Alaska 2015 - Page 2 - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Camping | Places, Gear and Planning > Trips and Travel Planning
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 07-17-2015, 02:59 PM   #21
Senior Member
 
KarenH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,051
Send a message via Skype™ to KarenH
Here is more information. Bellingham is the southern terminus coming down from Alaska...

Alaska Marine Highway System :: Official Site :: Alaska DOT&PF
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
KarenH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 03:49 PM   #22
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Well Myron I didn't have to shoo away grizzlies with a frying pan but we did get up close with one. Photo taken through the windshield and has some glare but shows how close we came. It had been lounging in a clearing quite aways for the road and we wouldn't have seen it. But we learned, when you see a vehicle stopped at the side of the road there's a good chance it's because they see some wildlife. So we stopped and then the grizzly slowly worked its' way towards us, totally unconcerned with us and ended up crossing the road right in front of us. Made the trip for my wife. After Denali and seeing the only grizzly a mere speck in the distance she'd been resigned to the fact that she might not see one up close.

Speaking of wildlife, of the three areas, BC, Yukon and Alaska, BC rated the highest for wildlife. My wife loves baby anythings. She was thrilled to be up close to the baby bison.

Jim, the Alaska ferry seems a little spendy, at $2,100 Cdn. from Haines to Prince Rupert but compared to $1600 for BC Ferries from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, about half the distance, it's not bad. It also eliminated about 1400 km. of driving on a road that's a bit iffy.

We didn't have long term reservations. We made them a few days before. Probably OK to do that except for holidays etc.

The ferry was very scenic, some of the passages were surprisingly narrow. It was nice to leave the driving to someone else. Although, since I have nautical charts on my netbook for the Caribbean and the West coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska I was able to follow our route exactly, not that I was back seat driving or anything.

Ron
Attached Thumbnails
P6080174_resize.jpg   P6280148_resize.jpg   P6280143_resize.jpg  
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 04:00 PM   #23
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Olathe, Kansas
Trailer: 2015 21ft Escape "Spirit of the Plains", 2014 GMC Sierra with max tow package
Posts: 1,100
Ron, great pictures, thanks for sharing and keep the bear spray handy. Loren
Loren & Cathy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 05:29 PM   #24
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
...the Alaska ferry seems a little spendy, at $2,100 Cdn.

Wow. As in Canadian DOLLARS? That's a cruise, not a ferry ride. I'm afraid I'd just drive the 'iffy' roads.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 06:19 PM   #25
Senior Member
 
BCnomad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: O town, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 "Lightning"
Posts: 1,467
Ron, could you clarify the "iffy road" statement? The Cassiar or something else? Forest fires?

Curious minds would like to know.
BCnomad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 06:57 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4 View Post
Wow. As in Canadian DOLLARS? That's a cruise, not a ferry ride. I'm afraid I'd just drive the 'iffy' roads.
What are you moaning about, yes, in Canadian dollars, for you that'd be a bargain. Actually, since you do have a cabin for two nights, it sort of is a cruise. If you want to do the panhandle there's no other way. I guess you could take a real cruise ship if you like being herded like cattle but we like doing our own thing. It's the trailer that really adds to the cost.

Yes, iffy, as in the Cassiar Hwy. I've heard different comments about it. It was never really a contender, we really wanted to do the panhandle.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 07:20 PM   #27
Senior Member
 
KarenH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,051
Send a message via Skype™ to KarenH
That was the absolute best narrative. I even read it over the phone to my son and was laughing so hard visualizing all this as we deal with ferries down our way, too. (I hope it's okay to laugh since it turned out okay.)
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
KarenH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 07:50 PM   #28
Senior Member
 
BCnomad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: O town, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 "Lightning"
Posts: 1,467
Thanks Ron.
BCnomad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 08:46 PM   #29
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
[QUOTE=KarenH;101392 (I hope it's okay to laugh since it turned out okay.)[/QUOTE]

Are you kidding? My trailer hanging out over space with a drop to the ocean and you're laughing!

Actually, we travel a lot and have been in lots of very strange situations that didn't seem very funny at the time but we laugh at them now. Maybe time changes your view of the situation otherwise you might never travel again.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 09:14 PM   #30
Senior Member
 
MyronL's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
One other thing worth mentioning on taking the trailer on a ferry ride up (or down) the inside passage is that if it's an overnight ride they do not allow you to sleep in your trailer. Think it was you sleep on the floor upstairs unless you pony up another $200 for a bed.
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
MyronL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 09:33 PM   #31
Senior Member
 
KarenH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,051
Send a message via Skype™ to KarenH
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
Actually, we travel a lot and have been in lots of very strange situations that didn't seem very funny at the time but we laugh at them now. Maybe time changes your view of the situation otherwise you might never travel again.
If everything goes absolutely smoothly on a trip, you have nothing to talk about when you get home and even less to remember as the years go by. That's my philosophy...
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
KarenH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 10:44 PM   #32
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
One other thing worth mentioning on taking the trailer on a ferry ride up (or down) the inside passage is that if it's an overnight ride they do not allow you to sleep in your trailer. Think it was you sleep on the floor upstairs unless you pony up another $200 for a bed.
You're right. This was two nights and when we were young we were more willing to trade comfort for $. One time we were so fed up with sleeping on the floor and being treated like we were cattle class we actually broke down and paid for a cabin. But now, it was a no brainer.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2015, 11:18 PM   #33
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
Thought I'd re-post the grizzly pic, cause it is worth it.
Attached Thumbnails
Grizzly fix.jpg  
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2015, 12:42 AM   #34
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
Thought I'd re-post the grizzly pic, cause it is worth it.
Thanks for fixing it Glenn. Boy, looking at the size of those claws The guy on the news tonight that was attacked by one was really lucky he didn't get ripped apart. On the other hand, she was only defending her cubs, so I'm glad they decided not to shoot her.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2015, 09:59 AM   #35
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Western, Colorado
Trailer: 17b
Posts: 148
I had one come right up next to my car, eating dandelions. I think they're used to tourists. My dogs' eyes were sure big. I had the windows closed, but it didn't seem very interested in us.

Mine wasn't as big as that guy and I was still getting pretty nervous.
Escape While You Can is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2015, 09:59 AM   #36
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
Alaska 2015

Quote:
Originally Posted by KarenH View Post
If everything goes absolutely smoothly on a trip, you have nothing to talk about when you get home and even less to remember as the years go by. That's my philosophy...

We learned that along the way on our first trip. It's something that you've mentioned before Karen, as well as some other veterans of the Forum like Donna. Doesn't really register though until you look back on it. Yes, some of glitches, problems, mishaps and close shaves during our journeys turn out to be the most memorable things.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2015, 11:02 AM   #37
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
Jim, the Alaska ferry seems a little spendy, at $2,100 Cdn. from Haines to Prince Rupert but compared to $1600 for BC Ferries from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, about half the distance, it's not bad. It also eliminated about 1400 km. of driving on a road that's a bit iffy.
That is about what I expected. I don't think it is that bad of a deal for what you get, and save. It would likely cost $600 for fuel to drive, plus like you say, the cost of the wear and tear on your vehicle. Plus, you get to float past some absolutely gorgeous country, and there is no other way to explore this small cities/towns, other than flying in, and that alone will cost you near what the ferry costs were.

Where all did you get off the ferry? My thought is to explore all the stops as much as possible. We really loved the time spent in Juneau and especially Sitka last month, and would love to go back, and even explore a couple more towns along the way south.

So as not to completely hijack your thread, I will just put up links to a grizzly we saw on our trip last month, instead of photos. This was way gone from civilization, and we paddled in kayaks up to within 100' of him watching him eat grass. He did not seem bothered or threatened by us in the least.

http://bearleealive.smugmug.com/Trip...K8A1403-X3.jpg
http://bearleealive.smugmug.com/Trip...K8A1430-X3.jpg
http://bearleealive.smugmug.com/Trip...K8A1437-X3.jpg
http://bearleealive.smugmug.com/Trip...A1432-2-X3.jpg
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2015, 11:31 AM   #38
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Jim, thanks for adding the photo links. Michele loves them. When they carry on as normal, not paying too much attention to humans at a distance, it shows that they're not the human predators they're sometimes made out to be. I think it's more that they size things up in black and white. Either you're a threat to them or their cubs and they react with aggression or they don't view you as a threat and they carry on as normal. Great to see them in the natural state.

The only place where we disembarked for two nights was Juneau. The other stops we had time to get off and look around. Not quite enough time in a couple of places but enough to put a face to the name.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2015, 11:35 AM   #39
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
... a grizzly we saw on our trip last month...
This was way gone from civilization, and we paddled in kayaks up to within 100' of him watching him eat grass. He did not seem bothered or threatened by us in the least.
For anyone traveling up the west coast, there are lots of interesting wildlife viewing opportunities. Seeing grizzlies from the water does allow a safe relatively close
approach, without disturbing the bears, when done properly. We took this trip from Prince Rupert, which was a great experience:
Prince Rupert Adventure Tours - Grizzly Bear Tour
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2015, 12:18 PM   #40
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
Jim, thanks for adding the photo links. Michele loves them. When they carry on as normal, not paying too much attention to humans at a distance, it shows that they're not the human predators they're sometimes made out to be. I think it's more that they size things up in black and white. Either you're a threat to them or their cubs and they react with aggression or they don't view you as a threat and they carry on as normal. Great to see them in the natural state.

The only place where we disembarked for two nights was Juneau. The other stops we had time to get off and look around. Not quite enough time in a couple of places but enough to put a face to the name.

Ron
We have come upon a mother grizzly with 3 cubs while hiking in Wells Grey Provincial Park in BC. We came over a small ridge and were within 200' of them. Momma got wind of us, and we watched their rear ends for about 29 seconds tops. A short experience, but still nice to see. This was a good ways from civilization too, and they have little encounter with humans.

Would you be able to get off with your vehicle and trailer at other stops if you wanted? I know there is little road around most of these towns, but still lots of great things to see. I know there was a campground at Sitka, but I bet you could easily find a place to park with some business. A very friendly city.

This is a trailer we saw in Sitka. It is a moulded fiberglass fifth wheel called a Transcontinental Coach. Canadian made from 75-78. Required a flat deck or modified bed truck to tow.

__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:01 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.