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From: smh@mhuxl.UUCP (henning)
Newsgroups: net.travel
Subject: Re: Travel By Alaska Highway
Message-ID: <522@mhuxl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-Jan-86 21:37:25 EST
Article-I.D.: mhuxl.522
Posted: Wed Jan 29 21:37:25 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Feb-86 00:04:32 EST
References: <479@kontron.UUCP> <257@birtch.UUCP> <696@tektools.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 36

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From the keys of Steve Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA mhuxl!smh

> I drove the Alaska and Cassiar Highways last summer -- no problems.
> The roads were generally excellent, though there were a few rough stretches
> between Fort Nelson, BC and the Yukon border.  The Alaska Highway is almost
> all paved.
> 
> I *would* carry a couple of spares (tires, I mean... not axles).
> Keep your gas tank full, especially if you need unleaded.

I drove around Alaska and the Yukon for 3 1/2 weeks last summer and also
found most roads paved.  However almost every local car had a cracked
windshield.  There is still a lot of construction and cars running around
with stones lodged in their tires waiting to pop out and into your 
windshield.

My candidate for the most beautiful drive is from Whitehorse to Skagway
and then from Haines to Haines Junction with the link from Skagway
to Haines on the Alaska Marine Highway (ferry).  It has mountains, lakes,
eagles, ghost towns, some of the most unique geological formations in
Alaska, glaciers, and Whitehorse and Skagway which are two of the
most fun areas.   

The drives from Anchorage to Fairbanks and from Valdez to Anchorage 
are gorgeous also.  The only drive that tended to drag was from Fairbanks 
to Whitehorse.  It probably ranks higher than 99% of the highways in the 
lower 48, but is bland by Alaskan standards.

The wildlife tour at Denali is a must and the ferry to Juneau/Mendenhall
Glacier, Ketchikan/Creek Street/Totem Parks, and Sitka is worth the
time.  Probably the most interesting place in Alaska is Glacier Bay, but
you can not drive there and virtually no one trys to take a car there.
You need to take rather expensive trips by boat/ship through the prongs
of Glacier Bay looking for whales, eagles, puffins, glaciers, ice bergs,
and about every other natural wonder of Alaska.