Anchorage and Fairbanks are options for clearing US customs - if you can get fuel figured out at Dawson.

Yeah the plane only has about 600nm range on floats with 78 gal.

So around 400nm legs considering there will likely be some headwinds involved seems about right.

I do not have anything to offer on a route suggestion but I will echo Belloypilot's comment re: NavCanada CFS, Water Supplement. It is essentially a useless document for planning float plane fuel stops. If you are referencing it a call ahead is essential, I even found on occasion the phone number listed is no longer in service.

I've daydreamed a bit about a similar route and wondered if Forty Mile Air in Tok would meet a floatplane at a lake nearby with fuel. I had planned to give them a call to find out if I ever got that far into it. It wouldn't be cheap......

Also Lake Louise (13S) looks like a place where one might pre-arrange some fuel.

Another option if you know someone in Alaska perhaps they could meet you somewhere along the Hwy with a few cans.

If I have to do the jerry can thing I will just bring the cans full along in my floats. I know I can fit at least 12 of them in there. 4 lockers on my 3430’s.

The weight won’t be an issue as long as it isn’t a high altitude or small body of water.

Ross4289 wrote:If I have to do the jerry can thing I will just bring the cans full along in my floats. I know I can fit at least 12 of them in there. 4 lockers on my 3430’s.

The weight won’t be an issue as long as it isn’t a high altitude or small body of water.

That’s what I’d do. You’re dealing with long distances between weather reporting points, no weather radar north of about 52N on the route your considering, marginal XM coverage, cell coverage only when near towns - of which there are very few, and plenty of water bodies if you need them. Having an InReach is almost mandatory and a Starlink along for the ride sure wouldn’t hurt. Maximizing your options is a very good thing.

I can’t imagine completing that trip without getting plenty of experience moving fuel from cans into your tanks regardless. Still, its gonna be a blast

Yeah I would bring starlink and an in reach for sure. We had starlink in flight when I flew a Cirrus from Minnesota to Germany last summer and it was awesome. It worked the entire trip even though it wasn’t supposed to work over Greenland, it never missed a beat. Makes XM weather obsolete in my opinion.

I have done the jerry can thing plenty and it’s fine, it’s just a pain. Especially by the time you are on your 10th one in a row.

Similar trip in 2001 for a moose hunt, straight floats on my 76’ 185. From southern Manitoba to Whitehorse, Jerry cans in the cabin as I was on Cap floats without lockers. I took a much further south route however. La Ronge SK, High Level AB…they brought me a drum I believe from the airstrip as it’s right beside the lake, Watson Lake YK, then Whitehorse.
Most operators are very friendly and will sell you fuel if you carry lots of cash and stay out of their way if they are working. Use the shitty back end of the dock, not the centre spot where you see a loading ramp laying on the dock and a bunch of ropes, that’s where the otter parks and if your in his spot he won’t be happy when he comes back.

Have fun
Bkn