A few things you may or may not know about some of the airports between WA & AK:

Quesnel BC
Great flying community and club and free camping, showers, pilot lounge with kitchen and even wi-fi from the terminal. Self-serve fuel. Grass runway available.

Prince George BC
I usually stop here for fuel but prefer not to overnight. If you are on a budget you can stay in the Central BC Flying Club building (an ATCO type structure with a deck). There is a sink, toilet, kitchen, dvd player, and some couches. I've always been able to tie down in the grass right next to the building. Walk to the terminal for a meal in the airport cafe.

Smithers BC
A scenic, fun town and the steelhead fishing capital of the world. I've camped at the airport but there's so much to do in town I'd rather be there. There is a small cafe with intermittent hours in the terminal. Also a Nav Canada kiosk/phone open 24/7. Land on the grass if you need to.

Dease Lake
This airport is often gusty with crosswinds. Both times I've landed here it was bad and I didn't have enough fuel for an alternate unless I landed on the Cassiar Highway. Get fuel at Pacific Western Helicopters. They have a phone available for flight planning.

Fort St John BC
Nice terminal with a cafe. Didn't hang around long enough to discover what this airport has to offer.

Fort Nelson BC
Not my favorite place to be stuck overnight and I have been. The FBO is low budge. There's a shower, a soiled couch, dvd player, small kitchen area, and Nav Canada kiosk/phone in an adjacent ATCO trailer. The people are friendly and I don't mean to disrespect them, it's just that the place evokes desperation, isolation, and has a dirty, industrial feel. Lots of helicopter traffic at this airport. Fort Nelson Radio is on the field but you can't access their facility. The terminal building has free wi-fi. If it is closed after hours you can sit outside and surf the net.

Watson Lake YT
Five star camping on the lake! There is a gazebo and bathrooms, and the pilot lounge has potable water and Nav Canada kiosk/phone. The facility is very comfortable. Self-serve fuel here.

Whitehorse YT
The North 60 fuel hotel for pilots has been permanently closed. The old rooms are being converting into office space. Fortunately the pilot lounge, kitchen, bathrooms, and showers on the second floor are availabe free of charge. Last week I discovered that Whitehorse Air sells fuel for 14 cents/liter less and will fill jugs. Later this season North 60 plans to install self-serve pumps.

There is a camp area nearby enclosed by a chain link fence. The code on the gate is not legible so if you close the door you may have to walk around to the flight service gate to gain access to the field.

There is a nice cafe in the terminal building but no wi-fi. A trail at the NW end of the field is paved, leading to a set of stairs and directly into downtown and it's worth the effort. Whitehorse is a very interesting place with some traditional architecture and a lively arts community.

Haines Junction YT
If you find yourself here contact Sifton Air for information. They are very helpful. I was once stuck here in late October for a few days and Sifton invited me to stay in their travel trailer - parked in the heated hangar. I had free used of the bathroom and was even driven to town on occasion. I can't say enough about their wonderful hospitality. But this is typical of my experiences in Canada, particularly the north.

Beaver Creek YT
I have camped here on the gravel strip. Be prepared for mosquitos. Beaver Cr radio is on the field and offers good weather services and a Canadaian Customs facility is located here to "serve" Alaska Highway travelers. You can walk to Customs and use the pay phone to contact US Customs in Northway.

Northway AK
I think many have heard about the fuel situation here. While I was in Northway, a few days ago, they officially ran out of both Jet fuel and avgas. Word is the cafe will be permanently closing at the end of the month. This is quite a grand opening celebration following the completion of the runway expansion project. Increasingly, it seems like the only businesses that can afford to, or are permitted to operate are government businesses.

I'd like to insert a personal rant here. It's unfortunate that air travelers don't enjoy the same rights as road travelers - we have to comply with EAPIS and then pay for a stupid decal before we're allowed to return home. Even more frustrating is CBP Northway hours - 7am to 4pm! This is an incredibly stupid schedule! No private businesses along the route could afford to have such ridiculous hours during summer, a time when aviators fly late into the day or night, taking advantage of long days and making up for time lost due to bad weather. I think it is reasonable the govt. add a swing shift to permit trans-border traffic until midnight or an appropriate evening hour that coincides with the longer days of summer. I've heard from many frustrated pilots who agree.

If the AK border AOE was relocated near the highway border station then pilots could cross the border at any time and agents wouldn't need to drive out to the airport each time someone comes through. If this can never happen and Northway never has fuel, maybe CBP needs to operate out of TOK. It seems Northway is a prime candidate for a self-serve fuel business.

My advice when traveling through Canada: slow down and enjoy the experience, try not to be in such a hurry and be respect the locals. One way to show your appreciation is to make a donation to the clubs who generously offer free facilities to travelers, and clean up your messes before you leave.

Thanks for reading...the opinions expressed here are just my own and do not not necessarily represent the backcountry pilot community...

VMC

Good info and agree Tok would be best for customs, driving or flying........


Thanks

Be Safe

Very helpful. Thank you.

Anybody got info on Port Hardy, Bella Bella, Prince Rupert, Ketchikan and Wrangel?

Ketchikan's airport is a ferry ride across the strait from town. There are no services on the airport side except for the airport - there is a fast food counter in the terminal. The ferry is $5 per adult one way and runs (in the summer) from 6am to 9pm on a 30 minute schedule. Airplane parking is $5/day. Aero Services is the FBO and they generally have a good reputation. I know of no self-service fuel. There is a FSS on the field. Use them. Also, operations in the area are governed by special FAR's that can be found in part 93. You MUST brief them. Hope that helps. As for town, there is the usual stuff. In the summer it is a busy, bustling place downtown until mid-afternoon when the cruise ships pull away, then many things close for the day. But not everything, you can still get a good meal. The airport ferry puts you into north Ketchikan not downtown anyway which is less touristy, there is a small mall, McDonalds, Safeway etc. near the ferry dock. It is a long walk to the actual downtown areas, or there are cabs. There are a couple of chain hotels there plus B&B's, I like the Cape Fox Lodge myself. Most will pick you up from the town ferry dock.

I've only flown into Wrangell on a 737. I know it is a mile or two to the center of town from the airport, and that there are a couple of lodge-style restaurants in town.

N131CP wrote:Very helpful. Thank you.

Anybody got info on Port Hardy, Bella Bella, Prince Rupert, Ketchikan and Wrangel?

Stay out of Bella Bella if you can. Not non-native friendly at all. If fuel says you have to, use Denny Island for your stop. The much better bet is to go up the Burke and use Bella Coola (the airport is actually in the town of Hagensborg)for fuel/lodging.

Gump

Thanks alaskaflyer - that's helpful.

Gump - thanks. I've heard that about Bella Bella from a few folks. is there fuel at Denny Island?

Alaskaflyer,

Actually, Tok probably won't happen as a Customs stop. The Customs officer who works the ORT airport drives down from the border, I believe. That wouldn't work for Tok, which is a lot farther from the border. Being the Customs person at Northway has to be a VERY lonely job, though, and I'd bet his boss has trouble justifying having a person there at all.

Finally, Northway has Yarger lake, where you can clear Customs on floats. That would be harder in Tok, and impossible out at the border.

I concur that it's pretty ridiculous to spend the kind of money they spent on rebuilding the Northway airport, in any case. Frankly, it's pretty much a dead zone, and Customs is the only reason it's ever got much aviation use.

I hope they work something out, though, cause Fairbanks or Anchorage are simply not viable options for most airplanes' range wise.

MTV

If you want the camping-under-the wing experience, don't overlook the WWII emergency strips. Get your fuel in Ft St John, but then go tent under the stars at Prophet River. Bruce McCalister's book covers the history of them if anyone's interested.

Helps to have a sat phone for closing flight plans, and for filing presumed departures.

N131CP wrote:I've heard that about Bella Bella from a few folks. is there fuel at Denny Island?

Both Denny Island and Campbell Island used to have fuel, but I don't know what they have now. Last time in there was about five years ago when I ran my boat down from the Kimsquit property. Big attitude at first at the boat docks, and they weren't gonna sell fuel to any white guy. Took a bit of schmoozing and telling war stories to make the fuel guy my new best friend for life and welcomed back to the village.

I would NOT count on getting gas there unless you call ahead or know someone there.

Gump

Mackenzie has always been the deciding point for me as to whether or not I could cut through the trench or not. Have always checked on fuel availability and which villages and or logging camps were playing nice, with the gal at NT Air. I have done it several times in a cub with stock tanks and no jugs, but always stopped for gas.
Heard the NT hangar burned down over the winter? anyone know the status on that? At 85 mph the Trench is a welcome option

Take care, Rob

Great subject material!

I would add that it is generally less expensive to rent a car in Canada than it is to take a taxi ride from most of the above mentioned airports to town.

I have never had a bad experience with our Canadian friends...government or otherwise.

gb

gbflyer wrote:Great subject material!

I would add that it is generally less expensive to rent a car in Canada than it is to take a taxi ride from most of the above mentioned airports to town.

I have never had a bad experience with our Canadian friends...government or otherwise.

gb

On the other hand, every one-horse Canadian town seems to have a taxi service. Can't say that for Alaska or most other places anymore.

I found this old thread while searching for info on Alaska-Lower 48 flying and thought I bump it up and hopefully someone will have additional or more current info.
I am planning on flying from Juneau to Pullman, WA in mid August in the Cessna 170.

If we have a stretch of good weather, the coastal option might be interesting:
Juneau (PAJN) - 208 - Ketchikan (PAKT) - 78 - Prince Rupert (CYPR) for customs - 75 - Terrace (CYXT) - 92 - Smithers (CYYD) - 250 - Williams Lake (CYWL) - 244 - Dorothy Scott (0S7) for US customs - 176 - Pullman (KPUW)
for a grand total of 1123 nautical miles.
Or
Juneau (PAJN) - 208 - Ketchikan (PAKT) - 78 - Prince Rupert (CYPR) for customs - 228 - Bella Coola (CBBC) - 263 - Kamloops (CYKA) - 137 - Dorothy Scott (0S7) US Customs - 176 - Pullman (KPUW)
for a grand total of 1090 nautical miles.
I know there is no avgas in Prince Rupert and noone has anything good to say about getting fuel at Bella Bella (CBBC), which gives me the longest fuel leg of 306 miles, so that's definitely a consideration.

If we have normal weather, then head up the Taku river and follow the Cassiar down:
Juneau (PAJN) - 107 - Atlin (CYSQ) for customs - 153 - Dease Lake (CYDL) - 267 - Smithers (CYYD) - 250 - Williams Lake (CYWL) - 244 - Dorothy Scott (0S7) - 176 - Pullman (KPUW)
for a grand total of 1197 nautical miles.

Has anyone flown into any of the airports along the way and has some good/bad info on where to stay, what to avoid, watch out for or just general info, it would be greatly appreciated.

This is great stuff that could end up in the Knowledge Base for Alaska trips from/to the Lower 48. Thanks for the bump.

Most of this info is still good, but so much of it is fluid and changes year to year...

Off the top of my head...

Prince George is routinely some of the priciest gas in Canada... I'd pass, and do...

Smithers and Dease lake are groovy if you're taking the west side up.

Following the highway, Dawson Creek has grass to camp on, a cafe on the field, and a new pilots lounge with showers and all that rivals the nicer hotel rooms... The casino is walking distance if that floats your boat...

NT isn't using the facility at McKenzie anymore, but the ice cream queen of the north (Vickie) is still there, and sells her own fuel now. She is a must if you plan on flying the trench, as she has minute to minute intel, and will save you the frustration of flying half the length of the trench only to find zero-zero at Terminus, and the need for a 180...

Watson gazebo and fuel are still a no brainier if you're fuel stop has you gassing there.

North 60 has had their self serve up for 3 years now at Whitehorse , but sadly they no longer have the hostel set up. The campground gate code is the same as the gate by the tower...

Landing at Northway only to land a few minutes later n Tok, still sucks, but considering you have now successfully made it to the last frontier, you have no business being disgruntled by this point besides by this point you oughta be hungry enough to want warm food that someone else cooked.... God Bless Fast Eddies

Take care, Rob

I have spent little time at the few of these airports where I have stopped, so I learned a lot about even places I've been to by going through the original post. However, one thing that is substantially different is Northway. As mentioned by the OP, Northway has no fuel, so Tok is the fuel stop available nearby. However, customs is not staffing Northway except by special arrangement when a flight is due in. They have limited staffing, and the drive up from the border takes quite a while, so they will not process and arrival (at least when I came through in April) outside a window of 9 am to 3 pm.

However, they are offering to let pilots clear customs at Anchorage International, and I believe they also told me they would do the same for Fairbanks International. If you accept this offer, a fuel stop in Tok can be authorized. If either of these cities is your first Alaska destination, this may be a helpful option. We opted to go to Anchorage International, and it worked out well for us.

Being able to clear at FAI or ANC is a big bonus, assuming they'll let you stop for fuel at Tok enroute. When I read that in Troy's blog this spring, I thought, "wow, CBP actually did something logical?"

Highway route up east side: Red Deer, AB....last time down, I was stuck there for three days in WX. I was treated VERY well by folks at a flight school on south end of ramp. Good stop.

Also, if you're following the highway, Toad River, BC is a good weather or pit stop. Restaurant across from strip, and motel. Friendly folks.

MTV

AKclimber wrote:I found this old thread while searching for info on Alaska-Lower 48 flying and thought I bump it up and hopefully someone will have additional or more current info.
I am planning on flying from Juneau to Pullman, WA in mid August in the Cessna 170.

If we have a stretch of good weather, the coastal option might be interesting:
Juneau (PAJN) - 208 - Ketchikan (PAKT) - 78 - Prince Rupert (CYPR) for customs - 75 - Terrace (CYXT) - 92 - Smithers (CYYD) - 250 - Williams Lake (CYWL) - 244 - Dorothy Scott (0S7) for US customs - 176 - Pullman (KPUW)
for a grand total of 1123 nautical miles.
Or
Juneau (PAJN) - 208 - Ketchikan (PAKT) - 78 - Prince Rupert (CYPR) for customs - 228 - Bella Coola (CBBC) - 263 - Kamloops (CYKA) - 137 - Dorothy Scott (0S7) US Customs - 176 - Pullman (KPUW)
for a grand total of 1090 nautical miles.
I know there is no avgas in Prince Rupert and noone has anything good to say about getting fuel at Bella Bella (CBBC), which gives me the longest fuel leg of 306 miles, so that's definitely a consideration.

If we have normal weather, then head up the Taku river and follow the Cassiar down:
Juneau (PAJN) - 107 - Atlin (CYSQ) for customs - 153 - Dease Lake (CYDL) - 267 - Smithers (CYYD) - 250 - Williams Lake (CYWL) - 244 - Dorothy Scott (0S7) - 176 - Pullman (KPUW)
for a grand total of 1197 nautical miles.

Has anyone flown into any of the airports along the way and has some good/bad info on where to stay, what to avoid, watch out for or just general info, it would be greatly appreciated.

I would go Ketchikan to Terrace or Smithers and bypass Rupert. Pretty sure you can still call CANPAS from those other two, at least used to be that way. Rupert is fine if you can't get up the canyon due to weather, but useless otherwise. Incidentally, there is gas at the floatplane dock in Rupert, just not the airport. You can jug it if you have to in an emergency.

I follow the road. There are lots of airports and plenty of fuel along the way. Cut a corner here and there if the weather is good if you feel like it. There's a whole lot of nothing once you leave the highway though.

According to this:
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/list ... pe5-e.html
my only no too far out of the way options for customs from Juneau are: Atlin and Prince Rupert.
If the weather is good, the Ketchikan-Prince Rupert-Terrace is definitely a favorite option.
Are there any spots along the way that anyone can recommend for camping/hoteling?
What about best or worst fuel prices?
I know most people usually go east of the Cassiar, but that's a bit out of the way.

Call 888-CANPASS and ask if you can call from Smithers or Terrace. Sometimes the stuff on the web is made by the bureaucrats in the East and they don't habla BC.

I could easily be wrong. It's been a while since I've gone South.