An RV meanders down a rough stretch of the western Denali Highway. The Denali Highway is a mostly dirt-and-gravel road that runs from Paxson to Cantwell. Some RV rental companies limit what roads their vehicles can be used on; be sure to ask about limitations before renting.
BRADLY J. BONER
Daily News archive 2002
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Camping in comfort
RVs give visitors freedom to explore at their own pace
Published: April 22nd, 2008
Last Modified: April 24th, 2008 at 09:29 AM
If packing into a subcompact rental car for a vacation full of cramps and beef jerky isn't quite what you envisioned when you booked your trip to Alaska, consider traveling in an RV.
Behind the wheel of an RV, gas in your tank and the virtually endless summer days before you, taking to the twists and turns of Alaska's roads may be just the big adventure you're looking for in the Last Frontier.
ABC Motorhome and Car Rentals owner John Marquardt said RVing is the ultimate in independent travel.
"It's great for exploring. You're seeing some of the most beautiful scenery on the continent," Marquardt said. "I always tell people if there was a rocket on the RV, they could go anywhere."
Marquardt said his customers choose RVs for flexibility and convenience. RVers can travel at their own pace, keep all their belongings in the same place for the entirety of their trip and take any detours they desire.
Marquardt said he frequently rents to outdoorsmen. He said the freedom to follow their hobby is what draws hunters and fishers to RVing.
"If they're unhappy with one fishing hole, they can move on to the next one," he said.
With transportation and housing rolled into one, RVs are basically all-inclusive. Marquardt said his company rents units furnished with everything from showers to stove tops, TVs to dinnerware. Travelers need only stock their cabinets or pay for food along their route.
Marquardt said campgrounds abound along Alaska's roads, and if travelers are in a pinch, they can simply pull into a parking lot and ask property owners for permission to stay the night. RVers can contact state tourism offices for access to a brochure that lists all the campgrounds in Alaska.
Road-hungry travelers can expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $200 a day to rent an RV. Marquardt said ABC Motorhomes doesn't charge for mileage, but customers can expect prices to vary depending on the number of days in their rental.
Renters should be prepared to show a driver's license. As with renting a car, age regulations prevent younger drivers from operating rented RVs. Rental companies will offer a brief training on RV operation and provide renters with information to help the journey run smoothly.
RV rental services can readily be found in Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks. Statewide companies are available to accommodate most travelers.
Alaska boasts nearly 15,000 miles of highways and roads, paved and unpaved. It is home to numerous National Scenic Byways, including the Seward Highway from Anchorage to Seward and the Glenn Highway, which curls from Anchorage to Glennallen.
Driving through Alaska can take you to world-renowned national parks and wildlife viewing areas, breathtaking glaciers and the tallest peak in North America, Mount McKinley.
Still, it's important to know that a tremendous amount of Alaska isn't accessible by roads, including the capital. Traveling to Juneau in an RV will mean a ride on the Alaska Marine Highway, a ferry system that cruises the Inside Passage, Prince William Sound, the Gulf of Alaska and more.
Be sure to budget extra money for travel on the Marine Highway. An RV can add hundreds of dollars to your ferry bill. Still, views of Alaska's Inside Passage are breathtaking.
Back on land, conditions can vary greatly on Alaska's highways and byways. The state's untamed nature can also mean untamed rock falls and snow in early and late tourist season. Drivers should consult the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities' road condition hot line by dialing 511 or 1-866-282-7577 or by going online at 511.alaska.gov. The resource gives travelers up-to-the-minute information about closures, construction and weather.
As with virtually all experiences in Alaska, driving in the state is unlike driving anywhere else.
Travelers can expect to travel primarily on two-lane highways and roads. Spend more than a few miles on any of them and you will notice pullout spaces. Though some are intended to be scenic, all are practical.
Alaska law requires drivers of vehicles with more than five cars backed up behind them to pull over and let them pass. In a July 2007 column, Anchorage Daily News writer Craig Medred explained the feelings of a road-savvy Alaskan stuck behind a sightseer.
"It's nice to cruise along pleasantly and enjoy the views. It's not nice to make life miserable for other drivers actually trying to get somewhere on Alaska's highways," Medred wrote. "When you look in that rearview mirror and see someone in a hurry, pull over and let them pass."
Freelance writer Tiffany Clements lives in Anchorage. •
An RV opens up plenty of opportunities to a visitor, but where should you go? Here are a few highlights:
• Homer: First off, the drive is spectacular. The Seward Highway is a National Scenic Byway, and you won't find a more stunning drive than from just south of Anchorage through Turnagain Pass. Once you're on the Kenai Peninsula, the drive along the Sterling Highway from Soldotna to Homer is also fabulous. In Homer, you can camp near the beach and enjoy Kachemak Bay and all that the community offers.
• Valdez: Again, one of the best things about camping here is getting here. From Anchorage, take the Glenn Highway toward Glennallen. It, too, is a National Scenic Byway. And the Richardson Highway through Thompson Pass is beautiful. Camping is available on the water here too. If it's sunny, it will be among the most beautiful places you've ever been.
• Solitude: It's not always possible to find a place to park a camper all by yourself, but look for the most out-of-the-way locations you can find. Editor's picks
Alaska's backcountry is dotted with dozens of public-use cabins that rent from $25 to $65 per night. From remote spots in Prince William Sound, the Southeast panhandle and the Kodiak Archipelago to the Eagle River Nature Center near Anchorage, campers can find some comfort in wonderful wilderness locations.
Alaska State Parks, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Wildlife Refuge System and the National Park Service maintain the cabins. Some can be reached from the road system -- there are three at Denali State Park just off the Parks Highway -- but many are off the road system, some of them way off.
While the locations are often stunning, the cabins are modest. They generally sleep four to eight people on bunks, but these are not soft beds with 350-thread-count sheets -- no bedding is provided. The cabins have a stove; most use firewood, but some use fuel oil or kerosene, which renters need to bring with them. The stoves aren't designed for cooking, so bring a small camp stove too.
There is no running water and no electricity. Campers need to come prepared to purify or boil water. The cabins are equipped with outhouse facilities.
Generally, the cabins can be rented six months in advance. So come summer, they might be challenging to secure. Here are the contacts:
Get a cabin and kick back
• Alaska State Parks: 269-8400; www.alaskastateparks.org
• Kenai National Wildlife Refuge: 262-7021; kenai.fws.gov/cabin.htm
• Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge: 487-2600; www.nps.gov/aplic/cabins/
• National Park Service: 224-7500; www.nps.gov/kefj/
• Public Lands Information Center: 271-2599; www.nps.gov/aplic/
• U.S. Forest Service: 271-2599; www.recreation.gov
