Flying to Alaska

[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.

[Speedalive]

I’m so glad I asked about this on here. Such a wealth of information and experience on here. Thanks everyone!