Road Trip in Alaska: Potentially Stupid Questions from a Tourist (Anchorage: rental car, rental)

[murlough23]

Hi, first time posting on this board and I recently finished planning my first trip to Alaska (something I've been wanting to do ever since childhood). My wife and I are flying up to Alaska for the last week of June (from Los Angeles; we'll be spending the weekends bookending the trip with friends in Seattle to break up the long flight), and we're going to be road-tripping around the driveable parts of the state and staying at B&B's. Where we're gonna be driving and spending the night each day is already booked; so I'm looking more for general info on what to expect when driving and exploring around the places we're planning to go.

Our rough itinerary is this:

- First 2 days in/around Anchorage (may drive south toward Kenai
- Peninsula/Seward area for part of one day)
- One night in Glennallen (drive from Anchorage via Glenn Hwy)
- One night in Fairbanks (drive from Glennallen via Richardson Hwy)
- Two nights in Healy/Denali area (drive from Fairbanks via Parks Hwy)
- Drive back to Anchorage and fly out on last day (via Parks Hwy)

With that in mind, here are my (hopefully not too ignorant) questions:

1. What are some scenic, but not too strenuous hikes that can easily be accessed from the road system?
We're not planning on doing any serious backcountry hiking - just day hikes that take a few hours at most.

2. Are the mosquitos really so bad that we'll need to cover every exposed inch of skin, hands and face included, while hiking?
I have a little bit of experience with mosquitos since they seem to have loved me in Hawaii (where my wife is from) and northern Michigan, so I'm kind of expecting the worst - they appear to know who the tourists are.

3. Is there much of interest that can be seen from the road, or should we plan to get out of the car at certain special places along the way?
I've heard that the Glenn and Richardson Highways are particularly scenic, which is why I want to drive them (I know it's a long drive, but I don't mind; I enjoy driving when it's not in a crowded city like L.A.), but I don't want to miss important photo ops just a few miles off the road that I might blow by in a hurry to get the next meal or to check into our next room. We have plenty of daylight, so I want to try to take this at a more leisurely pace.

4. On the highways we're planning to drive, what's the longest stretch in between bathrooms/gas stations/civilization in general?
You men know how this one works. You've just passed the last town that you're gonna see for a while, and suddenly your wife/girlfriend (or even more likely, one of your children, but we don't have any) needs a bathroom break. There's this inborn thing within men; we hate having to stop when driving, which also means that we sometimes get cocky and think we have enough gas when we don't.

5. What are our chances of encountering bears, moose, or other potentially dangerous animals along the highway?
I'm not so much worried about seeing one while inside a car - that could be rather exciting, actually - but say we've stopped for a picnic during that aforementioned long stretch between towns. Is it a wise idea to eat a meal in the great outdoors, knowing what a good sense of smell bears have?

6. Do hotels/B&B's typically have blackout curtains for when people need to sleep while it's light out late at night? Or is the notion that people in Alaska use things like this a total myth?
I can't seem to sleep well when it's light out, though I suppose if I rack up enough of a sleep deficit, I'll get over that little hangup. I just don't want to risk falling asleep at the wheel on a long drive.

7. Does it snow anywhere in the summer? Are certain places extremely rainy or otherwise difficult to deal with weather-wise?
I expect that it will be cold at night, and even during the day in certain parts of the state. No biggie. We can dress for that. And we won't go to extremely wet places like the Panhandle, or places where it obviously snows all the time, such as Barrow or the summit of Denali. I'm mainly talking about the towns we'll be spending the night in and the circuit of roads connecting them, plus Denali National Park. I've checked average low temps for everywhere we'll be staying and nothing seems to go below high 40's... but that's average, so I figure I could use the voice of experience on this one.

8. Are road closures along Alaska's highways common?
Few things would suck as much as making it most of the way to Delta Junction on the Richardson Highway and then having to turn back and take a several-hundred-mile detour.

9. What sorts of amenities do first-time tourists in Alaska often expect, and end up being shocked to not find?
You know, like the time I went to Hawaii and just assumed my bank would be there. This is basically to cover my rear for all of the questions I forgot to ask.

10. What's the dumbest thing that tourists in Alaska typically do?
Just because it's funny to read about these sorts of things, until it happens to you.

Thanks in advance for any insight that you Alaska residents on this board can give.

[Rainy]

You asked really good questions...I can't answer all of them. It snowed in Denali on July 31st last summer, but not enough to make the roads hazardous or anything. It probably won't be anything you have to worry about where you're going.

The mosquitos really are as bad as you've heard.

[quote]10. What's the dumbest thing that tourists in Alaska typically do?
Just because it's funny to read about these sorts of things, until it happens to you.[/qiote]

I could write a book. Can't quite decide on the absolute dumbest one. Last summer I heard a tourist asking some poor store clerk if people went up to the moose and petted them. I choked on my iced green tea when I heard her tell him to go right ahead...

Going on a road trip is the best way to see the parts of the state that you'll be visiting.

Blackout curtains are standard, though you never know.

[murlough23]

Originally Posted by Rainy

You asked really good questions...I can't answer all of them. It snowed in Denali on July 31st last summer, but not enough to make the roads hazardous or anything. It probably won't be anything you have to worry about where you're going.

Worry #1 alleviated.

Originally Posted by Rainy

The mosquitos really are as bad as you've heard.

Worry #2 substantiated, but we'll survive.

Originally Posted by Rainy

Last summer I heard a tourist asking some poor store clerk if people went up to the moose and petted them.

Awesome. I love the dumb things that tourists assume when they go places where their only knowledge consists of stereotypes. (Before my first Hawaii trip, I wondered if there were bridges between the islands, and when I was first getting interested in actually planning a trip to Alaska, I cursed at Google Maps for throwing an error when I asked it for driving directions from Anchorage to Nome.) I mean, you can't know everything about a place without having a lot of first-hand experience with it, but sheesh, at least read up a little bit before you go.

Originally Posted by Rainy

Going on a road trip is the best way to see the parts of the state that you'll be visiting.

That's great to hear. I was worried that I'd be dragging my wife up there just to spend several days in the car and just see a lot of road. I know a lot of the interesting stuff in Alaska is stuff you can't drive to - everyone and their mother, when I tell them I'm going to Alaska this summer, asks if I'm going on a cruise. I tell them that I chose a road trip because I wanted to determine my own schedule and not be stuck in tourist towns the entire time.

Originally Posted by Rainy

Blackout curtains are standard, though you never know.

Worry #3 alleviated. Thanks!

[Rance]

Plan on seeing many sceninc things on the way to Seward and/or Kenai. You'll love the drive to Homer along the coast, with all the volcanoes across the water.
Could be highway closures if there is a forest fire up north along the highway. June may not be bad time of year tho.
Bugs may or may not be a hassle. Depends on the wind and if your hiking or stopped. Should not be to bad here on the peninsula.
A milepost may be full of things to see or do. www.milepost.com or something.
You can find the official state vacation planner at www.travelalaska.com
The kenai peninsula discovery 2007 discovery guide at www.kenaipeninsula.org

Enjoy your trip!

[murlough23]

Originally Posted by Rance

Plan on seeing many sceninc things on the way to Seward and/or Kenai. You'll love the drive to Homer along the coast, with all the volcanoes across the water.

Volcanoes sound like great scenery; unfortunately, we probably won't take that fork of the highway (to Kenai/Homer) when venturing south from Anchorage. If we can make it all the way to Seward and back in one day, we'll probably go that route. Or at least drive part of it.

Thanks for the advice.

[Rance]

But your missing the best part! Dude...all the way to Alaska and skipping the best part?

[Urth]

Don't mess with any Moose! They look friendly like a horse but are unpredictable. I think it was last year or the year before a little boy in Anchorage was stomped to death by a Moose in his own yard. Also, I once saw a traveler honk his horn at a large Bull Moose. The bull charged the car butting it several times and then calmly walked away. Keep your distance and all is well. I have been within throwing distance several times of Brown & Black bears. The Brown bears for the most part shy away. The one and only Black bear I encountered was very vocal and seemed like he might want to chew on me. I was close to my truck and was able to leave quickly. I can tell you that according to your plan you will not be able to enjoy much because your schedule is too tight and short. I also agree with Rance. You are missing a lot by not going down thru Soldotna, Kenai and Homer. I have been to Seward two times and didn't find much. The Alaska SeaLife Center is nice but, it is indoors and everyone comes to Alaska to see the outdoors. Plan a trip to the aquarium when the weather is not so nice. The best experience you can get to easily by car is the Alaskan Railroad Train Ride Adventures. They have a few different packages to choose from. Here is there official website; http://www.akrr.com/default.html
[color=black][font=Microsoft Sans Serif]This way you will be able to plan part of your trip because the train stays on schedule. Make sure you have bug spray. The mosquitoes can be intimidating. There are 100’s of trails systems everywhere. The best advise about this is ask the locals what is good where and when you are ready. There are many very nice, wide, paved walking trails throughout most of Anchorage that try to maintain a “Wilderness” atmosphere. It really isn’t a good idea for new visitors to wander off on any trails in Alaska when you are on a tight schedule. You might want to visit the Anchorage Zoo for one afternoon and gather a little knowledge in person of some Alaskan animals.
http://urth1999.com/blognaka/funnyrivermoose.jpg (broken link)
http://urth1999.com/blognaka/arr_4015a.jpg (broken link)
http://urth1999.com/blognaka/arr_4015b.jpg (broken link)
http://urth1999.com/blognaka/denali.jpg (broken link)
http://urth1999.com/blognaka/talkeetnarose.jpg (broken link)

[murlough23]

Originally Posted by Rance

But your missing the best part! Dude...all the way to Alaska and skipping the best part?

Which "best part" would that be?

Anything I do on the Kenai Peninsula, I have to be back in Anchorage by the end of the day. That doesn't leave a whole lot of time for leisurely exploration, if I have to drive the same stretch of road twice in one day, and Seward is a shorter drive than Homer (though still pushing it) so that's why I chose that fork of the road instead. Plus the glacier.

[murlough23]

Originally Posted by Urth

I have been within throwing distance several times of Brown & Black bears. The Brown bears for the most part shy away.

That's good to know; don't you see mostly brown bears on the mainland and the more formidable Black bears in an around the Kodiak Island area?

Originally Posted by Urth

I can tell you that according to your plan you will not be able to enjoy much because your schedule is too tight and short.

OK, besides the trip to Homer, what else am I going to miss? A week was what my wife could get off from work and what we could reasonably afford in terms of how many nights we wanted to pay for rooms. Plus we had the friends in Seattle to visit. I wanted to do some of the scenic drives without repeating too much road. I see this as more of a first time "casing the joint" sort of trip; assuming we enjoy it, we'll be back someday to go over some things we missed.

Originally Posted by Urth

I also agree with Rance. You are missing a lot by not going down thru Soldotna, Kenai and Homer. I have been to Seward two times and didn't find much.

So the glacier you can walk up to is no fun?

Hmmm... maybe I can be talking into changing that day of the trip around a little, but we still probably won't get all the way to Homer.

Originally Posted by Urth

The best experience you can get to easily by car is the Alaskan Railroad Train Ride Adventures.

No train for us. Same reason as no cruises. We already have a rental car for the week that's been paid for; might as well use it. I'm happier when I'm in charge of where we go and when, and where we can stop along the way.

Originally Posted by Urth

There are 100’s of trails systems everywhere. The best advise about this is ask the locals what is good where and when you are ready.

That's part of our reason for staying in B&B's; we can talk to the people that own them about things to do in the area; what's wise and what's not.

It sounds like we might do better on trails that are either well-traveled, or that we can hike as part of a guided group. That'll help with the bear problem and make us less likely to get lost (though we don't tend to get lost very easily anyway).

Originally Posted by Urth

There are many very nice, wide, paved walking trails throughout most of Anchorage that try to maintain a “Wilderness” atmosphere.

Maybe we'll try one of those, if you don't think it's worth checking out Chugach State Park (our B&B is really close to there).

Originally Posted by Urth

It really isn’t a good idea for new visitors to wander off on any trails in Alaska when you are on a tight schedule.

If I know I have X number of hours to get out of the car and stretch my legs before I need to get back in and continue on toward my destination, I can plan to turn back at a halfway point of my choosing. Time is less a concern with hiking than what areas are safe to do it in... from the sound of it, we won't try it anywhere really remote where there are few people around.

[quote=Urth;547539]You might want to visit the Anchorage Zoo for one afternoon and gather a little knowledge in person of some Alaskan animals.[/color]

That's an idea; we'll try that if they're still open the first afternoon we get there, or the morning of the third day when we're packing up and leaving Anchorage, before we push on to Glennallen.

[Rance]

Exit Glacier area is nice.