Gravel Roads? - 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 > Escape Me | General Topics > Shopping Escape
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 11-25-2017, 06:02 PM   #1
Dee
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lantzville, British Columbia
Trailer: 2019 21'
Posts: 37
Gravel Roads?

Hi, We are hoping to take our future 19' or 21' Escape up the Alaska Highway. Is that realistic?
Dee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2017, 07:50 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Vermilye's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dee View Post
Hi, We are hoping to take our future 19' or 21' Escape up the Alaska Highway. Is that realistic?
It sure is. Most of the road is paved, except where they are fixing it. I made a trip towing a 17 with a RAV4 & friends towing a Scamp 16 with a Tacoma Sienna van. No problems, and a wonderful trip: 2015 Alaska Tripl
__________________
Jon Vermilye My Travel Blog
Travel and Photo Web Page ... My Collection of RV Blogs 2018 F150 3.5EB, 2017 21
Vermilye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2017, 09:40 PM   #3
Dee
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lantzville, British Columbia
Trailer: 2019 21'
Posts: 37
I just looked at your photos from your epic 3 month trip - I'm getting excited to go. I gather the Alaska Highway is now paved most of the way so now problems there. Excellent!
There are other places that we'd like to go where the roads are gravel. Plenty of the secondary roads in BC are gravel for 100km or more. Or places like the Dempster Highway. Is that realistic?
Dee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2017, 09:52 PM   #4
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
Just go.
Stow heavy items down low, light items in upper cabinets.
Bungee cords can secure cupboard doors and fridge door.
Attached Thumbnails
Skagit washboard.jpg   Rock pile.jpg   Cattle road.jpg   Coquihalla summit.jpg  
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2017, 10:05 PM   #5
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
Use bungee cords or straps.
Attached Thumbnails
Fridge bungee.jpg   zap strap.JPG  
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2017, 10:30 PM   #6
Dee
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lantzville, British Columbia
Trailer: 2019 21'
Posts: 37
Awesome! Those photos show pretty much exactly what we want to do. We will go! My husband Robin wants to know if those are fishing boats on your roof?
Dee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2017, 10:32 PM   #7
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 Dee View Post
I gather the Alaska Highway is now paved most of the way so now problems there.

Or places like the Dempster Highway. Is that realistic?
Lot's of Escapes have done the Alaska Hwy. But a note of caution is required. It's about the same as driving cross country. You're going to have lots of good road, some not so good road and then there's construction areas that can be tedious and road damaged by frost heaves.

The Dempster Hwy. is a different kettle of fish. Crushed rock and it's been known to cut tires. Also the Top of the World Hwy. is well worth doing but we did cut a truck tire on one crushed rock section.

Ron
Attached Thumbnails
P6060116_resize.jpg   P6180504_resize.jpg  
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2017, 10:32 PM   #8
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
Those are Buck's Bags Southfork pontoon boats for fishing. Can use flippers and/or oars.
Attached Thumbnails
bass2.jpg  
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2017, 11:16 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
akmacs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Trailer: 2018 5.0 T/A "Escaper"
Posts: 209
As mentioned earlier, the alaska highway route is fully paved short of construction area. The road from Burwash landing to the border is pretty bad due to frost heaves and ruts, be prepared to go much slower in that stretch and when you see a rough road indicator, believe it!

Roads in AK are pretty well maintained but there will be lots of construction. You will likely experience some pretty aggressive driving on the seward/sterling highways and best bet is to pull off frequently and let people pass. I could be 10 over the speed limit and it doesn't matter, they just have to pass you because if you are in an RV. Far less of an issue when away from the south central area. A trip to Homer is still worth the traffic and crazy drivers though.

Top of the world highway is beautiful and from Chicken towards the AK highway junction it is a good chip sealed surface. Chicken to the border can get snotty if its been raining and the shoulders are soft. Canadian side to the yukon river runs fair to good.

Do pack some extra tools such as gorilla tape, extra zip ties, tire repair kit etc.. It can be spendy to get assistance between towns along the road. Never had a problem but I like to be stocked for basic road breakdowns as there is not much cell service in the yukon territory away from Whitehorse and some other communities.

I wouldn't hesitate to drive up here. If you come give yourself a lot of time to take in the sights.
akmacs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-26-2017, 12:57 AM   #10
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 akmacs View Post
Do pack some extra tools such as gorilla tape, extra zip ties, tire repair kit etc.. It can be spendy to get assistance between towns along the road. Never had a problem but I like to be stocked for basic road breakdowns as there is not much cell service in the yukon territory away from Whitehorse and some other communities.

.
I second that. I had a tire repair kit at home but didn't take it with me. It cost a few dollars. I paid $27.00 for one. We found the cellphone booster was a great help on the long stretches between cell service. Get a signal earlier and keep it longer.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-26-2017, 12:33 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Vermilye's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
I agree with bungee cording things that might open. We had more cabinet door problems with twists in the paved sections than bumps in the gravel parts. A couple of other suggestions:

No matter how warm, don't leave a trailer window open. The dust will get sucked in and cover everything. Watch for cones of flags identifying frost heaves in the paved sections. Miss one, and you can get all the trailer wheels off the ground at once!

Stop at Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park, and Chena Hot Springs Resort (which, at least for camping, is anything but a resort, but nice hot springs). Both were great breaks to sit & soak. A couple of the nicest hot springs I've visited.
__________________
Jon Vermilye My Travel Blog
Travel and Photo Web Page ... My Collection of RV Blogs 2018 F150 3.5EB, 2017 21
Vermilye 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 07:02 AM.


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