In early July I will be repositioning my plane from my old home and hangar in NC to my new airstrip property in Soldotna, AK (another thing to check off my bucket list).

As I own a naturally aspirated C172 (tailwheel converted), My route considerations are more about lower altitude passes as I approach the northwest states.

May I request some suggestions on route from those of you that have ventured cross country with similar performance limitations. I wouldn't mind stopping in some interesting places along the way or giving a ride to someone headed that way. I think I can pretty much make a bee line to ND or western Montana. From there I start scratching my head.

Join up on the Alaskan Highway heading north from Montana.

Altitude of passes most likely will not be an issue.

Ceilings, in all likelihood, will be an issue. Work on the right attitude (lot's to see, don't need to push weather) to be safe.

Places to refuel will be an issue. The great thing about the Alaskan Highway is there are plenty of spots to land if weather completely confounds you with fuel burn and it most likely won't be that hard for someone to being you fuel from there.

CANPASS is great.

Expect to get bills 3 to 6 months later from Canadian places where you landed and Canada air traffic control. This can be somewhat mitigated by letting them know when you call up, exactly what plane and what gross you are.

If you come up through Alberta, I have a room and MoGas for you. I'm north east of Grande Prairie.

David

Cross in to Canada at Scobey MT. / Coronach Sk. [ckk3] ;
then Swift current Sk. [cyyn] ;
Wetaskiwin Ab. [cex3] ;
Grande prairie Ab. [cyqu] ;
Ft Nelson [cyye] ;
Toad river[cbky] ;
Watson lake [cyqh] ;
Whitehorse [cyxy]
Then Northway Alaska and then Tok Alaska

A route that takes you south to cross the continental divide in New Mexico and then hook north from there through SLC and then Seattle, gives you the better terrain for more of that flight. I have flown that exact route, starting in Arkansas, in a Cherokee 140 and with a 10.5-ish service ceiling I was very happy I did. The more northern route, straight west across Montana to Spokane, Seattle and then north, is definitely doable but you will be operating more of the time in the realms with the ground closer and where your 172 is feeling a little sluggish and has a less than impressive climb rate. Either way, be mindful of winds. I've been over the Cascades in a 172 in the 2000 FPM down-going side of mountain waves and it is really sucky. If you aren't experienced with mountain area flying in your aircraft, the more southern route has some pretty scenery. If you are okay at 12.5, don't mind waiting out the weather and can plot a route through some less than inviting terrain, the northern route has some pretty scenery too. Either way, have fun! Your trip and new destination sound wonderful!

brown bear wrote:Cross in to Canada at Scobey MT. / Coronach Sk. [ckk3] ;
then Swift current Sk. [cyyn] ;
Wetaskiwin Ab. [cex3] ;
Grande prairie Ab. [cyqu] ;
Ft Nelson [cyye] ;
Toad river[cbky] ;
Watson lake [cyqh] ;
Whitehorse [cyxy]
Then Northway Alaska and then Tok Alaska

Personally, I would stick south of the border as long as possible. Cheaper gas down there...

Cool, Soldotna, great place. Did all my annuals and maintenance there at PASX. Which airstrip did you buy into?

As for route, I have a C-172 (56) TD though it has a 180 hp conversion, but have made the trip in essentially the same plane with the stock 145 plant, it was just a longer trip and have done the route high, low and in the middle, depending on what the weather allowed. The time of year you are proposing there should be no problem with getting fuel since you'll be in the midst of tourist season and everything will be open and you will have lots of light to fly in. As previously stated, plan on flying the Alaska highway you're first trip, there is an Alaska hwy sectional available, though I would really recommend getting foreflight, especially if you are flying solo. The huge relief from finding, folding sectionals and trying to look up information in supplements is remarkable and in the end, not much more expensive than buying all the charts/supplements when you figure the foreflight subscription is good for a year.

CANPASS is great, but I would only buy it if you are planning to cross into Canada more than once this year, in all my trips, Canadian customs has never been an issue, and in fact, have only once actually seen a Canadian customs officer, and she was pretty cute . Much more often I have contacted them on the customs phone after landing and they say "welcome to Canada, have a nice stay".

The furthest East I have crossed is Cut Bank, MT to Lethbridge. Cut Bank is a good stop, nice airport with internet access, a courtesy car and a place to crash if needed. Clearing customs at Lethbridge was a phone call. Whitecourt CYZU is a good stop, but so are many of the places along the Hwy, it really depends on the time you want to spend, what you want to see and, of course, the weather.

Coming back into the US in Alaska on the Hwy, is trickier. There is customs at Northway, but they don't man the office there anymore, so they expect a fairly accurate arrival time or they get testy. Last I heard they close at 3:30 Alaska time, they may extend that to 4:00 during the summer, but I would definitely check that. No fuel there anymore, so you will have to go up the road to Tok; great place to eat and stay, just across the Hwy from the airport.

I'm guessing you already know about eApis, customs sticker, passport, survival gear requirements, firearm regulations you will need for the trip. If not AOPA has good sections on both Alaska and Canada under flight planning.

If you want anymore info or have questions PM me. Its always a great trip. I have always been in a time crunch and have done the trip in 3-4 days from beginning to end, about 27-30 hours of flight time total, Take you're time if you can.

Chris

Thanks to all for the input. This gives me just the right nudge I need to explore some of the many possible routes.

I read that you can follow some highway from Ft Collins, CO to Seattle at 6500 ft. That's not my intended route, but I suspect that roads are built with route considerations so I can see why some of the suggested routes follow highways and thusly have services.

In December I drove from Haines to Seward through Tok junction. I have a real good feel for the remoteness (especially in Canada's Yukon). I'm allowing 10 days of leisure time to accomplish the move but I hope to use only half of that. I thought about making JC one of my waypoints just so I could say I "bagged" that one.

I found a home with an additional lot off Funny River Rd in Soldotna on a private runway. There are no less than 10 private runways within a 12 mi radius. Down in Seward where I work there is a nice airport, but I've seen it under water in photos so I thought it would be best to build a hangar on my own land.

Thanks Dave for your kind offer.

A1Skinner wrote:

brown bear wrote:Cross in to Canada at Scobey MT. / Coronach Sk. [ckk3] ;
then Swift current Sk. [cyyn] ;
Wetaskiwin Ab. [cex3] ;
Grande prairie Ab. [cyqu] ;
Ft Nelson [cyye] ;
Toad river[cbky] ;
Watson lake [cyqh] ;
Whitehorse [cyxy]
Then Northway Alaska and then Tok Alaska

Personally, I would stick south of the border as long as possible. Cheaper gas down there...

Actually, the route posted by brown bear is exactly what I'd do. There are NO high altitude passes on this route. Further, while it's true that gas south of the border is cheaper, you'll burn more gas, going the longer distance to get that "cheap" gas. This route is as close to straight line direct as you can get, practically.

Hit the Alaska Highway At Ft. Nelson, follow it through to Northway, and you're golden.

Take good camping gear, and lots of places to camp enroute.

I heard that US Customs will now permit you to clear in Anchorage if you're going to hit Northway after Customs hours. Worth calling them to check out. A friend went that route last fall, and they allowed him to stop in Tok for fuel, then clear customs in ANC. I know....makes too much sense. But, with gas no longer available in ORT and the fact that you're going to turn south for ANC at Tok anyway......

I wouldn't even consider any route other than the AK Highway from the east. It's an easy route with no high passes at all.

MTV

As to

Thanks MTV and Brown Bear,

I looked at this route and it does make real good sense. I also visited the knowledge base's Going North article. The planning is almost as fun as the flying.

I have done it 5 times ,the last was last September . and that route works well for me.
There is fuel at the stops I listed .
Credit cart Fuel at the town of Scobey , 10 miles south or the boarder . Swift current is credit cart self serve .as is Wetaskiwin. It might be good to take A1skinner upon auto fuel at Grande Prairie ? .Fort Nelson is high priced and you may be able to skip it .if you fuel at Dawson creek ? Ft st John ant Ft Nelson are not really looking for us little guys business but I have ran in to some great people at ft st john !!!
At Toad river ,you have to taxi across the highway to the gas station for auto fuel , the dinner there is a good stop to eat also.
Watson lake has a credit card pump and is a nice place to stop but a long ways from town.
Whitehorse is the last easy stop Canada and has a good restaurant there , however sometimes you can get fuel at Hains Jt ??
You can walk a 1/2 mile to town and carrie fuel at beaver creek .
There are some great stops along the way also but these are where have stopped.
Let me know if I can help / be safe and you'll have a great time
Doug

That's a good route Doug. As MTV says it is shorter and fuel will end up close.
If you want to stay out of the class C around Edmonton you can swing north to Josephsburg for pay at the pump fuel, or stay south and go to rocky Mountain house. Both nice stops as well. Fort st John has great people to meet as Doug says.
Be sure to let us know when you are on your way and how the trip is progressing.

David

obxbushpilot wrote:Thanks to all for the input. This gives me just the right nudge I need to explore some of the many possible routes.

I read that you can follow some highway from Ft Collins, CO to Seattle at 6500 ft. That's not my intended route, but I suspect that roads are built with route considerations so I can see why some of the suggested routes follow highways and thusly have services.
.

Afraid not. It would take some really heavy duty planning and regular dodging of antelope to stay at 6500'. Following 287 towards Laramie, the ridge is over 8,000'. Following I-25 to Cheyenne and on to Casper, you might make it, but watch out for bridges, oil derricks, and the like, because you'd only be a couple hundred feet off the ground, often less.

Pretty nearly every airport in Colorado and Wyoming has fuel. If you decide on a route through either state, I can give you ideas on where to stop and what's there. I know a little about Idaho, but there are folks here who have much more info on Idaho than I do. I hate to say it, but avoid Jackson, WY, because it has become decidedly unfriendly toward the little guys, other than perhaps for those who live there. Beautiful scenery, but not the GA-friendly place it once was.

One of these days, I'd like to fly back to Anchorage to see how it's changed, if I don't get too old first--a bucket list item.

Cary

Give a shout as you come through northern Colorado or Wyoming and maybe we can meet up

If you come through Ft Nelson feel free to stop and look us up at Gordons Field (CBL3). No fuel here, but lots of room to camp and a ride to town if you need anything. Been north from here to Whitehorse many times, good route, couple places that get marginal if the weather is down. The route from Ft Nelson to Liard can be poor along the highway route, nearly always better direct to Liard and picking up the river. The pass just north of Swift River is another spot it can be a bit tight if the weather is down. Take your time, don't push the weather, it is a great piece of country to travel.