RVing Alaska

Alaska Tourism Numbers Down

2009-11-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

Alaska Tourism officials are scrambling to entice more visitors north to Alaska. The declining numbers in recent years, however, may be partly their own fault. And it's probably good news for RVers, at least in the short run.

For more than two decades tourism marketing efforts in Alaska have been aimed almost exclusively at one group of travelers--those who take an Alaskan cruise of seven days duration and then add a couple of side trips like an overnight trek to Denali National Park on the Alaska Railroad. All the rest of us, like RVers, have pretty much been ignored with all the marketing eggs being put in the cruise ship basket. Now, however, the number of cruise ship passengers visiting Alaska has fallen dramatically.

In 2009, cruise lines offered unbelievable deals to try and fill their ships. There were still empty berths, and several ships are being pulled off the Alaska routes in 2010 as a result. This means fewer cruise ship visitors to Alaska in 2010, perhaps as many as 150,000 fewer, which, in reality, is a big plus for RVers. Fewer cruise ship passengers means RVers will have less competition for such things as wildlife bus trips into Denali National Park and other attractions that are often jammed to capacity by cruise ship passengers who are dumped by the busload on popular attractions.

If you're planning a road trip to Alaska, 2010 may be the best year in decades.

Life-long Alaskan Ron Dalby writes about and photographs Alaska and the Alaska Highway. His book, Guide to the Alaska Highway, is available in the RV Bookstore.

2010 Alaska Vacation Planner Released

2009-11-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

Alaska's Official State Vacation Planner for 2010 is now available. Lots of great pictures, some copy and lots of advertising, all designed to showcase the northern-most--and western-most--state in the U.S. Get a free copy here.

Because most of Alaska's visitors arrive via cruise ship, this publication tends to be oriented toward this group. You may have to do a little digging through the pages to find the things of interest to RVers. Still, if you're planning to drive north, I think you'll find it worth your time to spend an hour or two sorting through the pages of this slick, full-color publication.

Life-long Alaskan Ron Dalby writes about and photographs Alaska and the Alaska Highway. His book, Guide to the Alaska Highway, is available from the RV Bookstore.

Alaska's scenic byways showcase the best of the state

2009-10-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

Driving in the Last Frontier, whether by car, motorcycle or RV is unlike driving anyplace else on Earth. Spectacular views, majestic lakes and rivers, towering mountains, glaciers, wildflowers and wildlife are all an exciting part of the Alaska driving experience. Whether you drive your own vehicle or rent a car or RV, you'll never see so much magnificent scenery as you will in America's most northern and largest state.

The following routes have earned the designation of Alaska's "scenic byway," meaning they possess significant natural, historic, recreational, cultural and/or archeological resources. Enhance your Alaska vacation by exploring any of Alaska's scenic byways. Alaska also has two National Scenic Byways. It also has one All American Road, the Seward Highway, one of the top scenic roads in the U.S.

Alaska Marine Highway: National Scenic Byway
Alaska Railroad
Dalton Highway
Glenn Highway: National Scenic Byway
Seward Highway: All American Road
Parks Highway
Richardson Highway
Steese Highway
Sterling Highway: Wye to Skilak Lake
Sterling Highway: Anchor Point to Homer
Taylor "Top of the World" Highway

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Get your free
guide to Alaska
No doubt about it, many RVers yearn to travel to Alaska. If that's you, then send for the new, free North to Alaska Guide from Alaska Tourism. Order a printed guide to be delivered to your doorstep or view the online guide immediately so you can start your planning today! Click here.

Headed to Alaska? Check out the big selection of books, DVDs and eBooks about RVing in Alaska at RVbookstore.com.

Prices reduced on RV tours to Alaska

2009-10-13T17:39:00.001-07:00

Tracks RV Adventures has lowered the price of its 45-day Alaska By Road Adventure from $6,900 to $6,199 for two persons and an RV. The tour starts at Dawson Creek, BC on June 26, 2010 and follows the Alaska Highway north. It returns on the Cassiar Highway to avoid backtracking. The tour includes 23 events and 12 meals. Another Alaska RV tour starts at Dawson Creek BC on June 30, but returns down the Inside Passage on an Alaska State Ferry. The price for two RVers plus RV has dropped from $8,750 to $7,869. RVers bring their own RVs on these tours. The El Paso, Texas based RV touring company also conducts many other tours in the USA, Canada and Mexico as well as international tours in rental RVs.

RV tours are popular with RVers who prefer to leave the planning details to others, and travel with other RVers rather than by themselves. Tracks is one of the oldest and best known RV tour companies.

For information on the Alaska tours and others, visit the Tracks website or call 1-800-351-6053.

Books and DVDs about RVing to and in Alaska.

Alaska seeks RV enthusiasts as camp hosts for 2010 season

2009-10-03T12:20:00.001-07:00

Alaska State Parks has announced that it is now recruiting campground host and other volunteer positions for the 2010 coming summer. Campground hosts stay in a campground and assist the ranger with visitor contact and maintenance. Hosts live in their own motorhome or trailer and the campsite is provided for free. A small stipend is provided if the minimum time commitment is met.

Other volunteer positions include ranger assistant, trail crew, park caretaker and natural history interpreter. Housing and a small stipend are available if the minimum time commitment is met. For more information on these full-time volunteer positions, request a 2010 volunteer catalog from the volunteer coordinator at Alaska State Parks, 550 W. 7th Ave, Suite 1380, Anchorage, AK 99501 or find it on the internet at http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/vip.

Alaska hammer museum now has company

2009-10-01T15:48:00.000-07:00

The world’s first museum devoted to the humble hammer, in Haines, Alaska, now has company in Linkmenys, Lithuania. Located in Alaska’s Inside Passage, the Haines museum has over 1,500 hammers on display that date from Roman times to the present. Open since 2001 and until recently the only museum of its kind, the quirky Haines Hammer Museum is a tribute to man’s first tool and provides a unique view of the past through the use of the hammer’s lineage.

Founder Dave Pahl began communicating with Lithuanian hammer enthusiasts a few years ago. Finally, the unlikely allies met this summer in Haines, both glad to have company in their passion for hammers. The two forces have plans to publish a reference book together about the history of hammers. For more information, contact the Haines Hammer Museum at www.hammermuseum.org. To learn more about visiting Haines, visit www.haines.ak.us.

Photo: Dave Pahl, Haines Hammer Museum owner, sits in front a 19 foot hammer he erected in front of the Hammer Museum.

Take a ride on the Alaska Beer Train

2009-09-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

Take a scenic journey aboard the Alaska Railroad for Oktoberfest Alaska style. The annual Great Alaska Beer Train takes travelers on a 4.5-hour roundtrip journey along scenic Turnagain Arm between Anchorage and Portage. Onboard, passengers of legal age can enjoy some of Alaska’s finest microbrews and food by Anchorage’s own Glacier BrewHouse.

The 2009 Great Alaska Beer Train chugs into action on Oct. 3. Tickets include roundtrip rail, appetizers and six, half pints of BrewHouse Beer. The beer train is just one of the special event trains the Alaska Railroad offers. The Blues Train invites travelers to take in the sweet sounds of the blues along the ride to Seward each fall, a holiday and Easter train offer festive family fun for the holidays and new in 2009, a Halloween Train invites guests on a mysterious and “spooktacular” ride to Spencer Glacier and on to Alyeska Resort in Girdwood. Tickets on the Halloween Train include the scenic rail tour with appetizers along the way and an overnight at Alyeska Resort including dinner and a live band.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.alaskarailroad.com.

Polar bear viewing tour offered from Fairbanks

2009-07-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

RV travelers and others can take a walk on the wild side with Warbelow’s Air Ventures Inc. and view Alaska’s most treasured Arctic mammal, the polar bear. A new two-day tours takes guests on a scenic flight from Fairbanks to the Inupiat Eskimo village of Kaktovik, located 260 miles above the Arctic Circle.

Accessible only by air, Kaktovik is the only village located within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The scheduled departures of September 5, 12 and October 3 correspond with the annual subsistence whale hunt. Polar bears arrive to forage on the remains of the hunt and are so frequently seen, bear sightings are guaranteed or travelers receive a full refund.

Tours include transportation, meals, accommodation and guided viewing expeditions. Additional departures may be added for large groups upon request. For more information, visit www.warbelows.com.

How to avoid a dangerous encounter with an Alaskan moose

2008-12-02T23:09:00.000-08:00

Every year moose routinely cause traffic crashes and traffic fatalities along Alaska's roads and highways. In 2007 moose accounted for six traffic fatalities and dozens of injury-related traffic crashes throughout the interior of Alaska, resulting in millions of dollars in medical bills and property damage.

While moose are happy to pose for a picture or two it is important to give them lots of room, especially when calves are nearby. But they generally ignore people and human activities. They're more interested in food. Moose don't eat meat, but many Alaskan animals find moose to be tasty; they're a favorite of bears, wolves and humans. Each year, hunters bag 6,000-8,000 Alaskan moose -- that's 3.5 million pounds of lean meat, and a single moose can feed a family of four all winter long.

In winter, finding food is difficult, and moose flood the low areas, often taking refuge in cities-Anchorage's wintertime moose population can triple, to just under 1,000. There, the moose live off the locals' landscaping efforts, eating mountain ash and birch trees. This also means that moose will be more likely to wander into the local roads and highways.

THE ALASKA HIGHWAY SAFETY OFFICE offers the following tips to help avoid a deadly confrontation with moose:

•Never feed a moose
•Give moose at least 50 feet. If it doesn't yield as you approach, give it the trail.
•If a moose lays its ears back or its hackles (the hairs on its hump) rise, it's angry or afraid and may charge.
•Moose kick with their front as well as hind feet so do not confront them directly.
•Don't corner moose into fences or houses.
•If a moose charges, there are few options available to you but it has been suggested by many others to simply get behind a tree. A theory stands that you can run around the trunk faster than the gangly moose.
•Never get between a cow and her calf.

Alaska’s national parks available in virtual reality

2008-12-02T10:06:00.000-08:00

Now travelers can visit Alaska’s national parks without leaving home. Thanks to a series of video podcasts available on iTunes and local National Park Service Web sites, viewers can catch a glimpse of what three of Alaska’s most popular national parks have to offer. By searching for the parks in the iTunes podcast store, visitors can learn about dinosaurs and more modern residents of Denali National Park, gain an in-depth look at science and research at Kenai Fjords National Park and watch bears in Katmai National Park.

The video podcasts began airing on iTunes last fall, and the newest videos premiered in October 2008. Both the iTunes and nps.com podcasts are available free of charge. For more information on the National Park Service podcasts or to plan a non-virtual park visit, go to www.nps.gov/state/ak.

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DVD: RVing Alaska
(with Joe and Vicki Kieva)
Learn everything you need to know about traveling by RV to and from Alaska via the Alaska Highway and the Alaska ferry. Essential viewing for Alaska-bound RVers. Learn more or order.

Denali campsite reservations now being taken

2008-12-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

December 1, 2008 -- Advance shuttle bus and campground reservations are now being accepted for the 2009 visitor season at Alaska's Denali National Park.

Approximately 65 percent of the shuttle bus seats and 100 percent of the campsites in the Riley Creek, Savage River, Teklanika River and Wonder Lake campgrounds can be reserved in advance. Riley Creek, Savage River and Teklanika River are open to tents and RVs, but there is no RV camping at Wonder Lake. Hookups are not available in any of the park's campgrounds.

Phone reservations can be made nationwide at (800) 622-7275, or at (907) 272-7275 for international callers. Online reservations can be made at www.reservedenali.com.

RV Tours! Get our FREE catalog!
Drive the Alcan to America's Last Frontier, envision yourself on Nova Scotia's miles of coastal drives, celebrate Mardi Gras, cross the border to sunny Mexico, form friendships you'll treasure the rest of your days. All arrangements, including RV parks, by Tracks RV Tours, est. 1975. Click here for your FREE full-color magazine of our many adventures or call 800-351-6053.

Fewer RVers visited Alaska this year

2008-10-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

About 1.7 million people visited Alaska over the just-completed tourist season, roughly the same as in the 2007 season. But fewer of them arrived in RVs, likely because of high gas prices. Trips on the Alaska Highway dropped to 60,000 this season compared to about 75,000 the year before.

Visits by foreign visitors were up about six to eight percent thanks to the weak value of the U.S. dollar relative to foreign currencies.

Cruise ships brought the largest number of tourists by far -- 1.03 million -- about the same as the year before.

Alaska State Parks 2009 volunteer catalog now available

2008-10-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

Looking for a volunteer position next summer in Alaska?

The Alaska Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation 2009 Volunteer Program Catalog is now available. Alaska State Parks is looking for next summer's volunteers and is taking applications for all 2009 summer and winter positions.

Approximately 60 campground host positions are available across the state, from the Fairbanks area to Ketchikan. Another 80 volunteers are needed in a variety of positions such as archaeological assistant, ranger assistant, trail crew, natural history interpreter, and park caretaker. The duties of some positions can be used for college credit. Volunteers receive training, uniforms, and a small stipend. Campground hosts also receive a free campsite for their RV or rustic housing. Most positions require a minimum commitment of four weeks. Applicants must be over 18 years old and a U.S. Citizen. The 2009 Volunteer Catalog describes the volunteer program, lists available positions and includes application forms. Request a free copy from the Volunteer Coordinator, Alaska State Parks, 550 West 7th Ave, Suite 1380, Anchorage, AK 99501-3561, (907) 269-8708, fax (907) 269-8907. The catalog is also available on the Internet at http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/vip.

PLANNING A TRIP TO ALASKA? Find the best selection of books and DVDs at RVbookstore.com.

Dalton Highway trip is beautiful, but too rough a ride for many RVers

2008-10-05T11:02:00.001-07:00

The Dalton Highway is the road to take if you simply want to drive as far north as possible in Alaska. Unfortunately for RVers, it's a bumpy, washboard, gravel highway that many may find too rough to travel comfortably. Still. . . for some RVers, it may be worth it -- but only in summer.

From its starting point at the Elliott Highway, it continues for more than 400 miles until nearly reaching the shores of the Arctic Ocean in Deadhorse after crossing the Arctic Circle. Deadhorse is the village that serves the North Slope oilfield, with several hotels, a store and gas station. The community is a superlative of sorts: it is as far north as you can go on Alaska's primary road system, and it is worth exploring, especially if your goal is to dip your toe in the Arctic Ocean.

THE DALTON HIGHWAY BEGINS 85 miles north of Fairbanks and is perhaps one of the roughest roads in Alaska. It was constructed in the mid-1970s to haul freight to and from construction camps and workers building the 800-mile long trans-Alaska oil pipeline that stretches from Prudhoe Bay in the north all the way to the ice-free port of Valdez in Prince William Sound. The road offers relatively little in the way of modern conveniences. The washboards are many, the grades can be steep (as much as 10 and 12 percent in some places) and the big rigs delivering to Prudhoe Bay along the "haul road," as it's called by the locals, can make for uncomfortable traveling companions.

Not all car and RV rental companies allow their vehicles on the Dalton, so check ahead of time and be prepared for this road trip. Carry two spare tires, a jack, tool kit, emergency flares, extra gasoline, oil, wiper fluid and a first aid kit. Bring drinking water and plenty of food. A CB radio is also not a bad idea (monitor channel 19). Travel services are almost nonexistent. The 244-mile stretch north of Coldfoot is the longest service-free stretch of highway in North America.

So, why go to all this bother? Consider the scenery, which includes views of the mighty Yukon River, Atigun Pass (at the crest of the Continental Divide), the caribou of the north slope tundra, 375-million year-old limestone-filled Sukakpak Mountain (elevation 4,459 feet at Mile 203.5) and any number of sweeping mountain vistas opening into the Brooks Range, Gates of the Arctic National Park or Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Another trip highlight is crossing the Arctic Circle just past mile 115.

Deadhorse is a company town and not much else. It's several miles from the Arctic Ocean. An oil company road leads north from town, but permits are required to travel on the road. A better way to go is to sign up for a guided tour of the oil fields and the Arctic Coast. They are available in Deadhorse from Tour Arctic at (907-659-2368).

In Deadhorse, a good place to stay is at the Arctic Caribou Inn and RV camp.

PLANNING A TRIP TO ALASKA? Find the best selection of books and DVDs at RVbookstore.com.

Watch a frozen turkey get lit in North Pole, Alaska

2008-10-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

RV enthusiasts looking for a memorable Christmas experience might want to hop aboard a sled and head up to North Pole, Alaska. While New York City may have its tree-lighting ceremony, only in North Pole, Alaska does the holiday season kick off with the lighting of a giant frozen turkey sculpture. The ice-sculpture bird, standing over eight feet tall, will be illuminated on Thanksgiving Day to officially start the second annual "North Pole Christmas in Ice" festival and sculpting competition.

Residents are still ebullient about the success of last year's event, which sold more than 3,700 tickets and welcomed 24 ice artists from Alaska and China dueling to carve the winning Christmas-themed sculpture from a single block of ice.

This holiday season, ice artists will again transform the venue at Santa Land RV Park in North Pole into a winter wonderland of ice sculptures and children's play park. The competitors will face off Thursday, December 4, and the venue will be open to the public every day until the end of the month.

North Pole, Alaska, population 2,000, is ten miles southeast of Fairbanks. You really don't need a sled to get there: a car or RV will do just fine.

Get RV campground information for Alaska

2008-09-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

Headed to Alaska? If you'll be doing so with an RV, then you'll need to know where to stay. Maybe this will help.

Federal and State campgrounds are available throughout Alaska. A few even have electrical hookups and dumping stations. For fee information contact the Alaska Public Lands Information Center at (907) 271-2737 or click here.

Private campgrounds are also available throughout the state. Visiting the Food & Lodging section of the website for private campgrounds. You can also contact the Alaska Campground Owner's Association, PO Box 111005, Anchorage, AK 99511-1005 or by visiting this website.

Camp hosts in demand at Alaska State Parks

2008-09-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

Alaska State Parks depends on volunteers to help manage and maintain its parks. For many RVers, the most sought-after positions are as camp hosts. Applications are now being accepted for the 2009 summer season.

What Do Campground Hosts Do?
Hosts are on‑site representatives of Alaska State Parks. They welcome campers, acquaint them with park facilities and regulations, answer questions on local and statewide attractions, and help visitors plan their trips. Hosts help the park rangers with the day‑to‑day operation and maintenance of campgrounds; this includes litter pickup, light janitorial maintenance, and repairs. Special park projects can be designed based on a host's skills and interests. All hosts must have enthusiasm for working with the public, a willingness to learn about Alaska, and the desire to accept new challenges.

What is a Campground Host's Season?
The camping season in Alaska is generally from mid May through mid September. Some campgrounds are open year round or have extended seasons. Hosts are requested to volunteer 30 to 40 hours per week for at least four to six weeks. Hosts may stay the entire season and some areas may rotate hosts among campgrounds for a broader experience.

Where Do Hosts Live?
Volunteer hosts live in their own motorhome, trailer or other RV at a special campsite. Because campground hosts are the "ambassadors" for Alaska State Parks, their "residence" must be neat and well‑maintained. Alaska State Park campgrounds are rustic, but clean and beautiful. Each campsite has a parking pad, a picnic table, and a fire pit. Each campground has water, latrines, and trash containers. Some host locations have access to telephone and electricity. Nearby communities and lodges have sanitary dump stations and most other services. Generally, the campgrounds are near recreation attractions -- lakes, streams, mountains, fishing, and wonderful views. A few campgrounds have a small frame cottage or log cabin for the hosts to stay in. This is noted under the category of Amenities listed with each position description.

What Will Hosts Receive?
Campground hosts stay free in an Alaska State Park campground and have free use of all facilities. Each host or host couple will be trained by the ranger staff and will receive a volunteer uniform. In addition, a subsistence payment may be available for longer commitments, ranging from $100 to $500 a month.

Learn more about being a camp host or other volunteer at Alaska State Parks.

RV travelers rate best Alaska attractions

2008-09-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some ideas for good places to visit in Alaska with an RV. The website Campgrounds-Alaska.com polled its readers about their favorite destinations in the state. Here, with favorites listed from top down, are the places and attractions they liked best.

• Eagle Alaska and the Yukon Charley Rivers National Preserve
• Glacier Bay Tours from Skagway, Alaska
• Haines Alaska
• Hyder Alaska - Accessed from the Cassiar Highway in British Columbia.
• Iliamna Alaska - Location of the future Pebble Copper and Gold Strip Mine
• Independence Mine State Historical Park
• Katmai National Park
• Denali Park and Mount McKinley
• Kodiak Island
• McCarthy Alaska
• Misty Fjords National Monument
• Prince of Wales Island
• Prince William Sound and Whittier Alaska.
• Wrangell Saint Elias National Park

RV visits to Alaska dismal this year

2008-09-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

(SEPT 1, 2008) -- After 16 years in business, Suzanne Spanjer has closed her Chena Marina RV Park in Fairbanks for good -- visitors just aren’t showing up. Vehicle crossings from Canada are down nearly 20 percent this year when compared with the same year-to-date period in 2007. According the Fairbanks News-Miner, as of Friday, Aug. 29, 7,050 vehicles with 16,000 people had crossed into Alaska in 2008, compared to 8,747 vehicles with 19,668 passengers for the same time period last year.

And there are far fewer motorhomes. And those that do come are often European vacationers who fly into Whitehorse, Yukon, rent RVs, and tour the roads of Yukon and Alaska before boarding a flight home from Anchorage or Fairbanks.

At milepost 1083 of the Alaska Highway, about halfway between Tok and Whitehorse, Loren Maluorno owns and operates Destruction Bay RV Lodge on the shores of Kluane Lake. Despite the scenery, vacationers are passing the place by, Maluorno said. His business is down at least 30 percent this year, and he hears plenty of talk from other operators who are closing down early.

High fuel prices are the reason. “People are still coming, but they’re not driving up the road,” Spanjer said. “Nobody is out on the roads. They’re gone.”

SOURCE: FAIRBANKS NEWS-MINER

Grizzly bear hit by car near Anchorage RV park

2008-08-24T03:59:00.000-07:00

Howard Hawkins Jr. of Anchorage was driving to get an early morning cup of coffee, and the next thing he knew he had slammed into a 15-year-old Grizzly bear that was running across the highway near an RV park. "I didn't have time to react. I wasn't even able to hit my brakes or anything," he explained.

According to news reports, the bear was in a lot of pain after being hit, with a broken leg. It was stumbling around, roaring and growling, After calling 911, Hawkins got out of his car to wait for police, who arrived within minutes and promptly told him to get back into his car.

The grizzly charged the police at one point, then scurried back into the woods, where officers found it and killed it.

Grizzlies come into Anchorage in the summer to feed on salmon and moose, said a Fish and Game research biologist who said there were at least 20 of the bears in the city.

RV visits to Alaska down this year, may get worse

2008-07-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

RV campgrounds from Anchorage to the Alaska-Canada border report that their business is off 10 to 20 percent this summer. Alaska Highway traffic counts at the border show June crossings were down 14 percent from last June. Tips are down and vacancies are up, campground operators say.

Jan Richardson says business is way down this summer at her Alaska Trails RV Park in Wasilla. "Last year we were just lined up with big rigs," she said, averaging about 40 campers a night. "This year I've had somewhere between seven to 19 a night and I can't even claim I've had 19 every night because I just haven't," she said.

Last week Denali National Park and Preserve reported visitation downs 13 percent this summer.

Keith Halsey and his wife, Diane, who live near Chicago, bought a new, smaller trailer last fall hoping to save money driving to Calgary, Alberta for the Stampede and then on to Alaska. But the couple decided to scrap the Alaska leg and simply take in the Stampede and Banff before going home. "It was going to cost $9,000 for fuel. We figured that would put it at $15,000 or $17,000 for the trip," said Halsey. "That's just too much."

It may only get worse. "Next year is going to be scary," said Buck Bailey, who manages the Ship Creek RV Park in Fairbanks. Most people plan two to three years in advance, and gas is only getting more expensive, Bailey said.

Celebrate the midnight sun in Alaska

2008-06-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

After a cold winter, Alaskans welcome the abundant summer sun with gusto. They can routinely be spotted gardening at 10 p.m. or teeing off at a local golf course at midnight. For RV enthusiasts, the long days present ample time to explore the territory.

RVers and other travelers who want to experience the celebration of summer firsthand should arrive in time for the solstice on June 21. Fairbanks is famous for its Midnight Sun Baseball Game, a tradition that has started at 10:30 p.m. on either June 20, 21 or 22, since 1906. The city also celebrates with a 12-hour Midnight Sun Festival from noon to midnight and the Midnight Sun Run, a 10-kilometer race that starts at 10 p.m. (www.explorefairbanks.com).

Although the Seldovia Summer Solstice Music Festival is a newer tradition, it's taken just as seriously and known to attract headlining musicians from across North America (seldoviamusicfestival.org).

Anchorage also celebrates the solstice with music at Moose's Tooth & Bear Tooth Summer Solstice Concert on June 21. For those who want to spend the day outdoors, there is the Mayor's Marathon, a beach volleyball tournament, a golf tournament and an outdoor Summer Solstice Festival at the Anchorage Town Square (www.anchorage.net).

To plan a trip to Alaska during the summer solstice, visit www.travelalaska.com.

Traveling to Alaska? Check out the big selection of books and DVDs about traveling to the state via the Alaska Highway, and camping there in an RV.

Sit on an ice chair in Alaska this summer

2008-06-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

Summer RV travelers curious about what winter throws Alaska's way should check out two new venues in Denali and Fairbanks this year. "Alaska at 40 Below," a cold room and museum operated by The Riverboat Discovery, opens at the Denali Princess Resort outside Denali National Park and Preserve and at Steamboat Landing in Fairbanks this month.

RV enthusiasts and other travelers will be able to don a parka, enter the cold room and try a few experiments — blowing soap bubbles and throwing hot water into the air.

They will find a similar experience at Pioneer Park in Fairbanks, where "40 Below Fairbanks" opened last year. Guests can get their photos taken sitting in a chair made of ice and try their hand at hammering a nail with a frozen banana. Guests stayed in the cold room on average about two minutes, but some remained as long as five minutes listening to the staff's expertise on cold-weather motor oils, housing construction, survival tactics and more. Those who prefer the summer's warmth can linger outdoors.

For information on planning a trip to Fairbanks, visit www.explorefairbanks.com.

How's Alaska Tourism? Depends on Who You Ask

2008-05-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

With fuel prices nagging at pocketbooks, one wonders just how well Alaska tourism will do this year. It depends on who you ask:

In Anchorage, his Airstream trailer packing a sign reading, "Alaska or Bust," Californian Jim Fowler says he hasn't hit bust yet, but, "“It’s getting closer every day, though." After 5,000 miles towing his rig, he's paid $2,300 in diesel costs. Still, Jim and his wife say they're traveling within their limitations.

The Fowlers are the kinds of folks that make RV park owners in the far north keep up an optomistic front. Nevertheless, it's a waiting game. “Everybody is concerned about the high fuel costs,” said Dwight Dietrich, owner of Grand View Lodge & RV Park, Palmer, Alaska, and vice chairman of the Alaska Campground Owners Association (ACOA). “We don’t know (what will happen); we will have to go day by day. How do you project something like that? It’s out of our control who will get these prices back down.”

Quoted in a story in RV Business, Dietrich puts a face on the non-tourists, but those who are nevertheless affected by what the tourists do--or don't do. Alaska's Travel Industry Association just hopes things will do a break-even. “I’m concerned. If we are flat overall [in visitor numbers], I would be pleased,” said association president Ron Peck. “I hope we reach the same level as last year. If I’m wrong and we get above that, I’ll be tickled pink. But I would not bet my next born child that we are going to have an increase in visitors.” Peck was interviewed by newsminer.com.

While some tourism prognosticators see progress made with the "fly-in" sets from Europe, gold mining from RVers may be a different story. From newsminer comes this: Also down are campground bookings, if two RV parks owned by Scott Reisland in Denali National Park and Preserve are any indication. Bookings of caravans — groups of RVs traveling together — are down 50 percent and there have been a lot of cancellations, Reisland said.

And what about fuel prices? "The news here in Alaska has been that our gas prices have reached the highest in the nation, at an average of $4 a gallon,” said Dave Worrell, director of marketing and communications for the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA). “In remote areas, where they have to fly in the fuel, it’s $7 and $8 a gallon. In Anchorage, we’re paying $3.80, so the average doesn’t speak to it.”

Here's a thought: Fly into Alaska and rent an RV. An Ancorage rental firm, ABC Motorhome Rentals, is offering up to $250 in fuel credits to encourage their trade. Last year they reported 3,400 rentals and projects they'll have as many this year.

Photo: Carl Chapman on flickr.com

Turning 50 this year? Ride free on the Alaska Railroad

2008-05-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

(May 27, 2008) -- Get ready to get carded if you turn 50 years old in 2009. The Alaska Railroad is offering anyone in the world who shares this birthday year with Alaska's statehood anniversary – that'll be 1959 – one free day of rail travel anytime during 2009.

Bookings will be available beginning in the fall of 2008 for the happy birthday program, called "Turn 50 With Us." Call (907) 265-2494 or visit www.alaskarailroad.com/50BD for more details.

"The Alaska Railroad is proud to share a long tradition with the people of Alaska, and what better way to extend our happy birthday wishes than by inviting, as our guests, all those who share this important milestone year," said Susie Kiger, passenger sales and marketing director.

The Alaska Railroad 50th birthday offer is valid for travel in Adventure Class Service on Denali Star, Coastal Classic, Glacier Discovery, Hurricane, and Aurora Winter train, roundtrip or one-way, as long as the travel occurs over the course of one day.

To qualify for the program your birth date must fall on, or be between January 1, 1959 and December 31, 1959. Travel need not occur on the passenger's birthday, just during the birthday year.

The Alaska Railroad has a long history that predates Alaska's admission into the United States on January 3, 1959. For general information about the Alaska Railroad or the history of the Alaska Railroad, visit www.alaskarailroad.com.

The ARRC is a state-owned corporation, wholly self-sustaining without benefit of state subsidy. Revenue generated by the railroad covers all operating costs including employee wages and benefits. The railroad generates revenue through year-round passenger and freight service to communities from Seward to Fairbanks and through its management of Real Estate holdings along the railbelt.