25 replies to this topic

[HIKEMT]

Ted,

For me, Seward Peninsula is a waste. It is very crowded, very touristic. I was there once and felt my days were wasted, couldn't wait to escape.

Gene

*Bump*

Gene, We're planning a Denali trip and wondered if you (or the rest of you who have been there) thought the Kenai peninsula was overly touristy or worth the trip? As much as we would like to take the truck and camper, due to time constraints we'll probably have to fly and rent a car or an rv for the drive to denali. We're wondering if we should save some time for the kenai or spend it on the denali or dempster hwys.

[generubin]

*Bump*

Gene, We're planning a Denali trip and wondered if you (or the rest of you who have been there) thought the Kenai peninsula was overly touristy or worth the trip? As much as we would like to take the truck and camper, due to time constraints we'll probably have to fly and rent a car or an rv for the drive to denali. We're wondering if we should save some time for the kenai or spend it on the denali or dempster hwys.

I've drivin' to AK and back a few times and I have done the rental thing a few times as well. I even sold one of Jay's trucks in Anchorage. I'd say, rent the smallest RV you can, or how about a mini-van? But do camp your way.

I've been down the Kenai Peninsula only once. We drove down to Homer and had planned to spend a few days but it was so crowded, traffic, and touristic compared to the rest of the state that we turned around and we back on our way to Denali within 24 hours! Damn, a day wasted that would have been better spent farther north.

Denali is a must! Take the earliest bus into the park possible as you'll likely want to spend all day wildlife viewing. If you rent a camper or RV, camp at the inner Teklanika Campground. Teklanika gets you away from the entrance. You can hike and wildlife view right from camp. Park requires you spend 2 nights at least. Don't worry, you won't get bored, you'll wish you had more time at Teklanika.

Choose the Dempster over the Dalton Hwy, please! On the way to Dawson City consider the side trip to Eagle Alaska. If you see John Borg (character out of excellent book: "Coming Into The Country", get the audio for your trip) in Eagle, say "HI" from me. He's a fellow fiddler and did the ceremony for my marriage some years ago on the banks of the Yukon. Eagle is a REAL bush town, you'll be happy to have made the side trip. There's BLM camp grounds along the way to Chicken and at Eagle, still free I think.

Dawson City is a wonderful place to hang out a couple of days. Best food, and damn good it is, is at Klondike Kate's. Will Hobbs wrote two books about the Dawson area that are on audio "Jason's Gold" and "Down the Yukon".

The awesome Dempster take your time, enjoy! This and the above recommendations would by my priorities. I've done the above trip many times and I have never gotten tired of it.

If you have spare time, a day boat trip at Valdez to approach the glacier is memorable, a trip into McCarthy at Wrangell St. Elias NP is a treat as well. If you get a chance to drive the "Old Denali Hwy" along your way, you'll be happy you did. There's a nice campground at the west end or with 4x4 you can take any of the spurs along the road and camp wherever (It is BLM). I have a favorite spot along the Old Denali Hwy that had a beaver pond with busy beavers.

Let us know how it all goes, Gene

[Bajaxplorer]

*Bump*

Gene, We're planning a Denali trip and wondered if you (or the rest of you who have been there) thought the Kenai peninsula was overly touristy or worth the trip? As much as we would like to take the truck and camper, due to time constraints we'll probably have to fly and rent a car or an rv for the drive to denali. We're wondering if we should save some time for the kenai or spend it on the denali or dempster hwys.

`

I realize this was addressed to Gene, but I would have to disagree about the value of visiting the Kenai penninsula. Sure it is near Anchorage, and built up, but there are still many worthwhile places/areas worth a visit. It's still part of the Alaskan experience. If you rule out Kenai, what's left, Anchorage and Wasilla? Time is the problem for many travelers to the Yukon/Alaska, and without it you have to decide on what your interests are. Fortunately I was able to spend 12 weeks doing 14k miles this past July thru Sept and drove just about every road in the Yukon and Alaska except the Dalton north of the Klondike.
As they say "different strokes for different folks", so what interests me may not interest you. I would suggest some research on the internet about the Kenai before dismissing it. One advantage is the proximity to Anchorage compared to the Dempster. If you don't have a week to spend on the Dempster, you will be rushed.
If I were not going to the Kenai, I would fly into Fairbanks and do Denali, the old highway across to get to Valdez, then up to Dawson City and across to Eagle return to Fairbanks. And not even go to the Anchorage area, but that's me. Keep in mind that most tourist places are touristy, especially when they are crammed into a 4-5 month window.
What ever you decide, enjoy!
BX

[generubin]

`

I realize this was addressed to Gene, but I would have to disagree about the value of visiting the Kenai penninsula. Sure it is near Anchorage, and built up, but there are still many worthwhile places/areas worth a visit. It's still part of the Alaskan experience. If you rule out Kenai, what's left, Anchorage and Wasilla? Time is the problem for many travelers to the Yukon/Alaska, and without it you have to decide on what your interests are. Fortunately I was able to spend 12 weeks doing 14k miles this past July thru Sept and drove just about every road in the Yukon and Alaska except the Dalton north of the Klondike.
As they say "different strokes for different folks", so what interests me may not interest you. I would suggest some research on the internet about the Kenai before dismissing it. One advantage is the proximity to Anchorage compared to the Dempster. If you don't have a week to spend on the Dempster, you will be rushed.
If I were not going to the Kenai, I would fly into Fairbanks and do Denali, the old highway across to get to Valdez, then up to Dawson City and across to Eagle return to Fairbanks. And not even go to the Anchorage area, but that's me. Keep in mind that most tourist places are touristy, especially when they are crammed into a 4-5 month window.
What ever you decide, enjoy!
BX

Hello BX, Yes,

I totally see you your point (I have a bad habit of assuming other want what I want). There is a lot of beauty along the Kenai and proximity to Anchorage is nice. I think for me, the feeling is, while I am all the way up there, I want to go to where the least amount of people are and land the most unchanged. Funny, but after so many visits to Alaska, Yukon and NWT, I feel at this point that if I am south of the Arctic Circle, "I gotta get north!".
Gene

[Ted]

With two weeks we were able to cover a limited amount of Alaska. Definitely will return for more. Flying into Anchorage is the only real option for us since it is a direct flight and that is where we picked up the RV (very happy with Great Alaskan Holidays, btw). Otherwise, no reason to stay in Anchorage. Easily the highlight of the trip is Denali, and we would go back there for a whole trip. We found the Kenai Peninsula to be very nice, with the exception being Homer. We also turned around and left there. But we liked Seward with lots of easy camping right on the shore and a very nice aquarium. We would also recommend the glacier tour boats out of there.
If you do get time to explore more, Valdez was nice and the drive into it pretty. Fairbanks was also a nice city. Top off your gas tank in cities. Away from the cities, like around Denali, the price was almost a dollar per gallon higher. It has been over three months since we returned. I really need to get my TR done.

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I really need to get my TR done.
[/quote]
Yeh Ted we are waiting.You don't have anything else that's more important do you?
Waiting,waiting and waiting.
Happy New Year.
Frank