Vancouver to Alaska

[geezerbob]

August 30 2016 we stayed at the Rainy Creek Municiple campground in Stewart B.C. OK campground in the woods right in town. You can drive to Hyder AK, there is not a U.S. customs there, dead end road through Hyder and back. You do have to go through Canadian customs on the way back. We didn't have any problems with customs.
Salmon glacier is worth looking at. I wouldn't take a motor home or tt up there.
The ranger told us there were not any bears at the viewing station. There are more there earlier in the summer.
Nice drive from the Cassaire down to Stewert and back. If the bears are not around there isn't much to do there.
Bob

[Kim Gass]

No reason to camp in Hyder. There are a couple of places to eat. More in Stewart though not alot
The one campground we saw in Hyder was run down and merely grass with electric and water poles. As there had been a lot of rain it was muddy and puddle filled.
There is no UScustoms gate entering Hyder
There is only the Canadian Customsreturning to Stewart. Presumably cause you can buy booze in Hyder ( but not much else)
The timing of the bear viewing may determine your decision. Bearviewing is best done early very early near sunrise. Or late very late. We did three visits but only crossed the border once.

Salmon run starts Mid July and bear viewing is best then, We were there mid August and bears were satiated. The salmon were still there but the bears not interested.

We camped at Meziadian Junction Provincial Park in summer 2017. Large clean campground on a big lake, The ride back and forth to Stewart itself is spectacular and we saw several bears. You also pass some glaciers at road level.

Somehow we traveled both the Denali Highway ( dirt) and the Top of the World ( only 13 of 100 miles paved) and the Klondike Highway ( mostly dirt and MUD) without sealing orifices, but that sounds like a good idea.

Dust is an everyday fact up there as the construction season is very short ( about three months) and some roads cannot be paved.
We disliked the paved roads as the older ones tend to heave and develop nasty rollers that you will notice towing( we did lots of slowing fast to avoid bottoming out the hitch) Newer ones are being reconstructed with insulating foam underneath

[jkaras7]

Curious question to those who have traveled north to Alaska through Canada: How much Canadian currency did you take with you? We are headed that we next spring leaving Las Vegas in mid-May. Would appreciate your feedback. The info you have provide on this thread has been very helpful. Thank you.

[Kim Gass]

Very little across the border. Enough to buy lunch as I recall We have a bank with Canadian and US branches so we visited an ATM as soon as we crossed the border in Quebec. We were able to always use our debit/credit cards all across Canada till we hit a little snafu in the Yukon where they had lost connectivity and we had to buy gas with cash at 1.59 a liter.. In Whitehorse we had our bank again and got resupplied at a branch.

We withdrew $200 just in case in Quebec. That lasted till Whitehorse.
You will find that some places in the Yukon are extroadinarily connected and others. well not so much.
Dawson City is almost all electronic. Your restaurant most likely will take your order via I pad , which transmits to kitchen. The question you will be asked is " do you need the machine" You do if you use a card. The machine comes to you. Your card never leaves you. Most other places in Canada are the same. They are far better at electronic transactions than we are, but you have to plan for the occasional hiccup due to remoteness.

[jkaras7]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

Very little across the border. Enough to buy lunch as I recall We have a bank with Canadian and US branches so we visited an ATM as soon as we crossed the border in Quebec. We were able to always use our debit/credit cards all across Canada till we hit a little snafu in the Yukon where they had lost connectivity and we had to buy gas with cash at 1.59 a liter.. In Whitehorse we had our bank again and got resupplied at a branch.

We withdrew $200 just in case in Quebec. That lasted till Whitehorse.
You will find that some places in the Yukon are extroadinarily connected and others. well not so much.
Dawson City is almost all electronic. Your restaurant most likely will take your order via I pad , which transmits to kitchen. The question you will be asked is " do you need the machine" You do if you use a card. The machine comes to you. Your card never leaves you. Most other places in Canada are the same. They are far better at electronic transactions than we are, but you have to plan for the occasional hiccup due to remoteness.

Kim, thank you. That is very helpful. Appreciate your quick response.

[ifallsguy]

check with your bank and see if they have fees for using your credit or debit card in a foreign country. If it does, check around with banks like Capitol One who don't have foreign fees. Also make sure you have some cash (US or Canadian) when you cross the border. Canadian customs normally wants to verify some cash. They realize you probably have credit cards.

If you do an exchange for Canadian, do so at a bank (best exchange rates). You will find a large number of businesses do not give bank exchange rates along the highway. Most bank once a week and have to figure in changes in the exchange rates. (They need to figure not to loose money if US value goes up between deposits).

Also locals appreciate Canadian currency in cash transactions.

Lots of experience when I lived in AK and traveled the highway too many times to remember.

[jkaras7]

Originally Posted by ifallsguy

check with your bank and see if they have fees for using your credit or debit card in a foreign country. If it does, check around with banks like Capitol One who don't have foreign fees. Also make sure you have some cash (US or Canadian) when you cross the border. Canadian customs normally wants to verify some cash. They realize you probably have credit cards.

If you do an exchange for Canadian, do so at a bank (best exchange rates). You will find a large number of businesses do not give bank exchange rates along the highway. Most bank once a week and have to figure in changes in the exchange rates. (They need to figure not to loose money if US value goes up between deposits).

Also locals appreciate Canadian currency in cash transactions.

Lots of experience when I lived in AK and traveled the highway too many times to remember.

Thank you for your input. It is greatly appreciated.

[ifallsguy]

Originally Posted by ifallsguy

check with your bank and see if they have fees for using your credit or debit card in a foreign country. If it does, check around with banks like Capitol One who don't have foreign fees. Also make sure you have some cash (US or Canadian) when you cross the border. Canadian customs normally wants to verify some cash. They realize you probably have credit cards.

If you do an exchange for Canadian, do so at a bank (best exchange rates). You will find a large number of businesses do not give bank exchange rates along the highway. Most bank once a week and have to figure in changes in the exchange rates. (They need to figure not to loose money if US value goes up between deposits).

Also locals appreciate Canadian currency in cash transactions.

Lots of experience when I lived in AK and traveled the highway too many times to remember.

I should have said use a Canadian Bank for a currency exchange. They normally have lower charges than US banks to whom it is a bother to do an exchange.

[Kim Gass]

Never been asked in 53 years of border crossings if I had cash except once if I had more then ten grand in cash.
I used to go to college 15 miles from the border and crossed a couple of times a month. Now its six to seven times a year. On our Alaska trip alone we crossed 7times in 2017 ( those side trips to Hyder and Skagway)

Your credit card may not be authorized for use in Canada unless you contact the card company beforehand. I found this out about 10 years ago and am not sure its true any more.. You can do that over the phone.

If using a debit card always ask it to be processed as a credit card.. It otherwise will be refused
We have a bank ( Toronto Dominion ) that is local as TD Bank in the US and in Canada, TD Canada Trust. So ATM fees never are an issue.
I second the credit card.. Check and see if yours has foreign transaction fees.

[geezerbob]

We carried about $600 in U.S. cash. We called our credit card companies to notify them when and where we would be traveling. We used credit cards when ever possible especially in Canada. The credit card companies automatically adjusted for the exchange rate. They did this for a small fee. Last fall it was about 25% difference. We carried some checks with us because some government campgrounds (Canada) would accept checks in the envelopes when you check in. Credit cards worked just about every where. You do have to be ready for the unexpected. Like when the credit card company forgot that we were traveling outside of the U.S.
Be ready for every variation that you can think of to refuel from gas pumps.
Give your credit card to the cashier before you pump, pre-buy a certain amount, chip, no chip you will understand when you have completed your trip.
We did get asked a few times about any more than $10k by Canadian customs. My wife bought an Alaskan coupon book on line that had deals on tours and other things. I can't find that info right now but if I can I'll post it. Things like 2 for 1 cruise to look at glaciers out of Valdez and the fast ferry to Juneau etc.
On our first trip to AK on the return journey we loaded our rig (21 ft tt jeep grand Cherokee) on the ferry at Haines and got off at Prince Rupert. A grand adventure in our existing adventure. Not cheap but it did cut off 700 road miles and was beautiful. If I remember right it was 2 1/2 days on the ferry.
Bob

[Kim Gass]

If this is your first visit you may be asked for more info than I am
You see there is a record of you kept. It's fairly standard what I drive and what I have so when they saw us with a camping trailer ( I was expecting inspection inside) they merely asked where we were going that night how long we would stay in Canada and if we were leaving anything in Canada and the bear spray question and the usual booze and tobacco and gun question. It took less than 90 seconds
On your way out of Alaska at Beaver Creek don't be in a rush. For us the line was almost an hour long for a one minute query
Very nice provincial Campground on Kluane Lake awaits

[geezerbob]

Times 10 for Kluane lake.

Kim.... what are the chances that we could camp Maine and into Canada N.B. etc. without reservations. We prefer to travel without reservations if possible.
Bob

[Kim Gass]

Along the coastal route. You need reservations
See the clamping thread
Caravans of RVs travel up to Nova Scotia via Bar harbor etc
North Maine Woods does not even take reservations but camping is boondocking with no fuel or food for a hundred miles
I take it you'd want to stay closer to the coast.
I'd make reservations
I have not done much RV camping at home. We usually do instate camping in a canoe or kayak and a tent
Schoodic Woods is an Acadia NP facility with beautiful sites for RVs
Just electric. They have a dump station and potable water
We've always reserved there too
Most campgrounds have a very short season so don't open till Mid Nay and close in September making off season cheap camping a challenge