We officially began our trek to Alaska after shoving every single thing I owned into my car, leaving Andy with just barely enough room to put his suitcase and no room to move his seat back.
There are obviously numerous ways to enter Canada and travel to Alaska, but regardless of the road you choose, be sure to purchase The Milepost, known as “the Bible of North Country travel.” The Milepost is essentially a magazine on crack; filled with hundreds of pages of driving directions, important milepost marker sites, restaurant recommendations, hotel options, road conditions, and information about ferries, side trips, and sightseeing attractions. No road trip through Alaska or Canada is complete without a copy of The Milepost. A new edition comes out each year.
Entry into Canada isn’t complicated, but a lot of people are incorrect about the requirements. If you are a US citizen, you do not need a passport to enter Canada but in order to cross back into the United States, you will need a passport, or some other approved WHTI-compliant document (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative). Entry into Canada is decided on a case-by-case basis (check out the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPOA) which lists the different reasons a person could be deemed inadmissible to enter Canada). Be on particular alert if you have been convicted of a crime, especially a DUI (see here).
Your car can be searched, so read up on the different personal items you are allowed to bring, restrictions on food products, rules for pets, and Canada’s firearms policy. I’m pretty sure the border agent on the Idaho/Canada border gave up even attempting to search our car after peering through the window and noticing how jam packed it was.
We decided to make a slight side trip to Banff and Banff National park in Canada, a resort town in the Alberta province. While it is known best for the Chateau Lake Louise Fairmont hotel, a gorgeous upscale hotel situated right on Lake Louise, Banff itself offers numerous outdoor activities, historical sites, shopping, and special events. See everything here.
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| Frozen Lake Louise. |
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| Mt. Rundel |
The drive continues on through Jasper National Park along Canada Highway 93 and west along Willmore Wilderness Park on Canada Highway 40. Eventually you cross from Alberta into British Columbia. Along the way, keep your eye out for the highest peak in Canada, Mount Logan.
You’ll keep driving, past Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park and Muncho Lake Provincial Park before heading into the Yukon province.
After entering Yukon territory, take a stop at the Canadian town of Whitehorse, a cute and homey town right on the banks of the Yukon river. Check it out here. After passing Beaver Creek, you will find yourself in Alaska!
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| Can’t be in two places at once my butt. |
At this point you will find yourself on the Alaska Highway, also known as the Alaska-Canadian Highway, or ALCAN. Running approximately 1,700 miles, the highway was built during WWIII as a supply route.
We met a ton of bear friends along the way as well. And some caribou friends. It was amazing how close they were to the road.
The Alaska life awaited!!