For many in the Lower 48, the voyage to Alaska is the ultimate adventure. Our guide can help get you on the right path to being prepared for the journey.
For many in the Lower 48, the voyage to Alaska is the ultimate adventure. Our guide can help get you on the right path to being prepared for the journey.
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Overview
Alaska. Probably one of the most coveted "bucket list" trips out there for pilots based in the Lower 48, especially those in the backcountry community. And rightly so. For most, it will be the longest cross-country one has ever done and in many cases, a once in a lifetime experience. Wanting to go is one thing, but then when one actually decides to go and starts looking into the fine details of successfully accomplishing the trip, it can be daunting. Thousands of miles are traveled, much of which is over sparsely populated country, unfamiliar weather patterns, dealing with customs, flying in a foreign country with new rules and unfamiliar procedures, and sometimes sporadic fuel and maintenance options.
All of this can be a bit overwhelming. Where to start? Where is the best information available? How many websites will I have to scour to piece together the information that I need to know?
These were all questions and thoughts I was having in late 2016 after making the decision that we would attempt the trip in June of 2017. I wished that there was a "one stop shop" point of information, but none existed that I was able to find. So, I scoured the Internet and found bits and pieces of information here and there. I asked friends that had planned the trip and was lucky enough to know one that had a treasure trove of information on a trip that he actually ended up not making. And lastly, I mined the forums on this website, taking the advice and knowledge that was spread over several trip reports and trip planning threads and organized them into useful sections for my trip.
Well, June came and we had the trip of our lives; an absolutely amazing experience. And now with that trip in the rearview mirror, and with hopefully more in the future, the thought occurred to again create a "how to" guide in the knowledge base of this website that will hopefully be of use to those looking to make the trip themselves.
I hope this will help make the trip feel less daunting, and lessen the feeling of being overwhelmed that may be holding some people back. Now, I'm far from being the expert. Many have done it many more times than I ever will, but my hope is that this will become a clearing house of information and that those with more experience can add to it, amend it as needed, and update it as time goes on. Please leave any updates, additions, and/or corrections in the comments below.
With all that in mind, if Alaska is calling to your soul, get to work and make a trip of a lifetime!
There's a lot of information here, so this article is broken up into the following sections:
Now that you've decided to head north, there are a lot of questions that should be swirling around in your head.
Am I going alone, with a friend, or in a group?
What route will I take?
What time of year should I go?
How long do I need to make this trip?
How much endurance does my aircraft have and how frequently will I need to stop for fuel?
Do I take a gun, bear spray, none or both?
What do I need to be able to take a gun?
What do I need to do to prepare for crossing the border?
How much cash do I take? Will I be able to use credit cards in Canada?
The list of questions goes on and on.
Probably one of the first questions that should be answered is when to go. Late May to the end of June seems to have the best chance of good weather and was by far the most recommended time to go. Other times of year each seem to have their pros and cons. Of course, this is a question only the person making the trip can answer. People make this trip year-round so any time seems to be doable as long as you take into account the possibility for weather delays and possible unavailability of fuel.
Then there is the question of how long. We decided that we really needed a minimum of three weeks to allow for any weather delays that we might incur. We also were traveling with three young children and, while they are used to flying in the plane, they had never done consecutive long days. Initially we had the goal of doing about 500 miles per day, 2.5 hours before and after lunch. With good weather, we made it to Fairbanks in 4.5 days.
On the return trip, the kids were doing well and we picked the pace up to 7 hour days: 2-3 hours in the morning, the same after lunch, and another 2-3 hours after a fuel stop and stretch break. Our return trip would have taken 3 days but a weather delay on the third day stopped us short. We ended up making it back in 3.5 days. While I'm sure that people have done the trip in a shorter amount of time, three weeks allowed us a lot of flexibility.
The next question may be whether to go alone or as a group. Personally, I didn't want to go solo. I wanted to make this trip with a buddy, not only for the safety aspect of it, but I believe that there is real value in having someone to soundboard off of when decisions have to be made. For me, it was important to not only have a buddy, but that he also be someone that was a known quantity. Having someone that is on the same wavelength in risk tolerance and whose skill level you are familiar with is a real asset in my book. Luckily I had a perfect match: our flying friends Allen and Stan Macbean. If you do choose to go with a friend or a group, make sure to have at least a couple of planning meetings, if feasible, just to make sure you're all on the same page.
I suggest making lists. Lists of questions to be asked, lists of things to buy, things to get done, things to research, etc. Talk to anyone you can that has made the trip and ask questions. Do an inventory of your gear and start making a list of things that you will need or want to buy for the trip. I did this around 6 months out and then spread out those purchases over that time period. This not only helped spread the cost out so my wallet didn't feel it all at once, but it also let me prioritize when to make certain purchases. I chose to buy the things that I would use regardless of whether I made the trip earlier, and I left the more expensive, trip-specific purchases closer to the date of departure. That way, if for some reason the trip got canceled (aircraft mechanical issue, weather, etc), I would save myself some of the expense. Some of the bigger items that I left towards those last few months were a new shotgun, the Canada chart subscription from Foreflight, and mosquito treatment for clothing.
One of the questions that I think everyone will ask is what to do about food storage and personal protection, especially in regard to bears. While there are various food containers out there, they are fairly expensive. In the end, we decided that if we did camp in more remote areas, we would use well-established guidelines for storing food outside of the aircraft and the immediate camping area. In the end, we ended up not camping in remote areas and it wasn't an issue.
Related to this subject was whether or not to take a firearm or bear spray. While pepper spray for human application isn't allowed to cross into Canada, bear spray is allowed. The container must be explicitly marked with "bear spray" as its intended purpose. I preferred to take a firearm, but like most I suppose, there was some reluctance with Canada's reputation towards firearms. It ended up being a non-issue. See the Border Crossings section for more information.
I chose a firearm because of its multiple uses. Specifically, I chose to take a home defender 12-gauge shotgun with game load, 00 buckshot, and rifled slugs. With the various loads, that one firearm served as both a means of protection as well as a wilderness survival weapon. And as a bonus, shotguns are probably one of the easiest and most common firearms to transport through Canada.
In regard to cash vs credit card, we ended up not using any cash at all through Canada. Credit cards were widely accepted. While it is a good idea to have some cash along of course, there was no need to have large sums of it.
Anytime you're traveling outside of the country, it's a good idea to have copies of some of your important documents like passports, the letter for traveling with minors if your spouse isn't present, and the gun registration form from U.S. Customs. I scanned these documents into PDF format and saved them to an online storage service. This made them available from any device that had internet access. I also saved them to my phone and iPad.
Another good idea is to have digital copies of any aircraft specific reference manuals like the POH, maintenance manuals, and owner's manuals for any installed equipment. ForeFlight allows you to store any document under its Document tab which is handy. Hopefully you'll not need your parts catalog or maintenance manuals, but it's sure nice to have if you do!
Most anyone contemplating going to Alaska likely already has a lot of the gear needed. Good quality sleeping bags, tent, cooking equipment, etc. Obviously, this good quality equipment is needed if you are planning on camping during your trip, but it also doubles as survival gear. In addition to basic camping gear, here are some ideas of things that we found useful.
From past experience, we knew that keeping all of our electronics charged was going to be a challenge and a necessity. From iPads, which were our primary source of navigation, to phones for setting up border crossings and taking pictures, to iPads and Nintendos to keep the kids entertained, we had a lot to keep charged! Before we left, I found an inverter on Amazon that had three regular 110V outlets and 4 USB ports. This ended up working really well. We just made sure that something was always charging whenever we were airborne. Charging overnight was occasionally possible, depending on where we stopped. Many airports have power at the tiedown areas for winter ops. Others had pilot lounges or bathrooms where items could be charged. Make sure to take a small travel power strip so, in the event you only find a single outlet, you can increase your charging capacity. Our travel companions also had a small generator in the event we got in a jam and needed some power.
Mosquito protection, especially with kids, was another concern. We wanted something strong enough to ward off the bugs but also kid friendly. We ended up using Sawyer Premium Permethrin clothing treatment for all of our clothes and it worked very well. We also wanted a spray or lotion that was as effective as DEET, but not as toxic to our kids or to anything with which it would come in contact. We chose Sawyer Premium repellants with 20% picaridin and it worked extremely well. I also took mosquito jackets with hoods, mosquito bed netting, citronella candles, and incense coils. Fortunately, the mosquitos weren't bad and we ended up not using most of the items we took with us.
What clothing to pack was another consideration. It was suggested to go with the layering system and we followed this advice. For each of us, we had a good rain repellant shell, a warm fleece for the kids, and down jackets for my wife and me. Weather during our trip ran a pretty big range. As we left northern UT, it got warmer the farther north we went! We wore shorts all the way through Canada and by the time we landed in Fairbanks, it was 89 degrees! We made sure to pack a variety of clothes ranging from shorts and short sleeve shirts to pants and long sleeve shirts. All of which could be layered as weather conditions required. Once we moved down onto the Kenai, highs were in the 60s and lows in the low 40s. Stocking caps and light gloves were also packed. Other essential items were the bedtime eyeshades. They got a lot of use and helped us all get a good night's sleep.
On a big trip like this, staying connected is important not only for things like coordinating border crossings and reassuring family that all is ok, but also in the event of mechanical issues or emergencies. Prior to our trip, I learned that Verizon had already included Canada in our calling plan and, surprisingly, we had good 4G service most of the way through Canada. In Alaska, service was a little more sporadic and less reliable once away from major towns, especially on the Kenai Peninsula. For flight following, devices like Spot, Inreach, and Spider Tracks would be well advised. I used an Inreach and it worked very well. We also had a friend who had a Spot satphone with them. However you do it, make sure you have a way to be found or to call for help if needed.
While most of us carry a survival kit of some sorts, a trip like this necessitates that your kit may need to be beefed up a bit. Realizing that you'll be traversing very remote areas and that you may need to be self-sufficient, things like enough food and water for everyone becomes more important. We had no fewer than three ways to purify water. In addition to the food we had on board for regular consumption, we also had MREs, fishing gear, and a shotgun with various loads. The good news is you're already probably carrying most of your survival kit as your regular camping gear. While a little dated, this link will help you get a good idea of what is required or what will pass as adequate gear. While we were never checked to see if we had our gear, common sense says this isn't something to neglect or skimp on. Depending on your available room, you may have to prioritize though.
Another essential thing to pack is a trip saver kit. What you decide to carry with you may be limited by your abilities or space, but a basic set of tools and some spare parts is a good idea. We carried spare spark plugs, tubes, jack, jack plate, pump, as well as basic tools. If you will need to do an oil change along your trip, it might be a good idea to take a new filter with you as well as anything else you might need to change your oil. We felt that oil itself would be fairly easy to come by, but filters and drain tubes might be harder to find, so we took our own. Surprisingly, there were a lot of airports in Canada that had aircraft on them, but we saw very few flying and, except for major airports, we didn't see any FBOs where we might find a mechanic to help us if we had an issue. It left us feeling like it might be a challenge finding help if we had an issue.
DISCLAIMER: While the FAA doesn't generally restrict batteries under 300Wh, hazardous materials rules still apply, especially regarding the potential fire risk.
Store the battery in a well-ventilated compartment of the aircraft. Make sure there's enough airflow to help dissipate heat if the battery generates any during transport. You can use breathable storage bags or ensure the battery is placed in an open compartment to encourage airflow.
There are a lot of things to consider when deciding when to go. When can I get off of work? When will the fishing be the best? When will the mosquitos be the worst? When will the temperatures be best for camping?
Given our chosen method of transportation though, the biggest determining question will most likely be, when will be the best weather. Since most will have a finite amount of time for a trip, it's natural to want to be able to squeeze as much in as a person can and to be as efficient as you can with your travel time. This, by far was our overriding question: When will be the best weather so we aren't sitting for days in a place we really didn't want to be? Of course, if you do get stuck, make lemonade and enjoy where you are. That's just part of traveling by GA aircraft and some of the best adventures are those that are spontaneous.
This is where the advice of those who have "been there and done that" was invaluable. By and large BCP members advised that the best time to go in regard to the weather is mid-May through early July, although this will be a little early for the salmon runs. There are, however, some local kings that live year round in waters near Homer and those are the kings we fished for and caught. After the first week of July the monsoons will start and you'll have that weather to contend with.
Another factor to consider if you choose to go later is the increased fire activity, not only in the lower 48 but also in Canada and Alaska. Even in June, there was fire activity in British Columbia as well as on the Kenai.
September was also a time period that was recommended. The nights and days will be cooler and the fall colors will be coming on. We plan to give this time frame a try on a future trip.
In the end, we chose to leave on June 2nd. It was warm when we left and actually got warmer the farther north we went. By the time we got to Fairbanks, it was 89 degrees! Overall, we had good flying weather that allowed us to fly 21 of the 23 days we were gone. We did have some rain to deal with, but didn't feel rushed by weather until the end of the trip when we had a system chasing us on our way out of Alaska.
Routes
By and large there are four main routes to consider for your trip to Alaska. Those four routes are 1) the Coastal Route, 2) the Cassiar Route, 3) the Trench, and 4) the Eastern or Alaska Highway Route. Each has its pros and cons. Your particular aircraft may dictate what route you may have to take, or conversely what route you may not consider. For us, the Coastal Route really wasn't considered because of the large stretches over open water. So we concentrated on the three inland routes. In the end, weather will dictate what route option is best on the day you are traveling. As such, you will need to be prepared to fly all the routes and choose which is best for a given day. Here is a brief summary of each route. The Alaska Airmen's Logbook is an excellent resource for a detailed description of each.
This route is supposed to be incredibly scenic, but does have long stretches overwater and fewer options in the event of an emergency. Fuel stops can be farther apart and weather can be a bigger factor. If the aircraft you are flying has the range, you may be able to overfly Canada and avoid dealing with customs.
2. Cassiar Route
This route follows the Cassiar Highway for some of it and was one of our favorite parts of the trip. Very scenic. Fuel stops were adequate, although like the Trench route, the northern stretch is over very remote areas. We flew this route southbound and it was amazing.
3. The Trench
We flew this route northbound and really enjoyed it. While most of it is fairly remote, there are several places along the trench to land if needed. We stopped in Mackenzie and got our mandatory fuel and ice cream from Vickie at Trench Aviation Fuels (250-997-3777.) It was the experience we had read about and we were so glad that the weather cooperated so we could fly the trench. There is no fuel in the trench so get all you need at Mackenzie. We landed in the trench so the plane that was with us could add fuel from their fuel bags. Make sure to view the list of Trench airstrips and map down below in the 6 Legs to Alaska section.
4. The Eastern/Alaska Highway Route
This is the longest of the four routes and follows the Alaska Highway for most of it. Depending on where you start from, this route may require crossing the Rockies twice. So that is something to consider. Fuel and airport options are more plentiful.
Border Crossings
Crossing the border and dealing with customs was one of, if not the biggest thing that we were a bit anxious about since neither of us had ever done it. So we did our homework and it ended up being a nonevent. I believe this is because we made sure to have all of our ducks in a row. Hopefully this information will help you have the same experience.
There are some things you'll need before you can cross the border. First is a customs sticker for your aircraft. Just go online and fill out the application and pay the $27.50 fee. I received my sticker in only a few days, but I wouldn't leave this until the last minute.
Next, you'll need to create an eApis account with U.S. Customs. It's straightforward and self-explanatory. We had been recommended an app to use for filing all of our manifests called FlashPass. After hearing for years how cumbersome it is using the government's site, we decided to give it a try. While it is a third party commercial app, it allows you a 30 day free trial with unlimited filings. It was awesome and very easy to use. I highly recommend it. Filing was quick and easy right from our phones.
For your aircraft, technically you're supposed to have a Radio Station License for international flights. Likewise, you're supposed to have a Radio Operator Permit. In doing our research, we found the majority of the people we talked to or read about online had never been asked for either. So, before spending the money, I called Canadian customs just to see what they said. At first they didn't know what I was talking about. After explaining it to them, they said they didn't care about it unless we were a commercial flight. So, with that, we decided to not get either and, as we had been told, were not asked for either. Your mileage may vary, but personally I wouldn't bother with them.
Our original plan was to send my wife and two of my kids home from Anchorage via the airlines. My oldest son would stay with me for the return trip to the lower 48. This scenario would trigger another requirement to be aware of. If you are going to travel alone with a minor, you'll need a notarized letter signed by both parents outlining your trip details. Also don't forget that each person needs a passport.
When the time comes to cross the border, here are a few tips we found useful. Since you'll need to make a specific arrival time, keep your border crossing legs short. We departed from Dorothy Scott in northern Washington and cleared in Penticton, BC. The flight was about 15 minutes and that made it easy to hit our arrival window. We were told that if the arrival time changed by more than 15 minutes then an update would be needed. Make sure ahead of time that you'll have good cell phone coverage at your departure airport to make the calls you will need to activate your flight plan. Except in the most remote areas, we had good cell coverage most of the way through Canada.
Also keep in mind that if you do use shorter flights for crossing the border, that means you'll need to make the initial notification a few hours earlier. Keep time changes in mind too. Especially when crossing from Canada to Alaska. This one is specifically important because U.S. Customs closes at 4:00pm and the officers have to drive an hour and a half to get to Northway. If you don't plan accordingly, you may find yourself stuck in Canada waiting until the next day to cross. If by chance you end up staying at Beaver Creek, make sure to go over and say hi to the customs people at their office along the highway before setting up camp. They mistakenly thought we had just come from AK and started to get a little bent out of shape until they realized we were on our way north.
All flights crossing the border must be on a flight plan. As of the summer of 2017, Canada was not yet using the ICAO flight plan format. So if you file via ForeFlight or something similar, file it just like you would a domestic flight plan.
I knew I preferred to take a firearm, but I was a little hesitant about dealing with taking it through Canada. It ended up being a nonevent. So long as it meets Canada's requirements, it was very easy and hassle free. In fact, I think it is so common place that it is almost expected. To help make the process a little easier, I suggest taking the firearm to a U.S. Customs facility and fill out the paperwork to show that you are the owner. This will make bringing it back into the U.S. easier as it proves that you didn't acquire it while in Canada. See the References section for more information.
As for Canadian Customs, a fee of $25 for a permit is charged. Also, their website has a form to fill out prior to entering the country. They ask for three copies of it, unsigned. When I called to give my notice that I would be crossing the border that morning, they asked if I had anything to declare. At that point, I told them I had a firearm. They asked for the make and model, serial number, and some other information about the weapon, all of which was on the forms I had filled out online and printed. After being on hold for a few minutes (I'm pretty sure they were running a background check), they took a credit card number from me and gave me a confirmation number for the permit to transport the weapon through Canada. That was it. I thought for sure we would be met by custom officials upon our arrival into Canada, but we didn't... coming or going. We cleared customs via phone and using the confirmation number.
U.S. Customs were also a non-issue. Other than an issue I had with them finding my eApis filing despite me having the confirmation number, they were very accommodating. On our return to the Lower 48, the officer was relieved to hear that I had the form showing I had registered ownership with them prior to the trip and upon our arrival, he checked the serial number on it with that on the weapon. That was it. Entering AK nothing was said of it and the officer only asked to see our passports and pilot license.
Overall, crossing the border was a non-event. If you take the time to prepare and plan for it, your experience is likely to be the same I think.
Flying through Canada
While flying through Canada isn't difficult, there are some things that are different that you'll want to pay attention to. Here are a few:
Flight Plan vs Flight Itinerary
All flights in Canada that are farther than 25 miles from the point of departure are required to be on a flight plan or a flight itinerary (CARs 602.75).
A flight plan in Canada is similar to a flight plan in the US. However, unless you are at a towered field, your time en route starts when you file it. So if it's going to take you some time to get airborne, make sure to build that into the time you give when filing. At a towered field, the tower will use your time airborne.
A flight itinerary (called a "flight note" by many) on the other hand, is geared towards those flying to a location where they won't have a means to close a flight plan. It is basically a loose itinerary of where someone is going and when they expect to be back. And if they aren't back by that time, please start looking for them!
For our trip, we considered our Inreach tracker, our friends and family, and this website as our flight itinerary and, with the exception of our flight from Penticton to Quesnel, we didn't file a formal flight plan all the way through Canada. A few places would comment that they didn't see a flight plan on us when we landed and would ask if we were on a flight note. When we answered "yes", that was all they wanted to hear.
Charting, symbols, airspace
While Canadian charts may use the same alphabet soup for names, they exist in different locations. Their charts look different and they use different symbols and abbreviations for information. It's definitely a good idea to spend some time looking at the maps and going through the Canada supplemental to get the basics down. Speaking of the supplemental, there is a lot of good information in there on each airport, essentially like our AFD.
Position Reporting
When approaching an airport, the control tower, CARS station, or whoever controls the airspace will want your position reported in minutes from the airfield. However, as we got farther north, say Watson Lake and beyond towards Alaska, we were asked for mileage from the field. Just be prepared to give both if asked.
Fuel availability
It is highly recommended to call ahead to planned fuel stops to verify availability of fuel. Fuel can span the gamut from pumps, truck, to hidden behind some hangar in an unexpected area of the airfield. Establishing who to call before hand and if there is any special steps to take can save time and uncertainty once you've arrived.
Managing Weather
Weather will undoubtedly be one of the biggest factors for your trip. It will determine when you go and where you go. And when covering at least a couple of thousand miles to get to, around, and from Alaska, you'll be going through many different areas of terrain and weather, many of which are probably unfamiliar. This can be daunting. Fortunately, NavCanada is a wonderful resource with very friendly and knowledgeable briefers to help. It was reminiscent of what we used to have in the US years ago. The briefers really knew local weather phenomenon and patterns and were invaluable in making route decisions. A small fee is charged per quarter and a bill from NavCanada for $17 CA was in my mailbox when I returned. The easiest way to pay it was to give them a call and pay by credit card.
The Flight Service Stations in Alaska, which are still FAA employees and are actually in the state of Alaska, were also very good. In fact, when trying to get a briefing in Fairbanks, I got routed to a Lockheed briefer, and when he heard I was in Alaska, he gave me the direct number to the Fairbanks FSS so I could talk to them, knowing he wouldn't be able to give me what I needed.
One very helpful tool is the network of webcams that covered all the way through Canada and Alaska. While some are private, many in Alaska have been put in place by the FAA. These were very valuable not only for flight planning but also while en route when in cell coverage. A few weeks before our trip, I made it a habit to check the webcams, current conditions, and weather charts a few times a day to get a feel for trends and local tendencies.
Another really helpful tool to help get a feel for weather patterns as well as flight planning was the weather charts provided by ForeFlight under the Imagery tab. There is a wealth of information with more charts than you'll probably ever need. I found that they are the same charts that both NavCanada and our FSS use, so it was nice to be able to reference the same charts they were using.
Lastly, there are a few books that are well worth reading. First and foremost is the Alaska Airmen's Logbook (175 MB). Next is a series of books produced by NavCanada, covering the weather in British Columbia (6 MB), the Yukon and Northwest Territories (6 MB). You can also find these under the References tab.
Once the decision has been made when to go, the next decision to be made is where to cross the border. This will likely be influenced a lot by where you are beginning your trip. It will also be influenced by which route you plan, or are forced to take. It's a good idea to have a few options planned out and as a rule of thumb, you'll want to have researched and planned all of the routes that are appropriate for you and your plane. Be flexible and ready to change your plans if weather or other factors dictate.
For our trip, we departed northern Utah and chose the Dorothy Scott airport as our launching point for our border crossing. We were drawn to this area for a couple of reasons. A few years before we had camped at the Grand Coulee airport and knew that it was a good place to camp. They have this cool laser light show on the dam at night that we thought the kids would like and a courtesy car to get there. We also had some BCP friends in the area and hoped that we might be able to meetup for a short visit. Ultimately, it was "in-line" with our first choice of routing so that was a big overriding factor.
Leg 2: Canadian border to the decision point: Quesnel, BC.
From Grand Coulee, it was a short hop over to Dorothy Scott where we could not only stage for our border crossing, but also fill up on gas before heading into Canada. Penticton, BC was a short 15 minute flight from Dorothy Scott, which made making our required arrival time an easy task. On the ground, we quickly cleared customs via a phone call before enjoying a little under-the-wing picnic on the ramp.
The flight from Penticton to Quesnel was an easy, enjoyable 2.5 hour flight past Kamloops and Williams Lake. Quesnel was high on our list of places to camp because of the great accommodations that are available. Geographically, it's also in a great location to begin any of the three interior routes for going north.
However, Quesnel has its own issues. It lies in a valley along a river and, with the lumber mills in the area that put large amounts of small particles in the air, it is very prone to thick, persistent fog even when the rest of the area is clear. So make sure to talk to the awesome weather briefers before committing to this location for an overnight. They are keenly aware of the local phenomenon and, using the trend over the previous days, they can do a pretty good job of predicting what the conditions will be the next morning for your departure. If they give you the thumbs up, it's definitely a great place to overnight. For us, they predicted that fog wouldn't be an issue for the following morning, so we stuck with our plan to spend the night there.
I've included some excellent books on Canadian weather in the reference sections that go into great detail about the local weather patterns throughout British Columbia, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. They are definitely worth reading.
The next morning we awoke to clear skies and it was time to choose our fate. Which of the three options would we take going north?
Coming from Utah, we knew that we'd likely be crossing the border west of the Rockies. With the Coastal Route having long stretches over water and fewer options to land, we eliminated that route early on in our planning. That left the Trench (our preferred route), the Cassiar route (our second choice) and the Alaska Highway route (our last choice mainly because it was longer and would require crossing the Rockies twice).
We planned for all three routes and all of them had their pros and cons. The Alaska Airmen Logbook has a wealth of information regarding the routes and the common weather phenomenon associated with each. Because it will likely be a game day decision, it's important to be familiar with all the options and to be ready to fly any of them. Here are your options:
Leg 3 - Option 1: East of the Rockies
Because we were able to make it up the Trench, we didn't hop over to the east side of the Rockies. In the member comments below, there is a lot of good advice on places to check out. That route does have the advantage of following the Alaska Highway for a good part of the way and also follows the route WWII pilots used to ferry aircraft to Alaska, which means there are old WWII airstrips that can be used. Please check out the member comments, as well as the Alaska Airman's Logbook for more information on this route. I also picked up the latest copy of the Milepost publication to help plan and would suggest doing the same. You can either get the hard copy or a digital copy to carry with you on your iPad.
With clear skies and a forecast that was favorable for flying up the Trench, which was our first choice, we headed to Mackenzie to get the authoritative opinion of Vickie...and of course to get some ice cream. MacKenzie is the last fuel option before heading up the 350 mile long trench. There is no fuel available until you get to Watson Lake, so make sure that you have the range or fuel bags to make this leg. Vickie, who is the point of contact for Mackenzie airport and its FBO, Trench Aviation Fuels (250-997-3777), will know the conditions and will tell you if it's advisable to make the flight. Listen to her or you may very well end up back at Mackenzie for another round of fuel and ice cream! There are a few webcams along the Trench as well to help with determining conditions. Halfway up the trench you'll need to cross a pass. This is where weather can often close off the trench. The Alaska Airmen's Logbook offers valuable insight into possible escape routes in the event you find the pass socked in and your return to Mackenzie closed off as well. Plan ahead and be prepared.
Here is a poor quality image of the printed original Trench map that hangs on the wall at Watson Lake. See the references section for a larger version. Here's a simpler modern version.
The Trench does have a few places to land but do be aware that best results will come from humility and friendliness on the pilot's part when dealing with locals.
In an emergency, though, there are places to put down. There are also some abandoned strips that could work as well. We landed at Tsay Keh for a lunch break and to let our flying buddies add fuel from fuel bags. Scoop Lake is reported as being a great place to stay and camp. It is a family-run business and the hospitality is supposed to be out of this world. In a pinch, fuel might be available but expect to pay a king's ransom for it. We didn't stop but it did look like a nice place. Next time. The Trench is a long stretch through some pretty remote areas, but one not to be missed.
Watson Lake is the point where the East of the Rockies route meets up with the Trench route. It is a good place to camp. There is a gazebo near the lake and there is also fuel. There is a port-a-potty at the campsite, but it was filled with spiderwebs and spiders when we were there. We opted to make the long walk over to the terminal to use the restrooms there. There was Wi-Fi in the terminal, but it was slow. Phone reception wasn't as good here. We could call and send texts, but not get data for getting on the internet.
Expand the row below to view a list of airstrips in the Trench, from South to North. This information was culled from the flyer you will find at Watson Lake or Mackenzie airports, dated 2007.
Note: It is approximately 435 nautical miles to Watson Lake from Prince George via the Trench. Other than Mackenzie, there are no reliable weather reporting stations en route. PIREPs are always appreciated.
Near south end of Williston Lake on the east side.
100LL and JB available.
Pacific Radio 126.7 (FISE). ATP 123.5
Y
2
Bear Valley
56.1,-123.001389
North side of Peace Arm of Williston Lake.
18/36 3500 x 75 ft. gravel
Abandoned
3
Mesilinka
56.1,-124.4
10/28 5000 x 100 ft. dirt/gravel
Abandoned.
4
Ospika
BA9
56.275,-124.051667
02/20 5600 x 60 coarse gravel
ATP 123.2.
Y
5
Osilinka
56.184167,-125.1775
Aprx 30 NW W of Williston Lake on Tenikihi Creek.
13/31 3000 x 50 ft. gravel
Logging camp 5nm S of strip.
6
Ft. Graham
BW3
56.521667,-124.468333
13/31 5000 x 40 ft. gravel
Graham Fishing Lodge.
ATP 123.2.
Y
7
Swannell
56.725,-125.114722
Confluence of Swannell and Ingenika Rivers.
03/21 5000 x 100 ft packed gravel
8
Ingenika
AP6
56.790556,-124.896667
11/29 6000 x 100 ft. gravel
Communications summer only through forestry tanker base.
ATF 123.2
Y
9
Pelly Lake Lodge
56.883333,-125.383333
North side of Pelly Lake.
1600 x 50 ft. dirt and grass
Radio telephone 250-997-5928.
10
Tsay Keh
BN9
56.906111,-124.965
North end of Williston Lake at mouth of Finlay River.
12/30 4500 x 50 ft. packed gravel/sand
Camp communications.
ATP 123.2
Y
11
Finbow
BF2
57.271389,-125.445
12/30 4500 x 1300 ft. gravel
Abandoned
12
Fort Ware
AJ9
57.427222,-125.650278
09/27 4700 x 30 ft. gravel
Communications at camp and radio phone at store. RCO Whitehorse Radio 126.7. ATF 123.2.
Y
13
Terminus Mountain
58.738889,-127.133333
Aprx 90 NM NW of Fort Ware, l/2NM E of Kechika River and south of Terminus Mountain.
3500 x 75 ft.
No Facilities.
14
Scoop Lake
59.016667,-127.4
Aprx 85NM SE of Watson Lake between Scoop Lake and river.
3000 x 75 ft. dirt.
Emergency fuel, B&B accommodations.
Radiophone JJ37353 Watson Lake or Terminus channel.
15
Watson Lake
YQH
60.116389,-128.8225
Full services.
RCO Whitehorse 126.7. ATF 122.1.
Y
Leg 3 - Option 3: Cassiar Highway to Watson Lake or Whitehorse
The Cassiar route was the other route that we wanted to fly, and it was one of the most scenic of the entire trip. While the southern section has some fueling options like Burns Lake and Smithers, once past there they are pretty limited until reaching Dease Lake. This leg, while some of the most scenic, was also some of the most remote that we flew. We absolutely loved it! We ended up flying this on our way home, north to south. Again, the Alaska Airman's Logbook has a lot of information on it so do read it as well as the member comments below. As always, weather will be the deciding factor as well as your aircraft's capabilities. On this route there aren't many options for landing to put fuel in so you will need to make sure you have the range to complete it.
This route can be taken to or from Watson Lake, but you may choose to cut the corner and go from the Dease Lake area to Whitehorse, which will cut some mileage off of your trip. We did this coming south from Whitehorse and that stretch was incredibly beautiful.
Leg 4: Watson Lake to Beaver Creek and the Alaska Border
From Watson Lake we followed the Alaska Highway towards Alaska. Whitehorse was the next opportunity to restock our supplies as well as fill our fuel tanks. The airport has a nice walking path that goes around the north end of the airport to the east side and down into town. By this point you'll probably not mind a walking break! After grabbing some lunch and hitting a grocery store, we called a cab to haul us and our provisions back to the airport. Don't forget to check out the DC-3 weather vane!
Once past Whitehorse, the terrain starts to look very "Alaskan"! Deep valleys and towering snowcapped mountains. Beaver Creek, and the Alaskan border 5 miles beyond it, were a relatively short flight just under 2 hours past Whitehorse. Beaver Creek's close proximity to the border makes it an ideal location to stage for a crossing. As mentioned in the Border Crossing section, make sure you are aware of the time zone change between Beaver Creek and Alaska, as well as the time limitations with US customs for crossing the border. There is very good 3G service here to help aid you in setting up your crossing. We planned to spend the night at Beaver Creek and it worked out very well.
Leg 5: Beaver Creek to Northway, AK
While Beaver Creek makes a great place to stage for a border crossing, there are some things to be aware of. Since a US Customs officer will have to drive out to Northway to meet you, they require a 2 hour notice. Due to this they will likely give you the option to clear in Fairbanks or Anchorage. They will even let you land in Tok for fuel if needed. Our plans were to head to Fairbanks, but in the event something prevented us from getting to Fairbanks, which was still a couple of hours away, we decided to clear in Northway. They were happy to meet us but it was obvious that they would have liked to have avoided the drive if they could.
With our final calls made, we launched and a short 30 minutes later we were on the ground in Northway where a nice US Customs officer was waiting for us. He said Dee and the kids could head over to the FSS while we showed him everyone's passports and our pilot licenses. Simple and easy. The guy at the FSS was happy to have some company and had lots of snacks and drinks for the kids. He also had a thorough briefing for us. I learned to fly a long time ago with that kind of in-person briefing and it was a reminder of what we've lost in the lower 48.
Leg 6: Northway to Fairbanks
With happy kids, a leg stretch break, and snacks in their tummies, we departed Northway in good weather for the short flight over to Tok for fuel. From Tok to Fairbanks, it was an easy hour and a half flight in a fairly direct line past Delta Junction. Probably the biggest thing to be heads up about on this route is the amount of military airspace that lies between Tok and Fairbanks. This airspace can be pretty active and you'll want to refer to the Alaskan Supplement and the Alaska Airman's Logbook to make sure you are familiar with the frequencies and suggested routing to navigate the airspace obstacle course if there is a lot of activity going on. Our briefing at Northway advised us that there wasn't any planned activity that day and we had a quiet flight up to Fairbanks, passing to the northeast of Delta Junction and to the southwest of Eielson Air Force Base. The controllers at Fairbanks were very friendly and helpful. Fairbanks was buzzing with aviation. On the ground we were greeted with a sensory overload of bush planes of all types and sizes as we made our way to the fuel pumps. One of the first I saw was either a 205 or an early 206, and there were plenty of 170s too. We both felt like we had arrived into our natural element.
After fueling, we made our way to the most awesome airport campground outside of the backcountry we had ever seen. Fairbanks airport campground has warm showers, large cabanas with picnic tables, stacks of firewood, and bikes for your use. Not long after landing, we were greeted by the airport manager. He was just stopping by to see if we needed anything, to see where we were from and to offer any advice he could give. The east side of the airport where the campground is doesn't have any fences, just a swing up gate on the road that leads out of the campground. Airport personnel made frequent passes through the campground to make sure everything was safe and that only authorized people were in the campground. The campground was just up the street from the FSS station too. It was a great place to base out of for a few days and when we moved down to the Kenai, we wished there was a similar place down there. Rental cars are readily available on the other side of the airport at the airline terminal. We braved a harrowing bike ride along the highway to pick our cars up. In hindsight, a cab ride might have been a better choice!
Areas of interest in Alaska
Area: Fairbanks
Located in central Alaska, we were drawn to Fairbank's airport campground as an ideal place to base out of to explore the area. With the North Slope and Arctic Circle not too far away, basing here put them within reach of a full day of flying. It was warm when we arrived and along with that summer heat came summer thunderstorms and our first change in plans due to weather. As a result, our exploration of the area by air was hindered.
Fortunately there is plenty to see in Fairbanks. The University of Alaska's Large Animal Research Station was a hit with the kids where they learned about musk ox, caribou and reindeer. We visited the Gold Dredge 8 and, while a little touristy, it was a lot of fun panning for gold. The Pioneer Air Museum was a good activity to keep us out of the rain as well as the Museum of the North. In previous trips we had done the Riverboat Discovery, which was also a lot of fun.
Northeast and northwest of Fairbanks are some hot springs that we had hoped to visit. Unfortunately the rainy weather scrapped those plans. We had also hoped to make a long day trip north of the Arctic Circle and possibly to the North Slope but the weather just didn't allow for it. And so it goes in Alaska. You need to have a lot of options and be very flexible.
When the weather broke, we made a great day trip south to McKinley Park Headquarter's airstrip to take the 8 hour round trip bus ride in to see Denali. This is a very popular outing and if you don't make reservations ahead of time, be prepared to not get a seat on a bus until the early afternoon. We got there early but found the first available bus would be 1:00pm. So, we did some local hiking and had a picnic lunch before starting our journey. It may sound long but it went by fast with so much wildlife and scenery to see. On any given day they say you only have about a 30% chance of seeing Denali. I had made the trip twice before and never saw more than the base of the mountain. Finally this time it would be different. It was only partly cloudy over the summit and by the time we were leaving, it was completely clear. We arrived back at our planes at 9:00pm. As we departed from the airstrip, we were rewarded by a stunning view of Denali in the evening sun. It made for a long day, but in the Land of the Midnight Sun, it wasn't a problem. As we landed back in Fairbanks at 10:30 at night, it was still broad daylight outside.
Denali and Talkeetna are two places that are interlinked. I think that most pilots flying up to Alaska have dreamed about either flying themselves around Denali or going to Talkeetna to catch a ride with one of the charter outfits to go see the mountain and maybe visit a glacier. With the forecast looking like a continuation of the previous day's trip to Denali by bus, we thought we were set up for a second epic day around the mountain...this time by air. Unfortunately, the warm weather and building cumulus clouds had other plans as they created turbulence and cloud cover over Denali. Sadly we had to abandon our self-guided tour of the mountain. If it works for you though, make sure to study the Alaska Supplement, stop by the Talkeetna FSS, and even talk to the local charter businesses to get the lay of the land and to walk you through the procedures. Make sure you know what frequency to use based on your location (there are several) as well as the normal flow of traffic. There are several places inside the park where you can land, camp or even stay at a lodge.
Talkeetna is a busy hive of bush plane activity. Planes are constantly coming and going as they haul tourists, climbers, and gear around the mountains and to the glaciers. It's worth pausing just to sit and watch the planes come and go. A short walk away is the main street where you can go do some souvenir shopping, grab lunch and an ice cream, and walk down to the Susitna River banks where you might be able to catch another glimpse of the mountain. There are also some train excursions north of here that sounded interesting. You can read about them in the Alaska Airman's Logbook.
The Kenai is well situated as a launching place for a large variety of activities. We based out of the Soldotna area for most of a week before heading down to Homer for a few days. From these two places we made two day trips across the Cook Inlet to land on beaches and look at grizzly bears. This was one of the biggest highlights of our trip!
In our minds, a day trip to Anchorage to visit Lake Hood by plane was a mandatory rite of passage. From the central Kenai area, it was an easy day trip. Again, make sure to study the Alaska Supplement! With a lot of traffic and special airspace rules governing the Anchorage area, you definitely don't want to just go in winging it! Don't be shy about letting the controllers know you are new to the area. They are more than happy to help and many of them are pilots themselves.
Hiking in SeldoviaPhoto: MacbeanIf you want to go check out the Kenai Fjords, hop over to Seward and catch one of the boat tours that will take you out to see the marine wildlife as well as calving glaciers. It was a definite highlight of our trip.
South of Homer is Seldovia, a quaint little village surrounded by lush rain forests. Definitely worth the short flight. To the west of Seldovia is the Kenai Range with many glaciers to go fly over and explore.
The Kenai area is renowned for halibut and salmon fishing. There are endless options and locations to find a boat that will take you out to catch some fish. Once done, they will freeze it for you and ship it to your home. They will even store it for you for a while before they ship it so it won't beat you home.
We had plans to explore the Lake Clark and King Salmon areas but some rainy weather and low ceilings made us leave that for a future trip. Augustine Island was another place that was recommended by a friend as a great place to land on a beach and camp that had to be left for another trip.
As you can see, you'll have more than you can probably do in one trip, but that's a good thing because when weather closes options in one direction, there should be plenty of other options where the weather is good. Worst case, you'll just have to make more trips to Alaska!
Speaking of which, this area was one that I wanted to visit the most and...it didn't happen. As we neared the end of the trip, our weather luck started to run out and a significant storm was brewing out over the Gulf of Alaska. While it looked like we could get to the public use cabin at May Creek (assuming it wasn't already occupied), it was questionable as to whether or not we would get stuck there. So, this area also got left for another trip.
The St. Elias/Wrangell Mountains area is home to a handful of strips in a very remote setting. The NPS maintains public use cabins, most of which are on a first come, first serve basis. Stays are typically limited to two weeks. As always, the availability of fuel is always an issue. Gulkana is a reliable source for fuel and most services. McCarthy has fuel but you'll need to contact Fireweed Fuel to set up an account with a credit card BEFORE you go. Once the account is created, they will give you a pin code to use to access the fuel pump. A $50 setup fee is charged the first time you pump gas. In the event you end up not getting to the area, like we did, nothing will be charged.
Having fuel in McCarthy definitely opens up how far one can explore. We had hoped to explore Valdez, Cordova, Yakutat, and the Glacier Bay area while based at May Creek. We even thought of returning to Whitehorse via the very remote Alsek route described in the Alaska Airman's Logbook if condition were EXACTLY right. Another time.
In the McCarthy area, there are several strips to explore: May Creek, Jakes Bar, Glacier Creek, Dan Creek, and Peavine to name a few. In McCarthy itself, there is the old Kennicott mine. Definitely plenty to keep yourself entertained.
Things to do
This could obviously be a very long discussion. The options are endless and limited only by your wallet and time...and maybe the weather. Here is a list of some of the things we either did or are still on our to-do list. Bolded items are those we did, or have done on a previous trip.
University of Alaska Big Animal Research in Fairbanks
University of Alaska museum in Fairbanks
Planning for gold at the dredge in Fairbanks
Seeing the Alaska pipeline
River boat cruise in Fairbanks
Hot springs in the Fairbanks area
Pioneer Park in Fairbanks
North Pole near Fairbanks
Bus ride into Denali, land at the park headquarter's strip. Be forewarned, busses fill up early. We were there first thing and had to wait until the 1pm bus.
Horseshoe Lake hike near Denali entrance
Dog sled demo at Denali
Hurricane Turn Train out of Talkeetna
Flying around Denali (yourself or take a 135 outfit)
Anchorage to Cordova side trip. Use downtown airport.
Flat top mountain day hike in Anchorage
Whistle stop train to Spenser Glacier out of Anchorage
Glacier/wildlife cruise out of Seward
Sea Life Center in Seward
Tonsina hike near Seward
Whitehorse to Skagway and back scenic flight
Kodiak day trip
Exit glacier on the Kenai
Beach landing to view bears at Chinitna Bay
Helicopter ride to glaciers south of Homer/flying over the glaciers
Canoeing lakes or streams
Devil's Gate in Canada
Dinosaur museum in Whitehorse
Fort Selkirk in the Yukon
Halibut and salmon fishing
The Spit in Homer
Day trip to Seldovia, hike to beach
Public use cabins in the Wrangells
This is hardly an all-inclusive list. Just some from our trip. The Alaska Airmen's Logbook, The Mile Post, and many other publications and websites offer nearly endless suggestions.
When it was all said and done, I tallied our expenses for the trip and it came out to be under what I had planned on spending. And for what we were able to experience, I think it was actually a bargain for a family of 5. Of course, many of our amazing experiences were made possible only through the generosity of fellow BCP members and friends, to whom we are so grateful.
On our trip, we flew 65.6 hours, burned 600 gallons of fuel, and covered over 6,800 miles. We average $4.79/gal for avgas. We paid the cheapest in Gooding, Idaho ($3.88) and the most in Gulkana, Alaska ($5.63). With the exchange rate, fuel prices in Canada fell in the $4.00-$5.00 range. Our fuel stops in Alaska mostly fell in that range too. Overall, our 23 day trip cost us $5,300. Of that, $3,100 was spent on fuel. Additionally, I spent probably $400-500 on gear for the trip. I took $400 in cash and spent $110 of it, and most of that was used in settling up on things we split costs with friends that flew up with us. I spent no cash in Canada. Credit cards were widely excepted.
My Trip
Here is the BCP forum thread where I documented our trip. Initially, I had planned to use the thread to meet up with friends and loosely update our progress. It quickly became apparent to me that so much was happening and that I needed to get the details down as we were experiencing them. Otherwise there would be no way I'd be able to remember it all. Throughout the thread I posted pictures and towards the end there is a video and trip summary. Enjoy!
During my research for our trip, I went through just about every thread I could on BCP that talked about going to Alaska, and started to gather and organize any advice that was given. Then I organized it by route and sections within a route. While this information is all from the last few years (roughly 2013-2017), some of it will eventually become dated and possibly inaccurate while some of it will continue to be a good resource.
Kristian's Trip Report
Kristian, aka @Oregon180, made the trip with his family in 2014. He wrote up a great trip report too.
Member map
Several BCP members have graciously offered their hospitality to some degree for others passing through. Use the map below to locate them. Please private message the user via BCP.
Tips by Leg and Area
The following sections of hints and tips from members of the BCP community are broken into route legs and areas. Hopefully this will be a sort of a living document that can be updated as time goes on so that it will continue to be a good reference. If you have any updates for information found herein, please comment below.
Weather: The best weather over much of the state is indeed mid May through about the tenth of July. I used to say that the monsoon starts the tenth of July, and most years that's not too far off. Alternatively, the other dry period is in September. So, it kind of depends on what you want to do, and where you want to go. In June and early July, you can see some pretty warm weather, particularly in the interior. In September, you're going to have very cool nights and coolish days.
I've never spent much time in Southeast Alaska, but I disagree with gb that SE is the most scenic part of Alaska.....it's no doubt some of the most beautiful, but the Wrangell Mountains are truly spectacular, and the Alaska Peninsula is equally spectacular for scenery.
Fishing: The early time is a little limiting for salmon, though you can catch arctic grayling, char, and sheefish (inconnu) on the northern rivers at that time of year. The big lakes up north have some nice trout as well. The Brooks Range has spectacular scenery, some good fishing, and the arctic nights are light all night. Hard to beat for exploring, fishing, and sightseeing.
There are a gazillion lodge operations on the AK Peninsula, and plenty of trout and salmon fishing, and the Wrangells have some nice remote cabins and a lodge or two as well. The NPS cabins in the Wrangells are nice, and most are next to strips.
@MTV
Your plan to "not have any concrete plans" is spot on. I had made several reservations at lodges etc. before we left home, and we mostly regretted doing this as everywhere we went, local pilots offered us cabins, cars, local food, etc. that would have added a lot of flavor to the trip. Of course, the lodges that we stayed at were great to, guess you can't lose.
Cory, FYI, CZGF (Grand Forks) is a canpass permit only airport for entry to CA. Not a regular check in airport for customs. The ones close to here are, Eckarts to the east at Bonners Ferry, Castelgar, due North of 63S, Penticten to the west a bit, and Kamloops a little farther North. Kamloops (CYKA) is a bit further up the road, but a nice place to stop, Also 108 mile house is a good spot for gas and a stop, Can walk to food.(CZML). Have not been to Quesnel for a lot of years, but it was a bit far from town. I see it has gas now, last time I was there I had to go to Williams Lake to get fuel!
Sure hope it works out and I can join this trek.
Our place is just SW of 63S and a little Nw of KDEW, (82WN)Not sure why your plan was to stop at both? They both need a car to get to town. Old Lincoln in Deer Park, Colville has a couple of cars @ $10 a day. If it worked out, could have an overnight at Magee Creek Aero Drome (Our Place 82WN), Put something on the Barby, plenty of room to put up a tent, could probably find a few premade beds in a converted bus and a camper or 2 on the place. Could make sure I had some alchohol free mogas here also if I knew how much might be needed. Maybe even find a few locals to drop in also. I know there are a few from around Spokane N Idaho and E washington that could find there way here.
Leg 2: Canadian border to East of Rockies/ the Trench/ Cassiar Route
I also spoke to Canadian customs today and checked in on Penticton customs. Apparently they need 2 hours notice before your ETA, so I'm glad I checked on that.
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.
@gbflyer
Barkerville is definitely a very cool spot. Consider camping at Quesnel airport and the 1/2 hr trip to Barkerville for the day. Quesnel has a most excellent campground. Lots of people do it this way because they can leave their camp at Quesnel and go to Barkerville packed light. Another place that has a nice camp spot by the river is Toad River just out of Fort Nelson along the Alaska Hwy. There are three basic routes from Quesnel to Watson Lake. Alcan, Trench and Cassiar hwy. Try and go up one and down the other. Weather permitting the flight from Smithers to Dease lake on to Watson lake is some of the most spectacular scenery I have seen, especially around the cinder cones
@175 Magnum
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. Prince George is routinely some of the priciest gas in Canada... I'd pass, and do...
If you get stuck in Kamloops, our club has a strip just up the hill from the loops bout 5 min flight.. 2300' long, and we got a club house (atco trailer) with 2 spacious couches and an oil heater, if you need a place to crash. Just pm me for the details and the lock code. Have a safe one. Here's our airstrip webcam.
Pay no mind to the date, we just got the camera fixed
North of YKA the Fraser plateau rises to up to 5K .The weather is often very lousy with lots of rain showers. A better route once leaving yka would be to the West and up the Fraser river canyon. It's dry desert country.and much more scenic There are a couple old ww2 military strips along the way.
If you come through Fort Nelson, plan an overnight stop at Gordon's Field (CBL3). We have lots of room to camp and wheels to get to town as needed. I would be glad to host a BBQ and campfire. Would be great to meet some of you folks. Who knows, I might even join you for part of the trip north from here.
@Upnorth
I'm based in Fort St John, Have flown to Alaska many times from here in 180 or the Cub I park the cub on a grass strip just outside of Ft St John ( 56 14 49 N 120 58 08 W It is the west strip as there is another to the east) Hudson Hope stripe is paved and a ways out of town. I will be around if you want to come this way.
Finlay River Outfitters is on Wilistion Lake going up the trench, Vicky knows Jordy who runs the Lodge( long gravel grass strip.) I know of several other strips heading up the Highway or in the Mountains. It is a very nice trip coming up from Penticton I travel down to Idaho usually middle of July for 180/185 flying usually fly that corridor do customs at Port Hill.
@Cub 180
You mentioned staying in Ft St John. Carry on a little further to Prophet River if you're looking to camp under the wing. (No services). 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.
Fort St John BC: Nice terminal with a cafe. Didn't hang around long enough to discover what this airport has to offer.
@Denalipilot
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.
Fort Nelson BC: Not my favorite place to be stuck overnight and I have been. The FBO is low budget. 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. Edit: Camping was good. Toilets at campsite are porta potties and were unusable. They hadn't been serviced in a long time and were full of spiders. The water in the terminal lounge was not potable due to the lead pipes in the building. There was water at the campground. We weren't sure if it's status or origin so we filtered it to be safe. Still a good stop. Watson gazebo and fuel are still a no brainer if your fuel stop has you gassing there.
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...
@Mtv
FWIW - the route from Ft Nelson to Watson Lake via Toad River is great if the weather is good. If it is down I recommend staying towards the Liard River. Even when the weather is very poor, you can generally get through following the Nelson river to the Liard and the Liard through to Watson Lake. You catch back up with the highway at Liard Hot Springs.
If you think you may choose the Trench, plan on deciding at Mackenzie... From there you can still take the AlCan, or the Cassair if the Wx doesn't play right for the Trench. Stop in with Vickie at Trench Aviation Fuel. She will offer you ice cream and offer your wife a Baileys. Best of all she will have up to the minute intel on what's really going on in the trench... Her advice will trump flight services, and not heeding it will have you buying fuel from her again when you return to try again another day.
@Rob
The gazebo at Watson Lake is one of the best stop-overs. Barrel stove, firewood, picnic table, covered shelter near plane, friendly flight service folks, WWII history all around. This time of year the lake should be starting to melt, and I've seen hundreds of swans there at sunrise. Also, the WWII emergency strips are really pleasant when they're melted out. Even if you just stop for a leg-stretcher, the scenery is so much better than, say, picnicking on the the ramp at Ft. Nelson. Prophet River is particularly nice, right by the river.
The Liard hot springs are pretty far from the Liard airstrip as I recall, maybe 15 miles, but maybe in that cub you can put it down closer? Definitely worth a detour if you're doing well on time. And speaking of that portion, the Grand Canyon of the Liard is gorgeous if you route direct from Ft. Nelson to Watson Lake, though it is a long leg. On the other hand, you could fly that leg via Toad River (milepost 422) and pin a BCP hat to the ceiling there! So much good stuff- no way you can go wrong if you respect the weather like MTV said.
@Denalipilot
Toad River is a good overnight stop. Motel right across the highway, with restaurant, good gravel strip. Gets you past the tight spot in the big rocks on that segment anyway.
Facts about the trench: The trench is a popular route, basically between MacKenzie (CYZY) and Watson Lake (CYQH). The distance is 350 miles. There is no fuel! You fly one magentic heading of 300 degress, do not turn off course. The trench has always been a favorite shortcut, saving 200 miles and eliminating the need to cross and recross the Rockies. There are approximately 13 emergency airstrips in the trench. When you get fuel at MacKenzie they give you a little map and description of some of the native strips. Some are friendly, some are very unfriendly. It is usually the kids that cause the problems. The trench rises in elevation to 3,500' just north of the end of Williston Lake, which is 110 miles long at an elevation of 2,205'. Bad weather can bunch up on either side of the 3,500' pass in the middle of the trench, just past the lake.
One of the cool places that we really liked is 60 miles south of Watson Lake, called Scoop Lake. We fly up there just to go and then head home. Basically, owned by a family, Darwin and his family. They are in the guiding outfitter business. When you land, you put your plane in the corral, to keep the horses away from the planes. We have landed there, when they are rounding up the horses, (that were turned loose for the winter) rounding them up with a Supercub and a Beaver. I believe they have 4 or 5 radio collars on lead horses. We went up to go fishing and hang out. Steel gloves needed for catching the sharp toothed fish. In a pinch Darwin will sell you AV gas, remember it was flown in by a Beaver. Very expensive! We ususally just go up to Watson Lake for fuel. Scenery is jaw dropping!
The FBO at Mackenzie BC (CYZY) is Trench Aviation 250-997-1304, you are going to need a Canadian aerodrome directory, they actually had a little map 1 page with descriptions on it they also know the latest info for the area. It is 340 miles from there to Watson lake. a good stop for us was scoop lake private strip hunting lodge out fitters but they take over nighters also or like us went fishing stayed a couple of days, good food clean little cabins. You taxi your plane inside a corral and close gate to keep horses from airplanes. Cool place, good people, reasonably priced, run by a family.
Do you have a copy of the "logbook" sold by the Alaska Airmen Association? It is a great resource if it is still in print; they used to update it now and then. Even get an old copy as the info is so good. Seeing the different routes, things to see in different areas, it was worth its weight in gold to me. Call them at 907-245-1251 mine is dated 2001 third edtion would not go without it. 314 pages.
@Little John
Darwin and Wendy, and his girls are the salt of the earth!!!!! Stop and say hello if you can, Bring wendy a hanging pot of flowers, you will have a great dinner!! =D> Corral also keeps the elk from rubbing on your bird!! 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...
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. Smithers has a grassy campground on the field. Camping on the field is nothing to write home about, but the convenience and price are right.
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.
In the Smithers, Terrace area check out Burns Lake. It has two pilots rooms, lounge, fuel, snacks and drinks, airport car. Really nice place. Places we didn't like: Smithers, they charge you a $1.25 to sneeze on the airport , they are just crazy with fees there. Probably cost you $75 to land and take a pee in the terminal. Go to Burns Lake, it is a great place. At Fort Ware, the locals made it real clear this place is not for a white guy.
@175 Magnum
Made it into Burns Lake, turns out there is a nice set of rooms with kitchenettes right on the field.
@Slohawk
We're in Atlin, BC, southeast of Whitehorse. If you come up the Cassiar route, it's an easy jump from Dease Lake over to Atlin (less than an hour). Fuel generally cheaper here than Whitehorse (they know all the tourists stop at Whitehorse and price accordingly) and much better scenery (we're just NE of the Juneau Icefield). Send me a PM if you are passing this way coming or going and we can coordinate something. No phone but internet here.
Another alternative route that isn't much talked about (and you probably don't want to try it on your first trip) is up the old BC rail bed from Ft. St. James to Dease Lake. Just east of the Cassiar. Several old construction strips along the route that aren't in very good shape but better than the rocks or river if you have to make an emergency landing. Spectacular scenery but pretty remote and not well-traveled. Stop by Atlin, BC (CYSQ)…it's a beautiful place and…typically cheaper fuel than at Whitehorse (almost any place is cheaper than Whitehorse) in spite of the fact that it's off the beaten path.
@GregA
I'll second the "remoteness" of the Dease lake route, at least the way that I flew it home. It made the Trench feel like flying the central valley of Ca.! But, the scenery was incredible.
A couple logistics thoughts: Don't forget the time zone difference between Whitehorse and Northway when you file your flightplan / eapis.
@Rob
As was mentioned, the time change in Northway cost us half a day because Customs didn't have time to get out there and back before quitting time. We camped at Beaver creek for the night which was no big deal, but we thought we were going to make it a ways into AK as there was still a lot of daylight left.
On the way back, if you plan on filing eapis and flightplan while lunching at Fast Eddies (Tok) it seems to me that the FSS # was hit or miss on what you can do and when you can do it. Being fluent at filing on the fly will alleviate the stress of having an eapis ready to roll and not a flight plan.
Be generous with your filed flight times. Whitehorse to Northway is a long enough leg to see something you want to circle over. Trying to make up for lost time spent circling a bear that's stocking a sheep, or even an unforecast headwind, is pretty tough. Conversely, pulling the throttle back a tad for being a bit early is easy and just gives you that much more time over some spectacular scenery.
@highroad
Another good camp spot for wife and kids is Watson lake. You can pull your airplane up to the big Gazeebo on the west end of the field and camp right next to it. There is a nice wood burning stove in the Gazeebo, and porta potties next to it. Although the facilities in the terminal are clean and close enough.
@Rob
If you find yourself traveling between Whitehorse and Dawson city on your adventure consider camping or checking out Fort Selkirk on the Yukon river . Good strip in 2012 and very cool spot. No road access only boat and plane. Old Hudson Bay Trading post, now a park. Good camping with water and toilets and well presented history. If you stop in Whitehorse on the way down and have time to check out the dinosaur museum that is right next to the transportation museum, i think the kids will love it. Also if you have a chance take the boat ride up Miles Canyon, it leaves from the floatplane dock.
@175 magnum
Assuming you have some time in Whitehorse, a great leg-stretcher is to walk around the perimeter of the airport fence (Clockwise). Takes you through some nice trees and a slope that should be purple with pasque flowers about now. Down a wooden staircase that leads to the side of the Yukon river. It's also about the time that the river ice should be breaking apart into "candle ice". That's fun stuff to play with, and it makes some great sounds.
Denalipilot
We departed Whitehorse to the NW following the highway and the terrain suddenly started to feel very "Alaska-like." Steep mountains in long ranges bounded wide flat valleys, for tens of miles at a time. We landed Beaver Creek, Yukon for a final pee stop and to update CBP prior to our crossing. We would be meeting them in Tok instead of Northway.
@Zzz
Haines
Drop down just south of Whitehorse over Skagway and right into town. Gas on the field and lots of room.
@Shorton
Skagway is off the regular air travel routes, but the trip over Atlin, Carcross and down the pass is pretty spectacular if the weather is good. Heading up to Anchorage from here is worth the trip also with decent weather, Glacier bay and the Malaspina, Yahtse and Bering glacier fields are pretty cool on the way up to Cordova.
@Slohawk
Ask Cub180 about Toad River and if there is "special ways" to land at Liard Hot Spring. Try your best to get to the hot springs very special.
Muncho Lake/Northern Rockies Lodge
This spring the Northern Rockies Lodge held an open house at their hanger at the Pitt Meadows Airport just outside Vancouver. A couple of us went over and had a good talk with them. They started out with Liard Air and still run that business. What URS the owner said to us was: Stop in any time even if it is just for a coffee, land at the Muncho Lake strip and we can come pick you up, it is only 5 miles from the lodge. He also said that the Liard Hot Springs is only a half hour drive away and if we wanted to go there he could probably set something up, there might be a small charge for that. They were very friendly and down to earth people. I do not know what they have for camping but give them a call if you are interested. Their contact info is on their web site Northern Rockies Lodge.
About 160 miles out of Watson Lake is Virginia Falls, part of the Nahani National park(headless valley fame). I do not believe there is a landing strip there but some friends flew over and said it was spectacular.
@175 Magnum
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 available 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.
Author note:We camped at Whitehorse and couldn't find any facilities, other than the bathrooms in the terminal. We asked around and no one knew either. We parked at the base of the tower and camped in the little shack just south of the tower. There is a man gate to get to the shack.
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.
@Vmc
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...
@Rob
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.
@Vmc
I did overnight in Beaver Creek (circa May 2017), not being able to get over the border into Northway because of low ceilings. I kept US customs informed with frequent phone calls and they were appreciative and worked with me to coordinate my arrival the next day. I had no prior info on Beaver Creek but found it to be a good option to stop. Car gas is available in town but you will need jugs and a ride. Hotels offered rides. The CARS station closed at 3, which was my cut off time to make it over to meet US customs anyway, so the CARS lady offered me and another couple who were also stuck a ride to the hotel. I would stop again if needed.
@kg
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 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.
@Vmc
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 :)
@Rob
...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 an 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.
North of Tok is Chicken. Strange little place, but memorable. Camp under the wing.
Bettles. Camp under the wing. Dine at the Bettles Lodge. Enjoy the arctic climate.
Manley Hot Springs. Not sure if Gladys is still alive, but she is a hoot and will allow you a trip to the hot springs on her property.
@Squash
Word I've gotten recently is that Gladys is still kicking, but not able to manage the place on a regular basis, and it is not operating at present. With any luck one of her sons could keep it going, but that doesn't appear to be happening as of now. I'll post the phone number if I can find it- I should have it around here someplace.
Nice campground for planes. (noisy at night when jets takeoff/land). Showers at the campground as well as down at the pilots lounge near the tower.
If the weather is good, consider a flight through Lake Clark pass. Land at Port Alsworth. Consider a trip up to Dick Proenneke's historic cabin. Lots of stuff to do out of Port Alsworth, weather permitting.
@Squash
Get the kids some Hot Licks homemade ice-cream and head up to the Large Animal Research Station to see musk ox, reindeer and caribou up close. I've never done it, but I've heard from locals that the Riverboat Discovery is surprisingly good, if that's your thing. And if you get rained out, the Museum of the North at the university is very good.
@Denalipilot
The Air Camper Park in FAI is great. Bicycles provided by the 99s, free to use. The local pilot's group used to have local pilot volunteers visit every other evening to talk to visitors, and provide information on the interior.
If you need groceries or supplies, grab a bike, turn left out of the airport entrance, then straight through the light. About a half mile on the left is a huge Fred Meyer store....grocery, hardware, etc.
Wander through the bushes to the west and you'll find the float pond. Great fun watching arrivals. Got fishing poles? Little known fact: there are some Large Pike in the float pond. Technically not legal to fish there but when I was there Airport Security never gave a rip, as long as you weren't fishing from someone's float.
I scared the dickens out of a guy one day when I walked up in uniform and asked him if he'd had any luck.....I had to quickly tell him I wasn't writing citations. He then pulled his stringer out, and showed me a 44 inch northern pike. Impressed I was.
Lots of stuff to do in FAI, if you're staying a bit. For weather brief and flight plan, grab a bike, exit the airport entrance to the right, and maybe a half mile south on the left is an FAA Flight Service Station. Right across the street from the tower. Those folks know the country and the weather patterns. Welcome to what FSS used to be in the Lower 48.
Used to [be] a local CFI would come by the campground every Thursday evening to answer questions, etc..
Burgers on the deck at Pikes is a great evening program. Museum of the North is great. Kids like Alaskaland.....
@mtv
Burgers at pikes or food at the Pump House are both pretty dang good. If you're into Thai then check out Lemongrass on Chena Pump Rd. Best we've ever had.
Lots of great hiking along Chena Hot Springs Rd (Angel Rocks is my fav) and then there's the springs themselves that shouldn't be too crowded this time of year. The Ice Museum there is pretty neat!
HooDoo Brewery. In the summer they have a hot pretzel stand outside that serves EXCELLENT food. Also very kid friendly.
If you do get detoured north because of wx, I can't recommend enough a trip from Fairbanks to Bettles, and then up to Anaktuvuk Pass. Some of the most breathtaking scenery in Alaska.
Fly up to Bettles, then through Anaktuvuk Pass and hang a left. It's a beautiful, breathtaking trip.
If you go much past mid-June, talk with FSS about what the ice is doing in Barrow (and Kotz if you go that way). Summer means west winds and open leads in the ice, which in turn means ice fog on the coast. Once it blows in, it is there for days and that stuff is thick. Zero-Zero thick.
But if your wx cooperates, flying the Arctic coast is something you'll remember for the rest of your life. It's unworldly up there.
@GumpAir
I hope you get a chance for a couple of $100 cheeseburgers at Bettles while you're nearby! It's a great flight and a really cool place just to walk around, hang out, and talk to folks!
Very few transient tie downs but I've camped under the wing (very noisy when the trains roll through in the middle of the night). But its cool to be right at the park entrance where you can catch a bus into the park or set off on hikes.
@GumpAir
Area: Talkeetna
Don't know where about your adventure will end up taking you, but at one point you did mention Talkeetna as a possibility. Anyways... a thought occurred to me. Obviously you already know that flying in AK, you get handy with the supplement, but sometimes that leaves out some of the 'local' nuggets. Now a Glacier flight with TAT or K2 is The way to see the big one, but ya still gotta get to the big airport, and eventually leave.. (I am using big very loosely here because you wont likely be flying in to the town strip on your first visit) anyways... if you stop in at the ATK FSS and ask, they usually have a little paper map they'll give you with all the local routes, and freqs. While I'm normally not a big radio user, being a guest in a reasonably busy airspace makes knowing where the local traffic is expecting you to be, and what freq they expect you to be on is a 'no-brainer' in my book...
Other Talkeetna tid bits... If you bomb in there in the middle of the night (which isn't hard when it's still daylight) and don't find a spot to crash at, no one will bust your chops for camping under your wing for the night…
You can buy gas from Sheldon air service (yes Don Sheldon's daughter)... how cool is that? >
And for no good reason I happen to be a bit of a pizza snob, and I really really like Mountain High Pizza...
Hey when you get to Homer swing by the office and say howdy, Tango Fox and I can give you some great flight seeing ideas for the Homer area, Katmai and Lake Clark NPs. Thursday night is Pilot's night at Beluga Lake Lodge. No camping on the airport in Homer but we can scrounge you up a place to stay.
Consider a flight to Seldovia just across the bay from Homer. A quick walk to town. Absolutely cute and beautiful. Go kayaking there too. You could stay for a couple of days and have a very nice time. There are a few easy hikes in the area. Across the inlet from Homer/Kenai (West side of Cook Inlet) are some good 1.5 hour flights where there are good bear viewing opportunities. There are also a few good nice beaches to land on over there. I would be happy to tell you where to find them.
@Squash
If any of you fellows make it up here and stop by Kenai let me know. I have a river boat with lots of open seats can take you and show you all around.
When you leave McCarthy, follow the Copper to the coast and take a left. Gas in Cordova and Yakutat. E. to Cape Spencer then another left to PAGS where I live. Then direct Ketchikan for gas, then left at Prince Rupert BC to pick up the road again.
After seeing this route, you'll set the autopilot and take a nap for the rest of it and be happy you're not looking at miles and miles of black spruce and muskeg and beetle kill timber in Canada. :-)
Copper center strip
You can fly up the Klutina to the lake. Just short of the lake is a strip with good camping.
Heading down to McCarthy from there you will pass the drainage the Hanagita runs in. Make a note of it... If you decide the coast Wx allows and you want to fly to Cordova, you can fly up that drainage (west) and at the saddle are two lakes. Upper and lower Tebay. there is a good strip there on the west end, that isn't used much. It's a strategic place to camp if you tent camp, because a guy can fall off either direction depending on what the Wx is doing and not be stuck. Trout fishing there is on the 'fish per cast' level. Dropping off towards the coast follows the Little Bremmner to Cordova. If the Wx is on your side for this I would highly recommend it, because it won't be on every trip north... Plus the concept of flying past glaciers and then coming out at a lush green slough is just boggling. From there you can hop over to Hinchinbroock and Hawkins if island hopping is your thing...If you do this you can fly up the coast to Valdez or south to Kayak Island... can't really go wrong either way. If you went NW to Valdez, you can catch the drainage right out of town to the Valdez Glacier, following this up and over will drop you right back in to Klutina lake again. This loop sounds small, but is really pretty long if you plan on spending time along the way...
A stop into Lake Hood could be fun, and experiencing the largest float plane base is unique and memorable. This could also be a good time to take a flight through Lake Clark Pass to visit Port Alsworth for a good day trip. If you come down to the Kenai Peninsula, Seward may be a good stop especially for kids because there is a great Sea Life Center there that you could visit. Also in Seward you could get a half day wildlife tour on the boat. From Seward, you could fly over the Harding icefield down toward Homer and also visit Seldovia. If you are looking for a more remote experience with fewer people, this could also be a good time to fly to McCarthy and explore the Wrangell St Elias National Park.
The Wrangells
Excellent place to spend a few days.
McCarthy airport is easy and you can camp under your wing. A quick walk to town where you can catch a shuttle van up to Kennecott. The town (might not even qualify as a town) of McCarthy is cool and you can get some food and limited supplies. As far as the public cabins are concerned, probably the best one for you is May Creek. The runway is in good condition and your (looks like 8.50s?) tires will be adequate.
Peavine is absolutely amazing but the runway is not really gravel (more like rock) and you will risk throwing something about the size of an apple or an orange into your horizontal that will require repair (personal experience here - but it is worth the risk for me and I'm on 29" bush wheels. I would put Jakes bar and Glacier Creek into a similar category of strip. BUT, if you want to take the chance and land Peavine, you will be rewarded with amazing vistas. East end of the Peavine strip is better than the west end.
Gulkana is a good fuel stop, but I tell you that the winds can get gusty. If you are getting any gusty crosswind crap, there is a gravel (but undulated) strip that parallels the paved15-33 and lives off of the south side of the taxiway that extends from the main ramp to the midpoint of the asphalt rwy.
As far as Tebay lakes is concerned, that place is beautiful, but the strip carved into the tundra has been worn down over the years since Paul Claus first laid tracks there. The tires have created deep ruts that favor larger tires for prop clearance issues when your tires are down in the wells. Not that your prop wouldn't clear, but the margins are reduced. Attempting to clear the strip is difficult due to medium sized tussock obstacles that may snag a smaller tire or two.
On the other side of the Wrangells is Chisana with a grass strip and a small public cabin, but this does not have a "remote" feel and there are neighbors near the cabin (like directly behind it). Plus, it ranks up there as having the most bugs per cubic meter of air in Alaska.
When you fly into McCarthy park on the north west side of the ramp. There is a outhouse conveniently located on the northeast side of the ramp. Camping under the wing is very easy. To walk into McCarthy, walk to the northernmost taxiway and cross the runway. Look for a 4-wheeler trail heading into the woods. This is a shortcut to the main road that connects McCarthy to Kennecott. Once you hit the road, turn left and head south into McCarthy town. Food at the Potato is good. Also the saloon serves dinner after about 5 PM. Grab a shuttle from Wrangle Mountain Air which will take you to Kennecott mine. The tickets cost five dollars each way per person.
If you decide to fly into May Creek, the runway is slightly uphill to the Southeast. The cabin is at the southeast end of the runway. Follow the trail heading to the east about 100 yards and you'll find the cabin off to your left. The cabin comfortably fits three, but you could probably do okay with four if someone sleeps on the floor. Don't forget to take your mosquito punks and if you need to, light one in the cabin with the door open and in about 15 minutes the mosquitoes will clear out.
If the weather is good, take a flight up the Chitistone River. You'll pass by Peavine bar and Glacier Creek. Fly up to Chitistone pass, and fly around the Russell glacier. You can then come back over Skolai pass and down the Nizina back to McCarthy. Always be on the lookout for sheep up there.
@Squash
Coming from the Northway area over towards the Wrangells, or exiting back the other way, Chitistone Pass over the Wrangells is as spectacular a route as you'll find. Takes clear skies and it's high, but great scenery.
@mtv
We stopped in Omak, where oddly it was almost calm, and then launched for the border. Since it was a weekend day we had to go through customs in Kelowna.
No tie downs or grass to put your own in at Kelowna.
Camping for the night in Quesnel, BC. Awesome camping on the field with fire pit, firewood, potable water, a gazebo with gas grills, you name it!
Tomorrow is (July 1st?)Canada Day, and we're planning on celebrating it in Barkerville, where they do the whole thing frontier-style. Greasy pole climbing contests, hammer throwing, etc. Sounds really fun. We'll leave all our heavy stuff here In Quesnel, pick it back up on the way out and keep heading north tomorrow afternoon/evening.
Waiting out weather in Fort St. John. Camped at Dinosaur Lake yesterday and watched a bald eagle catch three fish. At Tumbler Ridge today and Kinuseo falls tomorrow.
We've had an awesome couple of days hiking and camping in Monkman Provincial Park. Gorgeous area with almost limitless backcountry hiking opportunities.
Today we explored the area between Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. The kids really enjoyed learning about the building of the Alcan highway and seeing all the beautiful fields of Canola.
We also went to see the Kistkatinaw Bridge, the only remaining original wooden bridge on the old Alaska highway. Pretty amazing design and construction! All wood, and curved to fit a turn in the road.
We had a nice day of flying to Whitehorse via Fort Nelson and Watson Lake. Man, that leg between Fort Nelson and Watson Lake is spectacular!
@Oregon180
Glad to see you ran the Laird River to Muncho Lake route; that's an incredibly scenic portion of the flight! Landing Watson Lake isn't so bad either. :)
@Tonyb
We picked some wild strawberries at Watson lake.
Camping area / gazebo at Watson Lake
We spent an extra day in Whitehorse today. We had a bunch of rain here and the wx enroute to Northway was not inviting. Instead we rented a car and went up to Frank Turners Muktuk Ranch to see their 127 sled dogs.
Our kids had as their #1 request for the trip to see some sled dogs, so it was an easy choice and a huge hit with them. The ranch folks were super nice and we basically had the place to ourselves.
The air camping area at Fairbanks is pretty awesome! Highly recommended.
Wooded area with your own little tie down area, picnic bench, fire pit and nice flat tent space. They also have showers, toilets, group BBQ areas and bikes you can borrow. Nice!
We were all hungry and ended up having small plates at the Pump House, sitting on the deck overlooking the Chena River. Beautiful!
We also went to Pioneer Park and rode the train. We might go back and check out the aviation museum there today.
We're also thinking about renting a canoe and paddling on the Chena.
More exploring around Fairbanks today. We did the tour at the university of Alaska large animal research center and got to see the muskoxen caribou and reindeer. The kids really loved it.
Last day in Fairbanks today. Heading to Talkeetna tomorrow. We've had a great time here. I'd really recommend it for anyone flying to Alaska with kids. Tons of stuff to do.
Today we went to the farmers market for breakfast, which was great, and then headed out to the old gold dredge north of town for the tour. It's a bit touristy, but still well worth it. Our son had an awesome time learning about mining and getting some more panning practice.
Questions Kristian posted: Is it worth it to go into PAIN for a part day, take the shuttle in and go for a hike? We realistically wouldn't get farther than the first 15 miles on the shuttle, so I'm trying to decide if we'd really see much on those hikes anyway, or if I should focus on trying to see things from the air.
Answer from Denalipilot: PAIN is worthwhile, but you won't see much wildlife in the first 15 miles of the park road. You can do a modest to ambitious hike starting from the Savage Camp near 12 mile that is quite scenic, or from the Savage bridge at 14 mile. • Depends if you want to stretch your legs, or see scenery from the air. To my way of thinking, the truly unique opportunity is to fly around the the mountains and glaciers, especially since it is a clear(ish) day. In fact, I'd even consider riding with the pros (TAT, etc) to fit in a glacier landing if the family has never experienced that before. On the other hand, if you want to stretch your legs, a hike in the park may be in order. Can't really go wrong.
We just spent three awesome days in the Wrangells. We camped under the wing at McCarthy two nights and flew into the May Creek public cabin and spent one night there after talking to George and Charlie who spent a night there the day before. Flew around the beautiful area and landed some of the strips in there. Pretty rough with 8.50's on some of them. Fist-sized rocks are probably better conquered on bushwheels. Toured Kennecott and had a great time hanging out in McCarthy. I have about 3,000 pictures to go through! My wife needed to get back to work, so she's on a commercial flight from Anchorage tonight. The kids and I just arrived back in Tok and will camp here tonight, hoping to cross back into Canada tomorrow. Having a great time!
@Oregon180
Author note:
From his pics, Glacier Creek and May Creek look awesome. The cabin at May creek looks perfect. You can park your plane right next to it.
You can buy fuel right in McCarthy. You need to set up an account first though with a local company in town. Fairly easy process. It was really convenient being able to buy fuel right there, rather than fly out to Gulkana for fuel each time. You can set up your fuel account in McCarthy by contacting Fireweed Fuel at 907-554-4498.
@Nizina
The kids and I made it to Whitehorse today. After camping many nights, we felt we'd earned a hotel for the night.
Made it to Fort Nelson today. Some weather brewing here and lightning around the airport as we landed, so pretty easy decision to stay the night here. Kids very excited about Tim Hortons within walking distance! :) Keeping an eye on all the fires in BC and Washington, so we may stay east and cross border in Montana instead. The terrain between Watson Lake and Fort Nelson was just as stunning from this direction!
Made it to Kamloops today. Kids were real troopers as usual. Smoky in places, but still 20+ miles viz the whole way. Border tomorrow and the gauntlet of Fire TFRs through Washington and Oregon to home!
This is a living article in the Knowledge Base. If you have feedback on the accuracy or legitimacy of this entry, or would like to add more information, join the discussion below or email knowledge@backcountrypilot.org to volunteer your input. Suggestions and changes will be incorporated readily.
Morning, please add us to the list / map who can help. Have a hangar in Pitt Meadows BC with washroom & shower, modest kitchenette and welcome BCP members. Also fly rotary around BC on the Alaska route for a living and can assist with emergencies, poor weather route planning, and fuel etc.
If I may make one kind suggestion for an excellent article on a great run down and adventure; I’d remove the reference to race, “white people” not taken kindly to etc. This is no doubt a reference to Fort Ware, and frankly any concerns about Fort Ware are overblown. Any disgruntlement found there isn’t against “white people”, but rather it’s essentially a native band’s private strip that’s quite busy and it’s akin to landing on a BCP members biome strip unannounced and making lunch. With a call ahead, you’ll have no trouble in Fort Ware, and it’s perfectly fine for unforeseen circumstances as well. Simply explain your circumstances hat in hand and be respectful, overall nothing untoward is going to happen there, and skin colour has nothing to do with it. Sorry for the long blurb, just need to mention so the wrong impression isn’t given out to out American friends reading this excellent article.
Thanks. I've updated the article to use a little less divisive language, but haven't removed the awareness of the idea completely. I think it's helpful for transients to be realize that there could be issues if friendliness and humility aren't exercised.
Right on, spectacular trip you did, and a great report. On Fort Ware, you’ll find 99% of the cautions relayed by people who’ve never been there. It’s flown daily throughout the year and there’s good and helpful people there. It also has good winter maintenance, which is helpful in the trench in the cold season.
I just (5-18-21) spoke with Vicki at Trench fuels Mackenzie, to learn they are out of business, the port of Mackenzie is installing fuel pumps, and they WILL NOT be ready to dispense fuel in June. Call ahead and plan accordingly...
This is a great and timely article for helping me to plan my bucket-list amphib trip to the Artic Ocean from southern BC next year (2023). My buddy and I are calling it the North of 65 Tour (both with deference to the latitude and our ages...) and I look forward to posting info on this trip as time progresses. In the meanwhile, the more info shared from members the better! I would be very interested to hear from anyone who's done the Tuktoyaktuk trip before or any references out there for help planning.
I have one question for the general population: Has anyone strapped a collapsible boat to their struts? Is it even legal? I normally carry a blow-up fishing dinghy but pound for pound would prefer a easy to assemble boat.
Looks like you figured it out...ask in the forum. Sounds like an exciting trip! Contact me if you are interested in developing an article of your own about the trip.
Thanks. A little dated but there should still be a lot of info that is useful, especially in the library of reference material. I keep hoping to make the trip again and update the article.
While this knowledge base is a compilation of information from various sources, some official in nature, it is not a recognized or acredited source of aviation training information, and thus should be considered entertainment. Please consult a FAA-certificated flight instructor or mechanic prior to putting any information found here into practice.
On the beach near Ho John Spit in Chinitna Bay, only a short walk through the trees into Lake Clark National Park and the most epic bear viewing of our trip.
Author Cory Wolf and his family enjoy an Alaskan style outing: bear viewing at Ho John Spit at Chinitna Bay, 50 miles west of Homer. 
Grewingk Glacier on Kachemak Bay near Homer, AK. The overcast skies were not uncommon during our time on the Kenai peninsula.
Despite being on gravel, Beaver Creek made for a great spot to camp and stage for the border crossing the next morning. It was a warm evening with a beautiful sunset. Just make sure to check in with Customs over by the highway before setting up camp so they know you are on your way to Alaska. Otherwise you might be in for a visit from the RCMP!
An alluvial river fan at the base of a glacier emptying into Kachemak Bay near Chugachik island. There are so many of these in Alaska that seeing them from the air became routine.
In Seldovia, follow the Otterbahn Trail to Outside Beach. It's a well-maintained trail through a lush forest. You can return via the trail or follow the Outside Beach Road back to town. It's a great hike that isn't very long.
Killing time at Beaver Creek, Yukon before the scheduled border crossing. Not every camp site is going to be an idyllic patch of grass. Sometimes the gravel next to the power outlets is perfect. Bring a power strip to maximize your charging capability! 
The 4 most well-known routes north to Alaska through western Canada
Hungry for more 100LL, we refueled in Talkeetna. With standard tanks and an upgraded engine, there weren't many fueling opportunities that we didn't take advantage of in Alaska. Cory's 205 and enormous fuel tanks allowed him to be a bit choosier. 
FSS in Northway, AK. Briefers rotate down from Fairbanks for a week at a time to man the station. They offer a warm welcome as well as snacks and drinks for the kids. Since there are no other services or people on the field, I think they like the company too!
Picking our way around some weather over the Alaska Range on our way from Fairbanks to McKinley National Park airstrip at the park's headquarters. From there we took the 8 hour round trip bus ride in to see Denali. 
Enjoying an evening on Phil (AKA Barnstomer's) private strip. Phil and his wife were awesome hosts as we spent most of a week based at his strip.
Day 1, the rendezvous. After grabbing some fuel at Gooding, Idaho, we hopped over to Garden Valley to wait for Allen and Stan to arrive, and to have lunch. For the next 23 days we'd be a flight of two. Here we are discussing the finer points of heavily loaded airplane performance, international border crossing preparation...and oh man! We are really doing this!!!
For what we're calling "Leg 3" there are also 3 options for continuing north or south.
A very cool large wooden hangar lives at Watson Lake airport, packed with floatplanes inside during the winter. 
Lunch and fuel stop for Allen and Stan (via fuel bags) at Tsay Keh heading up the trench from Mackenzie to Watson Lake. We were advised by Vickie that this was the best, and safest, place to stop. The strip sits away from the village and there would be less chance of being harassed by locals, some of whom may not be welcome to outsiders.
The mighty Cessna 205 over never-ending Williston Lake after leaving MacKenzie on our way up the trench route.
The famous DC-3 weather vane at Whitehorse.
Borealis Basecamp near Fairbanks, owned in part by a BCP member, is a cool new way to experience the aurora from its unique accommodations: specially-designed viewing domes.
A grizzly sow and her two cubs in Denali National Park– if you look close you can just see the nose of one cub behind the back of the mother, the other cub is burying his head in the grass in the foreground.
A caribou looking for delicious munchables in Denali National Park. We took the tour bus and had an epic day spotting wildlife– enormous herds of caribou, incredible vistas, and the largest grizzly bears I've ever seen.
The picnic area behind K2 Aviation is a great place to eat lunch while watching airplane after cool airplane load up with tourists heading to the glaciers of Denali.
Allen and Stan's 1952 Cessna 170B, complete with 3-blade MT propeller, on Silver Salmon Beach west of Homer– our first attempt to go find some bears. 
Hiking in Seldovia
A short flight from Homer, Seldovia is a definite must; a great place to hike to a black sand beach, check out cool wood carvings, grab an ice cream cone, and search for geocaches. And the tides in Alaska are no joke– the homes near the ocean in Seldovia require seriously tall piers to avoid flooding. During our visit the tide was between 16-20 ft, not at all like what one would see in California and Hawaii.
Camped at fellow BCP member Phil's (AKA Barnstormer) private strip near Soldotna, Alaska, complete with a resident moose that visited camp a few times. 
McCarthy is a great centrall-located option for refueling in the Wrangells, but be warned, the fuel is a membership program and you must be signed up ahead of time. 
Homer Spit at low tide with Kachemak Bay and the Kenai Range in the background. We had the most epic fresh halibut fish and chips on the spit at a restaurant that was fairly unassuming and family friendly.
Airplanes are king at Lake Hood in Alaska! This was my favorite sign from the whole trip. Lake Hood is a must-see for visiting pilots purely for the spectacle of so many bush planes in one place.
Sunset skies over our planes at Quesnel, BC; an awesome place to overnight with a camping pavilion, hot showers, and wi-fi. 
The famous Watson Lake signpost forest...this goes on and on. It's impressive. 
A sad old Beaver and truck, both apparently abandoned next to the lake and gazebo at Watson Lake, Yukon. 
The strip at Toad River, BC. 
A group of kayakers exploring the rain-forest like southern shores of Kachemak Bay across from the Homer Spit. 
Indigenous beasts abound– a fresh grizzly print in the mud near Ho John Spit on Chinitna Bay.
The ramp at Gulkana, AK.
My oldest son Adam watching the waves come and go on Outside beach in Seldovia, AK. 
Cory landing his 205 on Ho John Spit at Chinitna Bay to look at grizzly bears.
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