Postponed.... The sequel to the Maya Rally 2012 -> The 2013 Alaska Rally!
- Thread starter Christian P.
- Start date
trump
Adventurist
Containerized
Adventurer
As Christian stated, I'm in for sure.
Yes, there are bugs in Alaska in the summertime. Is it worse than the swamps here in Uganda / South Sudan? Definitely not.
It seems there's some slow-moving traffic here and there, but it's nothing as bad as you'd get in Moab, etc. during that time of year.
The biggest draw for me is the opportunity to go that far north and be as remote as one wants to be. There are a lot of opportunities to venture off to the side (way off to the side) for those with the time and equipment to do it.
Plus, I'm looking forward to meeting fellow ExPo'ers.
I'm very much hoping this comes together and that I get to see some of you in Alaska.
Christian - As I've said, let me know how I can help and I'll do what I can!
Yes, there are bugs in Alaska in the summertime. Is it worse than the swamps here in Uganda / South Sudan? Definitely not.
It seems there's some slow-moving traffic here and there, but it's nothing as bad as you'd get in Moab, etc. during that time of year.
The biggest draw for me is the opportunity to go that far north and be as remote as one wants to be. There are a lot of opportunities to venture off to the side (way off to the side) for those with the time and equipment to do it.
Plus, I'm looking forward to meeting fellow ExPo'ers.
I'm very much hoping this comes together and that I get to see some of you in Alaska.
Christian - As I've said, let me know how I can help and I'll do what I can!
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
As a former AK resident. My thoughts are: Such a bummer to blow past so many amazing places on the route just to say you got to Prudhoe. Anchorage? Really? All that wilderness and you want to drive the on/off ramps and stop lights of the only city you can find within 2,000 miles? 
Thanks for the input so far. Here are a few personal comments:
-Since we have many expo members living up in Alaska, we would make sure to use your knowledge to help us find the best activities to do (whether offroad or not).
-Nothing is definitive at this point. I think Anchorage made sense so people can get supplies and it's also an easy location to meet up if people wants to fly in (family, media, etc).
Based on the experience in Guanajuato, it was also fun to have a gathering point where the "locals" can see and check out the vehicles - a large city preferably.
But we are open to any suggestion.
-Whether you do a 2-3 weeks rally, or a 2-3 years, there are always more places to see and not enough time to do it all.
-For 2014, I have something else in mind...so that would probably not be possible. There is also the Alcan 5000 in 2014.
Fall 2013 is an option though - how late could we do it before it snows?
-As for doing something closer in the USA, there are already many events - like the Overland Rally(s), the Moab Cruise, etc, etc. For me personally it's less exciting to organize - I have never been to Alaska or Yukon, and it's been way too long since I have been in BC...so my motivation is higher to do it there!
Keep the ideas coming!
-Since we have many expo members living up in Alaska, we would make sure to use your knowledge to help us find the best activities to do (whether offroad or not).
-Nothing is definitive at this point. I think Anchorage made sense so people can get supplies and it's also an easy location to meet up if people wants to fly in (family, media, etc).
Based on the experience in Guanajuato, it was also fun to have a gathering point where the "locals" can see and check out the vehicles - a large city preferably.
But we are open to any suggestion.
-Whether you do a 2-3 weeks rally, or a 2-3 years, there are always more places to see and not enough time to do it all.
-For 2014, I have something else in mind...so that would probably not be possible. There is also the Alcan 5000 in 2014.
Fall 2013 is an option though - how late could we do it before it snows?
-As for doing something closer in the USA, there are already many events - like the Overland Rally(s), the Moab Cruise, etc, etc. For me personally it's less exciting to organize - I have never been to Alaska or Yukon, and it's been way too long since I have been in BC...so my motivation is higher to do it there!
Keep the ideas coming!
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Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
Sounds like great fun to me.
I highly, highly recommend the route detour through Yukon.
Maybe up the South Canol, across to Carmacks and up to Dawson City for the Top Of The World Highway.
It also means when people drive back south they'll take a different route, which is nice. (Doing the entire loop as I suggest adds very little distance to the whole thing)
I'm very happy to help plan any sections through Yukon. I've driven all those roads multiple times.
If there is a gathering point (makes sense) I think it would be better to make it Fairbanks than Anchorage - it's closer to better stuff (top of world, Dalton Hwy.) etc.
As for time of year, it really depends on how far North you want to go. September here in Whitehorse is amazing, with cool nights and Northern Lights. Snow will usually stick by Halloween down here, though I imagine it could be a month or more earlier in Prudhoe.
Bugs:
Who cares, deet makes them go away and later in the summer/fall there will be much less.
Slow RVs:
Very true if you stick purely to the Alaska Highway. That's another reason to detour on the gravel!
-Dan
I highly, highly recommend the route detour through Yukon.
Maybe up the South Canol, across to Carmacks and up to Dawson City for the Top Of The World Highway.
It also means when people drive back south they'll take a different route, which is nice. (Doing the entire loop as I suggest adds very little distance to the whole thing)
I'm very happy to help plan any sections through Yukon. I've driven all those roads multiple times.
If there is a gathering point (makes sense) I think it would be better to make it Fairbanks than Anchorage - it's closer to better stuff (top of world, Dalton Hwy.) etc.
As for time of year, it really depends on how far North you want to go. September here in Whitehorse is amazing, with cool nights and Northern Lights. Snow will usually stick by Halloween down here, though I imagine it could be a month or more earlier in Prudhoe.
Bugs:
Who cares, deet makes them go away and later in the summer/fall there will be much less.
Slow RVs:
Very true if you stick purely to the Alaska Highway. That's another reason to detour on the gravel!
-Dan
Dan
thanks for the input. I think we should start planning a route in more details, and that would help us decide.
Let me look at Google map today .
thanks for the input. I think we should start planning a route in more details, and that would help us decide.
Let me look at Google map today .
Bill Beers
Explorer
One, (long!) suggestion: googlemap link.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
Something else I just thought of...
If the driving distance is a big concern (it is a long way), you could look into getting a ferry from Seattle to somewhere in AK for all the people and vehicles.
It's extremely beautiful and likely doesn't cost much more than the gas you'll burn driving the whole way.
That way you would all get to AK faster, and have more time to spend in the beautiful part doing actual activities.
If you want to look into this, I suggest you get cracking, those ferries book out many months in advance in summer.
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/
-Dan
If the driving distance is a big concern (it is a long way), you could look into getting a ferry from Seattle to somewhere in AK for all the people and vehicles.
It's extremely beautiful and likely doesn't cost much more than the gas you'll burn driving the whole way.
That way you would all get to AK faster, and have more time to spend in the beautiful part doing actual activities.
If you want to look into this, I suggest you get cracking, those ferries book out many months in advance in summer.
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/
-Dan
Viggen
Just here...
As a former AK resident. My thoughts are: Such a bummer to blow past so many amazing places on the route just to say you got to Prudhoe. Anchorage? Really? All that wilderness and you want to drive the on/off ramps and stop lights of the only city you can find within 2,000 miles?
Thats what Im saying. If there are enough people going, that means enough to work out recovery. Sticking to roads seems dumb. Would rather it include some real off road driving and wilderness camping, making it a, dare I say...expedition?
Ever since I watched the Alaska 'expedition' trips Mark over on Mud took members on, I have been dying to get out there and see it.
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
You have to keep in mind, Alaska is not really known for extensive off roads. There are not many roads period. That was always the irony of seeing things like Unimogs in AK. They went down the same roads that were used by rental RVs and VW buses. Any road in AK with any kind of connectivity is almost always passable with a passenger car. Most "off road" roads are very short and often don't connect to anything.