Alaskan Campers

[WU7X]

I’m not familiar with your route or destination area to help with recommendations. But I think you’re heading into a great area at the right time with a great rig. Mixing the trip up with some B&B/motel breaks along with some real remote boondocking will show you the best features of this type of travel. You can park nearly anywhere, go almost everywhere, and camp in comfort.

Check iOverlander & Wander the West as well as You Tube for destination information and ideas. A good mapping program is a great planning tool.

Safe and happy travels!

Thank you! I am familiar with the old Ioverlander, but when it opens up now I'm informed that I need to download the newer IOverlander 2 by the end of December. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and get the pay app. IOverlander is built into my Garmin Overlander, wonder if they will update their software to handle version 2?

Is Wander the West an app or a website? Will check into that too. I also have some books on trails in UT, but they are now pretty out of date. The best thing is we can head out, follow the tracks we have, and if they peeter out, just turn around and try something different. I am so looking forward to not having a small trailer being tugged behind the rig. I never was all that good with backing one up, especially the short ones. No tents, a larger frig, 26 gallons of water, an internal heater, two burner stove, dual fans, a queen size bed, an interior toilet; life just got a LOT better!

It is 21 deg. F as the sun comes over the horizon here this morning. Heading south will be a real blessing.

 

[FAW3]

WanderTheWest.com is a website.

iOverland 2 does offer a free ride…but very limited functionality and only one area download at a time.

We stepped up from simple “truck cap camping” to a pop up truck camper….what an upgrade. A great way to roam.

 

[WU7X]

Well, everyone knows the saying about the "Best laid Plans", right? In the past two weeks my 3 y.o. Boykin Spaniel injested things she shouldn't have twice, in an apparently attempted suicide. Maybe not suicide, but the cost so far has been over $4K in vet bills !!! That has put a pretty big hole in my travel budget for Jan/Feb 2026. Boykins are a real hunting breed and they need to be kept busy. Much more hiking, retrieving, and rough housing is in our future with Bella la Diabla that's for sure.

She doesn't loo,k like a little devel in the picture, does she?



I think we'll pull the camper off the truck for the next few months and keep it plugged in and under a roof. We got 2.5" of snow last night and discovered that my wife's Hyundai Kona LTD EV doesn't perform that well on ice and packed snow. We are expecting a more than usual snow pack this winter so having a 1 ton 4x4 truck to drive around makes sense.

I have heard that some folks are installing rubber horse pads that are made for using in horse trailers under their campers. It is supposed to make the camper get a better grip on the bed of the truck, cut out some squeeks, etc. Has anyone tried doing that? To me it seems that would also cut down a bit on the pounding the camper is exposed to when traversing rough roads.

 

[fisher205]

Well, everyone knows the saying about the "Best laid Plans", right? In the past two weeks my 3 y.o. Boykin Spaniel injested things she shouldn't have twice, in an apparently attempted suicide. Maybe not suicide, but the cost so far has been over $4K in vet bills !!! That has put a pretty big hole in my travel budget for Jan/Feb 2026. Boykins are a real hunting breed and they need to be kept busy. Much more hiking, retrieving, and rough housing is in our future with Bella la Diabla that's for sure.

She doesn't loo,k like a little devel in the picture, does she?

View attachment 902743

I think we'll pull the camper off the truck for the next few months and keep it plugged in and under a roof. We got 2.5" of snow last night and discovered that my wife's Hyundai Kona LTD EV doesn't perform that well on ice and packed snow. We are expecting a more than usual snow pack this winter so having a 1 ton 4x4 truck to drive around makes sense.

I have heard that some folks are installing rubber horse pads that are made for using in horse trailers under their campers. It is supposed to make the camper get a better grip on the bed of the truck, cut out some squeeks, etc. Has anyone tried doing that? To me it seems that would also cut down a bit on the pounding the camper is exposed to when traversing rough roads.

The horse mat provides insulation, so your feet stay warmer also

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Stall mats are very common to use, and work well.

 

[driller]

Do not use a rubber mat under your Alaskan. It will trap the moisture between the floor and the rubber mat, and rot the floor of the camper. If your truck bed has a sprayed in bed liner that is good. If it is just painted get a sprayed in liner.

 

[WU7X]

Do not use a rubber mat under your Alaskan. It will trap the moisture between the floor and the rubber mat, and rot the floor of the camper. If your truck bed has a sprayed in bed liner that is good. If it is just painted get a sprayed in liner.

You know, that makes perfect sense. The destroyer of these campers is. moisture. I didn't even think of that.

My truck has a sprayed in bedliner direct from the factory.

Thanks for the input!

Dale

 

[simple]

Something like this would help with abrasion and vibration. Not insulating but also wouldn't trap moisture.

Modular Mat - 3 x 3', Drainage H-2341 - Uline

Custom-fit your mat around any workstation or production machine. Strong interlocking system securely connects tiles. Ideal in dirty or slippery areas. 100% rubber for comfort. Reduces fatigue. Optional Beveled Edges for easy access on and off mat. ULINE offers over 43,000 boxes, plastic poly...

www.uline.com

 

[WU7X]

Something like this would help with abrasion and vibration. Not insulating but also wouldn't trap moisture.

Modular Mat - 3 x 3', Drainage H-2341 - Uline

Custom-fit your mat around any workstation or production machine. Strong interlocking system securely connects tiles. Ideal in dirty or slippery areas. 100% rubber for comfort. Reduces fatigue. Optional Beveled Edges for easy access on and off mat. ULINE offers over 43,000 boxes, plastic poly...

www.uline.com

Imagine that! And I just received my new ULine catalog the other day.

 

[WU7X]

Well, the AC is still patiently waiting for me in the owner's garage. Which actually is a good thing. Her son is flying up from Florida to spend the holidays up here with her. I have numerous questions about completely draining the fresh water tank, etc. He also know how to remove the camper from the bed of the truck. In all honesty, the weather has really been crazy here in WA. The side of the state west of the Cascades has been floating into the Pacific due to the rainfall associated with the several Atmospheric rivers hammering the state. Here in far eastern WA we've been experiencing very warm and wet weather. Temps up into the 50's and lows seldom below freezing.

I've changed the name of the rig to Raven. The raven is my totem and I'm a bit of a loner when it comes to camping and life in general, so it fits. Even picked up a couple raven stickers designed by our coastal indigenous folks. Pics coming soon, ha ha.

Camping storage inside is incredible! Self recovery gear not so much. Thinking about pulling half the rear seat out and installing a shelf similar to the one I had in the 4Runner.

The photo is of the PO, and also of a friend showing how big the secondary sleeping area is. The PO is only about 5'2" tall for reference. I'm 6'1" and have no issue with ceiling clearance.



A Wrappon stye toilet is too large for the existing area. So we will be using the existing swiveling cassette toilet with PETT wagg bags instead. Almost as good as a Wrappon.

 

[WU7X]

Finally decided to take the AC off the truck until late March or April. So drove the truck home and left the camper in the garage for the winter. Wow, this puppy is long! The bullbar on front is aluminum and has two Hella fog light installed, along with parking sensor front and rear. I'll be installing the tonneau cover on the box for now.

The 32" tires are the same size as on my 5th gen 4Runner. But the truck is about 5' longer. Combine that length with it's width and weight and I am now realizing how much my "off-roading" style will suddenly be changing. SWMBO is fine with this as she always has hated bench roads, two tracks, and switchbacks. Oh well....we'll still sneak in a bunch of those anyway.

We picked up a Pendleton Chief Joseph blanket to jazz up the sleeping area in the camper. Quickly realized that the "Queen" size was overly generous. So will be taking it back for a twin size tomorrow. I didn't get a pic of the Chief Joseph design, but will do so tomorrow. It is a beauty and should really make the cabin nice and cozy.

Does anyone have experience with the Pendleton blankets?

 

[WU7X]

When I removed the camper from the truck we found that the camper had been raised up ~2" through the use of six 2 x 8's running east/west with styrofoam blanks cut to fit in between the wood. This was done at the Alaskan Camper factory when the camper was first installed. After 11+ years everything looks almost as good as new. I will be using the same materials when we reinstall the camper. So I won't have to worry about finding something else to act as insulation for the floor or for drainage.

The only thing of interest was that we found a dessicated mouse with some remnants of a home it had made from insulation it had found who knows where, and a small quantity of mouse pellets in the box. That mouse got to travel a lot of the U.S. with the POs.

 

[Sparse Gray Hackle]

Congrats on all the good things you’re finding with the Alaskan! Not so sure about the desiccated mouse, but those things happen.

Regarding Pendleton blankets (and Pendleton in general), I love them! We have a number of various size Pendletons that get used here at home, and in the camper. I love Pendleton shirts as well, wearing them in all but the hottest weather. Dry clean only, and be sure to not store one where it can pickup mildew. The odor is very difficult to remove. I inherited one that was stored in a humid garage, and it’s stinky. Vinegar is purported to take care of the odor.

Edit: I disagree with the comment about not using a stall mat. However, it is important to keep a wood floor raised above any surface that would trap moisture. Furring strips work.

 

[FAW3]

You guys are on the verge of something wonderful! Happy travels...

An Old Fart's Guide to Outfitting a Truck Camper. A couple of thoughts:

• Real sheets and a quality down comforter with a good wool blanket. I love the decoration (and function) these add to our camper. More temperature flexibility and easier to wash and store over a sleeping bag.
• Our first trip we used our old camping kitchen kit of light aluminum stuff, light silverware, tin plates...next trip forget about it! Camper cooking & meals can be special. We use Correlle dishware and we dedicated some nice kitchen stuff from home: We had nice family silverware stored for years in our basement. We now use this silverware in the camper. And our nice cast iron skillet and a saucepan. What the hell were we saving this stuff for if not to use and enjoy?
• Microfiber towels for kitchen and for bath use. So quick to wash and dry. Forget the cotton stuff.
• Biodegradable low suds soap. For dish, clothes and body washing. Being honest my grey water is dumped discreetly and responsibly.
• A ground mat big enough for two folks in chairs. Mine is 6'x4' easy to pack, clean and dry. Also used as an outdoor shower mat and as needed at the bottom of my entry ladder.
• A couple of metal insulated tumblers or cups. Keeps the cold stuff cold, hot drinks/soups hot. Can be pre-cooled in summer in the fridge.
• Grocery store selection: try to minimize food packaging. Your refrigerator and food storage space is limited. Get rid of the packaging to the degree possible.

 

[WU7X]

You guys are on the verge of something wonderful! Happy travels...

An Old Fart's Guide to Outfitting a Truck Camper. A couple of thoughts:

• Real sheets and a quality down comforter with a good wool blanket. I love the decoration (and function) these add to our camper. More temperature flexibility and easier to wash and store over a sleeping bag.
• Our first trip we used our old camping kitchen kit of light aluminum stuff, light silverware, tin plates...next trip forget about it! Camper cooking & meals can be special. We use Correlle dishware and we dedicated some nice kitchen stuff from home: We had nice family silverware stored for years in our basement. We now use this silverware in the camper. And our nice cast iron skillet and a saucepan. What the hell were we saving this stuff for if not to use and enjoy?
• Microfiber towels for kitchen and for bath use. So quick to wash and dry. Forget the cotton stuff.
• Biodegradable low suds soap. For dish, clothes and body washing. Being honest my grey water is dumped discreetly and responsibly.
• A ground mat big enough for two folks in chairs. Mine is 6'x4' easy to pack, clean and dry. Also used as an outdoor shower mat and as needed at the bottom of my entry ladder.
• A couple of metal insulated tumblers or cups. Keeps the cold stuff cold, hot drinks/soups hot. Can be pre-cooled in summer in the fridge.
• Grocery store selection: try to minimize food packaging. Your refrigerator and food storage space is limited. Get rid of the packaging to the degree possible.

Frank,

Thank you for all the great ideas! These are a great Christmas present to Nanc and me. I agree with everything you've posted.

Do you know if Correlle makes/made square plates and bowls. I have some Tupperware ones and love them 'cuz they store so well.

When going out for a weekly trip in the past I would always bring enough food for a month it seemed. I am really going to work at breaking that habit. We are planning on really, really slowing down and enjoying every area we pass through. That means more stops at local small town bakeries, grocery stores, museums, etc., between finding disbursed campsites along our way.

I'm still thinking an April time frame for a first, break-in, trip. Somewhere like down the OR coast into northern CA. Pre-tourist season is the goal. For our 25th wedding anniversary (that was 27 years ago!), we did a BNB type trip with an emphasis on ending up near light houses. It was so enjoyable! Travel, camp, hit a BNB, sit in a hot tub and watch the stars come out near the ocean. Life is good! Time to start studying my Benchmark maps and Google Earth to get a route started. First night either along the Columbia River near the Dalles, or camping at a friend's rural home near a very small community in central OR. Second night at Macminnamens (sp?) in Bend. Then on to the coast.