No shortage of glaciers to see in Alaska

One of the most photographed scenes of an Alaskan vacation is the towering blue face of a glacier. No wonder three of the top 10 most-visited attractions in the state are glaciers. Of the 100,000 glaciers in Alaska, many are easily accessible by car or RV, including Worthington Glacier on the Richardson Highway, Matanuska Glacier on the Glenn Highway, Exit Glacier on the Seward Highway, Portage Glacier on the Seward Highway and Mendenhall Glacier on Glacier Highway.

You can also pack many glaciers into a day with a boat tour of Glacier Bay National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park or Prince William Sound. Flightseeing trips over ice masses like Sargent Ice Field, the Bagley Ice Field, Harding Ice Field and Juneau Ice Field allow you to experience the vastness of the glaciers from the air.

The greatest concentration of glaciers in Alaska is in the Alaska Range and in the coastal ranges where the annual precipitation is high. These ancient rivers of ice are always in motion. A glacier is formed when snowfall accumulates and compacts under pressure into a dense ice mass.

MOST GLACIERS refract all colors of the spectrum except blue, causing them to appear deep blue. There are three different types of glaciers: Alpine or hanging glaciers, which cling to mountain tops; piedmont or valley glaciers, which result when one or more glaciers join and spread out; and tidewater glaciers, which are dramatic and spectacular when the leading edges of the glaciers calve (fall off) into the water. Some Alaskans have been known to use the icebergs floating in front of tidewater glaciers in their coolers or as a crackling cube in a cocktail.

Photo: A couple walks away from Exit Glacier near Seward.

Good road, plenty to along Alaska's Parks Highway

Connecting Alaska's two largest cities - Anchorage and Fairbanks, the George Parks Highway travels through spectacular wilderness into the heart of Alaska. There are many campgrounds along the route, which is an easy drive for travelers with an RV.

The Parks Highway was first called the Anchorage-Fairbanks Highway when it was completed in 1971, but was renamed for George A. Parks, the territorial governor of Alaska from 1925 to 1933. The highway offers a number of opportunities to see North America's tallest peak, Mount McKinley. It also provides access to Denali National Park and Preserve.

What to see and do along the highway
--Hike among the 48-miles of trails in Denali State Park.
--Just past scenic Byers Lake, pause at the Alaska Veterans Memorial for a few moments.
--Locate a photographer's dream photo at the south end of the Hurricane Gulch Bridge and don't forget to pick some berries on the way.
--For the adventurous, hike the 27-mile Little Coal Creek Trail.
--Whitewater rafting is popular in the turbulent Nenana River.
-- Stop in Healy and learn more about Alaska's largest coal-mining operation.

Roadhouses still a way of life along Alaska’s roads

In Alaska’s early days, pioneers began building the first roads between communities, and, along with them, the roadhouse. The arrival of these bastions of comfort were much welcome to road-weary travelers (who had no RV to keep them comfy). The roadhouses offered a warm place to sleep, hot food and some much-sought-after conversation.

At the turn of the 20th century, these roadhouses were found across Alaska, often every 20 or so miles apart from one another and a manageable distance for those traveling by stagecoach, horse or dog sled. They were simple buildings, low-roofed and built of thick locally cut timbers. Most of them were log, although clapboard buildings showed up now and then, as well.

In many areas, they needed no distinction and often were simply called “The Roadhouse.” Today, many still offer room and board, while others stand as a historic reminder of the early days of transportation.

Knik Hall: This roadhouse is thought to have been constructed sometime between 1900 and 1914, and originally was used as a roadhouse, pool hall and store. The two-story, wood-framed building still stands today and is home to the Knik Museum and Sled Dog Musher’s Hall of Fame. To find it, turn south off the Parks Highway in Wasilla onto Knik Road and drive about 14 miles.

Sourdough Roadhouse: This 1906-era building is one of Alaska’s better-known roadhouses, and is billed as the longest-running original roadhouse in Alaska. Built along the then-Valdez-to-Fairbanks Trail, it today can be found at Mile 147.5 of the Richardson Highway. The roadhouse still serves Richardson Highway travelers and is a recognized National Historic Landmark.

Rika’s Roadhouse: This delightful roadhouse still operates today as a historic site at the Big Delta State Historical Park at Mile 275 of the Richardson Highway. The roadhouse was yet another Alaska Railroad project, built in 1909 and 1910. It was used a stopping point for those on the Valdez-to-Fairbanks Trail. After the Richardson Highway was built and upgraded, the roadhouse became less prominent and its owner, Swedish immigrant Rika Wallen, closed the doors. The State of Alaska upgraded the building in 1986 and it became the popular roadside diversion it is today.

Gakona Lodge and Trading Post: Built in 1905, the original roadhouse sits next to a newer two-story log counterpart built in 1929. Today’s lodge is on the National Register of Historic Places and features an excellent dinner out of the Carriage House dining room. Look for both at Mile 2 of the Tok Cutoff.

Copper Center Lodge: The lodge was built in 1897, and it still serves travelers today with basic rooms and a restaurant featuring sourdough pancakes. The roadhouse can be found past Mile 100 on the Old Richardson Highway.

Manley Roadhouse: This roadhouse, filled with antiques, is an antique itself. It was built in 1906 to serve dog mushers, gold prospectors and the occasional adventurer of the early 1900s. The roadhouse still operates today, with accommodations with shared and private baths. Look for it near Mile 150 of the Elliott Highway in Interior Alaska.

Alaska Tourism Numbers Down

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

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

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

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.