Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drive to Alaska? We had discussed it for years, but it wasn’t until we bought a used Alaskan Camper that we seriously started to consider the possibility.
An Alaskan Camper is a hard-sided telescopic truck camper made in Washington State that was originally designed in the 1950s to handle the rigors of an unpaved Alcan Highway. It is relatively spartan as RVs go, but for former backpackers/tenters the simple fact we could sleep off the ground and cook/eat inside is luxury. Plus, it is able to go off-road and off-grid!
In planning a road trip to Alaska two obstacles arose. First, we wanted to take our time driving up and back but we didn’t want to be on the road more than three or four weeks. Secondly, we couldn’t decide whether to travel in the spring or the fall. Both seasons seemed to have advantages.
Eventually we landed upon the idea to split the trip into two separate segments: Segment 1: Drive north in the spring, explore Alaska for 10 days, leave our truck camper in long term storage and fly home. Segment 2: Fly to Alaska in the Fall, pick up the camper, explore Alaska and drive home.
In late May 2019, we departed Sequim with a destination of Anchorage. Our first challenge came when we learned that sections of the Alcan were impacted by smoke and wildfires. We quickly decided go northbound on the Cassiar Highway. This rerouting actually worked well as the Cassiar is recognized as providing better wildlife viewing.
Once in Alaska we traveled the Denali Highway before flying to Nome. Early June is arguably the best time to bird in Nome with over 20 hours of daylight and birds sporting colorful breeding plumage. Nome isn’t just about birds. It is also known for a Gold Rush, the Iditarod and Muskox.
After returning from Nome, we left the camper in a long term storage lot and flew home in mid-June.
In mid-August we reversed our course and flew to Anchorage, picked up our camper, and headed toward Fairbanks to explore. We next flew to the Inupiaq village of Kaktovik to watch Polar Bears. After Kaktovik, we celebrated Labor Day weekend with spectacular Northern Lights at Teklanika River Campground in Denali National Park before heading south, finally on the Alcan Highway.
We had one last side trip before returning to Sequim. In Vancouver, B.C., we parked our truck camper and flew to the Spirit Bear Lodge, an Indigenous-owned lodge in the Great Bear Rain Forest. The three days we watched black bears, grizzlies and spirit bears were amazing and a wonderful finale to our summer adventure!
If you are considering driving to Alaska, or are just interested in an armchair traveling experience, we invite you to join us on our Alaska adventure when we drove north in the spring and south in the fall.
About the presenters
Bob and Enid Pheaner were both born with an insatiable curiosity about nature and the world around them. During their working careers, they had little time to travel, so they hiked and backpacked near their home in Pennsylvania. After Bob retired, they spent several years traveling around the U.S. and Europe before choosing to relocate to Sequim in 2012. Since moving West, Bob and Enid have traveled less frequently but to more remote locations, including Papua New Guinea, Patagonia, and South Georgia Island which they shared during previous Travelers Journal Series.
When asked why they travel, they list many reasons: to learn, to experience, for adventure, curiosity…but one reason many people travel, to relax, is definitely not on their list!
In addition to traveling, Bob and Enid enjoy an eclectic list of hobbies including: birding, volunteering, woodworking, gardening, and dog sports.
About the presentations
Traveler’s Journal, a presentation of the Peninsula Trails Coalition, raises funds to buy project supplies and food for volunteers working on Olympic Discovery Trail projects. Shows start at 7 p.m. at the Dungeness River Nature Center, 2099 W. Hendrickson Road. Suggested donation is $5. To protect speakers and others, attendees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend the presentations; have vaccination cards available at the door. For more information, email Arvo Johnson at amjcgj@gmail.com.
2022 Traveler’s Journal
When: 7 p.m., Thursday, March 24 (door open at 6:30 p.m.)
Presenters: Bob and Enid Phreaner
Presentation: “Alaska: Spring North – Fall South”
Where: Dungeness River Nature Center, 2099 W. Hendrickson Road
Cost: Suggested $5 donation
Coming up: “20/20 Visions of Nature in Washington During our Year-Long Travel Restrictions” with Mary and Ken Campbell
Breathtaking views abound at Kenai Fjord National Park, Alaska. Photo by Bob and Enid Phreaner
A Grizzly bear lumbers through Denali National Park, Alaska. Photo by Bob and Enid Phreaner
Canoes at Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre, Teslin, Yukon. Photo by Bob and Enid Phreaner
Above: A Spirit bear enjoys his catch in the Great Bear Rain Forest, British Columbia.
Photos by Bob and Enid Phreaner The Richardson Highway, Alaska.
