Cliff & Travis Dow Head to Alaska from Maine for 9 weeks

[OVEREASYGUY]

If all goes well June 22 we hope to leave Maine (54ME) and head to Johnson Creek Idaho, then up to Coeur d'Alene KCOE to visit a friend.
Next on to Whetshone International Port of Del Bonita Montana (H2 there we will file a flight plan to go to Lethbridge County CYQL in Alberta Canada.

Last stop in Canada on our route would be Burwash (CYDB). We would enter Alaska at Northway (PAQR).

any thoughts on our route through canada we would love to hear. We would like this transition through canada to go smoothly.

We have a cargo pod for our cub and 4 fuel bags. Should we bring 4 fuel bags?
Sleeping bags any suggestions? So much to think about. We upgraded our GPS to the Garmin aera 760. We had a spin on oil filter system added to our supercub. The filters can be hard to find but I have 9 in stock now.
if you know some fabulous spots to land along a river and catch salmon let us know. If you want to join us please do. If you will be in Alaska anyway do reach out and let us know your plans and maybe we can meet up somewhere. We have no partifular agenda.
Cliff & Travis Dow
N82225

[Gary Raser]

Sounds like fun

[DENNY]

From previous post it looks like you have 46 gal tanks. You should be able to make the trip up with just that but it never hurts to have a few extra bags in case you want to explore a bit in some of the more remote parts of AK. I have stock tanks and carry 36 gallons in bags/cans in the back when I go above the brooks alone. 2-3 bags if I am traveling with the wife on longer fly-outs.
DENNY

[1934A]

If you need fuel or a place to stay, you're more than welcome to stop by my strip on the MT/SD border. SD33 on the sectional. Hangar space available.

[aktango58]

Instead of going to Burwash, might think about coming down through Atlin, (south of Whitehorse) or even just come out the Taku River just south of Juneau and check in in Juneau or Skagway, then pop over here to Haines. From here it is just a jump over the top to Yakutat and the Situk. Big USFS strip and two cabins with LOTS of salmon to fish in the area. Fuel available in Haines and Yakutat.

Lead the weather from Montana to Alaska. You can stay east of the Rockies, through them over the trench, west of them up the Cassiar, or up the coast. Avoid Prince George!! Use Quesnel, Vanderhoof or MacKenzie for fuel. Mackenzie was a great over night, as is Smithers. Cab fares into town are ridiculous all over that country, but Quesnel is a nice stop over night.

Take the route that will have the best weather over the travel days. Don't scud run up here, lots of local weather things that can get you into trouble.

Call ahead to confirm fuel stops. Been some weird stuff over the last few years in Canada where normal places could not get supplied.

Bring the bags, but keep them empty for now. You carry lots of fuel. Use them to take fuel to camp and have less in the plane so you can go play, but have fuel to get back to the pumps.

Wiggy sleeping bags. Stuff that is warm when wet is best- it can get wet here in July.

[SJ]

Cliff, if you have not been following recent posts by Ted Waltman (and others) on conditions or checked out his www.fly2ak.com website, it is a great resource.

sj

[tedwaltman1]

Cliff, I continue to get updates almost daily from folks headed North. At least today, the AK highway seems to be seriously iffy with smoke. Even the Trench might be doubtful today when looking at resources such as http://Firesmoke.ca

George has excellent suggestions above. Suggest staying W of the continental divide. Clearing customs at Ketchikan, Skagway or Juneau is WAY better than Northway. I traded emails yesterday w a pilot who reported Northway is supposedly only available at 9 and 3. Even though he was at Northway at the appointed 3 pm, they told him to head to ANC to clear, which took several days due to weather in ANC.