Flying to Alaska

[Speedalive]

This summer I'm planning on doing one big VFR trip from Calgary (YBW) to Anchorage (MRI) for my 300XC and to do some additional time building. I'm curious if anybody on here has ever done a trip all the way to Alaska from Calgary and if you would have any suggestions regarding the best (and safest) route to take, best places to stop, etc. There seems to be a couple different ways to get there.. eg: Fly west to the pacific coast then follow it north, fly through central BC to Prince George and keep going, or heading North to Fort Nelson before heading west, etc. Definitely curious as to what you would do/have done. Is Anchorage a good final destination as well? I think it would be really neat to head over to the primary airport to watch some of the heavy cargo jets coming in and out of there and exploring the city a bit. I'm definitely open to heading a little further though if it's worth it!

Cheers

[rookiepilot]

I would scratch the first option. Rugged terrain, lots of open water, fast changing weather and few places to land.

[yycinformer]

What are you planning on doing this trip in?

[pelmet]

Is Anchorage a good final destination as well? I think it would be really neat to head over to the primary airport to watch some of the heavy cargo jets coming in and out of there and exploring the city a bit. I'm definitely open to heading a little further though if it's worth it!

Cheers

Anchorage is a very good place to be as it has lots of great scenery. I have done quite a bit of flying in the area. But be advised of a few things. I would avoid flying around there at night(not too much of a problem in summer) as there are plenty of mountains to fly into. There are plenty of nice days but the winds can be very interesting. Just because it is calm in ANC doesn't mean that there is not nearby severe turbulence. There seems to be a real mix of ocean and mountain/glacier flows at times. At other times it is great. On a nice day, Mt. Mckinley looms in the distance up to 20,000 feet with no lower mountains blocking its view.

The airspace is extremely congested in this city with constraining factors being the tall mountains on the east edge of the city, water to the west, and the busy airfields both civilian and military. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, it is more complicated than LAX in some ways. Be very familiar with the information in the Flight Supplement and perhaps call a flight school and ask what procedures you might want to use to get into the general aviation field(there are several in the area) including what a "Deviation" is and when it is required along with Cartee airspace. I just did a flight here two days ago and both were required knowledge as both were utilized. I'm sure there is internet info on all this as well.

Be prepared for nice tight traffic patterns.

I have been told that ANC has one of the highest rates of FAA ATC violations.

[BE20 Driver]

Many insurance companies have a clause excluding Alaska. Be sure to check before you leave, just in case.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Fly the Alaska Highway to Tok and then cut West to follow the river to Anchorage. Br patient and wait for good weather, this is unforgiving country...

[CLguy]

I would suggest flying to Whitehorse and then west to Fairbanks. A beautiful flight and you follow the highway most of the way. From Fairbanks, which is also worth seeing, you can go south and follow the highway to Anchorage. You will fly right past Mount McKinley. If you don't want to go in Anchorage Intl. you could go into Palmer which is just to the north and rent a car to get into Anchorage.

The flight from Anchorage south along the coast would also be worth seeing but like already mentioned, it can be pretty unpredictable weather wise and pretty rugged but certainly doable if you have the time.

The controllers are awesome up there so just ask for VFR flight following and they will really help you out.

[PilotDAR]

We ferried back the route: Wasilla, Gulkana, Tok, Beaver Creek, Burwash, Whitehorse, Dease Lake, Prince George, Lillooet, Pitt Meadows. It was a super route, with the portion through the Yukon just beautiful. Know your weather.

[Antique Pilot]

Have a look at the Rocky Mtn Trench north from Prince George to Watson Lake. Big wide valley. Basically make a slight left turn at Mackenzie and then a heading of 310 the rest of the way to Watson Lake. There are a few strips like Mackenzie, Ingenika, Ft. Ware, Scoop Lake. Total distance about 400 miles.

AP

[Speedalive]

Thanks so much for the replies guys!

What are you planning on doing this trip in?

I'll be flying the good ole 172. If timing works, I'll be able to use one of our 172's that are equipped with a G1000 which will be a really useful tool for a trip like this.

I appreciate the advice and insight rookie pilot, Pelmet, BPF, CLguy, PilotDAR, and Antique Pilot!

I think I'll go via Prince George and Whitehorse. Seems like the most reasonable route, especially for a less experienced pilot like me. I'm looking forward to checking off a new territory and state off of my list of places to visit and for catching a close up glimpse of Mt. McKinley! I'll definitely do a ton of research and make sure to make a few calls to people along the route to get a good idea of what to expect. My CFI would probably never allow me to do this trip anyways if I didn't do my research anyways especially because the North is

unforgiving country...

I'm hoping that I can reduce a lot of the risks of a flight like this by going in the summer.

I have been told that ANC has one of the highest rates of FAA ATC violations.

Would ANC even let me land in with a 172? I get the feeling that my slow moving plane won't be appreciated with heavy 747's bombing in. YYC certainly doesn't seem to appreciate us coming in! I think I might be better off flying into one of the GA airports instead like MRI.

[SuperchargedRS]

Just be sure to recalculate your performance numbers over there, due to the larger amount of freedom in the air you will find your plane and also your brain will preform better in AK.

[rookiepilot]

Sounds cool. Take your time, don't push weather, have lots of fuel, flight plan, + tell someone your route, SPOT device, simple survival kit.......

[Independence]

Take a few jerry cans with you for fuel. Being able to stop and pour in another couple of hours of fuel can take the pressure off if weather has been an issue or you had to turn back after several hours of flying. It can be a long way between places to buy fuel.

Have fun! Camping beside your plane is something you will remember forever.

[Antique Pilot]

Forgot that you are starting in the YYC area. By all means the best route then would be the Alaska Hwy. Good places like Whitecourt, Grand Prairie, Dawson Creek, Ft. St. John, Ft. Nelson. From Ft. Nelson west a place to be aware of is appropriately named Summit Lake which is the highest point along the Alaska Hwy at about 5000’ asl. There is camping for airplanes on the Watson Lake airport. West of Watson Lake there is often lower ceilings at or near Rancheria. I wouldn’t do those longer legs unless you are absolutely certain of good VFR weather the whole way. Some places have weather cams along the highway if you can figure out how to find the link.

AP

[TeePeeCreeper]

Although the coastal route is absolutely beautiful, it presents its own set of challenges WX wise. Unless you are on strait floats the highway option is the only reasonably safe way of getting there and back safely.

One thing that I would like to make mention of here which has already been indirectly mentioned...

If your following the highway and the weather closes around you... it is so tempting to go over the top, or worse case try to get over it... all in a panic situation! Dont ever ever let it get to that point! There is a risk to flying in the “hinterland”... If the shit hits the fan have an exit plan always.

There is NO shame in admitting defeat in ever changing weather dynamics/conditions and landing your bird on the highway.

Although what I’ve suggested above presents a whole different challenge, plan for that before it gets too late and you find yourself fooling around at low level in quasi IFR conditions.

Remember, there is no shame. Check your ego at the door.

All the best,
TPC

[Boney]

I wouldn’t attempt this unless I have a instrument rating. Yes, go VFR, but at least if the weather closed in, you can get to the next point, albeit shooting an approach.

Too many non IFR warriors we read about.

Stay safe.

[Antique Pilot]

With all due respect I think it would be difficult to find legal IFR alternates on places like Ft. Nelson, Watson Lk, Whitehorse when flying a Cessna 172. There are lots of light single engine aircraft based in northern B.C. and Yukon. I bet most of them got there VFR.

AP

[Boney]

Granted that my limited experience up north is with the airlines, but reading this thread causes me to take extreme caution, unless you know what you are doing.

Have yourself a back door for the what if’s.

Cheers.

[pelmet]

Would ANC even let me land in with a 172? I get the feeling that my slow moving plane won't be appreciated with heavy 747's bombing in. YYC certainly doesn't seem to appreciate us coming in! I think I might be better off flying into one of the GA airports instead like MRI.

Lake Hood is the busiest seaplane base in the world and also has a somewhat short, gravel runway. It is one of the airpace segments in the Anchorage terminal area. The airfield/seaplane base is beside(as in right beside) the international airport. You can land on the short runway at Lake Hood or land at the international airport and taxi over to the seaplane base as they are connected by a taxiway(that crosses a road). I guess I will have to try it just for fun and see how well it all works.

A diagram is shown in this link....

http://www.scramble.nl/airfield-guide/a ... -lake-hood


As for MRI, it is almost right downtown so it can be convenient.


I just looked at the weather in Anchorage and it is classic. The international has winds of 1515G26 while Elmendorf AB about five miles away has winds of 3407. It is raining but the ceiling and vis are OK. Classic strange winds in this location.

[whiskey jack]

If you plan to land at the Lake Hood strip review the VFR procedures like the Tudor Overpass Arrival/Departure, as well as the West/East route procedures, all of which are located in the Alaska Flight Supplement (the pink coloured Airport/Facility directory book). It's especially important to familiarize yourself with the Anchorage VFR reporting points found in the flight supplement. You might want to review the major city roads too on Google Earth, as the tower controllers for Lake Hood and Merrill like to use those for reporting points too. Anchorage International and Lake Hood airports usually have more wind than Merrill and Elmendorf due to the Turnagain Arm winds that funnel through and hit the south side of Anchorage. Flying over the Palmer area one can get some pretty violent winds from the mixing of the Knik and Matanuska valleys. With the busy airspace it's also advisable to get flight following for traffic alerts from Anchorage approach.

Hope this helps,
Cheers

[Redneck_pilot86]

Plan a fuel stop in Dawson City. Its a little out of the way, but there is no other fuel available west of Whitehorse until Tok, but you have to go to Northway to clear customs. Dawson to Fairbanks is an easy 2 hour leg in a 172.

Additionally, while following the Alaska Highway is generally good advice, it is far easier to fly direct from Fort Nelson to Watson Lake. The direct route almost perfectly leads you through the Liard River Valley, which can be accomplished as low as 2500', although being higher would be preferred.

As others have said, take your time and don't push the weather. The scenery is incredible, so why would you want to fly when you can't see it anyway?

[Big Pistons Forever]

Plan a fuel stop in Dawson City. Its a little out of the way, but there is no other fuel available west of Whitehorse until Tok, but you have to go to Northway to clear customs. Dawson to Fairbanks is an easy 2 hour leg in a 172.

Additionally, while following the Alaska Highway is generally good advice, it is far easier to fly direct from Fort Nelson to Watson Lake. The direct route almost perfectly leads you through the Liard River Valley, which can be accomplished as low as 2500', although being higher would be preferred.

As others have said, take your time and don't push the weather. The scenery is incredible, so why would you want to fly when you can't see it anyway?

/\ What he said

A couple of considerations. Don't plan on taking the Trench ( the direct route between Prince George and Watson Lake) unless there is a big high pressure in the area. There is no fuel between Mackenzie and Watson Lake ( 345 nm) so if you get most of the way up the Trench and then have to turn around you better have lots of fuel. Fort St John to Fort Nelson is longer but safer.

Pack a no shit survival kit and consider renting a SAT phone. There are a surprising number of little gravel strips but none will have services so bring some camping supplies so that you can over night if you need to land to wait out weather.

Review short and soft field landing techniques and best practices for operating on gravel.

Re the Coast route. The last time I few in Alaska we came back via Anchorage, Ketchican and then down to Oregon. We filed IFR but there wasn't a cloud for a thousand miles in any direction and the view was over the top amazing. Occasionally you do get a stable high pressure that covers the whole West Coast, usually in August. If you are lucky enough to have that then consider the Coast route. But, and this is a big but, if there is anything less then CAVU everywhere, take the inland route.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Plan a fuel stop in Dawson City. Its a little out of the way, but there is no other fuel available west of Whitehorse until Tok, but you have to go to Northway to clear customs. Dawson to Fairbanks is an easy 2 hour leg in a 172.

Additionally, while following the Alaska Highway is generally good advice, it is far easier to fly direct from Fort Nelson to Watson Lake. The direct route almost perfectly leads you through the Liard River Valley, which can be accomplished as low as 2500', although being higher would be preferred.

As others have said, take your time and don't push the weather. The scenery is incredible, so why would you want to fly when you can't see it anyway?

/\ What he said

A couple of considerations. Don't plan on taking the Trench ( the direct route between Prince George and Watson Lake) unless there is a big high pressure in the area. There is no fuel between Mackenzie and Watson Lake ( 345 nm) so if you get most of the way up the Trench and then have to turn around you better have lots of fuel. Fort St John to Fort Nelson is longer but safer.

Consider an overnight in Dawson City, It is a pretty cool town

Pack a no shit survival kit and consider renting a SAT phone. There are a surprising number of little gravel strips but none will have services so bring some camping supplies so that you can over night if you need to land to wait out weather.

Review short and soft field landing techniques and best practices for operating on gravel.

Re the Coast route. The last time I few in Alaska we came back via Anchorage, Ketchican and then down to Oregon. We filed IFR but there wasn't a cloud for a thousand miles in any direction and the view was over the top amazing. Occasionally you do get a stable high pressure that covers the whole West Coast, usually in August. If you are lucky enough to have that then consider the Coast route. But, and this is a big but, if there is anything less then CAVU everywhere, take the inland route.

[PilotDAR]

I wouldn’t attempt this unless I have a instrument rating. Yes, go VFR, but at least if the weather closed in, you can get to the next point, albeit shooting an approach.

And to each their own. When we flew it, our aircraft were not equipped with gyros, nor IFR type avionics. We applied good weather discipline, and had no problem. Personally, in a light aircraft, I would rather that skill or equipment limitations forced me to make the decision to turn around, rather than an IFR approach being my incentive to press on.

[Independence]

Go in May, June or July and the weather will likely be fairly straight forward. I would say don't go if you are getting towards September or October.

If you are departing a gravel airstrip don't do a mag check at 1700 rpm as you will wreck the prop! Checking it at say 1000 rpm should let you know if a mag is totally screwed.